The modern Kannada alphabet has 49 letters: 15 vowels (ಸ್ವರಗಳು, swaragalu) and 34 consonants (ವ್ಯಂಜನಗಳು, vyanjanagalu). The vowel count includes the two yogavahas — ಅಂ (aṁ) and ಅಃ (aḥ) — which are taught alongside the vowels in every Karnataka classroom.
Kannada is an abugida: each letter stands for one consistent sound, and consonants carry a built-in "a" sound. That makes the alphabet wonderfully phonetic — once a child knows these 49 letters, they can sound out almost any Kannada word. There are no silent letters and no irregular spellings to memorize.
Kannada vowels — ಸ್ವರಗಳು (swaragalu)
Vowels come in short/long pairs (hrasva/deergha). The long vowel simply holds the same sound twice as long — and the difference changes meaning, so it's worth learning them as pairs.
| Letter | Romanized | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| ಅ | a | 'a' in about |
| ಆ | ā (aa) | 'a' in father |
| ಇ | i | 'i' in it |
| ಈ | ī (ee) | 'ee' in feet |
| ಉ | u | 'u' in put |
| ಊ | ū (oo) | 'oo' in boot |
| ಋ | ṛ (ru) | 'ru' in ruin (approx.) |
| ಎ | e | 'e' in set |
| ಏ | ē | 'a' in say (held longer) |
| ಐ | ai | 'i' in ice |
| ಒ | o | 'o' in go (short) |
| ಓ | ō | 'o' in boat (held longer) |
| ಔ | au | 'ow' in cow |
| ಅಂ | aṁ (am) | nasal 'um' in drum — yogavaha |
| ಅಃ | aḥ (aha) | breathy 'h' release — yogavaha |
A chart shows shapes, but pronunciation lives in the ear. The free Learn Kannada Akshara app plays native audio for all 49 letters — tap any flashcard to hear it, then trace it with a finger.
Kannada consonants — ವ್ಯಂಜನಗಳು (vyanjanagalu)
The first 25 consonants are the structured consonants (ವರ್ಗೀಯ ವ್ಯಂಜನಗಳು), arranged in five groups of five called vargas (ವರ್ಗಗಳು). Each varga is named for where the tongue touches when you say it — the alphabet is literally a map of the mouth, from the throat forward to the lips.
| Varga (group) | Letter | Romanized | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|---|
| ಕ-ವರ್ಗ (velar — throat) | ಕ | ka | 'k' in kite |
| ಖ | kha | 'k' + puff of air (khaki) | |
| ಗ | ga | 'g' in go | |
| ಘ | gha | 'g' + puff of air | |
| ಙ | ṅa | 'ng' in sing | |
| ಚ-ವರ್ಗ (palatal — mid-mouth) | ಚ | cha | 'ch' in chat |
| ಛ | chha | 'ch' + puff of air | |
| ಜ | ja | 'j' in jam | |
| ಝ | jha | 'j' + puff of air | |
| ಞ | ña | 'ny' in canyon | |
| ಟ-ವರ್ಗ (retroflex — tongue curled) | ಟ | ṭa | 't' with tongue curled back |
| ಠ | ṭha | curled 't' + puff of air | |
| ಡ | ḍa | 'd' with tongue curled back | |
| ಢ | ḍha | curled 'd' + puff of air | |
| ಣ | ṇa | 'n' with tongue curled back | |
| ತ-ವರ್ಗ (dental — tongue at teeth) | ತ | ta | soft 't', tongue on teeth |
| ಥ | tha | soft 't' + puff of air | |
| ದ | da | soft 'd', like 'th' in the | |
| ಧ | dha | soft 'd' + puff of air | |
| ನ | na | 'n' in net | |
| ಪ-ವರ್ಗ (labial — lips) | ಪ | pa | 'p' in pen |
| ಫ | pha | 'p' + puff of air (uphill) | |
| ಬ | ba | 'b' in bat | |
| ಭ | bha | 'b' + puff of air (abhor) | |
| ಮ | ma | 'm' in man |
Unstructured consonants — ಅವರ್ಗೀಯ ವ್ಯಂಜನಗಳು
The remaining nine consonants sit outside the varga system:
| Letter | Romanized | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| ಯ | ya | 'y' in yes |
| ರ | ra | 'r' in run (lightly tapped) |
| ಲ | la | 'l' in love |
| ವ | va | between 'v' and 'w' |
| ಶ | śa | 'sh' in shine |
| ಷ | ṣa | 'sh' with tongue curled back |
| ಸ | sa | 's' in sun |
| ಹ | ha | 'h' in hat |
| ಳ | ḷa | 'l' with tongue curled back |
How to use this chart with a child
- Vowels first. Start with the 15 swaragalu — they're the sounds kids already make, and every consonant builds on them.
- Two or three letters a day. Small, repeated doses beat marathon sessions. Revisit yesterday's letters before adding new ones.
- Say it, then write it. Always pair the sound with the shape — point to the letter, say it aloud together, then trace it with a finger.
- Follow the varga order. Teach consonants group by group (ಕ ಖ ಗ ಘ ಙ, then ಚ ಛ ಜ ಝ ಞ…). The built-in pattern halves the memorization load.
- Celebrate completion. Tick letters off as your child masters them — visible progress is powerful motivation at this age.
This page prints cleanly if you'd like a paper copy on the fridge. For the interactive version — native audio, guided tracing, and automatic progress stars for each of these 49 letters — the app has you covered.
Learn Kannada Akshara (free, Android, ages 3+) turns every row of this chart into a flashcard your child can tap to hear and trace with a finger — with daily streaks to keep the habit going.
Chart FAQ
How many letters are in the Kannada alphabet?
49 in the modern varnamale: 15 vowels (including the yogavahas ಅಂ and ಅಃ) and 34 consonants.
Why do some Kannada charts show 50 or more letters?
Older charts include archaic letters such as ೠ (ṝ) and the obsolete ಱ and ೞ, which modern Kannada no longer uses. Schools today teach the 49-letter set on this page.
Can I print this chart?
Yes — use your browser's Print option. The tables are formatted to print cleanly in black and white.
