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
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55,387 headwords · page 59 of 554
- अरीळ्ह a-rīḷhanot licked.
- अरु aruthe sun; name of a plant.
- अरुंषिका aruṃṣikāscab on the head.
- अरुच् a-ruchaving no light, lightless.
- अरुचि a-ruciaversion, dislike; want of appetite, disrelish, disgust.
- अरुच्य a-rucyadisagreeable, disgusting.
- अरुच्य a-rucyadisagreeable.
- अरुज् a-rujnot breaking, not suppurating, not festering; free from disease, sound, healthy.
- अरुग्ण a-rugṇanot broken, not diseased.
- अरुज a-rujanot breaking; not suppurating; sound; (as), m., name of a plant, Cassia Fistula; name of…
- अरुण aruṇaor ī, am, reddish-brown, tawny, red; ruddy; the colour of the morning opposed to the…
- अरुणित aruṇitareddened, dyed red, impurpled.
- अरुणिमन् aruṇimanredness, ruddiness.
- अरुणीकृत aruṇī-kṛtareddened, turned or become red.
- अरुणीय aruṇīyaor aruṇīya-yoga, as, m. the twenty-fifth Upaniṣad of the Atharva-veda.
- अरुतहनु a-ruta-hanuwhose cheeks or jaws cannot be broken.
- अरुद्ध a-ruddhanot obstructed, not hindered.
- अरुन्तुद arun-tudainflicting wounds, causing torments; sharp, corrosive; acrimonious, sour (as disposition).
- अरुन्धती a-rundhatīa medicinal climbing plant; the wife of Vasiṣṭha; the wife of Dharma; the morning star…
- अरुर्मघ arur-maghaname of certain miserly evil spirits (as the Paṇis, etc.).
- अरुशहन् aruśa-han(aruśa = aruṣa?), Vedic striking the red (clouds), an epithet of Indra.
- अरुष् a-ruṣnot angry, goodtempered.
- अरुष्ट a-ruṣṭanot angry, calm.
- अरुष aruṣared, reddish; the colour of Agni and his horses; (as), m. the red horse of Agni, flame…
- अरुष aruṣaor aruṣya, nom. P. aruṣati or aruṣyati, -ṣitum, -yitum, to go.
- अरुस् aruswounded, sore; (us), n. a sore or wounded; ind. a joint.
- अरुष्क aruṣkaname of a tree, Semecarpus Anacardium.
- अरुसिका arusikāeruptions on the scalp with acute pain (?).
- अरूकृ arū-kṛ-karoti, -kartum, to wound.
- अरुहा a-ruhāname of a plant.
- अरूक्ष a-rūkṣasoft.
- अरूक्षित a-rūkṣitasoft, supple.
- अरूक्ष्ण a-rūkṣṇasoft, tender.
- अरूप a-rūpaformless, shapeless; ugly, ill-formed; dissimilar, unlike.
- अरूपक a-rūpakawithout figure or metaphor, not figurative, literal.
- अरूपिन् a-rūpinshapeless.
- अरूष arūṣathe sun, a kind of snake.
- अरे areinterjection of calling.
- अरेणु a-reṇunot dusty, not touching the dust (of the earth); (u), n. what is not dusty, the ether.
- अरेतस् a-retasor a-retaska, as, ā, am, seedless, not receiving seed.
- अरेपस् a-repasspotless, clear, clean, shining.
- अरेरे arereinterjection of calling to inferiors or of calling angrily.
- अरोक a-rokadarkened, obscured, dimmed.
- अरोग a-rogafree from disease, healthy, well; (as), m. health.
- अरोगण a-rogaṇanot rendering sick, freeing from disease.
- अरोगिन् a-roginor a-rogya, as, ā, am, healthy.
- अरोचक a-rocakanot shining; causing want of appetite or disgust; (as), m. want or loss of appetite…
- अरोचकिन् a-rocakinsuffering from want of appetite or indigestion.
- अरोचमान a-rocamānanot shining.
- अरोचिष्णु a-rociṣṇudark, disagreeable, ugly.
- अरोदन a-rodananot weeping.
- अरोध्य a-rodhyanot to be hindered or obstructed, unobstructed.
- अरोपण a-ropaṇanot planting or fixing.
- अरोष a-roṣacalmness, gentleness.
- अरौद्र a-raudranot formidable or fierce.
- अर्क् arkarkayati, -yitum, to heat or warm; to praise.
- अर्क arkaa ray, flash of lightning; the sun; fire; crystal; copper; a name of Indra; Sunday…
- अर्किन् arkinshining; praising.
- अर्कीय arkīyaor arkya, as, ā, am, belonging to arka.
- अर्गड argaḍa(for argala), an impediment.
- अर्गल argalaor ī, am, m. f. n., a wooden bolt or pin for fastening a door or the cover of a vessel; a…
- अर्गलिका argalikāa small door pin, a bolt.
- अर्गलित argalitafastened by a bolt or pin.
- अर्गलीय argalīyaor argalya, as, ā, am, belonging to a bolt or pin.
- अर्घ् argharghati, -ghitum, to be worth, to cost; to hurt ?.
- अर्घ arghaworth, value, price; a respectful offering of various ingredients to a god or Brāhman.
- अर्घ्य arghyavaluable; venerable; deserving a respectful oblation; (am), n. a respectful oblation to…
- अर्घट arghaṭaashes. See pārghaṭa.
- अर्च् arcarcati, ānarca, arciṣyati, ārcīt, arcitum, to shine; to praise; to honour or treat with…
- अर्च arcashining. See also arcā below.
- अर्चक arcakaworshipping; (as), m. a worshipper.
- अर्चत्रि arcatrisounding, neighing, roaring.
- अर्चत्र्य arcatryato be praised.
- अर्चद्धूम arcad-dhūmawhose smoke is shining.
- अर्चन arcanapraising, celebrating with praise; (ā or am), f. n. worship, the homage paid to deities…
- अर्चनीय arcanīyato be worshipped, respectable, venerable, adorable.
- अर्चा arcāworship, adoration; an image or idol destined to be worshipped.
- अर्चि arciray, flame (of fire or of the dawn, etc.).
- अर्चित arcitahonoured, worshipped, respected, saluted; offered with reverence.
- अर्चितिन् arcitinhonouring.
- अर्चितृ arcitṛa worshipper.
- अर्चिन् arcinpraising, honouring; shining (as a ray of light), radiating; (ī), m., name of a man; a…
- अर्चिस् arcisray of light, flame; light, lustre; (is), f., name of the wife of Kṛśāśva and mother of…
- अर्ज्1 arjarjati, ānarja, arjiṣyati, -jitum, to procure; to acquire, reach, gain, earn: Caus…
- अर्जक arjakaprocuring, acquiring; (as), m., name of several plants, Ocymum Gratissimum L., etc.
- अर्जन arjanaprocuring; acquiring, gaining, earning; gathering.
- अर्जित arjitaacquired, gained, earned.
- अर्ज्2 arjto shine, to be white (?).
- अर्जुन arjunaor ī, am, white, clear, the colour of day; of silver; (as), m. the white colour; a…
- अर्जुनक arjunakabelonging to Arjuna; (as), m. a worshipper of Arjuna.
- अर्जुनस arjunasaovergrown with Arjuna plants.
- अर्ण arṇabeing in motion, agitated; foaming, effervescing; restless; (as), m. a wave, flood…
- अर्णव arṇavabeing agitated; foaming; restless; (as), m. a wave, flood, stream; the foaming sea, high…
- अर्णस् arṇasa wave, flood, stream; the sea, ocean; the ocean of air; river, water.
- अर्तगल arta-galaname of a plant, Barleria cærulea Roxb.
- अर्तन artanablaming, reviling; (am), n. censure, approach, abuse.
- अर्तुक artukaprovoking, contentious, quarrelsome.
- अर्ति artipain; the end of a bow.
- अर्तिका artikāan elder sister (in theatrical language),.
- अर्थ् artharthayate, -yitum, Aor. ārtithata, ep. cl. 1. A. arthate, thitum, to strive to obtain, to…
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).