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Tap any letter to hear it, see an example word and its बारहखड़ी, and trace it in your own hand — reading and writing in one place.
Every consonant joins with each vowel to make a syllable: क becomes का, कि, की, कु … That whole family — the letter through every vowel — is its बारहखड़ी. Learn one consonant's barakhadi and you can read that letter in any word.
Tap any letter below to hear it, see an example word, and open its full barakhadi.
rows = where in the mouth · columns = how
Nukta letters
Special conjuncts
Signs
कka
कमल · kamal · lotus
बारहखड़ी · क through every vowel
Write it — trace over the guide.
Follow 1 → 2 → 3. The top line comes last.
Trace over the guide, then check it.
The surest guide is your ear — tap the 🔊 Hear it button on any letter or word to hear it in a real human voice. The romanization below tells you how to read those spellings.
Long vs short vowels
A doubled roman vowel is held longer: अ a is short, आ aa is the same sound held longer. Same for i / ii (इ / ई) and u / uu (उ / ऊ).
Aspirated letters (the extra puff of air)
A roman spelling with an h — ख kha, घ gha, थ tha, फ pha — is the plain sound said with a strong puff of breath. Hold your hand to your mouth: क ka gives no puff, ख kha does.
Dental vs retroflex
त थ द ध न (dental) are said with the tongue touching the back of the upper teeth — softer than English. ट ठ ड ढ ण (retroflex) are said with the tongue curled back to the roof of the mouth — harder. This difference changes meaning, so it's worth listening for.
Nasal sound (ं)
The dot ं (anusvara) nasalizes the vowel before it, a little like the n in the French bon.