Pronunciation guide: Devanagari, IAST and endings
Vowels
| अ | a | a in “about” |
| आ | ā | a in “father” (long) |
| इ | i | i in “sit” |
| ई | ī | ee in “see” (long) |
| उ | u | u in “put” |
| ऊ | ū | oo in “food” (long) |
| ऋ | ṛ | vowel r, like “ri” in “rich” (short) |
| ॠ | ṝ | the same, held longer |
| ऌ | ḷ | vowel l, like “le” in “table” |
| ए | e | ay in “day” (always long) |
| ऐ | ai | ai in “aisle” |
| ओ | o | o in “go” (always long) |
| औ | au | ow in “now” |
Vowel signs (mātrās) after a consonant: का kā · कि ki · की kī · कु ku · कू kū · कृ kṛ · के ke · कै kai · को ko · कौ kau. A consonant with no sign has a built-in short a (क = ka).
Consonants
Throat (velar)
| क | k | k in “skin” |
| ख | kh | k with a puff, “blockhead” |
| ग | g | g in “go” |
| घ | gh | gh in “doghouse” |
| ङ | ṅ | ng in “sing” |
Palate
| च | c | ch in “church” |
| छ | ch | ch with a puff, “staunch heart” |
| ज | j | j in “jam” |
| झ | jh | dgeh in “hedgehog” |
| ञ | ñ | ny in “canyon” |
Tongue curled back (retroflex)
| ट | ṭ | t with the tongue tip curled back |
| ठ | ṭh | the same with a puff |
| ड | ḍ | d, tongue curled back |
| ढ | ḍh | the same with a puff |
| ण | ṇ | n, tongue curled back |
Teeth (dental)
| त | t | t with the tongue on the teeth (French t) |
| थ | th | t with a puff, “at home” (never “thin”) |
| द | d | d on the teeth |
| ध | dh | dh in “adhere” |
| न | n | n in “nut” |
Lips
| प | p | p in “spin” |
| फ | ph | p with a puff, “uphill” (never “f”) |
| ब | b | b in “bat” |
| भ | bh | bh in “abhor” |
| म | m | m in “mat” |
Others
| य | y | y in “yes” |
| र | r | a light tapped r |
| ल | l | l in “love” |
| व | v | between v and w |
| श | ś | sh in “shine” |
| ष | ṣ | sh with the tongue curled back |
| स | s | s in “sun” |
| ह | h | h in “hand” |
An h after a consonant (kh, gh, th, dh, ph, bh…) means a puff of breath; it is never the English “th”, “ph” or “sh” sound.
Special signs
| कं | ṃ | anusvāra: a nasal hum, sounding like the nasal of the next consonant (saṃskṛta) |
| कः | ḥ | visarga: a soft breath echoing the vowel before it (devaḥ ≈ “deva-ha”) |
| क् | — | virāma: removes the built-in a (क ka → क् k) |
| कँ | m̐ | candrabindu: the vowel is said through the nose |
| कऽ | ’ | avagraha: an a dropped after e or o (so ’ham = so aham) |
What the marks in IAST mean
- Line on top (ā ī ū ṝ): a long vowel, held about twice as long.
- Dot under r, l (ṛ ṝ ḷ): r or l used as a vowel.
- Dot under t, d, n, s (ṭ ḍ ṇ ṣ): tongue tip curled back (retroflex).
- ṃ: anusvāra (nasal hum) · ḥ: visarga (echoing breath).
- ṅ: ng as in “sing” · ñ: ny as in “canyon” · ś: sh as in “shine”.
Long and short syllables, and stress
A syllable is heavy if its vowel is long (ā ī ū ṝ e ai o au), or it is followed by two consonants, or it ends in ṃ or ḥ; otherwise it is light. Usual modern stress (as in Latin): stress the second-last syllable if it is heavy (saṃ·skṛ·ta: skṛ is light, so the stress falls on the heavy saṃ; ma·hā·bhā·ra·ta; rā·mā·ya·ṇa); if not, go back to the third-last, then the fourth-last. Old Vedic pitch accents are not shown.
Common endings (inflections)
Nouns: deva (masculine, “god”)
| devaḥ | the god (subject) | devāḥ | the gods |
| devam | the god (object) | devān | the gods (object) |
| devena | by / with the god | devaiḥ | by the gods |
| devāya | to / for the god | devebhyaḥ | to / for the gods |
| devāt | from the god | devebhyaḥ | from the gods |
| devasya | of the god | devānām | of the gods |
| deve | in / on the god | deveṣu | in the gods |
| he deva | O god! | he devāḥ | O gods! |
Verbs: bhū “to be, become”, present tense
| bhavati | he / she / it is | bhavanti | they are |
| bhavasi | you are (one person) | bhavatha | you are (several) |
| bhavāmi | I am | bhavāmaḥ | we are |
Dictionary headwords are stems (deva, bhū); in texts the words carry these endings, and sounds join across word boundaries (sandhi).
Sanskrit Dictionary
Dictionary scope: अ a, आ ā, ब b, भ bh, इ i, ई ī, उ u, ऊ ū, ऋ ṛ, ॠ ṝ, ऌ ḷ, ए e, ऐ ai, ओ o, औ au, क k, ख kh, ग g, घ gh, ङ ṅ, च c, छ ch, ज j, झ jh, ञ ñ, ट ṭ, ठ ṭh, ड ḍ, ढ ḍh, ण ṇ, त t, थ th, द d, ध dh, न n, प p, फ ph, म m, य y, र r, ल l, व v, श ś, ष ṣ, स s and ह h · 114,538 entries
Every headword in Monier Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872), in Sanskrit alphabetical order. Jump by letter above, use the page tabs, or keep scrolling — more words load as you go.
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55,387 headwords · page 241 of 554
- नष्ट naṣṭalost, disappeared, disappearing; vanished, invisible, lost sight of; perished, destroyed…
- नष्टि naṣṭiloss, destruction, ruin.
- नशाक naśākaa species of crow.
- नष्ट naṣṭaSee p. 473, col. 3.
- नस्1 nas(the alternative form for asmān acc. pl., for asmabhyam dat. pl., and for asmākam…
- नस्2 nasnasate, nese, nasitā, etc., Vedic to approach, to go towards, to join; to copulate…
- नस्3 nasthe nose;
- नस nasa(at the end of an adj. comp.) = 3. nas, the nose, see un-n˚, urū-ṇ˚, kumbhī-n˚, khara-ṇ˚…
- नसि nasithe nose (?), in kumbhī-n˚, q.v.
- नस्त nastathe nose; (ā), f. a hole bored in the septum of the nose, cf. nastaka, nastita; (am), n…
- नस्तक nastakaa hole bored in the septum or bridge of the nose of cattle for draught.
- नस्तित nastitanozzled, having a hole bored in the septum of the nose, an ox or any other draught animal…
- नस्य nasyabelonging or relating to the nose, nasal, in the nose; (ā), f. the nose; the string…
- नसंविद् na-saṃvidunconsciousness; forgetfulness.
- नसुकर na-sukaraor ī, am, not easy to be done.
- नह्1 nahnahyati, -te, na-nāha, nehe, naddhā, natsyati, -te, anātsīt, anaddha, naddhum, to bind…
- नह्2 naha bond, tie;
- नह nahain dru-ṇaha, q.v.
- नहन nahanaa bolt, a nail or connecting beam in a wall.
- नह्यमान nahyamānabeing bound, tied, or fettered.
- नहि na-hifor not, surely not, certainly not, by no means, not at all; na-nahi, certainly not…
- नहुस् nahusa man, one who does not belong to one's own immediate community, a neighbour…
- नहुष nahuṣa= nahus, a man; name of a son of Manu and author of a Ṛg-veda hymn; name of an ancient…
- नहुष्टर nahuṣṭaranearer (?), nearer than a neighbour.
- नहुष्य nahuṣyabelonging to a descendant of Nahus, belonging to a man in general, human; (as), m. a man.
- ना nā= na, no, not.
- नाक nākaheaven, the vault or ceiling of heaven, the upper sky, the firmament, sky, atmosphere…
- नाकिन् nākina deity, god (as dwelling in Nāka).
- नाकु nākuan ant-hill or mole-hill, a burrow; a mountain; name of a Muni or saint.
- नाकुल nākularelating or belonging to an ichneumon, ichneumon-like, similar to an ichneumon; (as), m…
- नाकुलि nākulia descendant of Nakula, a patronymic of Śatānīka.
- नाक्र nākraan aquatic animal;
- नाक्षत्र nākṣatrabelonging to the constellations or lunar asterisms, starry, sidereal; (am), n. a month…
- नाक्षत्रिक nākṣatrikarelating or belonging to the lunar asterisms, sidereal; (as), m. a month of twenty-seven…
- नाग nāgaa snake in general, especially the spectacle-snake or cobra capella, Coluber; a Nāga or…
- नागक nāgakaname of a man.
- नागिन् nāginhaving serpents, covered with or surrounded by serpents; snaky.
- नागोद nāgodaarmour for the front of the body;
- नागपैय nāgapaiyaname of a poet mentioned in the Śārṅgadhara-paddhati.
- नागम्मा nāgammāname of a female poet.
- नागर nāgaratownborn, town-bred, city, citizen; relating or belonging to a town, civic; spoken in a…
- नागरक nāgarakaliving in a town, (opposed to āraṇyaka); clever, cunning; (as), m. a citizen; the chief…
- नागरिक nāgarikatown-born, town-bred; living in or inhabiting a town; produced from a town; polite…
- नागरेयक nāgareyakacity, citizen.
- नागर्य nāgaryatown-life, shrewdness.
- नागरमर्दि nāgaramardia patronymic from Nagara-mardin.
- नागरीट nāgarīṭaa libertine, rake, blackguard;
- नागवीट nāgavīṭaa rake; intriguer, match-maker.
- नागशुण्डी nāgaśuṇḍīa species of gourd; (also read nāmaśuṇḍī.)
- नागुली nāgulīname of a town.
- नागोजी nāgojīor nāgoji or nāgoji-bhaṭṭa, as, m., name of a modern grammarian, also called…
- नाग्नजित nāgnajitaa descendant of Nagna-jit; (ī), f., name of one of the wives of Kṛṣṇa; (wrongly spelt…
- नाचिक nācikaname of a son of Viśvā-mitra.
- नाचिकेत nāciketarelating to Na-ciketa or Na-ciketas; (as), m. a synonym of fire, (wrongly written…
- नाचीन nācīnaname of a people.
- नाज्जक nājjakaname of a man.
- नाट nāṭadancing, acting, a dance; (as), m., name of a Nāgarāja; (ās), m. pl., name of a people, =…
- नाटक nāṭakadancing, acting; (am), n. a play, drama; the first of the ten pieces of dramatic…
- नाटकीय nāṭakīyadramatic.
- नाटकेय nāṭakeyaname of a people.
- नाटार nāṭārathe son of an actress;
- नाटिका nāṭikāa short or light comedy, the first of the Upa-rūpakas or dramas of the second order.
- नाटितक nāṭitakaa mimic representation, a gesture.
- नाटेय nāṭeyathe son of an actress or dancinggirl.
- नाटेर nāṭera= nāṭeya;
- नाट्य nāṭyadancing, mimic or dramatic representation, a play; action on the stage, the science or…
- नाड nāḍa= nāla.
- नाडपित् nāḍapitname of a place.
- नाडायन nāḍāyanaa patronymic from Naḍa.
- नाडायनक nāḍāyanakarelating to Nāḍāyana.
- नाडि nāḍior nāḍī, f., the tubular stalk or culm of any plant; the hollow stalk of a lotus, etc…
- नाडिक nāḍikathe plant Ocimum Sanctum (= kāla-śāka); (ā), f. a hollow stalk or stalk in general; any…
- नाडीक nāḍīkaa species of pot-herb (= commonly pāṭśāk); Corchorus Olitorius; (ā), f. the wind-pipe or…
- नाडिकेल nāḍikelaor nāḍīkela, as, m. = nārikela, the cocoa-nut palm.
- नाडीच nāḍīcaan esculent root, Colocasia Antiquorum.
- नाड्वलेय nāḍvaleyaa metronymic from Naḍvalā.
- नाणक nāṇakaa coin or anything stamped with an impression.
- नातिचिर nāti-ciranot very long (in time), of no long duration; (āt or e), ind. in no very long time, soon.
- नातिदूर nāti-dūranot very distant; (e), ind. not far from (with abl. or genitive); (am), ind. not very…
- नातिभिन्न nāti-bhinnanot very different from (with abl.).
- नातिवाद nātivādaavoiding opprobrious or abusive language, abstaining from reproof.
- नात्र nātra(for nāntra), praise, eulogium; surprise, wonder; (as), m. Śiva; a sage.
- नाथ् nāthnāthati, nanātha, nāthitā, nāthiṣyati, anāthīt, nāthitum, to ask, solicit, beg for…
- नाथ nātharefuge, help; (as), m. a protector, patron, master, leader, ruler, lord, (often at the…
- नाथमान nāthamānaseeking help. asking, begging.
- नाथाय nāthāyanāthāyati, -yitum, to become a protector or patron, to grant a request.
- नाथित nāthitaone who needs help, needy, oppressed.
- नाथिन् nāthinhaving a protector or master.
- नाद nādaa loud sound, cry, sounding, roaring, bellowing, crying, a sound or tone in general…
- नादि nādisounding, roaring.
- नादिन् nādinwho or what sounds, sounding, resonant, sounding aloud, pronounced with sound (as a…
- नादर nādaradisrespect, disregard, inattention.
- नादिक nādikaname of a country.
- नादिग nādiganame of a man.
- नादेय1 nādeyacoming from or belonging to a river, river-born, fluvial, fluviatic, aquatic, marine…
- नाद्य nādyacoming from a river, fluvial, river-born.
- नादेय2 nādeya(for na ādeya), not to be taken, etc.
- नाध् nādh(= nāth, q.v.), cl. 1. A. nādhate, nanādhe, nādhiṣyate, nādhitum, to ask, beg for, crave…
- नाधमान nādhamānaseeking help, asking, begging.
- नाधस् nādhasrefuge, help.
Source and licence. Monier Williams, A Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Etymologically and Philologically Arranged (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1872; first edition). Digital text: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries (MW72, csl-orig/v02/mw72), © Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon project contributors, Cologne University, accessed 7 October 2026, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, provided without warranty.
Changes made here: entries for अ a, आ ā, ब b, भ bh, इ i, ई ī, उ u, ऊ ū, ऋ ṛ, ॠ ṝ, ऌ ḷ, ए e, ऐ ai, ओ o, औ au, क k, ख kh, ग g, घ gh, ङ ṅ, च c, छ ch, ज j, झ jh, ञ ñ, ट ṭ, ठ ṭh, ड ḍ, ढ ḍh, ण ṇ, त t, थ th, द d, ध dh, न n, प p, फ ph, म m, य y, र r, ल l, व v, श ś, ष ṣ, स s and ह h only; meanings trimmed for length and MW abbreviations expanded; Devanagari generated from the SLP1 keys with indic_transliteration; spelling notes, IPA pronunciations and labelled (“inferred”/“not given”) etymologies added. This adapted dictionary text is shared under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence. Fonts: Noto Serif and Noto Serif Devanagari (SIL Open Font License).