Hindi Vyakaran · वर्ण विचार
वर्ण विचार (Varna Vichar): Hindi Alphabet and Sounds
Varna Vichar is the study of Hindi's basic sound units (varna): swar (vowels) and vyanjan (consonants), how they are grouped, and where they are pronounced.
Varna and varnamala
वर्ण is the smallest sound unit of a language; the ordered set of varna is the वर्णमाला. Hindi (Devanagari) varna are broadly of two kinds: swar and vyanjan.
Swar (स्वर): vowels
अ आ इ ई उ ऊ ऋ ए ऐ ओ औ
- ह्रस्व (short): अ, इ, उ, ऋ
- दीर्घ (long): आ, ई, ऊ, ए, ऐ, ओ, औ
- संयुक्त (diphthong-type) swar: ए, ऐ, ओ, औ
Vyanjan (व्यंजन): consonants
| Group | Varna |
|---|---|
| कवर्ग | क ख ग घ ङ |
| चवर्ग | च छ ज झ ञ |
| टवर्ग | ट ठ ड ढ ण |
| तवर्ग | त थ द ध न |
| पवर्ग | प फ ब भ म |
| अंतःस्थ | य र ल व |
| ऊष्म | श ष स ह |
The 25 varg consonants are called स्पर्श (sparsh). Many books also list the conjuncts क्ष, त्र, ज्ञ, श्र (संयुक्त व्यंजन) and the flapped ड़, ढ़ (उत्क्षिप्त).
Uchcharan sthan (उच्चारण स्थान)
| Sthan | Varna | Organ |
|---|---|---|
| कंठ्य (Guttural) | अ, आ, क-वर्ग (क ख ग घ ङ), ह, विसर्ग (:) | कंठ |
| तालव्य (Palatal) | इ, ई, च-वर्ग (च छ ज झ ञ), य, श | तालु |
| मूर्धन्य (Cerebral) | ऋ, ट-वर्ग (ट ठ ड ढ ण), र, ष | मूर्धा |
| दंत्य (Dental) | त-वर्ग (त थ द ध न), ल, स | दाँत |
| ओष्ठ्य (Labial) | उ, ऊ, प-वर्ग (प फ ब भ म) | होंठ |
| कंठतालव्य | ए, ऐ | कंठ + तालु |
| कंठोष्ठ्य | ओ, औ | कंठ + होंठ |
| दंतोष्ठ्य | व | दाँत + होंठ |
Prayatna-based classification
- Alpaprana (अल्पप्राण): 1st, 3rd, 5th of each varg, plus य र ल व.
- Mahaprana (महाप्राण): 2nd and 4th of each varg, plus श ष स ह.
- Aghosh (अघोष): 1st and 2nd of each varg, plus श ष स.
- Ghosh (घोष): 3rd, 4th, 5th of each varg, plus य र ल व ह and all swar.
Common mistakes
- Mixing sthan of ए/ऐ (कंठतालव्य) with ओ/औ (कंठोष्ठ्य).
- Forgetting that श is tālavya while ष is mūrdhanya and स is dantya.
- Using a different swar/vyanjan count from the one your exam book gives.
Keep learning
Next topic: Tatsam and Tadbhav. Apply this in First Grade, REET and LDC Hindi. Video: Introduction to Hindi Grammar.
Frequently asked questions
How many swar are there in Hindi?
Textbooks differ. Most exam books list 11 swar (अ आ इ ई उ ऊ ऋ ए ऐ ओ औ); some count अं and अः (ayogvah) separately to make 13. Follow the count in your prescribed book.
How many vyanjan are there?
Usually 33 standard vyanjan (25 sparsh + 4 antahstha + 4 ushma), plus ड़ and ढ़ (utkshipt) and the conjuncts क्ष, त्र, ज्ञ, श्र in many books. Counts vary by source.
What is the difference between alpaprana and mahaprana?
Alpaprana sounds use less breath (1st, 3rd, 5th of each varg). Mahaprana sounds use more breath (2nd and 4th of each varg).
More practice in the Vyakaran playlist.
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