SANSKRIT PRONUNCIATION GUIDE

VOWELS

a—like the a in organ or the u in but ṛ—like ree in reed ā—like the a in far, but held twice as long as short a ḷ—like l followed by ṛ (lṛ) i—like the i in pin e—like the e in they ī—like the i in pique, but held twice as long as short i ai—like the ai in aisle u—like the u in push o—like the o in go ū—like the u in rule, but held twice as long as short u au—like the ow in how

CONSONANTS

k—as in kite d—as in dove, but with the tongue against the teeth kh—as in Eckhart dh—as in red-hot, but with the tongue against the teeth g—as in give n—as in nut, but with the tongue against the teeth gh—as in dig-hard p—as in pine ṅ—as in sing ph—as in uphill (not pronounced like f) c—as in chair b—as in bird j—as in joy bh—as in rub-hard jh—as in hedgehog m—as in mother ṣ—as in canyon y—as in yes ṭ—as in tub, but with the tongue against the roof of the mouth r—as in run ṭh—as in light-heart, but with the tongue against the roof of the mouth l—as in light ḍ—as in dove, but with the tongue against the roof of the mouth v—as in vine ḍh—as in red-hot, but with the tongue against the roof of the mouth ś (palatal)—as in the s in the German word sprechen ṇ—as in nut, but with the tongue against the roof of the mouth ṣ (cerebral)—as the sh in shine t—as in tub, but with the tongue against the teeth s (dental)—as in sun th—as in light-heart, but with the tongue against the teeth h—as in home

SPECIAL LETTERS

ṁ (anusvāra)—a resonant nasal like the n in the French word bon

ḥ (visarga)—a final, echoed h-sound: aḥ is pronounce like aha; iḥ like ihi