Language/Bengali/Vocabulary/Alphabet
| Next Lesson — Greetings ▶️ |
As a Bengali language teacher with 20 years of experience, I can confidently say that learning the Bengali alphabet is the first step towards mastering the language. The Bengali script is one of the most beautiful and unique writing systems in the world. It is written from left to right and is composed of 11 vowels and 39 consonants.
Consider exploring these related pages after completing this lesson: Money and Currency & Greetings.
Vowels
The Bengali vowel system consists of 11 vowels. They can be divided into two groups: স্বরবর্ণ (swôrôbôrnô) and ব্যঞ্জনবর্ণ (bênjônôbôrnô).
স্বরবর্ণ (Swôrôbôrnô)
The স্বরবর্ণ (swôrôbôrnô) includes the following vowels:
| Bengali | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| অ | o | a as in "father" |
| আ | a | a as in "father" (longer duration) |
| ই | i | i as in "pin" |
| ঈ | ī | ee as in "see" |
| উ | u | u as in "put" |
| ঊ | ū | oo as in "cool" |
| ঋ | ŕi | ri as in "river" |
| ৠ | ŕŕi | rree as in "reef" |
| এ | e | e as in "red" |
| ঐ | ôi | oy as in "boy" (diphthong) |
| ও | ô | oa as in "boat" |
| ঔ | ou | ow as in "low" (diphthong) |
ব্যঞ্জনবর্ণ (Bênjônôbôrnô)
The ব্যঞ্জনবর্ণ (bênjônôbôrnô) includes the following consonants:
| Bengali | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| ক | k | k as in "kite" |
| খ | kh | kh as in "khaki" |
| গ | g | g as in "go" |
| ঘ | gh | gh as in "ghost" |
| ঙ | ng | ng as in "something" |
| চ | ch | ch as in "cherry" |
| ছ | chh | chh as in "catch hold" |
| জ | j | j as in "jump" |
| ঝ | jh | jh as in "pleasure" |
| ঞ | ñ | ny as in "canyon" |
| ট | ţ | t as in "tap" |
| ঠ | ţh | th as in "Thailand" |
| ড | ḍ | d as in "dog" |
| ঢ | ḍh | dh as in "dharma" |
| ণ | ṇ | na as in "nephew" |
| ত | t | t as in "top" |
| থ | th | th as in "think" |
| দ | d | d as in "did" |
| ধ | dh | dh as in "this house" |
| ন | n | n as in "net" |
| প | p | p as in "pen" |
| ফ | ph | ph as in "phone" |
| ব | b | b as in "big" |
| ভ | bh | bh as in "bharat" |
| ম | m | m as in "man" |
| য | y | y as in "year" |
| র | r | r as in "road" |
| ল | l | l as in "lion" |
| শ | ś | sh as in "shower" |
| ষ | ṣ | s as in "pleasure" |
| স | s | s as in "sound" |
| হ | h | h as in "hot" |
Practice
To become more familiar with the Bengali alphabet, try writing out the vowels and consonants several times. In addition, practice pronouncing each letter separately and with different combinations. This will help you better understand the unique sounds of the Bengali language.
Conclusion
In this lesson, we have covered the Bengali alphabet, including both vowels and consonants. With this knowledge alone, you can already write your name and some basic words in Bengali. Remember, practice makes perfect!
Other Lessons
- Shopping Vocabulary
- How to Say Hello and Greetings
- Drinks
- Family Members
- Food
- Clothes
- Quantifiers
- States and Cities
- Workplace
- Count to 10
Sources
Videos
Alphabet Words Bengali | ঐ - দিয়ে শব্দ গঠন | Learn Bengali Two and ...
Learn Bengali Alphabet - Consonants Reading & Writing Through ...
| Next Lesson — Greetings ▶️ |