Hindi Letters: Vowels and Consonants: Class 1 Study Guide
Hindi is written in the Devanagari script. Its alphabet is called the varnamala, and every letter has one sound.
Hindi has swar (vowels) and vyanjan (consonants). Each letter has a fixed sound, so reading Hindi is much like reading the sounds out one by one.
Learn each letter with a picture word. Say the word aloud, trace the letter in the air and then write it.
Vowels (swar)
The main vowels are अ आ इ ई उ ऊ ए ऐ ओ औ अं अः. Each comes with a word.
| Letter | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| अ | अनार | pomegranate |
| आ | आम | mango |
| इ | इमली | tamarind |
| ई | ईख | sugar cane |
| उ | उल्लू | owl |
| ऊ | ऊन | wool |
| ए | एक | one |
| ओ | ओखली | mortar |
Consonants (vyanjan)
The consonants are grouped by where in the mouth they are said. The first group is क ख ग घ ङ, then च छ ज झ ञ, then ट ठ ड ढ ण, then त थ द ध न and प फ ब भ म. Then come य र ल व श ष स ह. Each consonant has the sound of a plus the vowel अ.
| Letter | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| क | कमल | lotus |
| ख | खरगोश | rabbit |
| ग | गमला | flower pot |
| घ | घर | house |
| च | चम्मच | spoon |
| ज | जहाज़ | ship |
| न | नल | tap |
| प | पतंग | kite |
| म | मछली | fish |
| स | सेब | apple |
Learning tips
Say the letter and its word together, then write it three times. Sing the alphabet in order. Hindi letters hang from a line on top called the shirorekha, so draw the line last. Practise a few letters a day instead of all at once.
Common mistakes
Children may mix similar letters like ब and व, or घ and ध. Read slowly, say the sound and check the shape. A tutor or a Hindi reader can help you check how each letter sounds.
Check your understanding: model answers
1. आ. 2. न. 3. The shirorekha.
✨ Key Takeaways
- Hindi has vowels (swar) and consonants (vyanjan).
- Each letter has one sound.
- Learn a letter with a word.
- Write under the line on top.
💬 Questions for Discussion & Reflection
- Which letter starts आम?
- Which letter starts नल?
- What is the line on top of a letter called?