As an expert in linguistics with a particular focus on the Hindi language, I would like to provide a comprehensive answer to your question about the Hindi alphabet.

The Hindi language, which is one of the most widely spoken languages in India, has a rich and complex script known as Devanagari. This script is the foundation of written Hindi and is used to write several other languages spoken in the Indian subcontinent. The Devanagari script is an abugida, which means it is a writing system where each character represents a consonant with an inherent vowel sound, and separate vowel characters are used to modify the inherent vowel.

The Hindi alphabet is traditionally divided into two main categories: vowels and consonants. The traditional Hindi alphabet is considered to have 13 vowels and 33 consonants. However, it's important to note that the classification and count of letters can vary slightly depending on the context and the source of the information.

The vowels in Hindi are as follows:
1. अ (a)
2. आ (ā)
3. इ (i)
4. ई (ī)
5. उ (u)
6. ऊ (ū)
7. ऋ (ṛ)
8. ए (e)
9. ऐ (ai)
10. ओ (o)
11. औ (au)
12. अं (aṁ)
13. अः (aḥ)

And the consonants are:
1. क (ka)
2. ख (kha)
3. ग (ga)
4. घ (gha)
5. ङ (ṅa)
6. च (ca)
7. छ (cha)
8. ज (ja)
9. झ (jha)
10. ञ (ña)
11. ट (ṭa)
12. ठ (ṭha)
13. ड (ḍa)
14. ढ (ḍha)
15. ण (ña)
16. त (ta)
17. थ (tha)
18. द (da)
19. ध (dha)
20. न (na)
21. प (pa)
22. फ (pha)
23. ब (ba)
24. भ (bha)
25. म (ma)
26. य (ya)
27. र (ra)
28. ल (la)
29. व (va)
30. श (sha)
31. ष (ṣa)
32. स (sa)
33. ह (ha)

However, in the standard Hindi alphabet, which is used in modern literature and education, the count of vowels is reduced to 11, and the consonants are increased to 35. This change is due to the reclassification of certain letters. For example, the letters अं (aṁ) and अः (aḥ) are considered as consonants in the standard Hindi alphabet, whereas they are counted as vowels in the traditional Hindi alphabet.

It's also worth mentioning that the Hindi script includes several diacritical marks that are used to modify the pronunciation of the letters. These include the matras, which are used to indicate vowel sounds, and the virama, which is used to separate consonants from their inherent vowel and to create consonant clusters.

In conclusion, the Hindi alphabet is a fascinating and intricate system that reflects the rich linguistic heritage of India. Understanding the nuances of the Hindi script is essential for anyone seeking to learn and appreciate this beautiful language.

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The standard Hindi alphabet, as agreed by the Government of India, has 11 vowels and 35 consonants. However, the traditional Hindi alphabet is considered to be made of 13 vowels and 33 consonants. The letters ?? [am] and ?? [ah] are counted as vowels in traditional Hindi and as consonants in standard Hindi.read more >>