If you are a beginner in learning Nepali, you must start with the basics. And what can be more basic than the alphabet? Yes, that's right! In this article, we will take a look at the Nepali alphabet and how they are written.
Nepali Letters: What are Nepali letters? And how to write them properly?
Nepali is written in Devanagari script, which is also used to write Hindi, Marathi, and Sanskrit. The Devanagari script is read from left to right, and capital letters are not distinguished.
How many letters are there in Nepali Barnamala?
There are a total of 46 letters in the Nepali alphabet, including 12 vowels and 34 consonants.
Vowels
In Nepali, the vowels are also known as `Swar (स्वरों).` There are 14 vowel letters in Nepali which are divided into two groups:
Independent vowel: used at the beginning of a syllable.
Dependent vowel: this vowel follows a consonant.
The following table lists the 14 vowel letters in Nepali with their corresponding English pronunciation:-
Independent vowels
अ /ɑ/ a
आ /ɑː/ aa
इ /i/ I
ई /iː/ ee
उ /u/ u
ऊ /uː/ oo
ए /eː/ e
ऐ /ai/ ai
ओ /oː/ o
औ /au/ au
अं /ə̃/ am
अः /əh/ ah
ऋ /ri/
ॠ /rr/
Dependent Vowels:
ा [aa]
ि [i]
ी [ii]
ु [u]
ू [uu]
ृ [r]
ॄ [rr]
ॅ [e]
ॆ [e]
े [e]
ै [ai]
ॉ [o]
ॊ [o]
ो [o]
ौ [au]
Consonants
There are 34 consonant letters in Nepali. In Nepali, the consonants are called `vyanjan (व्यंजन)`. The following table lists the 36 consonant letters in Nepali with their corresponding English pronunciation:-
क /kʰ/ kh
ख /kʰ/ kh
ग /g/ g
घ /gʱ/ gh
ङ /ŋ/ ng
च /t͡ʃʰ/ ch
छ /t͡ʃʰ/ ch
ज /d͡ʒ/ j
झ /d͡ʒʱ/ jh
ञ /ɲ/ ñ
ट /ʈʰ/ t
ठ /ʈʰ/ th
ड /ɖ/ d
ढ /ɖʱ/ dh
ण /ɳ/ ṇ
त /tʰ/ t
थ /tʰ/ th
द /d̪/ d
ध /d̪ʱ/ dh
न /n̪/ n
ऩ /ɳʱ/ ṇh
प /pʰ/ ph
फ /pʰ/ ph
ब /b/ b
भ /bʱ/ bh
म /m̪/ m
य /j/ y
र /r̩/ r
ल /l̪/ l
व /ʋ/ v
श /ʃ/ sh
ष /ʂɽ/, /sʱ/ ṣ
स /s/ s
ह /h/ h
क्ष /kʰ/ ksh
त्र /t̪ʰ/ tr
ज्ञ /d͡ʒ/ gya
Nepali numerals
The numerals used in the Nepali script are called Nepalese numerals. They're utilized to write decimal numbers rather than Latin ones.
० [zero]
१ [1]
२ [2]
३ [3]
४ [4]
५ [5]
६ [6]
७ [7]
८ [8]
९ [9]
So, those were the basic Nepali letters.
The history of Nepali letters: How has the Nepali alphabet changed over time?
Nepali letters have been used for centuries, and their origins can be traced back to the Sanskrit alphabet. Over time, the Nepali alphabet has undergone several changes, and today it consists of 46 letters, including 12 vowels and 34 consonants.
The Nepali alphabet is used to write the Nepali language, which around 17 million people speak in Nepal and India.
Nepali is also the official language of Nepal, and it is one of the 22 scheduled languages of India.
Common mistakes made while writing Nepali letters
One of the most common mistakes made while writing Nepali letters is the confusion between र and ्र. While they may look similar, they are two letters with different pronunciations.
Another common mistake is the confusion between
ल and ळ. These two letters may look alike, but they are pronounced differently.
Finally, another mistake often made is the confusion between र (r) and ल (l). Remember that र is pronounced as /r̩/ while ल is pronounced as /l̪/.
Remember, practice makes perfect! So keep practicing, and before you know it, you'll be writing Nepali letters like a pro!
Examples of words written in Nepali script
If you are wondering what the Nepali letters look like - Here are some examples of common words written in Nepali script:-
Nepali letter examples
- नेपाली Nepali
- भारत India
- चीन China
- अमेरिका America
- जापान Japan
Learn to write Nepali letters:
Tips for writing Nepali letters perfectly
Here are some tips for writing Nepali letters perfectly:-
- Make sure you know how to pronounce the letter correctly before you start writing it.
- Start by writing a few letters at a time, and then gradually increase the number of letters you write.
- Practice writing the letters in a different order so that you don't get confused when writing them.
- Write the letter multiple times until you get it right.
- Take your time and don't rush while writing the letters.
- Practice, practice, practice! The more you write the letter, the better you will become at writing it perfectly.
Tricks for remembering Nepali letters easily
There are a few tricks that can help you remember Nepali letters easily.
- Use mnemonic devices: A mnemonic device is a technique that helps you remember something by associating it with something else that is easier to remember. For example, you can associate the letter क with the word 'kite' and the letter ख with the word 'key.'
- Make up a story: Another way to remember Nepali letters is by making up a story in which each letter represents a character or an object. For example, you can have a story in which the letter क represents a king, and the letter ख represents a key.
- Create visual aids: You can also create visual aids to help you remember Nepali letters. For example, you can draw a picture of a kite next to the letter क and a picture of a key next to the letter ख.
- Practice, practice, practice: The best way to remember Nepali letters is to practice writing them as often as possible. The more you write the letters, the easier it will be for you to remember them.
Tips for teaching someone how to read and write in Nepali
If you want to teach someone how to read and write in Nepali, here are a few tips that can help you:-
- Start by teaching them the basic Nepali alphabet. Make sure they understand how the letters are pronounced before moving on to the next step.
- Once they know the alphabet, start teaching them basic words and phrases. Begin with simple words and gradually increase the difficulty level.
- Encourage them to practice as often as possible. The more they write, the better they will become at reading and writing in Nepali.
- Make sure they are using the correct resources to learn Nepali. Many online resources can help them learn the language.
- Be patient and don't give up on them. Learning a new language can be tough, but you will eventually get it if you are consistent and persistent
Nepali is a beautiful language with a rich culture and history. As you can see, the Nepali alphabet is not as difficult as it may seem at first. Reading and writing Nepali letters will allow you to better understand and appreciate the Nepali language and culture. With a little practice, you'll be writing Nepali like a pro in no time!
FAQs
Does Nepali have an alphabet?
The Nepalese writing system is a combination of the syllabic-alphabetic script.
How to pronounce Nepali letters correctly?
The best way to learn how to pronounce Nepali letters correctly is to listen to someone who speaks Nepali fluently. You can also watch videos or listen to audio recordings of people speaking Nepali. Additionally, many online resources can help you learn how to pronounce Nepali letters correctly.
What do the different Nepali letters mean?
The different Nepali letters represent different sounds. For example, the letter क represents the sound /kʰ/, while the letter ख represents the sound /kʰ/. There are a total of 46 letters in the Nepali alphabet, including 12 vowels and 34 consonants.
Why is it important to learn Nepali letters?
Nepali is the official language of Nepal. It is also spoken in parts of India, Bhutan, and Myanmar. Nepali is a member of the Indo-Aryan family of languages, which is a branch of the larger Indo-European language family. Nepali is closely related to Hindi and other Indian languages. There are approximately 17 million Nepali speakers in the world. Nepali is a script-dependent language, which means that if you want to be able to read and write in Nepali, you need to learn the Nepali alphabet.
How do you write an AA in Nepali?
The letter अ is written as 'aa' in Nepali.
Is Nepali hard to learn?
No, Nepali is not hard to learn. Like any other language, it takes time and practice to master it. However, once you know the basic Nepali alphabet, you can read and write in Nepali relatively easily. There are many resources available online that can help you learn Nepali.
Is Nepali the same as Hindi?: What is the difference between Nepali and Hindi?
Hindi is most frequently heard in the Republic of India, while Nepali is the official language of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. Both Hindi and Nepali are Indo-Aryan languages that use the Devanagari script. Although they are similar languages and come from the Devnagari script, they are different languages.
How can I learn Nepali writing?
There are many ways you can learn Nepali writing. You can start by learning the basic Nepali alphabet. Once you know the alphabet, you can learn basic words and phrases. You can also find many resources online to help you learn Nepali writing. Practice makes perfect, so make sure to practice as often as possible.
What is I love you in Nepali?
I love you in Nepali is 'म तिमीलाई प्रेम गर्छु.'