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How To Learn The Bengali Alphabet

If you want to be able to read and write in Bengali then the first step is learning the alphabet. 

This can be daunting at first but with the right resources you’ll master it in no time.

This guide will give you the resources you need and tell you how to learn the Bengali alphabet.

What Alphabet Does Bengali Use?

Bengali has its own script known as the Bengali alphabet.

It is derived from the Brahmi alphabet and has a distinctive horizontal line running along the tops of the letters, linking them together. This line is known as a ‘mantra’. 

It is closely related to the Devanagari alphabet which is used to write many Indian languages including Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, Konkani and many more.

So, how much do you actually need to learn?

How Many Letters Are There In The Bengali Alphabet?

The Bengali alphabet is an abugida which means letters can be made up of a consonant and a vowel. This is different to English where each letter is either a consonant or a vowel.

The Bengali alphabet has 50 letters which consists of 11 stand-alone vowels and 39 consonant + vowel  sounds.

For example, ই is pronounced ‘i’ whereas ক is pronounced ‘ko’.

This might sound complicated but there are plenty of resources out there to help you learn the Bengali alphabet. There’s lots of variety and different resources that meet different peoples needs.

Let’s have a look at some.

Learn The Bengali Alphabet Online

There’s plenty of great online resources that will help you learn the Bengali alphabet, many of which are completely free.

Memrise

Memrise is an online language learning app that uses fun games to help it’s users learn their chosen language. 

They have a free Bengali alphabet course that will teach you to recognise the Bengali letters and the sounds they make. It’s really interactive and gradually introduces all the letters slowly so you have time to consolidate them all.

There’s also plenty of opportunities to practice what you’ve learnt.

The only issue is that it doesn’t have sound so I’d suggest using another resource alongside it to ensure you have the correct pronunciation. 

The next few resources are perfect for this.

Learn The Bengali Alphabet With YouTube Videos

YouTube is a fantastic resource for learning any language as there are so many videos uploaded everyday from all around the world. 

Videos are really useful resources as they will help you to improve your pronunciation. It’s important to know how to say the letters of the alphabet correctly. 

I’ve selected a few handy videos that you can use to help you learn the Bengali alphabet.

Video Resource 1

This video is a cartoon aimed at kids. It’s a great resource for helping you to learn the pronunciation of each letter in Bengali. The video shows you how to write each letter, provides the pronunciation and also gives an example word for each letter. 

Check it out below:

Video Resource 2

This video is perfect if you’re wanting to learn how to write in the Bengali alphabet. It shows the stroke order of each letter in Bengali showing you how to write each letter. 

Check it out below:

Video Resource 3

The video below by RASELraju Institute is a handy resource for practicing the Bengali vowels. It goes over each vowel, providing the pronunciation and also shows you how to write the letters. 

Check it out below:

RASELraju Institute also has another similar video which goes over the consonant sounds.  

Bengali Alphabet Song Video

This fun Bengali alphabet song video aimed at kids is a great way to remember the Bengali alphabet. Sing along and learn the alphabet. 

Check it out below:

Learn The Bengali Alphabet With Worksheets And Books

Worksheets and workbooks are especially good for learning how to write Bengali letters. If you want to be able to read and write in Bengali then try out some of these resources.

Practice Book

A good idea would be to purchase a Bengali practice book, like this one. It covers each letter showing you how to write it and gives space for you to practice writing it yourself. It also gives examples of words in English to show the pronunciation. It is aimed at kids but would also work for an adult beginner.

Tracing Book

You can use a Bengali handwriting workbook, like this one, to practice writing the letters. It has plenty of space in the workbook for you to trace the letters as well as space for you to write them yourself.

Reference Book

If you’re looking for a reference book then try this one. The majority of the book is written in the Latin script but there are lessons on how to write the Bengali script and it gradually introduces these throughout the book whilst teaching you to speak at the same time.

PDF Worksheet

If you’re looking for a free resource, then check out the free PDF worksheets on the Language Reef. You’ll find them under the heading ‘Learn Bengali Downloads’. They have one for vowels and one for consonants. You can print these out and practice writing the letters, the worksheet gives space to trace the letters and write them by yourself.

PDF Worksheet

There are also a range of free PDF worksheets available on Study Village for both the Bengali vowels and consonants. Again, you can print these out and practice writing the letters. These worksheets have plenty of space for you to practice. You can find the vowel worksheets here and the consonant worksheets here.


Thanks for reading this guide on how to learn the Bengali alphabet. I’ve covered a range of different resources for all different types of learners, hopefully you found something useful that suits your learning style. 

Interested in learning more Bengali?

A free way to learn Bengali is through YouTube. Check out the best YouTube channels to learn Bengali.

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