{"id":50,"date":"2025-12-25T14:48:07","date_gmt":"2025-12-25T19:48:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/nepali\/chapter\/chapter-1-unit-2-vowel-letters\/"},"modified":"2026-05-30T04:55:42","modified_gmt":"2026-05-30T08:55:42","slug":"chapter-1-unit-2-vowel-letters","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/nepali\/chapter\/chapter-1-unit-2-vowel-letters\/","title":{"raw":"Unit 2 \u2014 Vowel Letters","rendered":"Unit 2 \u2014 Vowel Letters"},"content":{"raw":"

Overview<\/h2>\r\nVowels are an important part of the Devanagari script used to write Nepali.\r\n\r\nIn Nepali, independent vowel letters can stand alone. Each vowel letter is a complete \u0905\u0915\u094d\u0937\u0930 (ak\u1e63ara<\/em>), or syllable unit.\r\n\r\nFor example:\r\n\r\n\u0905\r\na<\/em>\r\n\r\n\u0907\r\ni<\/em>\r\n\r\n\u0913\r\no<\/em>\r\n\r\nEach of these can be read as one complete sound.\r\n\r\nIn this unit, you will learn:\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. the 11 main independent vowel letters in Nepali<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. how each vowel is written<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. how each vowel is pronounced<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. the difference between short and long vowel letters<\/li>\r\n \t
  5. how nasalized vowels work<\/li>\r\n \t
  6. how to recognize vowels as complete \u0905\u0915\u094d\u0937\u0930 (ak\u1e63ara<\/em>)<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nYou do not need to master everything right away. The goal is to become familiar with the vowel letters so that you can begin reading simple Nepali words with more confidence.\r\n

    Independent Vowel Letters<\/h2>\r\nIndependent vowel letters are full vowel forms.\r\n\r\nThey do not need to attach to a consonant.\r\n\r\nFor example:\r\n\r\n\u0906\r\n\u0101<\/em>\r\n\r\nThis vowel can stand alone as one \u0905\u0915\u094d\u0937\u0930 (ak\u1e63ara<\/em>).\r\n\r\nIn Nepali, independent vowels often appear:\r\n
      \r\n \t
    1. at the beginning of words<\/li>\r\n \t
    2. after consonant clusters<\/li>\r\n \t
    3. in borrowed or modern vocabulary<\/li>\r\n \t
    4. in names, places, and common words<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nExamples:\r\n\r\n\u0906\u092e\u093e\r\n\u0101m\u0101<\/em>\r\nmother\r\n\r\n\u0913\u0920\r\no\u1e6dh<\/em>\r\nlip\r\n\r\n\u0910\u0928\u093e\r\nain\u0101<\/em>\r\nmirror\r\n\r\n\u0906\u0908\u0938\u0940\u092f\u0942\r\n\u0101\u012bs\u012by\u016b<\/em>\r\nICU\r\n

      Simple Rule<\/h2>\r\nIndependent vowel letters stand alone.\r\n\r\nThey are complete \u0905\u0915\u094d\u0937\u0930 (ak\u1e63ara<\/em>) by themselves.\r\n\r\nExamples:\r\n\r\n\u0905 = a<\/em>\r\n\u0906 = \u0101<\/em>\r\n\u0907 = i<\/em>\r\n\u0913 = o<\/em>\r\n
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      Table 1.2.1 \u2013 Nepali vowels: letters, transliteration, and pronunciation guide<\/strong><\/h3>\r\nThis table lists the 11 core independent Nepali vowel letters, with transliteration and pronunciation notes. Each vowel can stand alone as a complete ak\u1e63ara<\/em>.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/article><\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
      Letter<\/td>\r\nTransliteration<\/td>\r\nPronunciation note<\/td>\r\nAudio<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
      \u0905<\/td>\r\na<\/em><\/td>\r\nshort \u201ca,\u201d like a in ago<\/em><\/td>\r\n[h5p id=\"4\"]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
      \u0906<\/td>\r\n\u0101<\/em><\/td>\r\nlong \u201caa,\u201d like a in father<\/em><\/td>\r\n[h5p id=\"5\"]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
      \u0907<\/td>\r\ni<\/em><\/td>\r\nshort \u201ci,\u201d like i in bit<\/em><\/td>\r\n[h5p id=\"6\"]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
      \u0908<\/td>\r\n\u012b<\/em><\/td>\r\nlong \u201cee,\u201d like ee in see<\/em><\/td>\r\n[h5p id=\"7\"]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
      \u0909<\/td>\r\nu<\/em><\/td>\r\nshort \u201cu,\u201d like u in put<\/em><\/td>\r\n[h5p id=\"8\"]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
      \u090a<\/td>\r\n\u016b<\/em><\/td>\r\nlong \u201coo,\u201d like oo in food<\/em><\/td>\r\n[h5p id=\"9\"]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
      \u090b<\/td>\r\n\u1e5b<\/em><\/td>\r\nlike ri in riddle<\/em>, but shorter and more central<\/td>\r\n[h5p id=\"10\"]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
      \u090f<\/td>\r\ne<\/em><\/td>\r\nSpanish e<\/em>; like \u201cay,\u201d in they without a glide<\/td>\r\n[h5p id=\"11\"]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
      \u0910<\/td>\r\nai<\/em><\/td>\r\nlike eye<\/em> (diphthong)<\/td>\r\n[h5p id=\"12\"]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
      \u0913<\/td>\r\no<\/em><\/td>\r\nlike \u201co\u201d in go<\/em> without a glide<\/td>\r\n[h5p id=\"13\"]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
      \u0914<\/td>\r\nau<\/em><\/td>\r\nlike \u201cow\u201d in cow<\/em> (diphthong)<\/td>\r\n[h5p id=\"14\"]<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

      Try It Now<\/h2>\r\nRead the vowel letters aloud:\r\n
        \r\n \t
      1. \u0905 \u2014 a<\/em><\/li>\r\n \t
      2. \u0906 \u2014 \u0101<\/em><\/li>\r\n \t
      3. \u0907 \u2014 i<\/em><\/li>\r\n \t
      4. \u0908 \u2014 \u012b<\/em><\/li>\r\n \t
      5. \u0909 \u2014 u<\/em><\/li>\r\n \t
      6. \u090a \u2014 \u016b<\/em><\/li>\r\n \t
      7. \u090b \u2014 \u1e5b<\/em><\/li>\r\n \t
      8. \u090f \u2014 e<\/em><\/li>\r\n \t
      9. \u0910 \u2014 ai<\/em><\/li>\r\n \t
      10. \u0913 \u2014 o<\/em><\/li>\r\n \t
      11. \u0914 \u2014 au<\/em><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nRead them slowly first.\r\n\r\nThen read them again more naturally.\r\n\r\nYou can use the audio recorder below to record yourself. Listen to your recording and check whether each vowel sound is clear.\r\n

        Vowels as \u0905\u0915\u094d\u0937\u0930<\/h2>\r\nEach independent vowel letter is a complete \u0905\u0915\u094d\u0937\u0930 (ak\u1e63ara<\/em>).\r\n\r\nThis means it can be read as one syllable unit.\r\n\r\nFor example:\r\n\r\n\u0905\r\na<\/em>\r\n\r\n\u0906\r\n\u0101<\/em>\r\n\r\n\u0913\r\no<\/em>\r\n\r\nThese do not need another letter to make a complete sound.\r\n

        Examples in Words<\/h2>\r\nLook at these words:\r\n\r\n\u0906\u092e\u093e\r\n\u0101m\u0101<\/em>\r\nmother\r\n\r\n\u0910\u0928\u093e\r\nain\u0101<\/em>\r\nmirror\r\n\r\n\u0913\u0920\r\no\u1e6dh<\/em>\r\nlip\r\n\r\nIn each word, the first vowel is an independent vowel letter.\r\n

        Learner Tip<\/h2>\r\nWhen you see a vowel letter at the beginning of a word, read it as one complete \u0905\u0915\u094d\u0937\u0930 (ak\u1e63ara<\/em>).\r\n\r\nFor example:\r\n\r\n\u0906\u092e\u093e\r\n\u0101m\u0101<\/em>\r\n\r\nYou can read it as:\r\n\r\n\u0906 + \u092e\u093e\r\n\u0101 + m\u0101<\/em>\r\n

        Short and Long Vowel Letters<\/h2>\r\nNepali writing distinguishes between short and long vowel letters for i<\/em> and u<\/em>.\r\n\r\nThis means there are different written forms:\r\n\r\n\u0907\r\ni<\/em>\r\n\r\n\u0908\r\n\u012b<\/em>\r\n\r\n\u0909\r\nu<\/em>\r\n\r\n\u090a\r\n\u016b<\/em>\r\n\r\n[table id=514 \/]\r\n

        Important Note<\/h2>\r\nIn traditional spelling, these letters are written differently.\r\n\r\nHowever, in modern spoken Nepali, the length difference is usually not very clear in everyday speech.\r\n\r\nFor many speakers:\r\n