Modern Hindi Grammar - Indian Institute of Language Studies (IILS)

2. PHONOLOGY

There are different types of syllables.

Monosyllable:
maaÐ mã: mother
caaya ca:y tea
Gar ghar house

Di-syllable:
fa,yada fa:ida: profit
Saaolaa šola: flame
kagaja, ka:gaz paper

Tri-syllable:
nasaIyat nasi:hat advice
ihrasat hira:sat arrest
hkIkt haki:kat fact

Quadra-syllable:
ihMdustanaI hindusta:ni: Indian
maukabalaa muka:bila: competition
[Msaainayat insa:niyat humanity

2.3. Suprasegmental Features

Nasalization, length, stress, intonation, and juncture are
suprasegmental features.

2.3.1. Nasalization

Nasalization is an important suprasegmental feature in Hindi. All
the vowels can be nasalized. Nasalization is distinctive so it has
phonemic status.

saasa sa:s mother-in-law saaÐsa sã:s breath
kaTa ka:ta: cut kaMÐTa kã:ta: thorn
pUC pu:ch ask pUMÐC pũ:ch tail
gaaod god lap gaaoMd gõd gum
qaI thi: was qaIM thĩ: were