Language/Odia/Grammar/Vowels

Odia → Grammar → 0 to A1 Course → Introduction to Odia Alphabet → Vowels

When learning a new language, it is crucial to start with its alphabet. The Odia alphabet consists of 13 vowels and 41 consonants. This lesson will focus on the Odia vowels and their pronunciation.

Odia Vowels

Vowels are the building blocks of any language. A vowel is a speech sound produced by the vocal cords without a constriction or closure of the vocal tract. In Odia language, there are 13 vowels. They are:

Odia	Pronunciation	English Translation
ଅ	a	a
ଆ	aa	aa
ଇ	i	i
ଈ	ii	ii
ଉ	u	u
ଊ	uu	uu
ଏ	e	e
ଐ	ai	ai
ଓ	o	o
ଔ	au	au
ଋ	ri	ri
ଌ	li	li
ଅଁ	am	nasal a

It is essential to note that the vowels "ଋ" and "ଌ" are rarely used in contemporary Odia. These are mostly used in traditional or religious contexts.

Pronunciation

Correct pronunciation is the key to effective communication. Here are the details of each vowel's pronunciation with examples:

a

The vowel "a" is pronounced as "a" in "father."

Example:

• ପାଇଁ (paaim) - money

aa

The vowel "aa" is pronounced as "aa" in "father."

Example:

• ସାରା (saaraa) - all

i

The vowel "i" is pronounced as "i" in "bit."

Example:

• କିତାବ (kitaaab) - book

ii

The vowel "ii" is pronounced as "ee" in "feet."

Example:

• ପାଠଶାଳା (paathashaalaa) - school

u

The vowel "u" is pronounced as "u" in "put."

Example:

• କୁଣ୍ଡଳୀ (kundalee) - earring

uu

The vowel "uu" is pronounced as "oo" in "boot."

Example:

• ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣଚନ୍ଦ୍ର (puurnnachandrab) - full moon

e

The vowel "e" is pronounced as "e" in "red."

Example:

• ପେଟ୍ରୋଲ୍ (petrol) - petrol

ai

The vowel "ai" is pronounced as "ai" in "hair."

Example:

• ଏକ (ek) - one

o

The vowel "o" is pronounced as "o" in "dot."

Example:

• ମୋ (mo) - mine

au

The vowel "au" is pronounced as "ow" in "cow."

Example:

• ବାଉଣୀ (baaunee) - wife

ri

The vowel "ri" is pronounced as "ree" in "free."

Example:

• ତ୍ରିଭୁବନ (tribhuban) - universe

li

The vowel "li" is pronounced as "lee" in "glee."

Example:

• ତୁଳା (tulaa) - balance

am

The vowel "am" is pronounced as a nasal sound.

Example:

• ଖାଦ୍ୟ (khaad-yo) - food

Practice

Now that you have learned the proper pronunciation of the Odia vowels, it's time to practice! The best way to improve your pronunciation is to listen and repeat. Here are some basic words that you can practice with.

• ପାଇଁ (paaim) - money
• କିତାବ (kitaaab) - book
• ସାରା (saaraa) - all
• ପେଟ୍ରୋଲ୍ (petrol) - petrol
• ଖାଦ୍ୟ (khaad-yo) - food

It is also a good idea to practice with Odia speakers to get real-time feedback on your pronunciation.

Congratulations! You have now learned the important Odia vowels and their pronunciation. In the next lesson, we will talk about the Odia consonants.

Table of Contents - Odia Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Odia Alphabet

• Vowels
• Consonants

  ---

Odia Syllables and Words

• Basic Syllable Formation
• Word Formation

  ---

Basic Greetings and Phrases

• Greetings
• Polite Phrases

  ---

Simple Sentences

• Subject-Verb-Object
• Negation

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-10
• Telling Time

  ---

Questions and Interrogatives

• Yes/No Questions
• Wh-Questions

  ---

Family and Relationships

• Family Members
• Describing Relationships

  ---

Adjectives and Descriptions

• Basic Adjectives
• Comparatives and Superlatives

  ---

Food and Dining

• Common Foods
• Ordering in a Restaurant

  ---

Verbs and Actions

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Directions and Locations

  ---

Pronouns and Possession

• Personal Pronouns
• Possessive Pronouns

  ---

Weather and Seasons

• Weather Vocabulary
• Seasons

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Basic Prepositions
• Conjunctions

  ---

Odia Festivals and Celebrations

• Major Festivals
• Traditional Celebrations

  ---

Odia Art and Music

• Traditional Art Forms
• Music and Dance