Hindi is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with over 500 million speakers. It is the official language of India and is also spoken in several other countries, including Nepal, Mauritius, and Fiji. Hindi is a very interesting language, and one of the things that makes it unique is its vowel system. In this blog post, we will explore how many vowels are there in the Hindi language.
First, let’s define what a vowel is. A vowel is a sound produced by the vocal cords, which is characterized by an open configuration of the vocal tract. In Hindi, there are 11 vowels, which are known as swar. These vowels are represented by various symbols in the Devanagari script, which is used to write Hindi.
The 11 vowels in Hindi are:
1. अ (a)
2. आ (aa)
3. इ (i)
4. ई (ii)
5. उ (u)
6. ऊ (uu)
7. ऋ (ri)
8. ॠ (rii)
9. ए (e)
10. ऐ (ai)
11. ओ (o)
12. औ (au)
As you can see, Hindi has a fairly extensive vowel system, with several long and short vowels. The vowels अ (a) and आ (aa) are the most basic vowels in Hindi, and they are used in many words. The vowel इ (i) is also commonly used, and is similar to the English vowel sound in the word “bit.”
The vowels ई (ii) and ऊ (uu) are long vowels, and they are pronounced with an extended sound. The vowel ऋ (ri) is a unique vowel in Hindi, and is pronounced with a rolling sound. The vowel ए (e) is similar to the English vowel sound in the word “day,” while ऐ (ai) is pronounced with a diphthong (a combination of two vowel sounds).
The vowels ओ (o) and औ (au) are also long vowels, and are pronounced with an extended sound. They are similar to the English vowel sounds in the words “go” and “cow,” respectively.
In conclusion, Hindi has a total of 11 vowels, which are represented by various symbols in the Devanagari script. These vowels are an important part of the language, and are used in many words and phrases. Whether you are learning Hindi as a second language, or you are a native speaker, understanding the vowel system is essential to mastering the language.