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Learn Sanskrit

Read Devanagari and work your way into classical Sanskrit texts.

Free to start. Built from a single prompt. No credit card.

Sanskrit is the classical language of ancient India and the language of the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Bhagavad Gita. Today it is usually written in Devanagari, though it has been written in many scripts. Its grammar is rich and precise, described in detail by the ancient grammarian Pāṇini: eight cases, three genders and three numbers, including a dual for exactly two. Its most distinctive feature is sandhi, the sound changes that happen when words meet, which often merge words together in writing. Learnr builds a personalized Sanskrit course from a single prompt and teaches it in short lessons.

How to learn Sanskrit, step by step

Learn Devanagari and IAST together. Learn Devanagari letters and conjuncts along with IAST, the standard transliteration with marks like ā, ṛ and ś. Many textbooks and dictionaries use both, so knowing both helps you read any resource.
Learn the sounds in their traditional order. The Sanskrit alphabet is arranged by where sounds are made in the mouth, from throat to lips. Practice retroflex sounds like ṭ and ḍ, the visarga (ḥ) and the anusvāra (ṃ).
Learn noun declensions by stem. Start with masculine a-stem nouns like deva (god) across eight cases and three numbers, then feminine ā-stems like latā and neuter nouns like phala. Learn what each case does with example sentences.
Learn verbs and the present system. Start with common present tense verbs like bhavati (becomes) and gacchati (goes). Learn the difference between parasmaipada and ātmanepada endings, and that verbs belong to ten classes.
Tackle sandhi step by step. Learn vowel sandhi first, as in deva and indra combining into devendra, then consonant and visarga sandhi. Practice splitting sandhi in short sentences, a skill you will use in every text.
Read real texts with help. Start with simple verses, such as passages from the Hitopadeśa or the Bhagavad Gita, using word-by-word guides. Short daily Learnr lessons help you review declensions and vocabulary while you read.

What you'll learn

Read and write Devanagari and the IAST transliteration
Pronounce Sanskrit sounds, including retroflex consonants and visarga
Decline nouns across eight cases and three numbers
Conjugate common verbs and recognize verb classes
Apply sandhi rules to read simple verses

What's inside your Sanskrit course

A sample path Learnr builds for Sanskrit. Your real course adapts to your goal and level.

1. Devanagari, IAST and Sanskrit sounds
2. Nouns, cases and the first declensions
3. Verbs, present tense and verb classes
4. Sandhi: how sounds change between words
5. Pronouns, compounds and the past tense
6. Reading simple verses and passages

How long does it take to learn Sanskrit?

Learning Devanagari takes a few weeks. Covering core grammar usually takes 1 to 2 years at a few hours a week, after which you can read simple texts with a dictionary. Reading classical literature fluently takes several more years, especially for poetry with complex compounds.

What you need before you start

No background is required. Familiarity with Hindi, Devanagari or another Indian language helps, as does any knowledge of Latin or Greek grammar.

Common mistakes to avoid

Skipping sandhi rules and then being unable to split words in real texts, where sandhi joins almost everything.
Memorizing declension tables without reading sentences, which makes it hard to recognize cases in context.
Relying only on translations of the Bhagavad Gita instead of working through the Sanskrit word by word.

How Learnr builds your course

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Sanskrit questions, answered

Is Sanskrit still spoken?

Sanskrit is mainly used in religious, scholarly and literary settings today. Some people speak it in study groups, and a few communities promote it as a spoken language, but most learners study it to read texts.

Is Sanskrit related to Latin and Greek?

Yes. Sanskrit, Latin and Greek are all Indo-European languages, and they share grammar features like cases and many word roots, such as the Sanskrit pitṛ, Latin pater and Greek patēr for father.