Hindi Barakhadi or Barah Khadi (बारहखड़ी) is the system of organizing the letters of the Hindi language based on their sounds. It is the foundation of literacy in Hindi and is used to teach reading, writing, spelling, grammar, vocabulary development, literary analysis, and cultural enrichment.
We’ll be learning the basics of Hindi Barakhadi in English here. Also, we’ve provided resources like the Hindi Prabodh guide, video, Barakhadi chart, and PDF to make this easier for you to learn. You can also download Chart and Worksheet to practice more.
If you want to learn this in Hindi, please check out this dedicated Hindi Barakhadi guide in Hindi only.
If you want to learn the Barakhadi for other languages like Gujarati and Marathi in English, please start here.
The Hindi Barakhadi consists of 52 letters, which can be divided into two categories: vowels (स्वर) and consonants (व्यंजन).
In Hindi, Vowels are letters that can be pronounced on their own, while consonants must be pronounced with a vowel.
It is a combination of 12 vowels and consonants in Hindi. In Hindi, “Barah” (बारह) means “twelve” and, “Khadi” (खड़ी) is the term that translates to “series” or “array.” That’s why it is also called a Barah Khadi.
It is typically arranged in a grid (table), with the vowels on the top row followed by the consonants. The letters are then grouped together based on their place of articulation and manner of articulation.
| Hindi Vowel | अ (a) | आ (aa) | इ (i) | ई (ii) | उ (u) | ऊ (uu) | ए (e) | ऐ (ai) | ओ (o) | औ (au) | अं | अः |
| Pronunciation | ah | aa | ee | ee | oo | oo | eh | ay | oh | ow | aṃ | aḥ |
| – | ा | ि | ी | ु | ू | े | ै | ो | ौ | ां | ाः |
| Hindi | Pronunciation | Hindi | Pronunciation | Hindi | Pronunciation |
| क (ka) | k | ड (ḍa) | ḍ | म (ma) | m |
| ख (kha) | kh | ढ (ḍha) | ḍh | य (ya) | y |
| ग (ga) | g | ण (ṇa) | n | र (ra) | r |
| घ (gha) | gh | त (ta) | t | ल (la) | l |
| ङ (ṅa) | n | थ (tha) | th | व (va) | v |
| च (cha) | ch | द (da) | d | श (sha) | sh |
| छ (chha) | chh | ध (dha) | dh | ष (ṣha) | ṣh |
| ज (ja) | j | न (na) | n | स (sa) | s |
| झ (jha) | jh | प (pa) | p | ह (ha) | h |
| ञ (ñña) | n | फ (pha) | ph | क्ष (kṣa) | ks |
| ट (ṭa) | ṭ | ब (ba) | b | त्र (tra) | tr |
| ठ (ṭha) | ṭh | भ (bha) | bh | ज्ञ (jña) | gn |
The combination of consonants with vowel makes it a barakhadi and that help you make a word in Hindi language. Below is the full chart called a Barakhadi Chart.
The Barakhadi Chart is a comprehensive display of Hindi consonants and vowels. It meticulously organizes these phonetic elements, presenting them in a structured format. Consonants such as क (ka), ख (kha), and vowels like अ (a), आ (aa) are systematically arranged.
Image Credit: https://spectrumchart.com/
Here is a detailed guide “PRABODH COURSE” by the Department of Official Language, Government of India. In this detailed guide, you can learn Hindi language from the very basic and it covers everything you need to master the language.
Learning the Hindi Barakhadi is a challenging but rewarding experience. With a little practice, you will be able to read, write, and speak Hindi in no time!
Please do not forget to check our other guides on Gujarati Barakhadi in English, Marathi Barakhadi in English, or Hindi Barakhadi in Hindi language.
Combine consonants and vowels to form simple syllables like क, का, कि (ka,” “ki,” “ku,” ), etc. Gradually progress to writing words and sentences. You can download the Worksheets above and start practicing.
It is a combination of 12 vowels and consonants in Hindi. In Hindi, “Barah” (बारह) means “twelve” and, “Khadi” (खड़ी) is the term that translates to “series” or “array.” That’s why it is also called a Barah Khadi.
Normally, The Hindi Barakhadi consists of 52 letters, which can be divided into two categories: vowels (स्वर) and consonants (व्यंजन).
Since there are no such concepts out there in the English language, “Barakhadi” itself is technically the English equivalent of “Phonetics”. It is widely used in the Indian language learning system.
