Bengali/Script/Vowels

Vowels in Bengali There are two Bengali terms for vowel, স্বরবর্ণ (svoroborṇo /ʃɔrobɔrno/) for the written language and স্বরধ্বনি (svorodhvoni /ʃɔrod̪ːʱoni/) for the spoken language. The Bengali alphabet has 11 vowels, while spoken Bengali has seven vowels. The seven spoken vowels include /i/, /u/, /e/, /ɛ/, /o/, /ɔ/ and /a/. The pronunciation and transliteration of the vowels as used in this book are given in the following table. This is the same transliteration scheme that is used in the English Wiktionary. Vowel (স্বরবর্ণ) IPA Transliteration English equivalents How to write Sample audio অ /ɔ/ or /o/ o dawn or open center|frameless|111x111px File:LL-Q9610 (ben)-Titodutta-অ.wav আ /a/ a father center|frameless|110x110px File:LL-Q9610 (ben)-Titodutta-আ.wav ই /i/ i we or heat center|frameless|109x109px File:LL-Q9610 (ben)-Titodutta-ই.wav ঈ /i/ ī we or heat center|frameless|109x109px File:LL-Q9610 (ben)-Titodutta-ঈ.wav উ /u/ u moon center|frameless|109x109px File:LL-Q9610 (ben)-Titodutta-উ.wav ঊ /u/ ū moon center|frameless|109x109px File:LL-Q9610 (ben)-Titodutta-ঊ.wav ঋ1 1 /ɹi/ r̥ return center|frameless|109x109px File:LL-Q9610 (ben)-Titodutta-ঋ.wav এ /e/ or /ɛ/ e bed, cap center|frameless|109x109px File:LL-Q9610 (ben)-Titodutta-এ.wav ঐ /oi/ ōi boy center|frameless|109x109px File:LL-Q9610 (ben)-Titodutta-ঐ.wav ও /o/ ō open center|frameless|109x109px File:LL-Q9610 (ben)-Titodutta-ও.wav ঔ /ou/ ōu boat center|frameless|109x109px File:LL-Q9610 (ben)-Titodutta-ঔ.wav অ্যা2 2 /ɛ/ æ or ya cat center|frameless|109x109px File:Open-mid front unrounded vowel.ogg 1 1 Although ঋ is a composite sound, /ri/, in modern Bengali, it is a part of the Bengali alphabet as a vowel. ঋ is a separate vowel in Sanskrit. 2 2 Although অ্যা is one of the seven vowels in spoken Bengali, it is not a part of the Bengali alphabet as a vowel. অ্যা is transliterated as æ at the beginning of a word and ya elsewhere. Bibliography Bengali alphabet – English Wikipedia Bengali pronunciation – English Wiktionary