What is Transliteration?
Transliteration converts text from one writing system to another while preserving the original pronunciation — unlike translation, which converts the meaning. For example, the Hindi word "नमस्ते" becomes "Namaste" in Latin script, keeping the sound identical.
Supported Scripts
South Asian
Devanagari (Hindi, Sanskrit, Marathi), Bengali, Gujarati, Gurmukhi (Punjabi), Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Odia, Sinhala
East Asian
Chinese (Pinyin), Japanese (Romaji, Hiragana, Katakana), Korean (Revised Romanization)
Middle Eastern
Arabic, Hebrew, Persian (Farsi)
European & Other
Cyrillic (Russian, Ukrainian, Serbian, Bulgarian), Greek, Georgian, Armenian, Tibetan, Ethiopic
Common Uses
- Romanizing names for passports, forms, and official documents
- Learning pronunciation of foreign scripts
- Typing in your language using a Latin keyboard
- Converting song lyrics between scripts
- SEO — creating URL slugs from non-Latin text
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between transliteration and translation?
Transliteration converts text from one writing system to another while keeping the original pronunciation. Translation converts the meaning instead. The Hindi word नमस्ते transliterates to Namaste, which sounds the same but is not an English word. Translated, it would come out as hello.
Which scripts and languages can I transliterate?
South Asian scripts including Devanagari for Hindi, Sanskrit and Marathi, plus Bengali, Gujarati, Gurmukhi, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Odia and Sinhala. East Asian coverage includes Chinese Pinyin, Japanese Romaji, Hiragana and Katakana, and Korean Revised Romanization. Also Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Cyrillic for Russian, Ukrainian, Serbian and Bulgarian, plus Greek, Georgian, Armenian, Tibetan and Ethiopic.
Can I use this to romanize a name for a passport or official form?
Yes, that is one of the most common uses. Transliteration is what turns a name written in Cyrillic, Arabic, or Devanagari into Latin letters for a form, while keeping it recognisably the same name rather than translating it into a different word.
Does transliteration change what the text means?
No. Only the letters change, so the result sounds like the original when read aloud. If you want the meaning in another language instead, use the Text Translator.
Is it free, and do I need an account?
Free, with no account and no signup. Paste the text, pick the source and target scripts, and read the result.