The Sanskrit Language Open Pathshala Apna Course
a is pronounced like the u in the English word “but. " This letter is described as the sound of an exhalation. In Sanskrit, it is considered the starting point of all other sounds in the language. i is pronounced like the i in the English word “bit. " u is pronounced like the u in the English word “put. " There is no true English equivalent for the ṛ sound. It sounds a bit like you are saying “ruh. "
ā is pronounced like the a in the English word “star. " ī is pronounced like the ee in the English word “teeth. " ū is pronounced like the oo in the English word “mood. " A long ṛ is rarely used, but essentially sounds like a longer, more drawn-out version of the short-vowel pronunciation. The pronunciation of this vowel is incredibly varied.
e is a medium vowel pronounced like the a in the English word “mane. " It is a simplified version of the classical “ai,” which is why it is still considered a compound vowel even though it is only one letter. o is a medium vowel pronounced like the o in the English word “go. " It is a simplified version of the classical “au. " ai is a strong vowel that is a combination of the short a and short i sounds. Classically, this combination was written “āi. " Pronounce each letter separately, gliding them together. Keep the initial a sound short. au is a strong vowel that is a combination of the short a and short u sounds. Classically, this combination was written “āu. "
ya sounds similar to the y in the English word “yellow. " ra is a sound not present in the English language, but it sounds somewhat like “drah. " It’s somewhat similar to the dr in the Greek word “drachma. " la sounds similar to the l in the English word “loose. " va sounds similar to the v in the English word “vase. "
There are 5 pronunciation points in Sanskrit, related to the part in your mouth where the air flow is stopped: the soft palate (at the very back of your mouth), the hard palate (at the top of your mouth), the hard bump behind your teeth on the roof of your mouth, your lips, and the base of your teeth. The Sanskrit alphabet is organized logically with the vowels first, followed by the consonants, which are grouped together according to their points of pronunciation. When naming a Sanskrit consonant, you simply add the vowel a to the end of it.
ka sounds similar to the k in the English word “skill. " ga sounds similar to the g in the English word “great. " ṅa sounds similar to the ng sound in the English word “lung. "
ca produces a sound similar to “chah,” although the point of pronunciation is different from the English “ch. " ja is sounds similar to the j in the English word “joe,” although it’s a smoother sound, more like a “zzh” sound. ña sounds similar to the “ñ” in the Spanish word “mañana. "
ṭa produces a sound similar to the English “t,” although the point of pronunciation is different. The sound is more rounded. ḍa produces a sound similar to the English “d,” although the point of pronunciation is different. The sound of this letter is not as sharp or clipped as the sound of ṭa. ṇa produces a sound similar to the English “n,” although as with ṭa, the point of pronunciation is different.
ta sounds similar to the th in the English word “thumb,” although the point of pronunciation is slightly different (the base of your teeth as opposed to the edge of your teeth). da sounds similar to the th in the English word “the,” although again, the point of pronunciation is slightly different. na sounds similar to the n in the English word “now. "
pa sounds like the p in the English word “spill. " ba sounds like the b in the English word “bill. " ma sounds like the m in the English word “mail. "
There are 2 soft palate aspirated consonants: kha and gha. These produce a sound similar to the related non-aspirated consonants, just remember that extra puff of air. There are 2 hard palate aspirated consonants: cha and jha. Remember that the h following the first consonant is simply an indication to aspirate – this isn’t a blended consonant. There are 2 retroflex aspirated consonants: ṭha and ḍha. There are 2 tooth aspirated consonants: tha and dha. There are 2 lip aspirated consonants: pha and bha.
śa is a hard palate consonant that produces a sound similar to the sh sound in English, although it has a different point of pronunciation. Try saying the word “petshop,” but leave your tongue in the same position as it was for the t while you make the sh sound. ṣa is a retroflex consonant that also produces a sound similar to the sh sound in English. Say the word “friction,” but leave your tongue in the r position while you make the sh sound. sa is a tooth consonant that sounds similar to the s in the English word “see. "
The letter h next to another consonant means you should aspirate. It is not a consonant blend, like you might see in English with words such as “when” and “where. "
The word namaste literally translates to “the divinity in me bows to the divinity in you. " It may be accompanied by an actual physical bow or nod of the head.
If someone thanks you, respond with susvaagatam, which means “you’re welcome. " You could also say chintaamastu, which means “no worries. " Use kshamyataam to say “excuse me” or to get someone’s attention. Krapayaa is the Sanskrit word for “please. "
Combine these forms of address with polite words for “please” or “excuse me” to get someone’s attention or ask them a question.
The same site also has audio recordings of many of these texts available at https://sanskritdocuments. org/audio/. An audio reading of the Bhagavad Gita, one of India’s most sacred texts, is available at https://www. youtube. com/watch?v=BhW6QvNYTd8.
