Devanagari Matra Rules (मराठी मात्रा नियम)
Understand the vowel diacritic signs (मात्रा), their correct writing placement, and how to construct words in Marathi.
What is a Matra in Marathi (मात्रा म्हणजे काय?)
In the Devanagari writing system, vowels (स्वर) take two visual forms:
- Independent Form (मूळ स्वर): Written at the beginning of a word or syllable without an attached consonant (e.g., अमर, आई, इमारत).
- Dependent Diacritic Form (मात्रा - Matra): Applied to a consonant (व्यंजन) to modify its vocal sound (e.g., क + आ = का, क + ई = की).
Mastering matras is the fundamental key to reading, writing, and spelling Marathi words without grammatical errors.
📋 Complete Marathi Matra Chart with Examples
A reference guide of all diacritic signs, their names, phonetic equivalents, and example words.
| Vowel | Matra Sign (चिन्ह) | Marathi Name | Letter 'क' Example | Sample Vocabulary Word |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| अ (a) | - (Inherent) | मूळ वर्ण | क | कमळ (Lotus) |
| आ (aa) | ा | काना (Kaana) | का | कावळा (Crow) |
| इ (i) | ि | पहिली वेलांटी (ऱ्हस्व) | कि | किडा (Insect) |
| ई (ee) | ी | दुसरी वेलांटी (दीर्घ) | की | कीड (Pest) |
| उ (u) | ु | पहिला उकार (ऱ्हस्व) | कु | कुत्रा (Dog) |
| ऊ (uu) | ू | दुसरा उकार (दीर्घ) | कू | कूपनलिका (Borewell) |
| ऋ (ru) | ृ | रु-कार (Rukaar) | कृ | कृपा (Grace/Blessing) |
| ए (e) | े | एक मात्रा (Ek Matra) | के | केळे (Banana) |
| ॲ (ae) | ॅ | अर्धचंद्र (Candra) | कॅ | कॅट (Cat) |
| ऐ (ai) | ै | दोन मात्रे (Don Matre) | कै | कैद (Imprisonment) |
| ओ (o) | ो | काना एक मात्रा | को | कोकिळा (Cuckoo) |
| ऑ (ao) | ॉ | काना अर्धचंद्र | कॉ | कॉलेज (College) |
| औ (au) | ौ | काना दोन मात्रे | कौ | कौतुक (Praise/Admiration) |
| अं (am) | ं | अनुस्वार (Anusvara) | कं | कंगवा (Comb) |
| अः (ah) | ः | विसर्ग (Visarga) | कः | दुःख (Sorrow) |
✍️ Rules for Matra Placement
- On Top of the Top Bar (Shirorekha): Matras like े, ै, ॅ, ं are drawn above the horizontal bar.
- To the Right: Kaana (ा), 2nd Velanti (ी), Kaana Matras (ो, ौ, ॉ), and Visarga (ः) attach to the right side of the letter.
- To the Left: 1st Velanti (ि) begins with a vertical line to the left and hooks over the letter from the top.
- At the Bottom: Ukaars (ु, ू) and Rukaar (ृ) attach underneath the consonant base.
⚠️ Common Spelling Pitfalls to Avoid
- Special case for 'र' (Ra): The letter 'र' does not take bottom ukaars; instead, its ukaars attach to its middle spine (रु for short, रू for long).
- Velanti Direction: Confusing the short left hook (ि) with the long right hook (ी) alters the word meaning (e.g. दिन = day vs दीन = poor).
- Final Letter Rule: In standard modern Marathi orthography, final word vowels are predominantly written with long (दीर्घ) matras (e.g. पाणी, भाऊ).
Matra Rules Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about Devanagari vowel signs and spelling conventions.
What is the difference between Hrasva (ऱ्हस्व) and Deergha (दीर्घ)?
Hrasva (ऱ्हस्व - Short): The first Velanti (ि) and first Ukaar (ु) are pronounced shortly with a light duration.
Deergha (दीर्घ - Long): The second Velanti (ी) and second Ukaar (ू) are elongated with twice the vocal breath.
Deergha (दीर्घ - Long): The second Velanti (ी) and second Ukaar (ू) are elongated with twice the vocal breath.
How can I practice forming matras?
You can practice writing full syllable combinations on our Writing Practice Canvas, or explore the full interactive combination matrix on the Homepage Barakhadi Grid.