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Transliteration

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Character Map

Marathi Alphabet SMF Variant (Capital)* Notes Examples Additional Examples
Vowels
a (A)
Will accompany all consonant pronunciations; not applicable for half consonants or other variations
In the word, “Avadhūta”, the “a” after v completes the full proninciation for the consonant व
Sounds like “u” in sun, fun or like “a” in America, personal
ā (Ᾱ)
Longer “a”
Vāmanrāj
Sounds like “a” cart, smart, argue
i (I)
Shorter “i”
Nitya, Haripāṭh; sounds like “i” in the words sit, lit, kit etc.
Sounds like “i” sit, lit, kit
ī (Ῑ)
Longer “i”
Aartī; Prītī; sounds like “ee” in peel, teel.
Sounds like “ee” in peel, teel.
u (U)
Shorter “u”
Gurus “u” sounds like “o” in to, do
Sounds like “oo” in foot, soot
ū (Ū)
Longer “u”
Mūrti, Dhūr; sounds like Cool, Tool, Drool.
Sounds like “oo” in cool, tool, drool
e (E)
Sounds like the English letter A eg: bay, say, hay, gray etc.
Sounds like “a” bay, say, hay, gray
ai (Ai)
Aishwaryā
Sounds similar to the letter “i” in ice, grind
o (O)
Sounds like “o” in sow, crow, know etc.
Sounds like “o” in sow, crow, know etc.
au (Au)
Sounds like “ow” in owl
Sounds like “ow” in owl, growl
ं (anusvara)
When pronounced as m
Abā; sounds like “um” in mum, tums, pump
Sounds like “um” in mum, tums, pump
ं (anusvara)
When pronounced as n
Aṅkit; sounds like “un” in junk, drunk, lunge, spunge
Sounds like “un” in junk, drunk, lunge, spunge
ं (anusvara)
Not represented
When not pronounced
Silent
Silent
ः (visarga)
Usually appears in Sanskrit/ancient marathi
Sounds similar to “aha” with the preceding consonant
Sounds similar to “aha” with the preceding consonant

*Note: Vowel with circle on the top represents nasalized vowel sound.


*anusvara and visarga have different pronunciations for words in Sanskrit. Please see the section at the end of the table for these variations.

Consonants
ka (Ka)
Sounds like “c” in cut, camel, can, cool or “k” in kite, kill, kennel.
Sounds like “c” in cut, camel, can, cool or “k” in kite, kill, kennel.
kha (Kha)
Sounds like “kh” in Khān, Khaāis, sheikh, gymkhānā
Sounds like “kh” in Khān, khakis, sheikh
ga (Ga)
Sounds like “g” in gun, goat, Gary, jug, nag etc.
Sounds like “g” in gun, goat, Gary, jug, nag etc.
gha (Gha)
Sounds like “gh” in ghastly, Shanghai
Sounds like “gh” in ghastly, ghost, ghee
ṅga (Ṅga)
Sounds like “n” in sing
Sounds like “n” in sing, fling
cha (Cha)
Sounds like “ch” in much, touch, chair
Sounds like “ch” in much, touch, chair
ĉha (Ĉha)
Peculiar to Marathi language
ĉhamĉhā, ĉharkha, ĉhāndī in marāṭhī
ĉhamĉhā, ĉharkha, ĉhāndī in marāṭhī
chha (Chha)
Chhatri, Chhatrapati; like “chh
Sounds like “chh”; “ch” with a stronger “h” sound
ja (Ja)
Jeevan, Raj; sounds like “j” in jug, jungle, brinjal, jeep, joy
Sounds like “j” in jug, jungle, brinjal, jeep, joy
ĵa (Ĵa)
Peculiar to Marathi language
sounds like; ĵawas, as in flax seed or ĵogawa in marāṭhī
sounds like; ĵawas, as in flax seed or ĵogawa in marāṭhī
ĵha (Ĵha)
Peculiar to Marathi language
ĵhabla, sounds like “z” in zero
Sounds like “z” in zero, zebra
jha (Jha)
Jhakāsa, Jheṅda in marāṭhī
Sounds like “jh”; like “j” in jug
ña (Ña)
Sounds like “ny” in canyon
Sounds like “ny” in canyon;
ṭa (Ṭa)
Sounds like “t” in tub, taboo
Sounds like “t” in tub, taboo
ṭha (Ṭha)
ṭhasā; sounds like “th” in lighthearted
Sounds like “th” in lighthearted
ḍa (Ḍa)
ḍabā, like “d” in dove
Sounds like “d” in dove, dangle
ḍha (Ḍha)
ḍhaga, ḍhola in marāṭhī
ḍhaga, ḍhola in marāṭhī; Sounds like “d” in dove with an added h
ṇa (Ṇa)
ṇa, like the “n” in not but with the tongue on the roof of the mouth
ṇa, like the “n” in not but with the tongue on the roof of the mouth
ta (Ta)
Talvāra, as in sword in marāṭhī
Sounds like “t” in P.P. Tai, or “th” in thimble, thump
tha (Tha)
thāṃba, sounds like “th” in thunder
Sounds like “th” in Thai
da (Da)
dya as in “the
Sounds like “th” in the, though, they
dha (Dha)
Dhanya, sounds like “dh” in Avadhūta
Dhanya, sounds like “dh” in Avadhūta
na (Na)
Nāma, sounds like “n” in nut
Sounds like “n” in nut, nine
pa (Pa)
Padmā, sounds like “p” in pine
Sounds like “p” in pine, helper
pha (Pha)
Sounds like “ph” in Philadelphia
Sounds like “ph” in Philadelphia, phone
ba (Ba)
Sounds like “b” in bird
Sounds like “b” in bird, baby
bha (Bha)
Sounds like “bh” in Bhakti
Sounds like “bh” in Bhakti
ma (Ma)
Marāthī, like “ma” in mother
Sounds like “m” in mother, mile
ya (Ya)
Yogā, like “ya” in yes
Sounds like “y” in yoga, yes
ra (Ra)
Ratnā, like “ra” in run
Sounds like “r” in run, read
la (La)
Limbū, like “la” in light
Sounds like “l” in light, little
va (Va)
Exception- use ‘w’ when preceded by one of श, ष, स, द, ध, त, ज
Vāmanrāj, like “va” as in vine;
Sounds like ‘w’ in ‘water’. Swāmī, Shwās, Dwanī
sha (Sha)
Shloka, sounds like “sh” in shine
Sounds like “sh” in shine
ṣha (Ṣha)
Mahiṣhāsura, Ṣhaṭakona sounds like “sh” in shine
Sounds like “sh” in shine
sa (Sa)
sounds like “sa” in silk
sounds like “s” in silk, saint
ha (Ha)
sounds like “ha” in home
Sounds like “h” in home, hat
ḷa (Ḷa)
ḷa for baby in Marāṭhī
ḷa for baby in Marāṭhī; your tongue should begin the “l” sound toward the back of your palate
क्ष
kṣha (Kṣha)
Sounds like “ksa’ as in Milk-shake or Book-shop
Sounds like “ksh’ as in Milkshake or Bookshop
ज्ञ
jña (Jña)
Sounds like “jña” as in Stagnant
Sounds like “jña” as in Stagnant

Examples of other characters commonly used

श्र
shra (Shra)
Sounds like “ shra” as in Shrī
Sounds like “ shr” as in Shree, shrine, shred
or ऱ्
r
Treat it like half “r”
GururBrahmā
ऱ्
r
Treat it like half “r”
r
हृ
hru (Hru)
Hrushikeshī
क्क
kka
Sounds like “kka” as in Tikkā-masala
Sounds like “kka” in Tikkā-masala
त्र
tra (Tra)
t + ra
Trāsa, sounds like ‘tra’ as in Russian Perestroika
Sounds like ‘tr’ in Russian Perestroika, Detroit
क्र
kra (Kra)
k + ra
Sounds like “kra” as in Bankrupt
Sounds like “kr” in Bankrupt
ह्म
hma
h + ma
Sounds like “hma” as in Brahmi script
Sounds like “hm” in Brahmi script
म्ह
mha
m + ha
Sounds like “mha” as in Farm-hand
Not sure about this
कृ or ृ
kru (Kru)
k + ru
Sounds like “kr” as in Cruise
Sounds like “kr” as in Cruise. Except in कृष्ण, where it is Kriṣhṇa
|
Devnagri Danda. Use key below backspace.
Used like period
||
Devnagri Double Danda. Use key below backspace.
ru (Ru)
rushi, like the r in Rita but more like French ru
rū (Rū)
Longer “ru”
lru (Lru)
lrū (Lrū)
Longer “ru”
ô (Ô)
Sounds like “au” in August or “aw” in jaw, paw
Sounds like “au” in August or “aw” in jaw, paw
ँ (candrabindu)
Usage as per pronounciation
ऽ (avagraha)
Accent to previous sound. Integral sign used.
Tvaṁ harāshu
् (halanta)
Breaks consonant in to half- gives a very short pronunciation, usually ending the word.
Sākshāt, Mām, (treat this as half letter and don’t add a at the end)
om (Om)
Omkār
Repeat words/phrases as per audio
ध्रु
§
Repeat stanza - to be repeated after each stanza
Refrain
Refrain
नित्यं
Nityaṁ
द्या
dyā

Variation in pronunciation and representation for Sanskrit words.

(Pronunciation indicated in parenthesis in the text next to the occurrence)

ं (anusvara)

Represented as ṁ in the text. Pronounced as ‘um’ as in ‘sum’ when the following alphabet is one of "प","फ","ब","भ","म","य","र","ल","व","श","ष","स","ह","ळ".

Example: बलं भीष्माभिरक्षितम् = balum bhīṣhmābhirakṣhitam

Represented as ṁ(n) in the text. Pronounced as ‘un’ as in ‘fun’ when the following alphabet is other than ones listed above.

Example: मधुरं गमनं = madhurun gamanaṁ

Represented as ṁ(ñ) in the text. Pronounced as ‘nya’ when the following alphabet is one of "च","छ","ज","झ","ञ","ज्ञ"

Example: महतीं चमूम् = mahatīnya chamūm

ः (visarga)

Sounds similar to “aha” with the preceding consonant, generally, with some exceptions as below -

Represented as ḥ(kh) in the text.
If 1st character of next word is in "क","ख", then pronounced ‘kh
Example: मनः कृत्वा = manakh krutwā

Represented as ḥ(ph) in the text.
If 1st character of next word is in "प","फ", then pronounced ‘ph
Example: यः पश्यति = yaph pashyati

Represented as ḥ(sh) or ḥ(ṣh) in the text.
If 1st character of the next word is is "श" or "ष", then pronounced ‘sh
Example: बहवः शूरा = bahavash shūrā

Represented as ḥ(s) in the text.
If 1st character of the next word is is "स", then pronounced ‘s
Example: भोगाः सुखानि = bhogās sukhāni

For everything else, apply rules from the set of rules mentioned below.

Represented as ḥ in the text.
If preceding vowel in the same word is अ then pronounced ‘h
Example: सर्वशः = sarvasha

Represented as ḥ(hā) in the text.
If preceding vowel in the same word is आ then pronounced ‘ha
Example: प्रजाः = prajā

Represented as ḥ(hi) in the text.
If preceding vowel in the same word is इ/ई/ऐ then pronounced ‘hi
Example: प्रजापतिः = prajāpatihi

Represented as ḥ(hu) in the text.
If the preceding vowel in the same word is उ/ऊ/औ then pronounced ‘hu
Example: प्रभुः = prabhuhu

Represented as ḥ(he) in the text. If preceding vowel in the same word is ए then pronounced ‘he’.

Represented as ḥ(ho) in the text. If preceding vowel in the same word is ओ then pronounced ‘ho’.

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