What is Devanagari, and how does the drill work?
Devanagari, the script of Hindi, is famously systematic: 11 vowels and 35 consonants arranged by HOW you pronounce them — the consonant rows (vargas) go from the back of the mouth to the lips (k-row, ch-row, t-rows, p-row), each row running unvoiced → aspirated → voiced → voiced-aspirated → nasal. Learn the system and the chart almost memorizes itself. Every consonant letter carries an inherent a: क is ka, ख is kha.
Start on the Chart tab and tick the groups you want to practice — vowels first, then one varga at a time, and finally the signs (anusvara, visarga, virama) and the three conjuncts every Indian school chart teaches (क्ष, त्र, ज्ञ). Switch to Practice: a letter appears, you type its sound — ka, kha, dda — and the drill advances the moment you get it right. Miss one and you see the answer immediately; it comes back a few cards later until it sticks.
Tick the groups you want to practice, then switch to Practice.
Frequently asked questions
How do I type the retroflex letters?
With a doubled first letter: the retroflex row (tongue curled back) is typed tta, ttha, dda, ddha, nna (ट ठ ड ढ ण), while the dental row (tongue on the teeth) keeps the plain ta, tha, da, dha, na (त थ द ध न). This mirrors how the two rows are transliterated in many Indian contexts and keeps every answer unambiguous. The two flapped letters ड़ and ढ़ are rra and rrha.
Why do some cards show a dotted circle (◌)?
The dotted circle is a placeholder showing where a consonant goes. Three of the cards are signs rather than letters — anusvara (◌ं, a nasal), visarga (◌ः, a breathy h) and the virama (◌्, which kills a consonant’s inherent a) — and they attach to a consonant instead of standing alone. Type an, ah and halant for them.
What about the vowel signs (matras) and other conjuncts?
The matras — the marks a vowel becomes when it follows a consonant (का, कि, की) — are a combination system rather than new letters: once you know the 11 independent vowels, each matra maps straight onto one of them. Conjuncts beyond the classic three (क्ष, त्र, ज्ञ) are likewise combinations, formed with the virama. Master the letters here first; the combinations then read themselves.
Does the drill save my progress?
Your letter-group selection is saved in your browser (no account needed), so the drill opens where you left off. The session stats — seen, correct, accuracy, streak — deliberately reset each visit: the drill is about instant recall today, not long-term statistics.