The consonant letters are pronounced as if they had "o" (as in the sound of the English "on" or "off") at the end. So the letter ক (k) sounds like "ko".
There is a logic to the grouping of the letters, each set having a sound that emanates from the mouth with a different combination of the lips, tongue, palate and diaphragm.
The first and third letters are pronounced unaspirated, while the second and fourth are pronounced aspirated (as if with a puff of breath). The last letter is pronounced nasally.
Bangla form | English Phonetic | Letter  Name |
Pronounced as in | Hear Sound |
---|---|---|---|---|
ক | k | ko | skin | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
খ | kh | kho | khaki | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
গ | g | go | go | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ঘ | gh | gho | ghetto | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ঙ | Ng | ungo | king | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
The first and third letters are pronounced unaspirated, while the second and fourth are pronounced aspirated (as if with a puff of breath). The last letter is pronounced nasally.
Bangla form | English Phonetic | Letter  Name |
Pronounced as in | Hear Sound |
---|---|---|---|---|
চ | ch | cho | cheat | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ছ | chh | chho | watch | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
জ | j | borgiyo-jo | jingle | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ঝ | jh | jho | jhansi | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ঞ | NG | ingo | gnome | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
The first and third letters are pronounced unaspirated, while the second and fourth are pronounced aspirated (as if with a puff of breath). The last letter is pronounced nasally.
Bangla form | English Phonetic | Letter  Name |
Pronounced as in | Hear Sound |
---|---|---|---|---|
ট | T | to | token | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ঠ | Th | tho | whittle | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ড | D | do | dive | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ঢ | Dh | dho | adhere | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ণ | N | moddheno-no | noise | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
The first and third letters are pronounced unaspirated, while the second and fourth are pronounced aspirated (as if with a puff of breath). The last letter is pronounced nasally.
Bangla form | English Phonetic | Letter  Name |
Pronounced as in | Hear Sound |
---|---|---|---|---|
ত | t | to(soft) | Wyeth | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
থ | th | tho(hard) | think | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
দ | d | do | Dostoevsky | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ধ | dh | dho | sadhu | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ন | n | donte-no | no | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
The first and third letters are pronounced unaspirated, while the second and fourth are pronounced aspirated (as if with a puff of breath). The last letter is pronounced nasally.
Bangla form | English Phonetic | Letter  Name |
Pronounced as in | Hear Sound |
---|---|---|---|---|
প | p | po | pauper | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ফ | ph,f | pho | cipher | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ব | b,w | bo | boy | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ভ | bh,v | bho | abhorrent | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ম | m | mo | mother | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
These letters sound similar (sho) in common modern usage and are separately retained for historical reasons from Bangla's Sanskrit origin.
Bangla form | English Phonetic | Letter  Name |
Pronounced as in | Hear Sound |
---|---|---|---|---|
শ | sh | talibo-sho | show | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ষ | Sh | moddheno-sho | cash | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
স | s | donte-sho | wish | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
These letters are sometimes used as vowels especially when combined with other consonants. The three "ros" র ড় ঢ় (r R Rh) sound similar in common modern usage and are separately retained for historical reasons from Bangla's Sanskrit origin.
Bangla form | English Phonetic | Letter  Name |
Pronounced as in | Hear Sound |
---|---|---|---|---|
য | J,Y | ontesto-jo | joy | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
র | r | boye-sunno-ro | right | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ল | l | lo | lady | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
Bangla form | English Phonetic | Letter  Name |
Pronounced as in | Hear Sound |
---|---|---|---|---|
হ | h | ho | hole | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
য় | y | ontesto-o | happy | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ড় | R | doye-sunnyo-ro(hard r) | rhythm | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ঢ় | Rh | ddhoye-sunnyo-ro (hard rh) | arrhythmia | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
These letters are used for special sounds and are generally not used in compound consonant clusters.
Bangla form | English Phonetic | Letter  Name |
Pronounced as in | Hear Sound |
---|---|---|---|---|
ৎ | t^ | khanda to(short to) | nitwit | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ং | ng,ng^ | sign anuswar | Bengali | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ঃ | H^ | sign bishorgo | poof | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
ঁ | n^ | sign chondrobindu | sand | HTML5 audio element not supported in Browser |
Non-native speakers will need some practice to attain proficiency in differentialing between and pronouncing the non-aspirated and aspirated consonants shown above.
Spelling of words becomes a challenge when a number of sounds are similar, but have separate letters assigned to them. Specifically,