If you want to be able to read and write in Nepali 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 Nepali alphabet.
Table of Contents
What Script Is The Nepali Alphabet?
Nepali is written using the Devanagari script. This script is also used for many other Indian languages including Hindi and Marathi. The Devanagari script is based on the ancient Brahmi script. This developed in ancient India between the 1st and 4th century.
The Nepali script is written from left to right.
So, how much do you actually need to learn?
How Many Letters Are There In The Nepali Alphabet?
There are 49 main letters in Nepali plus a few other symbols.
How Many Vowels Are There In Nepali?
Nepali has 13 vowels.
How Many Consonants Are There In Nepali?
Nepali has 36 consonants plus a few other symbols. The consonants in the Nepalese script are slightly different to consonants in English.
The Nepali 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.
For example, the letter अ is pronounced ‘a’. This is a regular vowel. The consonants in Nepali are followed by a vowel sound, e.g. क is pronounced ‘ka’.
This might sound complicated but there are plenty of resources out there to help you learn the Nepalese alphabet. There’s lots of variety and different resources that meet different peoples needs.
Let’s have a look at some.
Learn The Nepali Alphabet Online
There’s plenty of great online resources that will help you learn the Nepali 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 Nepali alphabet course that will teach you to recognise the Nepali 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.
Quizlet
Quizlet is an online learning tool that uses flashcards and games to help you learn!
They have a free flashcard deck featuring the Nepali alphabet. There’s loads of different ways to study the flashcards with Quizlet.
I’d recommend using the ‘Learn’ feature which creates a personalised study plan just for you and uses spaced repetition to help you master the alphabet. You can also learn with games such as ‘Match’ where you match the corresponding letters.
Learn The Nepali 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 Nepali alphabet.
Video Resource 1
This video by Learn Nepali is a great introduction to the Nepali alphabet. It goes over each letter individually providing you with the correct pronunciation.
Check it out below:
Video Resource 2
If you want to be able to write in Nepali then this video will be helpful. It goes over the stroke order and shows you how to write each letter of the alphabet.
Check it out below:
Video Resource 3
Barsha from Learn Nepali with Barsha has 2 useful videos covering the Nepali alphabet in depth. She goes over each letter, explains how to pronounce it and then gives an example word so you can hear the letter in a word.
Nepali Alphabet Song
This fun Nepali alphabet song video aimed at kids is a great way to remember the Nepali alphabet as it’s super memorable. Sing along and learn the alphabet.
Check it out below:
Learn The Nepali Alphabet With Worksheets And Books
Worksheets and workbooks are especially good for learning how to write Nepali letters. If you want to be able to read and write in Nepali then try out some of these resources.
Reference Book
If you’re looking for a book that goes into lots of detail then try ‘Complete Nepali’. It’s a great reference point that covers the alphabet in lots of detail and gives lots of examples so you can truly master the Nepali alphabet. The book also includes plenty more lessons to help you learn to speak Nepali fluently.
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 Nepali Downloads’, there’s one worksheet for the vowels and another for the consonants.
You can print these out and practice writing the letters, the worksheet gives space to trace the letters and write them by yourself.
Thanks for reading this guide on how to learn the Nepalese 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.
If you found this post useful, you may also want to learn how to say I love you in Nepali.
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