Chapter 1: The Script, Part 1 | Shopnil Academy Bangla A1

Chapter 1 · Lesson 1

The Vowels

স্বরবর্ণ

🔤 Script📖 Vocabulary

💡

Good to know

Bangla has 11 vowel letters (স্বরবর্ণ, shorobôrno). Each one shown here is its independent form — the way it's written at the very start of a word. In Chapter 2 you'll learn how these change shape into "kar" signs when they attach to a consonant.

The 11 Vowels tap any card to hear it

অ

o

as in 'hot'

আ

a

as in 'father'

ই

i

short, as in 'sit'

ঈ

ee

long, as in 'see'

উ

u

short, as in 'put'

ঊ

oo

long, as in 'food'

ঋ

ri

as in 'rip' (rare, Sanskrit loanwords)

এ

e

as in 'bed'

ঐ

oi

diphthong, as in 'toy'

ও

o

as in 'go'

ঔ

ou

diphthong, as in 'loud'

Example Words one word per vowel

WordRomanizationMeaning

অ অজগর

ojogor

python

আ আম

aam

mango

ই ইলিশ

ilish

hilsa fish

ঈ ঈগল

eegol

eagle

উ উট

uT

camel

ঊ ঊষা

ooSHa

dawn

ঋ ঋষি

rishi

sage

এ এলাচ

elach

cardamom

ঐ ঐরাবত

oirabot

mythical elephant

ও ওজন

ojon

weight

ঔ ঔষধ

oushodh

medicine

🧠 Memory trick

The pairs অ/আ, ই/ঈ, উ/ঊ each represent a historical short/long vowel distinction. In modern pronunciation ই and ঈ sound identical (and so do উ and ঊ) — the difference is mostly in spelling, not sound. ঋ is the rarest of the eleven — it shows up almost only in words borrowed from Sanskrit.

Chapter 1 · Lesson 1

The Vowels

স্বরবর্ণ

🔤 Script✏️ Fill in the Blank

⌨️

Instructions

Type the romanized pronunciation for each vowel shown below — you don't need a Bangla keyboard yet.

✓

All done! Scroll up to review any mistakes.

Chapter 1 · Lesson 1

The Vowels

স্বরবর্ণ

🔤 Script🎤 Pronunciation

🎤

Instructions

Press 🔊 to hear it, then press 🎤 and say it aloud yourself.

Chapter 1 · Lesson 1

The Vowels

স্বরবর্ণ

🔤 Script📚 Grammar Notes

Independent Vowels vs. "Kar" Signs

Form	Bangla term	Usage
Independent	স্বাধীন রূপ	Used at the start of a word — e.g. অজগর, আম
Dependent ("kar" sign)	কার	Attaches to a consonant — taught in Chapter 2

Pronunciation Notes

Letter	Romanization	Note
অ	o	Sometimes sounds closer to "ô" as in "hot"; varies a little by word
ই / ঈ	i / ee	Nearly identical in modern pronunciation — the difference is mainly in spelling
উ / ঊ	u / oo	Nearly identical in modern pronunciation — the difference is mainly in spelling
ঋ	ri	Rare — found almost only in Sanskrit-derived words (e.g. ঋষি, ঋতু)
ঐ / ঔ	oi / ou	Diphthongs — two vowel sounds pronounced together as one glide

🌐

West Bengal variety

This course follows Standard Bangladeshi Bangla (শুদ্ধ ভাষা). In West Bengal, অ is often pronounced closer to "ô" — so আম sounds more like "ām" than "aam" — but the script and spelling stay exactly the same; only the pronunciation shifts a little.

Chapter 1 · Lesson 1

The Vowels

স্বরবর্ণ

🔤 Script🎵 Listening

Listen to the audio and pick the vowel you hear.

2 plays left

Question 1 — which vowel did you hear?

2 plays left

Question 2 — which vowel did you hear?

2 plays left

Question 3 — which vowel does this word start with?

Chapter 1 · Lesson 1

The Vowels

স্বরবর্ণ

🔤 Script📖 Reading

Reading Practice

অ আ ই ঈ উ ঊ ঋ এ ঐ ও ঔ

Read them aloud in order, then press 🔊 to check yourself against the recording.

Match the Vowel to the Word from what you learned in this lesson

VowelWord

অ

অজগর

python

আ

আম

mango

এ

এলাচ

cardamom

ও

ওজন

weight

Chapter 1 · Lesson 1

The Vowels

স্বরবর্ণ

🔤 Script✏️ Free Writing

✍️

Instructions

In English, write at least 20 words about which of the 11 vowels feel easiest to remember, and which ones you're still mixing up.

0 words (at least 20)

Chapter 1 · Lesson 1

The Vowels

স্বরবর্ণ

🔤 Script🗣️ Free Speaking

অ আ ই ঈ উ ঊ ঋ এ ঐ ও ঔ

Recite all 11 vowels aloud, in order, from memory (glance at the list above if you need to).

Chapter 1 · Lesson 1

The Vowels

স্বরবর্ণ

🔤 Script📝 Quiz

Chapter 1 · Lesson 2

Unaspirated Velars & Palatals

ক গ, চ জ — Vocabulary & Pictures

🗣️ Script📖 Vocabulary & Pictures