Marathi Varnamala (मराठी वर्णमाला) – 52 Letters Chart with Swar & Vyanjan

Marathi Varnamala (मराठी वर्णमाला) is the Marathi alphabet — the complete, ordered set of letters used to read and write the Marathi language. It has 52 letters in total: 14 swar (vowels) and 36 vyanjan (consonants), plus the two combined letters क्ष and ज्ञ, all written in the Devanagari script. If you are learning Marathi — for school, for a competitive exam, or simply to read Marathi books and newspapers — the varnamala is the very first step. This complete guide gives you the full Marathi varnamala chart with English transliteration, the types of swar and vyanjan, matras, word examples, learning tips, and FAQs.

प्रसिद्धी दिनांक: 14 नोव्हेंबर 2026 | शेवटचे अपडेट: 14 नोव्हेंबर 2026

What is Marathi Varnamala?

The word वर्णमाला (Varnamala) comes from वर्ण (varna = letter) + माला (mala = garland or series) — so it literally means “a garland of letters”, the full ordered series of sounds in the language. The Marathi varnamala is the same set of letters that is also called the Marathi Mulakshare (मराठी मुळाक्षरे, the basic letters) or simply the Marathi alphabet. Every Marathi word, from आई (mother) to नमस्कार (hello), is built from these letters. Marathi is written in the Devanagari script, the same script used for Hindi, with two letters of its own — ळ and the borrowed vowels ॲ and ऑ for English sounds. Our Marathi Mulakshare chart shows the same 52 letters as a printable chart, while this guide explains what each group means and how to learn them.

The varnamala is divided into two main groups:

• स्वर (Swar / Vowels) — letters that can be pronounced fully on their own, like अ, आ, इ. There are 14 of them.
• व्यंजन (Vyanjan / Consonants) — letters that need a vowel sound to be spoken, like क, ख, ग. There are 36 of them.

Marathi Varnamala at a Glance (Quick Facts)

Marathi Swar (स्वर) – 14 Vowels

Marathi has 14 vowels — the 12 traditional vowels plus two “आगंतुक” (borrowed) vowels, ॲ and ऑ, used for English sounds. A swar is a sound produced freely from the mouth without the tongue or lips blocking the airflow, and it can be spoken completely on its own. Vowels are the soul of pronunciation: without them, consonants cannot be voiced. Here is the complete list with English transliteration, type, and an example word for each. For a deeper explanation of each vowel, see our Marathi Vowels (स्वर) guide.

Marathi vowels are classified into three types based on the time taken to pronounce them: ह्रस्व स्वर (short vowels: अ, इ, उ, ऋ), दीर्घ स्वर (long vowels: आ, ई, ऊ, ए, ऐ, ओ, औ) and संयुक्त स्वर (compound vowels formed by joining two vowels: ए = अ+इ, ऐ = अ+ए, ओ = अ+उ, औ = अ+ओ). Note that अं (anusvara) and अः (visarga) are technically स्वरादी — signs that always follow a vowel — but they are traditionally taught along with the vowels in the Marathi varnamala.

Marathi Vyanjan (व्यंजन) – 36 Consonants by Varga

Marathi has 36 consonants. They are scientifically arranged into varga (वर्ग) — groups based on where in the mouth the sound is produced. Learning them group by group makes memorising far easier than learning 36 letters one by one.

The five sparsha vargas (क, च, ट, त, प) give 25 letters; the four antastha (य, र, ल, व) and four ushma (श, ष, स, ह) add 8 more; and ळ, क्ष and ज्ञ complete the set of 36. Once you can read these 36 consonants, you can read almost any Marathi word — the rest is matras, which is exactly what the barakhadi teaches.

How Many Letters Are There in Marathi? 52 or 48?

Both numbers are correct — the difference is only in what is counted. The full Marathi varnamala has 52 varna: 14 vowels and 36 consonants, with अं and अः counted among the vowels. Traditional school charts often show 48 basic letters: 12 core vowels + 36 consonants, leaving out the two borrowed vowels ॲ and ऑ that are used for English sounds. So if a textbook says 48 and this page says 52, neither is wrong — 52 is the complete count used in the Marathi varnamala chart, and 48 is the traditional core count.

Matras and Barakhadi – How Letters Join to Form Words

Every vowel except अ has a matra — a small sign added to a consonant to change its sound. This is the basis of the barakhadi. For example, क + ा (the matra of आ) = का. Learning the 12 matras turns 36 consonants into the full barakhadi table of 432 syllables (36 × 12), which is how Marathi words are actually read and written. Master the swar first, then the vyanjan, and then move to the barakhadi — see our Marathi Barakhadi guide for the complete chart with English transliteration and a free PDF. After the barakhadi, the next step is reading real words and numbers — our Marathi Numbers 1 to 100 guide is good first reading practice.

Tips to Learn Marathi Varnamala Fast

• Vowels first, then consonants. Master all 14 swar before starting vyanjan — every consonant needs a vowel to be spoken.
• Learn by varga. The क-ख-ग-घ-ङ grouping follows a natural sound order that is easy to remember.
• Write daily. Tracing each letter 5 times builds memory faster than reading alone.
• Say the sound aloud along with an example word (क for कमळ, ग for गाय).
• Read a little every day. Even one paragraph of a Marathi newspaper keeps the letters fresh — and it is the same reading habit that helps in MPSC and other exams.
• Revise with the full chart. Keep the Marathi Mulakshare chart open while you practise, and test yourself by covering one column at a time.

If you are starting Marathi from zero, our Learn Marathi for Beginners guide covers words, phrases and the first steps after the alphabet. For the complete grammar syllabus, see Marathi Vyakaran – All Topics.

Marathi Varnamala PDF Download

Download the complete Marathi varnamala chart — vowels + consonants with English transliteration on one printable page, perfect for kids and classroom practice — in our Marathi Mulakshare guide, which carries the free printable PDF of the same 52 letters.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many letters are there in Marathi Varnamala?

Marathi Varnamala has 52 varna in total — 14 vowels (swar) and 36 consonants (vyanjan). Traditional counts list 12 core vowels, giving 48 basic letters.

What is Marathi Varnamala in English?

Marathi Varnamala means the Marathi alphabet. Varna means letter and mala means garland or series — the full ordered series of letters in the Marathi language, written in Devanagari script.

How many swar are there in Marathi?

There are 14 swar (vowels) in Marathi — 12 traditional vowels plus the two borrowed vowels ॲ and ऑ used for English sounds.

How many vyanjan are there in Marathi?

There are 36 vyanjan (consonants) in Marathi, arranged in varga groups: 25 sparsha consonants in five vargas, 4 antastha, 4 ushma, and the special letters ळ, क्ष and ज्ञ.

What is the difference between Marathi Varnamala and Marathi Mulakshare?

They cover the same 52 letters. Mulakshare (मुळाक्षरे) means the basic or root letters, while Varnamala (वर्णमाला) means the full ordered series of letters. Our Marathi Mulakshare guide has the same chart as a free printable PDF.

What should I learn after the Marathi Varnamala?

After the varnamala, learn the barakhadi — the matras that join vowels to consonants — and then start reading simple words and numbers. Our Marathi Barakhadi guide and Marathi Numbers 1 to 100 guide are the natural next steps.

Is Marathi written in Devanagari script?

Yes. Marathi is written in Devanagari, the same script as Hindi, with the extra letter ळ and the borrowed vowels ॲ and ऑ for English sounds.