Letter 3 of 35
Vowel Carriers · Vowel Carrierੲ — Iri
Sounds like the 'i' in 'sit' — a short, crisp 'ih'.
Why it matters: ੲ is the home of the 'i' and 'ee' sounds — wear a ੀ on top for 'ee', a ਿ in front for 'ih'.
Example Word
ਇੱਟ
Itt
Brick
Vowels ੲ can hold
ਇ
sihari
"ih"
short ih, like sit
ਈ
bihari
"ee"
long ee, like see
ੲ is a holder — each vowel mark on top changes the sound.
Other letters in the Vowel Carriers
Trace ੲ
Free Printable Tracing Worksheet
Practise writing ੲ (Iri) with this free printable. Large reference letter at the top, dotted rows below — print at home on US Letter or A4.
ੲ (Iri) is the third vowel-carrier in Gurmukhi, completing the trio ੳ, ਅ, ੲ. It carries the short i and long ee sounds when paired with the right matra above or below it.
How to teach a 4-year-old
Build a small tower of toy bricks (ਇੱਟ). With each brick, say “ੲ … ਇੱਟ”. Then point to the letter and have your child say it back. ੲ rarely starts everyday words on its own — that’s normal. The trio’s job is mostly to carry vowel sounds for other letters.
Practice ੲ (Iri)
📖 Read about Iri in context
See ੲ alongside the rest of the Vowel Carriers in the free alphabet teaching guide. Open the guide →
Practise Iri on the go
Six interactive Gurmukhi games — tracing, recognition, memory match — free, offline, no ads.