IAST - Key to Transliteration and Pronunciation

अ a/A आ ā/Ā इ i/I ई ī/Ī उ u/U ऊ ū/Ū ऋ ṛ/Ṛ

Ant Āfter It Feel Full foot Where

ॠ ṝ Ṝ ऌ Ḷ ॡ Ḹ एe ऐ ai/Ai (y) ओ o/O औ au/Au

(ay) (ow)
Root Lrung May My Oh Now

अं (ं) aṃ/ अः (ं ) aḥ/ ं ˜ ऽ'

Aṃ Aḥ chandrabindu avagraha

Phalaṃ Bālaḥ

क k/K ख kh/Kh ग g/G घ gh/Gh ङ ṅ/ Ṅ (-ng)

Kashmir blockhead Go Loghut Singer

च c/C छ ch/Ch ज j/J झ jh ञ ñ/ Ñ

challenge catch judge hedgehog

ट ṭ/ Ṭ ठ ṭh/ Ṭh ड ḍ/ Ḍ ढ ḍh/ Ḍh ण ṇ/ Ṇ
It Nathill Den Goodhood Under

त t/T थ th/Th द d/D(th) ध dh-the न n/N

Thallium Thumb Then Breathe Not

प p/P फ ph/Ph ब b/B भ bh/Bh म m/M

Per Loophole Bud Abhor Master

य y/Y र r/R ल l/L व v/V श ś/ Ś (sh)

Yard Run Luck Violet She

ष ṣ/ Ṣ (sh) स s/S ह h/H क्ष kṣa त्र tra

Show Son Hot Ksatreeya Tantra

ज्ञ jña ळ La ल्रू Lru

Jnaani

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Some important special characters:

Sl No Phonetic Pronunciation General Examples

Character
1 आ=Ā-ā aa After = Āfter
2 ई =Ī-ī ee Feel = Fīl
3 श =Ś-ś Sh She = Śe
4 म=ṃ M Taṃtra
5 ष=Ṣ-ṣ Sh Show = ṣow
6 ण =Ṇṇ Na Under = Uṇder
7 ऊ=Ū–ū Uu Urdva = ūrdva
8 ज्ञ jña Jnaani = Jñāni

❖ Note: The example words may not reflect exact pronunciation, but given for simplified
idea.
❖ IAST = International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration
❖ Please note, that some fonts work only with ISO 15919

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