Reading Nepali in Devanagari
Nepali is written in Devanagari, where every consonant carries a short vowel until a sign changes it.
How It Works
Devanagari runs from left to right, and most letters hang from a line along the top. Each consonant includes a short vowel that sounds like the u in cup: क is ka and म is ma. Many words end on a consonant with no vowel sound after it, so घर sounds like ghar, not ghara.
| Sign | With प | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| none | प | pa |
| ा | पा | paa |
| ि or ी | पि, पी | pi |
| ु or ू | पु, पू | pu |
| े | पे | pe |
| ो | पो | po |
Nepali speakers do not stretch ी and ू longer than ि and ु, but the spelling still matters. The sign for short i is written before the consonant, yet you say the consonant first: किताब is kitab. A halanta on the last letter, as in छन् (they are), shows that no vowel follows. Some words, like घर, end the same way with no halanta written, so learn each word as you meet it. Many consonants also come in plain and breathy pairs, such as क and ख or ग and घ, so listen to each new word.
Examples (5)
- घर
House.
घ carries a short vowel and the word ends on र, so it sounds like ghar.
- किताब
Book.
The ि sign is written before क but said after it.
- छन्
They are.
The halanta on न cancels the vowel, so the word ends on n.
- आँखा
Eye.
The chandrabindu above आ makes the vowel nasal.
- नेपाली
Nepali.
The signs े, ा and ी change the short vowel after न, प and ल.
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- Basic Sentence Order
Once you can read the letters, read whole sentences.
Foundations - म / हामीI and We
A first pair of words to read and say aloud.
Level 1 - होSaying What Something Is
A short word to practise reading with its different endings.
Level 1 - यो / त्यो / यी / तीThis and That
Short everyday words made from the signs on this page.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
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