Chapter 1.3: Vowel Markers and Word Formation
Unlike vowels in English, Bangla vowel letters cannot be combined directly with consonants. Therefore, in order to combine a consonant letter with a vowel letter, a secondary vowel marker is used instead of a vowel letter.
All vowel letters, except অ, have secondary vowel marker signs in Bangla.
Since অ is inherent with all consonants, no secondary marker is required for that.
When a vowel is added with a consonant letter, that vowel is represented by the vowel marker known as kār.
Now, look at the secondary vowel markers from the table below, which are added before, after, below, or on both sides of a consonant:
| Vowel Letters | Secondary Vowel Signs or Markers | Name of Vowel Markers |
|---|---|---|
| অ | no secondary marker | |
| আ | া | a -kār |
| ই | ি | hrOssho i-kār |
| ঈ | ী | dirgho i -kār |
| উ | ু | hrOssho u -kār |
| ঊ | ূ | dirgho u -kār |
| ঋ | ৃ | ri -kār |
| এ | ে | e -kār |
| ঐ | ৈ | oi -kār |
| ও | ো | o -kār |
| ঔ | ৌ | ou -kār |
Now, see how a consonant changes when it is tagged with a vowel marker.
| Bangla | English |
|---|---|
| ক + অ = ক | [k+O = kO] |
| ক + আ = কা | [k+ā = kā] |
| ক + ই = কি | [k+i = ki] |
| ক + ঈ = কী | [k+i = ki] |
| ক + উ = কু | [k+u = ku] |
| ক + ঊ = কূ | [k+u = ku] |
| ক + ঋ = কৃ | [k+ri = kri] |
| ক + এ = কে | [k+e = ke] |
| ক + ঐ = কৈ | [k+oi = koi] |
| ক + ও = কো | [k+o = ko] |
| ক + ঔ = কৌ | [k+ou = kou] |
Word Formation
Notice below, how vowels and consonants are combined in Bangla to form words:
| Combination of Letters | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| প + আ | পা | pa | leg |
| ম + আ | মা | ma | mother |
| আ + ম | আম | am | mango |
| ব + আ | বা | ba | or |
| ব + আ + ব + আ | বাবা | baba | father |
| ক + আ + ক + আ | কাকা | kaka | uncle |
| দ + ই + দ + ই | দিদি | didi | older sister |
| অ + ত + ঈ + ত | অতীত | otit | past |
| খ + উ + শ +ই | খুশি | khushi | happy |
| ছ + উ + ট + ই | ছুটি |
chuTi |
vacation |
| ভ + ঊ + ত | ভূত | bhut | ghost |
| ব + ঋ + থ + আ | বৃথা | britha | in vain |
| ব + এ + শ + ই | বেশি | beshi | more |
| ক + ও + ন + ও | কোনো | kono | any |
| ব + ঔ | বৌ | bou | bride |
| চ + আ | চা | ca | tea |
Words formed without secondary vowel markers:
| Combination of Letters | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| আ + জ | আজ | aj | today |
| জ + ল | জল | jOl | water |
| ফ + ল | ফল | phOl | fruit |
| ক + ম | কম | kOm | less |
| গ + র + ম | গরম | gOrom | hot |
| ন + র + ম | নরম | nOrom | soft |
| স + হ + জ | সহজ | shohoj | easy |
Special Note
The inherent অ sound is there with the initial or medial consonants above. This inherent অ is sometimes pronounced as “O” and sometimes as “o”.
With word final consonants, the inherent অ sound is not always pronounced. There is no rule for this but convention dictates when to pronounce and when not to pronounce with word final consonants.
Video Section
Please watch this video for reinforcement of this idea.
This Bangla Vowel Markers (PDF) document is shown in the video.
Reading
Try to read the following text:
গরম জল । লাল ফুল । সাদা কাগজ । ভালো খাবার । বড়ো গাছ । ছোট পাখি । বেশি দাম । কম পথ । এখন সকাল ।আজ রবিবার । আজ ছুটি । আজ আমি খুশি । কলকাতা বড়ো শহর। আমি বিদেশি । আমি বাংলা পড়ি । অনেক নতুন বই । এগুলো কঠিন । ওগুলো আমার বই নয়। আমি ভালো আছি। আপনি কেমন আছেন ? দেখা হবে।।
Check your reading by downloading Chapter 1.3 Reading Aloud CC-BY (DOCX).
Test Yourself
Speaking
Read and record the following short paragraph and get that checked by a native speaker of Bangla.
