देवनागरी
The script first
Devanāgarī is a map of the mouth: each row is a place of articulation. Learn to recognize, say, and write the letters before grammar. 0 letters already feel steady.
01
How Devanāgarī works
NextNot an alphabet — a map of the mouth
02
Short vowels
अ इ उ — the core of every syllable
अ इ उ
03
Long vowels
आ ई ऊ — twice the length, same place
आ ई ऊ
04
Ṛ and the compound vowels
ऋ ए ऐ ओ औ
ऋ ए ऐ ओ औ
05
Gutturals
क ख ग घ ङ — from the throat
क ख ग घ ङ
06
Palatals
च छ ज झ ञ — at the hard palate
च छ ज झ ञ
07
Retroflex
ट ठ ड ढ ण — the English gap
ट ठ ड ढ ण
08
Dentals
त थ द ध न — tongue on the teeth
त थ द ध न
09
Labials
प फ ब भ म — at the lips
प फ ब भ म
10
Semivowels
य र ल व
य र ल व
11
Sibilants and ha
श ष स ह — three hisses and a breath
श ष स ह
12
Anusvāra, visarga, virāma
The three marks that finish the chart
ं ः ्
13
Vowel signs (mātrā)
How vowels attach to consonants
क आ इ ई उ ऊ ए ओ
14
Conjuncts
क्ष त्र ज्ञ and the logic of clusters
क्ष त्र ज्ञ
15
Numerals and first words
०–९ and reading practice
० १ २ ३ ४ ५ ६ ७ ८ ९