These are some of the best English equivalent sounds possible, but note that they are only approximations and not a substitute for a deeper study of the Sanskrit alphabet.
1. Sixteen Vowels - Svara
- e - a, a as in about
- P - ā, a as in father
- f - i, i as in it
- Q - ī , as in seat
- g - u, u as in flute
- R - ū, as in mood
- W - r̥, as in acre
- Ø - r̥̄, same as r̥ but longer
- X - l̥, as in table
- v ¦ - l̥̄, same as ä but longer
- h - e, as came
- ai, as in why
i - o, as in yoke
; - au, as in ouch
e0 - aṁ, nasal mmm
e7 - aḥ, soft ha sound
- ai, as in why
2. Four Semivowels and Five Sibilants or Nine Intermediate Sounds – Ushma/Antahstha
t - ya, y as in yoga
u - ra, r as in rich (slight rolled r)
v - la, l as in laugh
w - va, v as in vat
5 - śa, as in ship
6 - ṣa, as in shut
x - sa, s as in sit
ḥ - kṣa, as in action
y - ha, h as in hit
3. Twenty Five Consonants or Five Groups of Five
j - ka,* k as in kit
< - kha, as in blockhead
k - ga, g as in go
= - gha, doghouse
Y - èa, as in sing*
l - ca, as in church
- cha, as in itch
m - ja, j as in joke
? - jha, as sledgehammer
Z - éa, as in canyon
2 - îa, t as in art
ṁ - tḥa,as in arthouse
3 - áa, d as in hard
ç - ḍha, as in hardhat
4 - ça, n as in horn
n - ta, t as in stop
@ - tha, as in hothouse
o - da, d as in dose
A - dha, as in adhoc
p - na, as in nap
q - pa, p as in pit
BÈ -pha, as in tophat
r - ba, b as in bat
C - bha, as in clubhouse
s -ma, m as in man