Script — Devanagari
The Devanagari vowels (स्वर)
Meet the 13 vowels of Sanskrit — short, long, and the diphthongs.
6 min read
The Sanskrit vowels
Sanskrit is written in Devanagari. We begin with the svara (vowels), because every consonant is built on a vowel sound.
The vowels
- Short (ह्रस्व): अ इ उ ऋ ऌ
- Long (दीर्घ): आ ई ऊ ॠ
- Diphthongs (सन्ध्यक्षर): ए ऐ ओ औ
How to practise
- Say each vowel aloud, holding the long ones twice as long.
- Trace each letter 5 times.
- Notice the pairs: अ/आ, इ/ई, उ/ऊ.
Once these feel familiar, the consonants will click into place quickly.