The Pronunciation of Words & Vocabulary

Consonants

Now we will practise pronunciation of some words with special emphasis on pronunciation of consonants. Here again, there are 6 sets of words, corresponding to the groups of consonants.

ka-vagga (Gutturals / Velars)

  1. kāya = body
  2. kamma = action, work
  3. kitti = fame
  4. khudā = hunger
  5. khippaṃ = quickly
  6. khetta = field
  7. gārava = respect
  8. gāma = village
  9. gahapati = householder
  10. ghara = house
  11. ghāyati (verb) = smells
  12. ghosa = sound
  13. aṅga = part, limb
  14. saṅkhāra = volitional formation
  15. saṅgha = order of monks
Audio for pronunciation of ka-vagga (Gutturals / Velars)

ca-vagga (Palatals)

  1. cariyā = conduct
  2. cārikā = journey, wandering
  3. cetiya = pagoda
  4. chatta = umbrella
  5. chāyā = shade, shadow
  6. chinna = cut, destroyed
  7. jāti = birth
  8. jarā = old age
  9. jaya = victory
  10. jhāna = absorption, meditation
  11. ajjhatta = inside
  12. majjhima = middle
  13. kaññā = girl, daughter
  14. ñāṇa = knowledge
  15. paññā = wisdom, insight
Audio for pronunciation of ca-vagga (Palatals)

ṭa-vagga (Retroflex / Cerebrals)

  1. kūṭa = peak, pinnacle
  2. piṭaka = basket
  3. sāṭaka = cloth, garment
  4. pāṭha = text, discourse
  5. pīṭha = bench, seat
  6. paṭhama = first
  7. ḍahati (v) = burns
  8. khiḍḍā = play, amusement
  9. paṇḍita = wise man
  10. aḍḍha = half
  11. vuḍḍha = old, aged
  12. vaḍḍheti (v) = increases, multiplies
  13. suṇāti (v) = listens
  14. maraṇa = death
  15. paṇīta = excellent
Audio for pronunciation of ṭa-vagga (Retroflex / Cerebrals)

ta-vagga (Dentals)

  1. tathāgata = the Buddha
  2. tīra = shore, bank
  3. teja = heat, radiance
  4. thāma = strength, vigour
  5. thūla = gross, massive
  6. thīna = stiffness, unwieldiness
  7. dāna = gift, offering
  8. desanā = instruction, discourse
  9. dosa = aversion, ill-will
  10. dhamma = doctrine, nature, truth
  11. dhāraṇa = wearing, maintaining
  12. dhīra = firm
  13. nadī = river
  14. nicca = permanent, constant
  15. nīvaraṇa = hindrance, obstacle
Audio for pronunciation of ta-vagga (Dentals)

pa-vagga (Labials)

  1. patta = bowl
  2. pūjā = worship
  3. putta = son
  4. phala = fruit
  5. phassa = touch, contact
  6. phāsu = pleasant, enjoyable
  7. bala = power
  8. bahu = many, plenty
  9. bodhi = knowledge, enlightenment
  10. bhava = becoming, existence
  11. bhāvanā = cultivation, development
  12. bhesajja = medicine
  13. magga = path
  14. mitta = friend
  15. mātā = mother
Audio for pronunciation of pa-vagga (Labials)

Miscellaneous

  1. yasa = fame
  2. yācaka = beggar
  3. yathā = as, like
  4. rājā = king
  5. ratha = chariot
  6. ratti = night
  7. lobha = greed
  8. loma = hair of the body
  9. lābha = gain
  10. vācā = speech
  11. virāga = dispassion
  12. vedanā = feeling, sensation
  13. sati = mindfulness
  14. sāra = essence, substance, core
  15. sīla = virtue, morality
  16. hattha = hand
  17. hiri = sense of shame
  18. hetu = cause, reason
  19. taḷāka = lake
  20. veḷu = bamboo
  21. naḷa = reed, tube
  22. kathaṃ = how
  23. saṃyama = self-control, abstinence
  24. saṃvijjati (v) = exists
Audio for pronunciation of miscellaneous consonants
Last modified: Tuesday, 20 December 2022, 1:11 PM