How To Memorize Devanagari Script

How to Memorize Devanagari Script Vowels
Before we begin, a few notes. First, I think that mnemonics work best when personalized, so I
recommend using these ideas as starting points, then modifying them to fit your own ideas and
imagination. Also, bear in mind that Im no expert here, and Im basically learning the script as I write
these posts. Please dont hesitate to correct any mistakes I make by posting in the comments.
With that in mind, heres the mnemonics Im using to learn the script as quickly as possible. The
Devanagari script is at left, followed by the vowel sound equivalent:
- e
I imagine that the symbol looks like an E that has fallen over, with the bottom line breaking off at a
strange angle. This allows me to link E with this shape. This E is pronounced like the E in break. So I
can also imagine that this E fell over when it started to break.
- ai
In order to remember the ai sound, I start with the E shape, and imagine that the additional line is hitting
the E shape, which is appropriate, because the sound is similar to the vowel sound in spank
- i
For this, I imagine that is it actually just a letter I. It has a line on the top and bottom, but has been bent
into an S shape in the middle. This is pronounced like the i of in, so I think of an I with an S in it.
-
For this, I use the same mnemonic as above, but the additional hook on top represents the line for the
long i sound. I can imagine that it is steam heat rising out, as this is the vowel sound it makes.
The following vowels will all be logically linked to the number 3 (3 sounds for a, o, and u). In fact, we
can learn this in order rather easily by adding one additional stroke to build each new letter in the
sequence. Ive then created a single mnemonic for remembering the pronunciations of all these letters
at the end of the list.
u
We can start with the number 3 for this symbol. It looks like a 3 that is hanging down from the ceiling.
To link this to U, I imagine that a U is actually a 3 that has been broken in half and turned sideways.
The long u sound needs an additional stroke to represent that line on top, so I simply add the line to the
side of the 3. The curled shape hanging off might be a spoon that the 3 is holding (see below for
pronunciation mnemonic)
a
1
The 3 is seen more clearly now, and we add a vertical line to the existing shape to get the a sound.
To make a long a sound simply add one more stroke, in this case a vertical line next to the previous
a sound.
o
To get to an O sound, we add another stroke on top.

au
Next we add one final stroke on top to get the au sound.

To simplify this whole process, I created a mnemonic for the order of sounds that follows the addition
of strokes, starting with the basic hanging 3 shape. The order is u, long u, a, long a, o, au. Using the
following sentence, you can remember the pronunciation for each of these sounds in order I put the
spoon up to alert my father to open his office. This sentence gives you the pronunciation for each of
these letters in order:
put
spoon alert father open
office
Finally, there is a one more vowel sound that is basically a ri sound (like in riddle)
-
I see this as a T with two rs hanging off on either side a backwards r to the left and a cursive r to the
right. Perhaps it is a riddle why these letters are hanging off each other.
By using these mnemonics, Ive been able to quickly recall the pronunciation and writing of the vowels
in the Devanagari script. In the next post, Ill create mnemonics for recalling the consonants.
How to Memorize Devanagari Script Consonants

After creating mnemonics for remembering the vowels of Devanagari, Ive now created some
mnemonics for remembering the consonants. The inherent vowel for each of these consonants is a.
When it appears, the h represents aspiration of the consonant (basically an extra burst of air). My
focus in these mnemonics is to be able to recognize the characters so that I can begin reading trying to
read actual content in Hindi, so Im not looking for detailed mnemonics to exactly recall the writing of
each letter, at this point, as long as I can recognize the pronunciation, Ill be happy. With future
exposure and input by reading, my confidence in writing the characters should also increase.
Ill add the same disclaimers as before: Im no expert, so please correct any mistakes I may make.
Secondly, I encourage you to personalize these mnemonics. Part of the reason that I think mnemonics
are effective is that creating them forces you to consider the material and pay attention to details. Just
taking the time to analyze each letter and think of a mnemonic can be enough to help your recall.
- ka
This letter makes a hard K sound. I think it looks like a T with kurls on each side.
- kha
Here I imagine that the Y sound (see below) has swallowed something and is coughing, producing a
kha sound.
kha
This is similar to the sound above, but the dot makes it more like the ch in Loch.
- ga
For this, I see the curled line on the left as the bottom of a lower case cursive g that has been attached
to a T.
ga
This is similar to the sound of the g above, but produced farther back in the throat.
- gha
To prepare for the extra burst of air (aspiration), the curl from above () has folded itself over to hold
on to the T.
- ha
If you turn this sideways, it almost looks like hc, just one more line added to the c would make it say
ha.
ca
This c sound is pronounced like the ch in cheese. It looked a bit like a c that has been chained to a
post.
- cha
This looks like cursive E holding up a maraca, ready to cha-cha.
- ja
This letter is similar to the ca above, except that the inner section is mirrored. It looks like it would
make a good place to hang a jacket.
- jha
This looks like the short i vowel already learned, but now its joined to another line for extra support
(from the force of aspiration).
3
- za
This is pronounced like the z in zip. After hanging my jacket on the hook (see above), part of my
zipper has broken off underneath.
- ya
This can be seen as a cursive Y with a line along the top.
- a
This is pronounced like the sh in ship. Its looks like RT, but the line on the left of the R has been
shaved right off.
- a
This is a hard t sound like train. It looks a bit like something you could hold for support on a subway
train.
- ha
We add to the previous letter by completing the circle, and we add to the sound by adding an h
- a
To me, this looks like a 5 that is hanging down from the ceiling. The sound is like the d in dream.
- a
This is flapped r sound, where the tongue makes the sound hitting the palate. Here the dot is a
reminder to flap my tongue.
- ha
To add one letter (h) to the , we count up from 5 to 6, as this now looks like a 6 hanging from the
ceiling.
- ha
This is the flapped equivalent of the - d ha above.

- a
This shape reminds me of a streetlamp. To associate this to the n sound, I remember that streetlights
are only on at night.
- ra
This looks a bit like an r that is attached to a ceiling but has started to unbend a little bit from its own
weight.
4
- a
This letter is apparently rare and only occurs in words from Sanskrit. Its an aspirated sh sound, so I
imagine its a p that has been shot with an arrow.
- ta
This is more like the tth sound you get when you say at the. I imagine the letter at a T plus a
backwards h, which also helps remember the pronunciation.
- tha
Now I imagine that the increased aspiration has cause the h from to flip up and curl over.
- da
This sort of like the dth sound in breadth. The hard T sound from - t a has been softened by the
extra line.
- dha
This is the aspirated form of the previous sound. With a little imagination, you might see it as a d that is
being blown apart next to a T, to remind you of the dth sound.
- na
This is the dental n sound similar to anthem. I imagine the line jutting out is a tongue, curling as it is
pressed against the (invisible) teeth.
- la
The curve to the left on this character looks like the top of a heart, attached to a T. To associate this
with the L sound, I think of the word Love.
- sa
This looks like a 4 sitting on a line, which gives me the s sound.

- pa
This letter looks like a P, except it has been reversed.

- pha
This is a combination of the reversed P above, plus the curve of an h on the right.
- fa
Like in English, the ph can also make an F sound. The dot here lets you know when thats happened.
- ba
For this, I see that it sort of looks like a b that has been reversed and slightly lifted, with a line through
the middle and another on top. Its pronounced like the b in bin, so I think of the space as a bin with
something in it.
- bha
I imagine that the extra aspiration of the h has blown apart the circle from the above, causing it to curl
off in the other direction.
- ma
This looks a bit like a four, with a small loop added. I imagine that the loop is a little gift 4 my ma.
- va
This is very similar to the b sound earlier, but without the line in the middle. Since B and V are similar
sounds, this helps me remember this is V. This V sound is actually somewhere between a V and a W.
There are a few other consonants that are mentioned in my Teach Yourself Hindi book, but these are
noted to be rare, so Ive chosen to ignore them for now. I figure that if I come across them later it will
be much easier to learn them if Ive already had a bit of practice with the basics and the most common
letters. In the next post, Ill discuss some mnemonics for how vowels and consonants are combined.

How To Memorize Devanagari Script

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How to Memorize Devanagari Script Vowels

To get to an O sound, we add another stroke on top.

Next we add one final stroke on top to get the au sound.

spoon alert father open

How to Memorize Devanagari Script Consonants

This is the flapped equivalent of the - d ha above.

This looks like a 4 sitting on a line, which gives me the s sound.

This letter looks like a P, except it has been reversed.

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