Introduction:

The Sanskrit language is a classical language of South Asia belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late Bronze Age. Sanskrit is the sacred language of Hinduism, the language of classical Hindu philosophy, and of historical texts of Buddhism and Jainism. It was a link language in ancient and medieval South Asia, and upon transmission of Hindu and Buddhist culture to Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Central Asia in the early medieval era, it became a language of religion and high culture, and of the political elites in some of these regions. As a result, Sanskrit had a lasting impact on the languages of South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia, especially in their formal and learned vocabularies.

Now if you are new to learning the Sanskrit language. You should keep some points in mind, you have to be dedicated towards learning, have awareness towards learning, have patience, and most importantly consistency. Keeping these points in mind helps you to learn a language in an easy way. 

As I know you have a question: what should you learn first when you start learning Sanskrit? 

So in this blog, I will promise to answer your question.

If you are Learning Sanskrit you have to start from basics, follow this steps

1.Alphabets

First up all a person should start with the alphabets because the basic to learn any language is alphabets only.

System of Writing. The Sanskrit alphabet consists of 46 different letters. These letters are organized based on their phonetic properties, such as articular surface, aspiration, and voicing.

And also there are 25+8=33 consonants in total.

The अनुस्वार (ं) and the विसर्ग (ः) are included in the वर्णमाला and are called as स्वराश्रितs because they are always dependent upon the vowels.

2.Practice grammar. 

In order to learn Sanskrit grammar, you’ll need to try to forget everything you already know about grammar. Don’t apply the rules and concepts of your native language to Sanskrit. Instead, try to take the rules of  Sanskrit grammar at face value.

Obtain a Sanskrit grammar workbook and begin following the lessons. Some good choices include “Practice Makes Perfect: Basic Sanskrit ” and “A Guide to Sanskrit Grammar”.

Locate online resources (such as open Multibhashi) to study 

Sanskrit grammar.

Learn some key phrases. 

Learning a few key phrases will allow you to begin practicing, and may allow you to enjoy some casual conversation with a  Sanskrit  speaker. 

Hello – नमो नमः, नमस्कारः

Goodbye – पुनर्दर्शनाय

I’m fine, thanks – अहं कुशली,धन्यवादः

Thank you very much – बहवःधन्यवादाः

Nice to meet you –  भवता सह संयोग: सन्तोषकर: .

3.Practicing the Language

Use flashcards. 

You can purchase  Sanskrit language flashcards, or make them yourself at home. You can then practice with them in a variety of ways. Flashcard can be a great way to strengthen your vocabulary in the Sanskrit language. 

Post the flashcards around your house to label items with their  Sanskrit names.

You can have a friend quiz you with flashcards to practice your memorization of  Sanskrit letters. You can use the flashcards to quiz yourself.

4.Speak like a kid. 

Small children are fantastic at learning new languages because they are not afraid to mimic sounds. They are not embarrassed. Tap into that childlike shamelessness, and practice repeating  Sanskrit shlokas, sounds, words, and phrases, even if you’re not pronouncing them quite right.

5.Talk to someone online. 

Another great option is to video chat with a native speaker. There are numerous online resources that pair language partners together. Seek out a new friend who speaks Sanskrit and speak to them using your computer.

6.Make mistakes! 

Making mistakes and getting corrected by native speakers is probably the most effective way to learn the nuances of Sanskrit. Don’t avoid words that you aren’t sure about or skip over phrases that you may mispronounce. Making mistakes means that you are genuinely trying to learn.

7.Move outside your comfort zone.

Get feedback from others.

Some Sanskrit speakers may not want to correct you out of respect, so make it clear that you’d appreciate some guidance.

Enroll in a class. 

One of the most effective ways to learn a new language is to enroll in a class. With the guidance of an instructor, lesson plans, workbooks, and best of all, lots of other people to practice with, enrolling in a Sanskrit language class can be an excellent use of your time. In addition to helping you learn the language, a class like this can help you meet new people.