Bengali Alphabet
Learning the Bengali alphabet is an essential step in mastering Bengali, an Indo-Aryan language spoken primarily in the Bengal region, which includes Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam’s Barak Valley. The Bengali script, also known as Bangla, is an abugida, where each consonant character usually includes an inherent vowel. Here’s a detailed lesson to guide you through the Bengali alphabet:
Overview of the Bengali Alphabet
- Script Type: Abugida
- Number of Basic Letters: 50 (11 vowels and 39 consonants)
- Direction of Writing: Left to right
- Unique Features: Vowels can be written as independent letters or as diacritics attached to consonants.
The Basic Characters of the Bengali Alphabet
Vowels (স্বরবর্ণ)
অ (a)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘o’ in “pot”
- Example: অন্ন (anna – food)
আ (aa)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘a’ in “father”
- Example: আম (aam – mango)
ই (i)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘i’ in “tin”
- Example: ইলিশ (ilish – a type of fish)
ঈ (ii)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘ee’ in “see”
- Example: ঈগল (iigol – eagle)
উ (u)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘u’ in “put”
- Example: উল্কা (ulka – meteor)
ঊ (uu)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘oo’ in “cool”
- Example: ঊষা (uusha – dawn)
ঋ (ri)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘ri’ in “crisp”
- Example: ঋতু (ritu – season)
এ (e)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘e’ in “bet”
- Example: এক (ek – one)
ঐ (oi)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘oy’ in “boy”
- Example: ঐতিহ্য (oitihyo – heritage)
ও (o)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘o’ in “bone”
- Example: ওরফে (orfe – alias)
ঔ (ou)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘ow’ in “cow”
- Example: ঔষধ (oushadh – medicine)
Consonants (ব্যঞ্জনবর্ণ)
ক (Ka)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘k’ in “kite”
- Example: কলা (Kôla – Banana)
খ (Kha)
- Pronunciation: Aspirated ‘k’, like ‘ch’ in “loch” (Scottish)
- Example: খাতা (Khata – Notebook)
গ (Ga)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘g’ in “game”
- Example: গাছ (Gach – Tree)
ঘ (Gha)
- Pronunciation: Aspirated ‘g’, like ‘gh’ in “doghouse”
- Example: ঘুম (Ghum – Sleep)
ঙ (Ṅa)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘ng’ in “singer”
- Example: বাঙালি (Bangali – Bengali person)
চ (Ca)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘ch’ in “chase”
- Example: চাঁদ (Chad – Moon)
ছ (Cha)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘ch’ in “church” with more aspiration
- Example: ছাতা (Chhata – Umbrella)
জ (Ja)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘j’ in “jug”
- Example: জল (Jôl – Water)
ঝ (Jha)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘j’ in “juice” with more aspiration
- Example: ঝরনা (Jhôrna – Waterfall)
ঞ (Ña)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘ny’ in “canyon”
- Example: মিঞা (Miñā – Gentleman)
ট (Ṭa)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘t’ in “tab” with a curled tongue
- Example: টাকা (Ṭaka – Money)
ঠ (Ṭha)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘th’ in “thanks” with a curled tongue
- Example: ঠাণ্ডা (Ṭhanda – Cold)
ড (Ḍa)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘d’ in “door” with a curled tongue
- Example: ডাক্তার (Ḍaktar – Doctor)
ঢ (Ḍha)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘dh’ in “dharma” with a curled tongue
- Example: ঢাকা (Ḍhaka – Dhaka)
ণ (Ṇa)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘n’ in “nun” with a curled tongue
- Example: পাণ (Paṇ – Drink)
ত (Ta)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘t’ in “take”
- Example: তালা (Tala – Lock)
থ (Tha)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘th’ in “thanks”
- Example: থালা (Thala – Plate)
দ (Da)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘d’ in “dog”
- Example: দরজা (Dôrja – Door)
ধ (Dha)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘dh’ in “dharma”
- Example: ধান (Dhan – Paddy)
ন (Na)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘n’ in “nice”
- Example: নদী (Nodi – River)
প (Pa)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘p’ in “spat”
- Example: পাতা (Pata – Leaf)
ফ (Pha)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘ph’ in “tophat”
- Example: ফল (Phôl – Fruit)
ব (Ba)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘b’ in “bat”
- Example: বাড়ি (Bari – House)
ভ (Bha)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘bh’ in “abhor”
- Example: ভাত (Bhat – Cooked Rice)
ম (Ma)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘m’ in “mother”
- Example: মা (Ma – Mother)
য (Ya)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘y’ in “yes”
- Example: যাত্রা (Yatra – Journey)
র (Ra)
- Pronunciation: Flapped ‘r’ similar to the ‘r’ in “cara” (Spanish)
- Example: রঙ (Rong – Color)
ল (La)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘l’ in “leaf”
- Example: লাল (Lal – Red)
শ (Sha)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘sh’ in “shut”
- Example: শিক্ষা (Shikkha – Education)
ষ (Ṣha)
- Pronunciation: A bit more aspirated than ‘sh’
- Example: ষড়যন্ত্র (Ṣhoṛjôntro – Conspiracy)
স (Sa)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘s’ in “sun”
- Example: সাপ (Sap – Snake)
হ (Ha)
- Pronunciation: Like ‘h’ in “hat”
- Example: হাত (Haat – Hand)
ড় (Ṛa)
- Pronunciation: A rolled ‘r’ sound
- Example: ড়ঙ (Ṛông – Color)
ঢ় (Ṛha)
- Pronunciation: A more aspirated version of ‘Ṛa’
- Example: ঢ়ঙ (Ṛhông – Color)
য় (Ôntôsto yô)
- Pronunciation: Similar to ‘y’ in “yarn”
- Example: য়াত্রা (Yôtra – Journey)
ৎ (Khandô tô)
- Pronunciation: A sharp ‘t’ sound
- Example: বৎসর (Bôtsôr – Year)
ং (Ônusbar)
- Pronunciation: Nasal sound, as in “sing”
- Example: বাংলা (Bangla – Bengal)
ঃ (Bishôrgo)
- Pronunciation: Similar to a breathy ‘h’ or a soft ‘h’
- Example: উঃ (Uh – Expression of pain)
ঁ (Chôndrobindu)
- Pronunciation: Nasalizes the vowel it’s attached to
- Example: আঁকা (Aŋka – To draw)
Pronunciation Tips
- Aspirated vs. Non-aspirated: Pay attention to pairs of aspirated (খ, ঘ, ছ, etc.) and non-aspirated (ক, গ, চ, etc.) consonants.
- Consonant Clusters: Bengali frequently uses clusters of consonants, written with special conjunct characters.
- Inherent Vowel: Each consonant has an inherent ‘a’ sound unless marked with a vowel sign.
- Vowel Signs: Vowels can change their form when attached to a consonant, and in some cases, they are written with special diacritics.
Practice Exercises
- Listening and Speaking: Use audio resources to get familiar with the sounds of Bengali letters and practice pronouncing them.
- Writing Practice: Practice writing each letter in both its standalone and conjunct forms.
- Reading: Begin with simple texts, such as children’s books, to see how the script is used in context.
Additional Resources
- Language Learning Apps: Look for apps that offer Bengali courses.
- Online Tutorials: YouTube and language learning websites might provide lessons in Bengali.
- Language Exchange: Engage with native speakers for practical experience.
Conclusion
Understanding the Bengali alphabet is fundamental in learning the language. Regular practice in speaking, reading, and writing will deepen your comprehension and proficiency. Remember, language learning is a journey, so be patient and consistent in your efforts. Shubho voya (Good luck)!