How to type Bengali with this keyboard
Choose how you want to type with the tabs on the keyboard:
- Phonetic: type Bengali the way it sounds in English letters and it turns into Bengali as you type. ami becomes আমি, kemon achen becomes কেমন আছেন, dhonnobad becomes ধন্যবাদ. This is how most people type Bangla on a computer or phone.
- National: the Bangladesh National keyboard (জাতীয় কীবোর্ড), the standard layout of Bangladesh. Your keys type the Bengali letter in the same position: consonants under the right hand, vowel signs under the left. Type the consonant and then its vowel sign (J D → কি); a vowel key at the start of a word gives the full vowel (H → আ), and G is the hasanta for juktakkhor.
- InScript: the standard Indian layout for Bengali, key by key, as on Windows. Your keys type the Bengali character in the same position.
- Alphabet: the whole Bengali alphabet (বর্ণমালা) in order. Click a consonant, then a vowel sign from the last row: ক + ি gives কি.
The buttons above the keyboard add the hasanta ্, anusvara ং, chandrabindu ঁ, visarga ঃ, khanda ta ৎ, the dari । and the taka sign ৳. Open Digits for the Bengali numerals ০ to ৯.
Typing Bengali in English letters: the rules
Every Bengali consonant carries a short o sound unless a vowel sign or a hasanta replaces it, so ক is ko. The phonetic mode follows that. Letters are case-sensitive: t is ত but T is ট, and c is চ while ch is ছ.
| What you type | What you get | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Consonant + consonant | joins them with a hasanta (্) | kintu → কিন্তু, condro → চন্দ্র |
| o after a consonant | the built-in vowel, nothing written | kobe → কবে, kemon → কেমন |
| o at the end, after one consonant | ো (after a conjunct it stays silent) | koro → করো, dhormo → ধর্ম |
| o elsewhere | অ at the start, ও after a vowel | onek → অনেক, khao → খাও |
| a, i, u, e | the vowel signs া ি ু ে | baba → বাবা, kichu → কিছু |
| I, U (or ee, oo) | the long ী and ূ | nodI → নদী, pUja → পূজা |
| O, oi, ou | ো ৈ ৌ | bOn → বোন, toiri → তৈরি |
| c, ch | চ, ছ | ca → চা, kichu → কিছু |
| T D N, Th Dh | ট ড ণ, ঠ ঢ | Taka → টাকা, Dim → ডিম |
| R, Rh | ড় ঢ় | baRi → বাড়ি, aShaRh → আষাঢ় |
| y after a consonant | ya-phala ্য | bidya → বিদ্যা |
| y elsewhere | য় | meye → মেয়ে, khay → খায় |
| w after a consonant | ba-phala ্ব | dwar → দ্বার |
| ng, ^, : | ং ঁ ঃ | rong → রং, ca^d → চাঁদ |
| t` | ৎ (khanda ta) | hoThat` → হঠাৎ |
| . or | | the dari । | ami. → আমি। |
| _ (underscore) | separates letters, or skips the word list | ek_dom → একদম, k_h → কহ |
Many common words are usually spelled loosely in English letters (o for ো, sh for স), so the page also knows about ninety of them as people type them: bhalo → ভালো, tomake → তোমাকে, bhalobashi → ভালোবাসি. Backspace removes the last English letter of the word you're typing.
Common Bengali words and how to type them
Each of these is typed in Phonetic mode exactly as shown in the first column.
| Type | You get | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
ami | আমি | I |
tumi | তুমি | you (familiar) |
apni | আপনি | you (polite) |
kemon achen | কেমন আছেন | how are you? (polite) |
ami bhalo achi | আমি ভালো আছি | I'm fine |
dhonnobad | ধন্যবাদ | thank you |
bangla | বাংলা | Bengali, Bangla |
bangladesh | বাংলাদেশ | Bangladesh |
ami tomake bhalobashi | আমি তোমাকে ভালোবাসি | I love you |
shuvo noboborsho | শুভ নববর্ষ | Happy New Year (Pohela Boishakh) |
shuvo jonmodin | শুভ জন্মদিন | happy birthday |
bondhu | বন্ধু | friend |
ma | মা | mother |
baba | বাবা | father |
pani | পানি | water (in Bangladesh) |
jol | জল | water (in West Bengal) |
bhat | ভাত | rice |
kothay | কোথায় | where? |
Bengali alphabet chart (বাংলা বর্ণমালা)
The Bengali alphabet as it is taught: the 11 vowels, then the consonants five to a row by where they are made in the mouth, then the letters and signs that complete it. Under each letter is what to type for it in Phonetic mode. Download it to print or share.
Download the Bengali alphabet chart (PNG)
Bengali vowels and kar signs
Every vowel has two forms: the full letter at the start of a word or after another vowel, and a sign (kar) attached to a consonant. অ has no sign because every consonant already includes it.
| Vowel | Sign | Type | Sound | InScript |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| অ | (none) | o | o as in hot, the vowel every consonant carries | Shift+D |
| আ | া কা | a | a as in father | E, Shift+E |
| ই | ি কি | i | i as in sit | F, Shift+F |
| ঈ | ী কী | I, ee | the same sound today, written long | R, Shift+R |
| উ | ু কু | u | u as in put | G, Shift+G |
| ঊ | ূ কূ | U, oo | the same sound today, written long | T, Shift+T |
| ঋ | ৃ কৃ | rri | ri as in rich | = key, Shift+= key |
| এ | ে কে | e | e as in bed, or a as in cat | S, Shift+S |
| ঐ | ৈ কৈ | oi | oi as in boy | W, Shift+W |
| ও | ো কো | O, o at the end of a word | o as in go, without the glide | A, Shift+A |
| ঔ | ৌ কৌ | ou | ow as in low | Q, Shift+Q |
Bengali consonants
The consonants are grouped by where they are made in the mouth. Like Hindi, Bengali separates sounds with and without a puff of air (ক k, খ kh) and with the tongue on the teeth or curled back (ত t, ট T). Several letters that were once different now sound the same: শ ষ স are usually all sh, and জ য are both j.
| Letter | Type | Sound | InScript |
|---|---|---|---|
| ক | k | k | K |
| খ | kh | k with a puff of air | Shift+K |
| গ | g | g as in go | I |
| ঘ | gh | g with a breathy h | Shift+I |
| ঙ | Ng | ng as in sing | Shift+U |
| চ | c | ch as in church, no puff of air | ; key |
| ছ | ch | ch with a puff of air | Shift+; key |
| জ | j | j as in jam | P |
| ঝ | jh | j with a breathy h | Shift+P |
| ঞ | NG | n before চ and জ | Shift+] key |
| ট | T | t with the tongue curled back | ' key |
| ঠ | Th | the same with a puff of air | Shift+' key |
| ড | D | d with the tongue curled back | [ key |
| ঢ | Dh | the same with a breathy h | Shift+[ key |
| ণ | N | n (said like ন today) | Shift+C |
| ত | t | t with the tongue on the teeth | L |
| থ | th | the same with a puff of air | Shift+L |
| দ | d | d with the tongue on the teeth | O |
| ধ | dh | the same with a breathy h | Shift+O |
| ন | n | n | V |
| প | p | p | H |
| ফ | ph, f | ph, often said f | Shift+H |
| ব | b | b | Y |
| ভ | bh, v | b with a breathy h, often said v | Shift+Y |
| ম | m | m | C |
| য | z | j as in jam (antastha ja) | / key |
| র | r | a tapped r | J |
| ল | l | l | N |
| শ | sh, S | sh as in shoe | Shift+M |
| ষ | Sh | sh (murdhanya sha) | Shift+, key |
| স | s | s, or sh in many words | M |
| হ | h | h | U |
| ড় | R | a flapped r | |
| ঢ় | Rh | the same with a breathy h | |
| য় | y | y between vowels | Shift+/ key |
| ৎ | t` | a final t (khanda ta) |
Juktakkhor: Bengali conjunct letters
When two consonants meet with no vowel between them, a hasanta (্) joins them and they are written as one conjunct letter, a juktakkhor (যুক্তাক্ষর). Some keep both shapes side by side, others merge into a new shape. র before a consonant becomes a small stroke on top (র্ম), and after one it becomes a stroke at the bottom (প্র).
| Conjunct | Made of | Type | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ক্ষ | ক + ্ + ষ | kkh | ক্ষমা (kkhoma, forgiveness) |
| ক্ত | ক + ্ + ত | kt | শক্তি (shokti, strength) |
| ন্ত | ন + ্ + ত | nt | কিন্তু (kintu, but) |
| ন্ধ | ন + ্ + ধ | ndh | বন্ধু (bondhu, friend) |
| ন্দ্র | ন + ্ + দ + ্ + র | ndr | চন্দ্র (condro, moon) |
| স্ত | স + ্ + ত | st | রাস্তা (rasta, road) |
| দ্য | দ + ্ + য | dy | বিদ্যা (bidya, knowledge) |
| দ্ব | দ + ্ + ব | dw | দ্বার (dwar, door) |
| র্ম | র + ্ + ম | rm | ধর্ম (dhormo, religion) |
| প্র | প + ্ + র | pr | প্রেম (prem, love) |
Bangladesh National (Jatiyo) keyboard layout
The National keyboard is the Bangladesh standard layout, BDS 1738, and the Bangla layout of Linux. Consonants sit under the right hand and vowel signs under the left, with the hasanta on G and the dari । on Shift+G. The number row types the Bengali digits.
Letters go in the order they are stored: the consonant, then its vowel sign, even for ি which is drawn to the left (J D → কি). A vowel key at the start of a word or after another vowel gives the full vowel: H M D → আমি. For a juktakkhor, type the hasanta between the consonants: J G Shift+N → ক্ষ. With AltGr (or Alt/Option) you get the full vowels directly, ৎ on K, ৳ on 4 and the rarer signs.
Bengali InScript keyboard layout
InScript is the standard Indian keyboard layout, built into Windows, Mac and Linux. It puts the same sound on the same key in every Indian script, so if you know Hindi InScript you already know Bengali InScript. Vowel signs are under the left hand and consonants under the right; the hasanta is on D. Keys for letters Bengali doesn't have type their English character. The small letter on each key is the English key in the same place.
With Shift, most keys give the aspirated consonant or the full vowel:
Bengali numerals and punctuation
Bengali has its own digits, used every day on prices, dates and phone numbers in Bangladesh and West Bengal. Open Digits above the keyboard to type them. Bengali ends a sentence with the dari । instead of a full stop; other punctuation is the same as in English.
| Bengali | Digit |
|---|---|
| ০ | 0 |
| ১ | 1 |
| ২ | 2 |
| ৩ | 3 |
| ৪ | 4 |
| ৫ | 5 |
| ৬ | 6 |
| ৭ | 7 |
| ৮ | 8 |
| ৯ | 9 |
| Sign | Name | Use |
|---|---|---|
| । | dari | Full stop at the end of a sentence |
| ৳ | taka | The Bangladeshi taka: ৳৫০০ |
| ্ | hasanta | Removes a consonant's vowel and joins it to the next one |
| ং | anusvara | A final ng: রং (rong, colour) |
| ঁ | chandrabindu | A nasal vowel: চাঁদ (type ca^d, moon) |
| ঃ | visarga | A breath after a vowel, in a few words: দুঃখ (type du:kh, sorrow) |
| ৎ | khanda ta | A t with no vowel at the end of a syllable: হঠাৎ (type hoThat`, suddenly) |
How to add a Bengali keyboard to your device
Windows
Settings → Time & language → Language & region → Add a language → Bangla (Bangladesh) or Bangla (India). The India option includes the Bengali InScript keyboard. For the Bangladesh National (Jatiyo) layout, use the National tab on this page. Switch with Windows+Space.
Mac
System Settings → Keyboard → Text Input → Edit → + → Bangla. Choose Bangla - QWERTY, which follows the English letters, or Bangla for InScript. Switch with Control+Space or the Globe key.
iPhone and iPad
Settings → General → Keyboard → Keyboards → Add New Keyboard → Bangla. Tap the globe key to switch.
Android
In Gboard, open Settings → Languages → Add keyboard → Bangla (Bangladesh) or Bangla (India). Pick the Bengali layout, or the option that types Bangla from English letters. Tap the globe key or hold the space bar to switch.
Chromebook
Settings → Device → Keyboard and inputs → Input settings → Add input methods → Bangla. Switch with Ctrl+Space.
Linux
Add the keyboard layout Bangla (Bangladesh) in your desktop's keyboard settings: it is the National (Jatiyo) layout.
Frequently asked questions
How do I type Bengali using an English keyboard?
Use the Phonetic mode on this page and spell Bengali words the way they sound: ami becomes আমি, kemon achen becomes কেমন আছেন. Consonants typed together join automatically (kintu → কিন্তু), and a capital T, D, N or R gives ট, ড, ণ or ড় (except that N and R at the start of a word are read as n and r). When you're done, press Copy and paste the text anywhere.
How do I type juktakkhor (conjunct letters)?
In Phonetic mode just type the consonants next to each other: nt gives ন্ত, kt gives ক্ত, ndr gives ন্দ্র and kkh gives ক্ষ. The hasanta (্) goes in for you. In InScript mode, type the first consonant, the hasanta on D, then the second consonant.
How do I type the o sign (ো)?
Type a capital O: dOkan gives দোকান (shop) and bOn gives বোন (sister). A lowercase o in the middle of a word is the vowel every Bengali consonant already carries, so nothing extra is written (kobe → কবে), and at the end of a word it gives ো by itself (koro → করো). The page also knows the usual spellings of about ninety common words, such as bhalo, tomake and dhonnobad.
Is there a Bangladesh National (Jatiyo) keyboard here?
Yes. Open the National tab and type with the standard layout of Bangladesh, BDS 1738, key for key: J is ক, H is া, D is ি and G is the hasanta. Type the consonant first and then its vowel sign, even for ি (J D → কি). A vowel key at the start of a word gives the full vowel, so H M D gives আমি.
Is Bengali the same as Bangla?
Yes. Bangla (বাংলা) is the language's own name, and Bengali is the English name. It is the national language of Bangladesh and an official language of West Bengal, Tripura and the Barak Valley of Assam in India, with about 270 million speakers.
Is the Bengali keyboard the same as the Assamese keyboard?
Nearly. Assamese uses the same script with two letters of its own: ৰ for r and ৱ for w. You can type Assamese here too: type as usual and tap ৰ and ৱ in the Assamese letters of the copy-and-paste grid under the keyboard.
Is my text private?
Yes. Everything runs in your browser. Your draft is kept on your own device so it survives a refresh, and it's never uploaded.
