Nepali Alphabet Letters (अ to ज्ञ)
The complete Nepali alphabet (Barnamala) has 49 letters - 13 vowels (Swar) and 36 consonants (Byanjan). Learn every letter with pronunciation, example words, and images below.
What Is the Nepali Alphabet?
The Nepali alphabet, known as बर्णमाला (Barnamala), is the writing system of the Nepali language. It uses the Devanagari script - the same script used for Hindi and Sanskrit. The alphabet consists of 13 vowels (Swar Barna / स्वर बर्ण) and 36 consonants (Byanjan Barna / व्यञ्जन बर्ण), totalling 49 letters.
Each Nepali letter has a unique pronunciation and is traditionally taught with an example word - for instance, क (Ka) is for कलम (Kalam - Pen), much like "A is for Apple" in English. Below you'll find every Nepali alphabet letter with its romanized form, pronunciation guide, and associated word.
Explore In-Depth
Nepali Vowels
Deep-dive into all 13 vowels with matra forms
Nepali Consonants
Explore all 36 consonants organized by varga groups
Nepali Bahrakhari Chart
See every consonant-vowel combination in one chart
Free Barnamala PDFs
Printable alphabet charts, worksheets & tracing sheets
Nepali Vowels - Swar Barna (स्वर बर्ण)
The 13 vowels are the foundation of the Nepali alphabet. Each vowel has an independent form and a matra (diacritical) form used when combined with consonants.
| Letter | Matra | Romanized | Pronunciation | Example Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| अ | - | A | a (as in about) | अनार (Anar) | Pomegranate |
| आ | ा | Aa | aa (as in father) | आमा (Ama) | Mother |
| इ | ि | I | i (as in sit) | इनार (Inar) | Well |
| ई | ी | Ee | ee (as in see) | ईख (Eekh) | Sugarcane |
| उ | ु | U | u (as in put) | उखु (Ukhu) | Sugarcane |
| ऊ | ू | Oo | oo (as in moon) | ऊन (Oon) | Wool |
| ऋ | ृ | Ri | ri (as in river) | ऋषि (Rishi) | Sage |
| ए | े | E | e (as in bed) | एकता (Ekata) | Unity |
| ऐ | ै | Ai | ai (as in aisle) | ऐनक (Ainak) | Spectacles |
| ओ | ो | O | o (as in go) | ओखर (Okhar) | Walnut |
| औ | ौ | Au | au (as in now) | औंला (Aunla) | Finger |
| अं | ं | Am | am (nasal m) | अंश (Amsha) | Part/Share |
| अः | ः | Ah | ah (as in ha!) | अः (Ah) | Ah! |
Nepali Consonants - Byanjan Barna (व्यञ्जन बर्ण)
The 36 consonants are grouped into traditional varga categories. Each consonant carries an inherent “a” sound and combines with vowel matras to form syllables.
| Letter | Romanized | Pronunciation | Group | Example Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| क | Ka | ka (as in kite) | Ka-varga (क-वर्ग) | कलम (Kalam) | Pen |
| ख | Kha | kha (aspirated k) | Ka-varga (क-वर्ग) | खरायो (Kharayo) | Rabbit |
| ग | Ga | ga (as in go) | Ka-varga (क-वर्ग) | गमला (Gamala) | Flowerpot |
| घ | Gha | gha (aspirated g) | Ka-varga (क-वर्ग) | घर (Ghar) | House |
| ङ | Nga | nga (as in sing) | Ka-varga (क-वर्ग) | गोरुसिंगे (Gorusunge) | Archaic symbol |
| च | Cha | cha (as in church) | Cha-varga (च-वर्ग) | चरा (Chara) | Bird |
| छ | Chha | chha (aspirated ch) | Cha-varga (च-वर्ग) | छाता (Chhata) | Umbrella |
| ज | Ja | ja (as in jam) | Cha-varga (च-वर्ग) | जग (Jag) | Jug |
| झ | Jha | jha (aspirated j) | Cha-varga (च-वर्ग) | झन्डा (Jhanda) | Flag |
| ञ | Nya | nya (as in canyon) | Cha-varga (च-वर्ग) | तिनधर्के (Tindharke) | Archaic symbol |
| ट | Ta | ṭa (retroflex t) | Ta-varga (ट-वर्ग) | टोपी (Topi) | Hat/Cap |
| ठ | Tha | ṭha (aspirated retroflex) | Ta-varga (ट-वर्ग) | ठडेउरो (Thadeuro) | Archaic symbol |
| ड | Da | ḍa (retroflex d) | Ta-varga (ट-वर्ग) | डमरु (Damaru) | Drum |
| ढ | Dha | ḍha (aspirated retroflex d) | Ta-varga (ट-वर्ग) | ढकी (Dhaki) | Basket |
| ण | Na | ṇa (retroflex n) | Ta-varga (ट-वर्ग) | मसगेडी (Masagedi) | Archaic symbol |
| त | Ta | ta (dental t) | Ta-varga (त-वर्ग) | तबला (Tabala) | Drum |
| थ | Tha | tha (aspirated dental) | Ta-varga (त-वर्ग) | थरमस (Tharmas) | Thermos |
| द | Da | da (dental d) | Ta-varga (त-वर्ग) | दराज (Daraj) | Wardrobe |
| ध | Dha | dha (aspirated dental d) | Ta-varga (त-वर्ग) | धनुष (Dhanush) | Bow |
| न | Na | na (as in name) | Ta-varga (त-वर्ग) | नरिवल (Nariwal) | Coconut |
| प | Pa | pa (as in park) | Pa-varga (प-वर्ग) | परेवा (Parewa) | Pigeon |
| फ | Pha | pha (aspirated p) | Pa-varga (प-वर्ग) | फलफूल (Phalphul) | Fruits |
| ब | Ba | ba (as in bat) | Pa-varga (प-वर्ग) | बस (Bas) | Bus |
| भ | Bha | bha (aspirated b) | Pa-varga (प-वर्ग) | भकुण्डो (Bhakundo) | Ball |
| म | Ma | ma (as in mother) | Pa-varga (प-वर्ग) | मयुर (Mayur) | Peacock |
| य | Ya | ya (as in yes) | Antastha (अन्तस्थ) | यज्ञ (Yagya) | Holy fire |
| र | Ra | ra (as in run) | Antastha (अन्तस्थ) | रथ (Rath) | Chariot |
| ल | La | la (as in lamp) | Antastha (अन्तस्थ) | लसुन (Lasun) | Garlic |
| व | Wa | wa (as in water) | Antastha (अन्तस्थ) | वकिल (Wakil) | Lawyer |
| श | Sha | sha (as in ship) | Ushma (ऊष्म) | शंख (Shankha) | Conch |
| ष | Sha | ṣha (retroflex sh) | Ushma (ऊष्म) | षट्कोण (Shatkon) | Hexagon |
| स | Sa | sa (as in sun) | Ushma (ऊष्म) | सलाई (Salai) | Matchstick |
| ह | Ha | ha (as in hat) | Ushma (ऊष्म) | हलो (Halo) | Plough |
| क्ष | Ksha | ksha (ksh combined) | Extra (अतिरिक्त) | क्षत्री (Kshatri) | Warrior |
| त्र | Tra | tra (tr combined) | Extra (अतिरिक्त) | त्रिशुल (Trishul) | Trident |
| ज्ञ | Gya | gya (gya combined) | Extra (अतिरिक्त) | यज्ञ (Yagya) | Knowledge/Holy Fire |
Nepali Alphabet Words - One Word for Every Letter
Below is the traditional list of Nepali alphabet words. Each letter is paired with a common Nepali word to help children and beginners remember the letters through association - just like “A for Apple” in English.
अ (A)
अनार - Pomegranate
आ (Aa)
आमा - Mother
इ (I)
इनार - Well
ई (Ee)
ईख - Sugarcane
उ (U)
उखु - Sugarcane
ऊ (Oo)
ऊन - Wool
ऋ (Ri)
ऋषि - Sage
ए (E)
एकता - Unity
ऐ (Ai)
ऐनक - Spectacles
ओ (O)
ओखर - Walnut
औ (Au)
औंला - Finger
अं (Am)
अंश - Part/Share
अः (Ah)
अः - Ah!
क (Ka)
कलम - Pen
ख (Kha)
खरायो - Rabbit
ग (Ga)
गमला - Flowerpot
घ (Gha)
घर - House
ङ (Nga)
गोरुसिंगे - Archaic symbol
च (Cha)
चरा - Bird
छ (Chha)
छाता - Umbrella
ज (Ja)
जग - Jug
झ (Jha)
झन्डा - Flag
ञ (Nya)
तिनधर्के - Archaic symbol
ट (Ta)
टोपी - Hat/Cap
ठ (Tha)
ठडेउरो - Archaic symbol
ड (Da)
डमरु - Drum
ढ (Dha)
ढकी - Basket
ण (Na)
मसगेडी - Archaic symbol
त (Ta)
तबला - Drum
थ (Tha)
थरमस - Thermos
द (Da)
दराज - Wardrobe
ध (Dha)
धनुष - Bow
न (Na)
नरिवल - Coconut
प (Pa)
परेवा - Pigeon
फ (Pha)
फलफूल - Fruits
ब (Ba)
बस - Bus
भ (Bha)
भकुण्डो - Ball
म (Ma)
मयुर - Peacock
य (Ya)
यज्ञ - Holy fire
र (Ra)
रथ - Chariot
ल (La)
लसुन - Garlic
व (Wa)
वकिल - Lawyer
श (Sha)
शंख - Conch
ष (Sha)
षट्कोण - Hexagon
स (Sa)
सलाई - Matchstick
ह (Ha)
हलो - Plough
क्ष (Ksha)
क्षत्री - Warrior
त्र (Tra)
त्रिशुल - Trident
ज्ञ (Gya)
यज्ञ - Knowledge/Holy Fire
How to Learn the Nepali Alphabet - Tips for Beginners
- Start with vowels. The 13 vowels (Swar Barna) are the building blocks. Once you know them, you can read the matra forms that modify consonants.
- Learn consonants in varga groups. The consonants are traditionally organized into groups of 5 (Ka-varga, Cha-varga, Ta-varga, etc.). Learning them in groups makes patterns easier to spot.
- Associate each letter with a word. The traditional method pairs every letter with an example word - e.g. क बाट कलम (Ka is for Kalam / Pen). This builds recognition fast.
- Practice writing daily. Use our free printable worksheets to trace and write each letter. Physical practice reinforces memory far better than digital flashcards alone.
- Use the Bahrakhari chart. Once you know vowels and consonants separately, the Nepali Bahrakhari chart shows you how they combine into syllables - this is the key to reading Nepali fluently.
- Read simple stories next. Move on to our Nepali stories for kids to see the alphabet in context. Start with short stories and build up.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Nepali Alphabet
Quick answers to the most common questions about the Nepali Barnamala.
Learn the Nepali Alphabet on Your Phone
Hamro Barnamala is a free app with audio pronunciation, tracing games, quizzes, and stories - perfect for kids and beginners.