Language/Assamese/Grammar/Vowels-and-Consonants

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Assamese → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Introduction to Assamese Script → Vowels and Consonants

Introduction

Welcome to the lesson on Assamese Script! In this lesson, we will explore the basics of Assamese vowels and consonants. Understanding these fundamental building blocks of the Assamese script is crucial for developing a strong foundation in the language. We will cover the pronunciation of each vowel and consonant, as well as provide examples of words that utilize these characters. So let's dive in and discover the beauty of the Assamese script!

Assamese Vowels

Assamese has a total of 11 vowels. These vowels are divided into short and long sounds. The short vowels are represented by single characters, while the long vowels are represented by a combination of two characters. Let's explore each vowel in detail:

Short Vowels

Here are the short vowel characters in Assamese along with their pronunciations and English translations:

Assamese	Pronunciation	English
অ	[ɔ]	a
আ	[a]	aa
ই	[i]	i
ঈ	[i:]	ee
উ	[u]	u
ঊ	[u:]	oo
ঋ	[ri]	ri

Long Vowels

The long vowels in Assamese are formed by combining a short vowel with the vowel ই (i). Let's take a look at the long vowel characters along with their pronunciations and English translations:

Assamese	Pronunciation	English
এ	[e]	e
ঐ	[ai]	ai
ও	[o]	o
ঔ	[au]	au

Assamese Consonants

Assamese has a total of 21 consonants. Each consonant character represents a specific sound when pronounced. Let's explore each consonant in detail:

Assamese	Pronunciation	English
ক	[k]	k
খ	[kʰ]	kh
গ	[g]	g
ঘ	[gʰ]	gh
ঙ	[ŋ]	ng
চ	[c]	c
ছ	[cʰ]	ch
জ	[dʒ]	j
ঝ	[dʒʰ]	jh
ঞ	[ɲ]	ny
ট	[ʈ]	t
ঠ	[ʈʰ]	th
ড	[ɖ]	d
ঢ	[ɖʰ]	dh
ণ	[ɳ]	n
ত	[t̪]	t
থ	[t̪ʰ]	th
দ	[d̪]	d
ধ	[d̪ʰ]	dh
ন	[n̪]	n
প	[p]	p
ফ	[pʰ]	ph
ব	[b]	b
ভ	[bʰ]	bh
ম	[m]	m
য	[ʤ]	z
র	[r]	r
ল	[l]	l
ব	[b]	b
শ	[ʃ]	s
ষ	[ʂ]	s
হ	[h]	h
ক্ষ	[kʃ]	ksh
জ্ঞ	[gʤ]	gya

Cultural Insights

Assamese, being a language rich in culture and history, has undergone various influences over the years. The Assamese script itself has evolved from the ancient Brahmi script. The script has been used for centuries to write Assamese literature, poetry, and religious texts.

Assam, the northeastern state of India, is known for its diverse ethnic groups and languages. The Assamese script is widely used not only by the Assamese community but also by other indigenous communities in the region.

Practice Exercises

Now that we have learned the basic Assamese vowels and consonants, let's practice using them in words and sentences. Try to pronounce the following words correctly:

• বই (boi) - book
• বাঘ (bagh) - tiger
• গলপ (golpo) - story
• জীৱন (jiwan) - life
• প্ৰেম (prem) - love

Now, let's form simple sentences using these words:

1. মই বই পঢ়োঁতে ভাল পাওঁ (Moi boi porhote bhal pao) - I enjoy reading books. 2. বাঘ কথা আছে নেকি? (Bagh kotha achhe neki?) - Do you have a story about tigers? 3. জীৱনত প্ৰেম বিনাকে নাই (Jiwanot prem binake nai) - Life is incomplete without love.

Conclusion

Congratulations on completing the lesson on Assamese vowels and consonants! By familiarizing yourself with the Assamese script and practicing the pronunciation of each vowel and consonant, you are well on your way to mastering the basics of the Assamese language.

In the next lesson, we will delve into the topic of combined letters in Assamese, where we will explore how vowels and consonants are joined to form specific sounds. So stay tuned and keep up the good work!

Table of Contents - Assamese Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Assamese Script

• Vowels and Consonants
• Combined Letters

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Greetings and Introductions

• Basic Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Basic Sentence Structure

• Subject, Verb, and Object
• Questions and Negations

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-10
• Telling Time

  ---

Nouns and Pronouns

• Gender and Plurals
• Personal Pronouns

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Relationship Terms

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Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Eating Out

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Descriptive Adjectives
• Comparatives and Superlatives

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transport
• Directions and Locations

  ---

Assamese Festivals and Traditions

• Major Festivals
• Traditional Customs

Sources

• Assamese language - Wikipedia
• Assamese alphabet, pronunciation and alphabet
• Tebay | Exceptionality in Assamese vowel harmony: A phonological ...

Other Lessons

• Present Tense
• Conditional Mood
• Subject, Verb, and Object
• Negation
• Pronouns
• How to Use Have
• How to Use Be
• Descriptive Adjectives
• Adverbs
• Adjectives

Next Lesson — Combined Letters ▶️