Hindi · Pronunciation Guide

How do you pronounce "वहाँ" in Hindi?

Q: How do you pronounce वहाँ in Hindi?

वहाँ is pronounced with the stress described below. In IPA it is written /ʋə.ɦãː/. It means “there.” vuh-HAAN with the n dissolved into the vowel — and the initial consonant sits between English v and w.

vuh-HAAN with the n dissolved into the vowel — and the initial consonant sits between English v and w.

वहाँ /ʋə.ɦãː/

vahaaṁ

Length and nasality are both concentrated in the second syllable, which dominates completely. Since this is a near-twin of yahaaṁ differing only in its opening consonant, that unstressed first sound still has to be clear.

Listen: वहाँ

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Sound it out

va व as a loose approximant: the lower lip approaches the upper teeth without the strong friction of English v, and speakers vary between v-like and w-like realisations.

haaṁ Voiced ह plus a long आ nasalized from beginning to end. The nasality is carried entirely by the vowel.

Hear it in a sentence

दुकान वहाँ है।

Dukaan vahaaṁ hai.

The shop is over there.

Listen: दुकान वहाँ है।

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"Dukaan vahaaṁ hai" is a bare locative statement with no postposition, since vahaaṁ is already adverbial. Dukaan's dental द and न bracket the noun, and then vahaaṁ's nasalized vowel provides the sentence's only nasality.

Where English speakers slip

Two errors: a hard buzzing English v, which is heavier than most speakers use, and a final n consonant instead of a nasalized vowel. Loosen the lip contact and let the nose open during the vowel with the tongue staying completely out of the way.