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Devanagari in 7 Days

Learn to read the Sanskrit script from zero in seven short daily lessons, with a quiz after each one and a practice exam at the end.

Beginner
7 lessons
7 days
English

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Short lessons with audio-friendly text
Quiz after every lesson
Timed practice exam with review
Progress saved on every device

What you will learn

Read every vowel and consonant of Devanagari
Use vowel signs (mātrā) on any consonant
Recognise and read conjunct consonants like क्ष, त्र and ज्ञ
Read real Sanskrit words, mantras and short verses aloud
Look up words in a Sanskrit dictionary using alphabetical order

Devanagari looks intimidating, but it is one of the most logical scripts ever designed. This course takes you from not knowing a single letter to reading real Sanskrit words and your first verses, in about fifteen minutes a day.

Every lesson ends with a short quiz, and a practice exam at the end checks that it has stuck. Afterwards, every stotra and verse on this site opens up to you in its original script.

Course content

2 modules · 7 lessons · 95 min

1Week 1: Foundations3 lessons

2Week 2: Consonants4 lessons

Practice exam15 questions · 15 min

How you will learn

1Sign in freeOne account for all courses and your progress.
2Learn in short lessonsRead, listen and watch in 10 to 15 minutes a day.
3Quiz every lessonInstant feedback locks the learning in.
4Practice examA short timed test with a full review.
5Earn a certificateVerifiable, printable, yours to share.

Who this course is for

Complete beginners to Sanskrit
Anyone who chants and wants to read the original script
Parents who want to teach children the alphabet

Requirements

No prior knowledge
A phone or computer and 15 minutes a day

Questions

Do I need an account?

Yes. A free account keeps your progress, quiz scores and certificates in one place, on every device. Signing up takes less than a minute.

How long do I have access?

For as long as the course is offered. Learn at your own pace and come back any time.

What happens after each lesson?

A short quiz checks what you learned with instant feedback. Pass it to complete the lesson. At the end, a timed practice exam reviews the whole course.

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