Letter न (na) (Topic 5) in Module 5 – Hindi-Letters (BG)
न — Letter (na)
- English sound anchor: nose
Compare this group with the retroflex set and keep the dental tongue position closer to the teeth. - Hindi words: - नदी ('nadi') — River - नमक ('namak') — Salt - नाम ('naam') — Name - नींद ('neend') — Sleep - नाक ('naak') — Nose
Half Letter न् (na halant)
In Hindi, adding the virama (्) below न creates the half letter न् — it silences the inherent 'a' vowel and makes this consonant join the next one without a vowel between them. Ways to write the half letter: 1. Halant form: न् (the virama ् appears below the full letter)2. Conjunct form: When न् is followed by another consonant, the two letters merge visually into a conjunct (e.g. न्क = न्क). Some conjuncts develop unique shapes; these are learned as whole units. Example words using न्: - पन्ना ('panna') — Page / Emerald - अन्न ('ann') — Grain / Food - मन्त्री ('mantri') — Minister - जन्म ('janm') — Birth - अन्धकार ('andhkaar') — Darkness
How to Write न
Watch the animated stroke order below. Each stroke is drawn in sequence — follow the arrows.
Stroke order animation via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
न — Letter (na)
- English sound anchor: nose
Compare this group with the retroflex set and keep the dental tongue position closer to the teeth. - Hindi words: - नदी ('nadi') — River - नमक ('namak') — Salt - नाम ('naam') — Name - नींद ('neend') — Sleep - नाक ('naak') — Nose
Half Letter न् (na halant)
In Hindi, adding the virama (्) below न creates the half letter न् — it silences the inherent 'a' vowel and makes this consonant join the next one without a vowel between them. Ways to write the half letter: 1. Halant form: न् (the virama ् appears below the full letter)2. Conjunct form: When न् is followed by another consonant, the two letters merge visually into a conjunct (e.g. न्क = न्क). Some conjuncts develop unique shapes; these are learned as whole units. Example words using न्: - पन्ना ('panna') — Page / Emerald - अन्न ('ann') — Grain / Food - मन्त्री ('mantri') — Minister - जन्म ('janm') — Birth - अन्धकार ('andhkaar') — Darkness
How to Write न
Watch the animated stroke order below. Each stroke is drawn in sequence — follow the arrows.
Stroke order animation via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.