The sanskrit alphabet is well categorized and hence easy to learn. First, the alphabet is categorized into vowels and consonants as follows:
Vowels - स्वराः
Vowels are pronounced by a smooth flow of air thro' the mouth. Sanskrit language has 13 vowels as shown below
| अ a | आ ā | इ i | ई ī | उ u | ऊ ū | ऋ ṛ |
| ए e | ऐ ai | ओ o | औ au | अं aṁ | अः aḥ |
Traditionally there are two more vowels:
Simple Vowels
Vowels can be classified further as simple and diphthong vowels. A simple vowels is also called a monophthong. The vowel has the same sound at the beginning and end. Simple vowels can be long or short. The difference is in the length of duration of pronunciation. Long vowels are pronounced twice as long as the short vowels.
| Short | Long |
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| Gutterals | अ a | आ ā |
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| Palatals | इ i | ई ī |
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| Labials | उ u | ऊ ū |
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| Cerebrals | ऋ ṛ | ॠ ṝ |
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| Dental | ऌ ḷ |
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Diphthong
A diphthong is formed by the combination of two vowels in a single syllable, in which the sound begins as one vowel and glides smoothly towards the second. In Sanskrit all diphthongs are long vowels.
| Gutterals + Palatals | अ + इ (a + i) = ए e | आ + इ (ā + i) = ऐ ai |
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| Gutterals + Labials | अ + उ (a + u) = ओ o | आ + उ (ā + u) = औ au |
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Anusvāra and the Visarga
Lastly there are the Anusvāra and the Visarga. Anusvāra is a nasal sound whose pronunciation varies based upon where it appears in the word. Visarga literally means sending forth. It is pronounced as if the air is expelled from the lungs. However, it's pronunciation varies based upon the preceding vowel.
| Anusvāra | अं aṁ |
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| Visarga | अः aḥ |
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Consonants - व्यञ्जन
Consonants are pronounced by stopping the air flow at the appropriate place. They can be pronounced only with the help of the vowels. So, traditionally when the alphabet is chanted, the consonants are combined with the vowel अ.
Consonants are grouped into mutes, semi-vowels and sibilants.
Mutes - स्पर्श
These consonants are pronounced by the complete closure of the various mouth organs. In fact, they are further categorized into several groups based on the mouth organ used for pronunciation.
- Gutturals - कण्ठ्य
- These letters are pronounced with the help of the throat.
- Palatals - तालव्य
- These letters are pronounced with the help of the jaw.
- Cerbrals - मूर्धन्य
These letters are pronounced with the tounge hitting the roof of the mouth.
- Dentals - दन्त्य
- These letters are pronounced with the help of the teeth.
- Labials - ओष्ठ्य
- These letters are pronounced with the help of the lips (the two lips should meet each other).
Furthermore, the first two letters in each group are the hard consonants (also called as surds or toneless - अघोष) and the next three are soft consonants (also called as sonants or toneful - घोषवत्). The last letter in each group is also a nasal (अनुनासिका) i.e. the letter is pronounced with the help of the nose.
The first letter, third letter and the nasal letter of each group are pronounced with a small breath or aspiration. They are referred to as unaspirates or consants with small expiration (अल्पप्राण). The second and fourth letters of each group are pronounced with a great breath or aspiration. They are referred to as aspirates or consonants with a great expiration (महाप्राण).
| Surd - unaspirate (अघोष - अल्पप्राण) | Surd - aspirate (अघोष - महाप्राण ) | Sonant - unaspirate (घोषवत् - अल्पप्राण) | Sonant - aspirate (घोषवत् - महाप्राण ) | Nasal - unaspirate (अनुनासिका - अल्पप्राण) |
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| Gutterals - कण्ठ्य | क ka | ख kha | ग ga | घ gha | ङ ṅa | |
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| Palatals - तालव्य | च ca | छ cha | ज ja | झ jha | ञ ña | |
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| Cerebrals - मूर्धन्य | ट ṭa | ठ ṭha | ड ḍa | ढ ḍha | ण ṇa |
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| Dentals - दन्त्य | त ta | थ tha | द da | ध dha | न na |
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| Labials - ओष्ठ्य | प pa | फ pha | ब ba | भ bha | म ma |
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Semi-vowels - अन्त:स्था:
Like the vowels, these letters are pronounced by the smooth flow of air. However, like the consonants the sounds are made by stopping the air flow at the beginning of pronunciation. Hence, they are called "semi-vowels".
The semi-vowels have a special significance in Sanskrit. The Bija (seed) mantras are formed by these letters. Several Yoga breathing exercises use these letters as well.
There are five semi-vowels as shown below -
| Palatal | य ya |
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| Cerebral | र ra |
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| Dental | ल la |
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| Cerebral | ळ ḷa |
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| Labial | व va | |
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Aspirate and the Sibilants (ऊष्मन्)
Sibilants make the hissing "s" sound. The sound is made by focussing the air intensely through a narrow channel. There are three sibilants in Sanskrit. The Aspirate is the sound made from the throat
| Palatal | श śa |
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| Cerebral | ष ṣa |
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| Dental | स sa |
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| Gutteral | ह ha |
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