url:: https://www.bps.lk/pali_misc/palipron.html
Parent:: [[Pali|Pāli]]
# The [[Pali|Pāli]] Alphabet and its Pronunciation
***(Source: [bps.lk](https://www.bps.lk/pali_misc/palipron.html))***
Tags:: [[Pali|Pāli]]
##### Vowels (8 total)
a, ā, i, ī, u, ū, e, o [^1]
##### Consonants (33)
k, kh, g, gh, ṅ;
c, ch, j, jh, ñ;
ṭ, ṭh, ḍ, ḍh, ṇ; [^2]
t, th, d, dh, n; [^3]
p, ph, b, bh, m;
y, r, l, v, s, h, ḷ, ṃ
##### Pronunciation of vowels
| | as | | in | <div style="width: 25em;"></div> |
| ----- | --- | ------ | --- | --------------------------------------------------- |
| **a** | " | **o** | " | pop (*beginning* or in the *middle* of a word) [^4] |
| **a** | " | **u** | " | but (at the *end* of a word) [^4] |
| **ā** | " | **a** | " | art [^4] |
| **i** | " | **i** | " | pin |
| **ī** | " | **ee** | " | seed |
| **u** | " | **u** | " | put |
| **ū** | " | **u** | " | rule |
| **e** | " | **a** | " | fate |
| **o** | " | **o** | " | note |
##### Pronunciation of consonants
| | as | | in | <div style="width: 25em;"></div> |
| ----- | --- | ------ | --- | -------------------------------- |
| **b** | " | **b** | " | bib |
| **c** | " | **ch** | " | rich |
| **d** | | | | (Mexican *día*) [^3] |
| **ḍ** | " | **d** | " | bad |
| **g** | " | **g** | " | go |
| **h** | " | **h** | " | hut |
| **j** | " | **j** | " | judge |
| **k** | " | **k** | " | key |
| **l** | " | **l** | " | wealth [^5] |
| **ḷ** | " | **l** | " | felt |
| **m** | " | **m** | " | him |
| **ṃ** | " | **ng** | " | sing |
| **n** | " | **n** | " | tenth [^3] |
| **ṇ** | " | **n** | " | hint [^2] |
| **ṅ** | " | **n** | " | sink |
| **ñ** | " | **ny** | " | canyon |
| **p** | " | **p** | " | lip |
| **r** | " | **r** | " | rat |
| **s** | " | **s** | " | sit |
| **t** | | | | Mexican *“latino”* [^3] |
| **ṭ** | " | **t** | " | cat [^2] |
| **v** | " | **w** | " | warm |
| **y** | " | **y** | " | yes |
##### Consonants followed by **h**
| | as | <div style="width: 3em;"></div> | in | <div style="width: 25em;"></div> |
| ------ | --- | ------------------------------- | --- | -------------------------------- |
| **bh** | " | **bh** | " | abhor [^6] |
| **ch** | " | **ch-h** | " | witch-hazel |
| **ḍh** | " | **d-h** | " | red-hot |
| **gh** | " | **g-h** | " | pig-headed |
| **jh** | " | **dge-h** | " | sledge-hammer |
| **kh** | " | **ckh** | " | blockhead |
| **ph** | " | **ph** | " | uphill |
| **ṭh** | " | **t-h** | " | cat-head, etc. |
##### Doubled consonants or two consonants together
| | as | <div style="width: 2em;"></div> | in | <div style="width: 25em;"></div> |
| ------ | --- | ------------------------------- | --- | -------------------------------- |
| **gg** | " | **g g** | " | big gun [^7] |
| **ll** | " | **ll l** | " | fall leaves |
| **ṭṭ** | " | **t t** | " | hot tomato |
| **tv** | " | **tw** | " | twin, etc. |
[^1]: Indic languages in general (and Pali in particular) distinguish between short and long vowels not by pitch or stress or a change of pronunciation, but rather by lengthening the vowel sound itself, viz:
a, ā = Ah, Ahhhhh (as in father or art)
i, ī = Ee, Eeeeee (as in feet)
u, ū = Oo, Oooooo. (as in boot or rule)<div style="line-height: 0.5em"><br></div>The vowels e and o are always long.
[^2]: ḍ, ḷ, ṇ, ṭ are palatal consonants, pronounced with the tongue touching the roof of the mouth.
[^3]: d, l, n, and t are lengua-dental consonants, pronounced with the tongue touching the teeth. The sound is rare in English.
[^4]: All three ways of pronouncing the vowel _a_ can be heard in the name of the Buddha’s attendent and cousin, Ānanda: “_Ahhh–nahn–duh_.”
[^5]: l and ḷ: there is virtually no difference between these sounds; l is pronounced with the tongue close to or touching the teeth; ḷ with the tongue touching the roof of mouth.
[^6]: h is always aspirated, even when a consonant preceeds it.
[^7]: Both consonants are pronounced, often with a “stoppage of sound” between them.