Ka (Devanagari)

Ka (क) is the first vowel of the Devanagari abugida. It arose from the Brahmi letter . Letters that derive from it are the Gujarati letter ક, the Modi letter �, and the Canadian syllabics letter ᑲ.

Uses

Devanagari-using Languages

In all languages, क is pronounced as [kə] or [k] when appropriate.

• नकली = nakali [nəkəliː] "fake"

In this example, क implements its inherent vowel, the schwa.

• बकवास = bakvās [bəkʋaːs] "nonsense"

In this example, क deletes the inherent schwa for correct pronunciation.

Certain words that have been borrowed from Persian and Arabic implement the nukta to more properly approximate the original word. It is then transliterated as a q.

• क़दम = qəd̪əm [qadam] "footstep"

Hindi grammar

क attached to a vowel can be a postposition

• को (ko) is the dative marker in Hindi

• का/के/की (kaa/ke/kee) is the genitive marker shown with its various declensions
• कि (ki) is a conjunction meaning that

मुझे मालूम नहीं था कि तुम मराठी बोल सकते हो

I was not aware that you speak Marathi

Nepali grammar

क attached to a vowel can be a postposition.

• को/की/क (ko/kee/ka) is the genitive marker in Nepali

Mathematics

Āryabhaṭa numeration

Aryabhata used Devanagari letters for numbers, very similar to that of the Greeks, even after the invention of Indian numerals. The values of the different forms of क are:

• क [kə] = 1(१)
• कि [kɪ] = 100(१००)
• कु [kʊ] = 10 000(१० ०००)
• कृ [kri] = 1 000 000(१ ००० ०००)
• कॢ [klə] = 10⁸(१०^८)
• के [ke] = 10¹⁰(१०^१०)
• कै [kɛː] = 10¹²(१०^१२)
• को [oː] = 10¹⁴(१०^१४)
• कौ [ɔː] = 10¹⁶(१०^१६)