All vowels and consonants of the Gujarati script with pronunciation, vowel signs, barakhadi, conjuncts and numerals. Tap any letter to hear it.
The Gujarati alphabet (ગુજરાતી મૂળાક્ષર) is used to write Gujarati, spoken by over 55 million people, mainly in Gujarat, India. The Gujarati script developed from Devanagari, the script used for Hindi, but it is easy to tell apart: Gujarati has no shirorekha, the horizontal headline that runs across the top of Devanagari letters. It is written from left to right.
As usually taught, Gujarati has 13 swar (vowels, including the two signs અં and અઃ) and 34 vyanjan (consonants). Adding the two conjunct letters ક્ષ and જ્ઞ, which are listed at the end of the consonants in school books, gives 36 consonants and 49 letters in total. Counts vary slightly between books, because some leave out ઋ or the rare nasal letters ઙ and ઞ.
In Gujarati classrooms the consonant chart is called કક્કો (kakko), after its first letter, and the table made by joining each consonant with every vowel sign is called બારાખડી (barakhadi). This page lists every letter with an example word, the vowel signs, a full barakhadi table, common conjuncts and the Gujarati numerals.
Gujarati Vowels (સ્વર)
Gujarati Consonants (વ્યંજન)
Ka-varga (velar): ક-વર્ગ
Cha-varga (palatal): ચ-વર્ગ
Ta-varga (retroflex): ટ-વર્ગ
Ta-varga (dental): ત-વર્ગ
Pa-varga (labial): પ-વર્ગ
Semivowels: ય ર લ વ
Sibilants and aspirate: શ ષ સ હ
Retroflex lateral: ળ
Conjunct letters: ક્ષ જ્ઞ
Vowel Signs (Matras)
When a vowel follows a consonant, it is written as a sign attached to the consonant instead of as a full letter.
Vowel
Sign
With ક
Sound
અ
-
ક
ka
આ
◌ા
કા
kaa
ઇ
◌િ
કિ
ki
ઈ
◌ી
કી
kee
ઉ
◌ુ
કુ
ku
ઊ
◌ૂ
કૂ
koo
ઋ
◌ૃ
કૃ
kru
એ
◌ે
કે
ke
ઐ
◌ૈ
કૈ
kai
ઓ
◌ો
કો
ko
ઔ
◌ૌ
કૌ
kau
અં
◌ં
કં
kam
અઃ
◌ઃ
કઃ
kah
Gujarati Barakhadi Chart
Every consonant combined with every vowel sign. Scroll sideways on small screens, and tap any syllable to hear it.
Common Conjunct Letters
Conjuncts join two or more consonants with no vowel between them into a single shape.
Gujarati Numerals
Gujarati vs Hindi letters
Gujarati and Hindi letters share the same sounds and the same order, because both scripts come from the same Brahmic family. The main visible difference is the headline. Devanagari letters hang from a horizontal line (shirorekha), while Gujarati letters do not have one, so the script looks more open and rounded. Several letters also have a different shape: Hindi क, ग, ज, ण and ह become ક, ગ, જ, ણ and હ in Gujarati. The letters છ (chha) and ળ (La) are used in everyday Gujarati, and ળ is rare in standard Hindi. Gujarati also has its own numerals (૧ ૨ ૩) instead of Devanagari numerals (१ २ ३). If you can read Hindi, you already know the sounds and only need to learn the new shapes.
Anusvara, visarga and chandrabindu
Anusvara (ં) is a dot placed above a letter. It adds a nasal sound, as in અંજીર (anjeer, fig) and હંસ (hans, swan). Visarga (ઃ) is two small dots that add a soft breath sound like "h" after the vowel, as in દુઃખ (dukh, sorrow). It is found mostly in words borrowed from Sanskrit. Gujarati also uses the chandrabindu (ઁ), a dot inside a small crescent, for a light nasal sound in some older texts and in a few words, though modern writing often uses the plain anusvara instead. The sign ઽ (avagraha) is only used in Sanskrit texts.
Type in Gujarati with an English keyboard
Practise the letters by typing them. Type words in English letters and get Gujarati script instantly, with no special keyboard needed.
As commonly taught, the Gujarati alphabet has 13 vowels (swar) and 34 consonants (vyanjan), which is 47 letters. If you add the conjunct letters ક્ષ and જ્ઞ, which many books list at the end, the total is 49. Some books count slightly differently, for example by leaving out ઋ, ઙ or ઞ.
What is kakko (કક્કો) in Gujarati?
Kakko (કક્કો) is the Gujarati consonant chart, named after its first letter ક (ka). Children in Gujarat learn it by reciting the consonants in order: ક ખ ગ ઘ ઙ, ચ છ જ ઝ ઞ, and so on. The word kakko is also used in everyday speech to mean the basics of reading and writing.
What is barakhadi (બારાખડી) in Gujarati?
Barakhadi (બારાખડી) is the table you get by joining every consonant with each vowel sign: ક, કા, કિ, કી, કુ, કૂ, કૃ, કે, કૈ, કો, કૌ, કં, કઃ. Practising it teaches how each vowel sign attaches to a consonant, and it is the core of early reading practice. The table on this page shows it for all consonants.
What is the difference between Gujarati and Hindi letters?
The sounds and the order of letters are almost the same, since both scripts come from the same ancient Brahmic family. The main difference is that Hindi uses Devanagari, whose letters have a horizontal line on top (shirorekha), while Gujarati has no such line and uses its own letter shapes and numerals. Gujarati also uses ળ in everyday words.
What are swar and vyanjan?
Swar (સ્વર) are vowels, the independent sounds such as અ, આ, ઇ and ઈ. Vyanjan (વ્યંજન) are consonants such as ક, ખ and ગ. Each consonant carries the inherent vowel "a" on its own, and a vowel sign (matra) replaces or changes that vowel. Together, swar and vyanjan form the Gujarati મૂળાક્ષર (alphabet).
What is the fastest way to learn the Gujarati alphabet?
Learn the vowels first, then the consonants one varga (group) at a time, using the example words on this page. Then practise the barakhadi table to see how vowel signs attach, and finally read short words and the numerals. If you already read Hindi, focus on the new letter shapes, since the sounds and order are the same. Use the speaker icon on a letter to hear it.
Does Gujarati have capital and small letters?
No. Like Hindi and most Indian scripts, Gujarati has a single set of letters with no uppercase or lowercase forms. Sentences are marked by punctuation and by context, not by capital letters.
How do I type Gujarati on an English keyboard?
You do not need a Gujarati keyboard. Type Gujarati words in English letters (for example "kem cho") and a transliteration tool converts them into Gujarati script as you type. You can use the free tool at /english-to-gujarati-typing/ and then copy the text into any app.
