There are many Hindi characters that look a like and sound a like.  One might have a little “hook” on the top, and other doesn’t.  There are others letters that have a little “hook” on the bottom, and similar looking letters that don’t.  And while some of these letters may “look” and “sound” a like, there are cases where they sound completely different.  Today we look at two letters इ and ड which look a like, but do not sound a like.

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Pitfalls in Learning Hindi:

Similar looking letters:इ and ड

इ (e) is a vowel.

It is written as shown below:

इ is pronounced as in:

English
Hindi
Transliteration

Tamarind
इमली
imli

A wind musical instrument
इकतारा
iktara

This
इस
is

Use
इस्तेमाल
istemaal

Here
इधर
idhar

Wish
इच्छा
ichcha

Stock/assemble
इकट्ठा
ikattha

Protest
इकरार
ikraar

Refuse/decline
इनकार
inkaar

etcetra/etc
इत्यादि
ityaadi

Since/because
इसलिए
isliye

Hereby
इस कारण से
is karan se

Indra (a name)
इंद्रनील
indra

Rainbow
इंद्रधनुष
indradhanush

ड(d) is a cerebral consonant

It is written as shown below:

ड is pronounced as in:

English
Hindi
Transliteration

Heel
एड़ी
edi

Egg
अंडा
anda

A drum
डमरू
damroo

Boy
लड़का
ladka

Girl
लड़की
ladki

Fear
डर
dar

Fly
उड़
ud

Stiffness
अकड़
akad

Path/track/course
डगर
dagar

To falter/ to stagger
डगमगाना
dagmagaana

To stand firm
डटना
datna

Horse
गोडा
goda

Run
दौड़
daud

Tree
पेड़
ped

Join
जुड़ना/जोड़ना
judna/jodna

Scholar
पंडित
pandit

Bangle
चूड़ी
chudi

Pain
पीड़ा
peeda

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