Each vowel in Hindi has two forms: an independent character, and a mātrā, or vowel marker. A mātrā is added to a consonant to denote the vowel sound following it. First learn the independent characters, then their mātrās. Listed below is the independent character, a consonant combined with the mātrā, and an example word using that vowel.
| Vowel | Mātrā | Example | Audio |
| अ a | क ka | कब kab | |
| आ ā | का kā | बात bāt | |
| इ i | िक ki | दिन din | |
| ई ī | की kī | जीभ jībh | |
| उ u | कु ku | डुबना ḍubnā | |
| ऊ ū | कू kū | भूत bhūt | |
| ओ o | को ko | जोश josh | |
| औ au | कौ kau | शौक shauk | |
| ए e | के ke | जेब jeb | |
| ऐ ai | कै kai | कैसा kaisa | |
| ऋ ṛ | कृ kṛ | कृपया kṛpya |
Independent Character vs. Mātrā
The independent character can be used in two different situations. First, if a word starts with a vowel sound, then the independent character is used.
ए e + क k = एक ek
The other way the independent character can be used is when two vowels are together, with not consonant in the middle.
क k + अ a + ई i = कई kai
The mātrā for a vowel is used when the vowel sound is after a consonant.
क k + ए e + क k = केक kek
Two Important Exceptions
Notice below how these two mātrās are written to the right of the consonant, rather than under it. These are the only two exceptions.
र r + उ u = रु ru
र r + ऊ ū = रू rū