Chapter 1 – Script and Pronunciation
Unit 3 — Vowel Signs
Overview
In Unit 2, you learned the 11 independent Nepali vowel letters—अ (a), आ (ā), इ (i), ई (ī), उ (u), ऊ (ū), ऋ (ṛ), ए (e), ऐ (ai), ओ (o), and औ (au). These are full akṣara, meaning they can stand alone as complete written units.
In this unit, you will learn how the same vowel sounds appear as vowel signs (mātrā). Unlike vowel letters, vowel signs cannot stand alone. They must attach to a consonant to form a complete akṣara.
For example:
- क (ka)
- का (kā)
- कि (ki)
The consonant remains the same; only the vowel sign changes the sound. This consonant + vowel sign structure is the core mechanism of Nepali reading and writing.
Vowel Letters and Vowel Signs
Nepali vowels appear in two forms:
- Independent vowel letters → used when a syllable begins with a vowel
- Vowel signs (mātrā) → attached to consonants to modify the inherent vowel
By default, every consonant carries an inherent a sound (e.g., क = ka). When a vowel sign is added, it replaces that sound.
Examples:
- क (ka) → का (kā)
- क (ka) → कि (ki)
- क (ka) → कु (ku)
Table 1.3.1 – Nepali Vowels: Letters and Vowel Signs
| Vowel letter | Vowel sign |
|---|---|
| अ (a) | — |
| आ (ā) | ा |
| इ (i) | ि |
| ई (ī) | ी |
| उ (u) | ु |
| ऊ (ū) | ू |
| ऋ (ṛ) | ृ |
| ए (e) | े |
| ऐ (ai) | ै |
| ओ (o) | ो |
| औ (au) | ौ |
This table shows how vowel signs attach to the consonant क (ka). The base consonant always carries an inherent a sound unless modified by a vowel sign.
| Vowel letter | Vowel sign | Syllable with क (ka) | Audio |
| अ (a) | — | क (ka) |
|
| आ (ā) | ा | का (kā) |
|
| इ (i) | ि | कि (ki) |
|
| ई (ī) | ी | की (kī) |
|
| उ (u) | ु | कु (ku) |
|
| ऊ (ū) | ू | कू (kū) |
|
| ए (e) | े | के (ke) |
|
| ऐ (ai) | ै | कै (kai) |
|
| ओ (o) | ो | को (ko) |
|
| औ (au) | ौ | कौ (kau) |
|
| ऋ (ṛ) | ृ | कृ (kṛ) |
|
Watch and Practice
Let’s watch this short video (about 1 minute) created by Joseph Wralte to learn and practise Nepali vowels and vowel signs (it was designed for Hindi but works for Nepali also):
Let’s watch this short video (about 3 minutes) created by Sharad Dhakal to learn and practise how to write Nepali vowel signs:
Check Your Understanding
Self Reflection
Key Takeaways
- Vowel letters (अ, आ, इ, …) are full akṣara and can stand alone
- Vowel signs (ा, ि, ी, ु, …) cannot stand alone; they must attach to a consonant
- One consonant + one vowel sign = one complete akṣara
- The pronunciation follows consonant → vowel order, even if the sign appears before or around the letter (e.g., कि is ki, not ik)
- You can now read the full ka series: क, का, कि, की, कु, कू, के, कै, को, कौ, कृ
- You can recognize vowel signs in real Nepali words
definition
akṣara means a syllabic writing unit in devanagari—typically a vowel (अ) or a consonant with its vowel (क = ka), and it can include vowel sign (mātrā) (कि, का) or conjuncts (क्त, स्त) as one written unit.
