In articulatory phonetics, a consonant is a speech sound that is articulated with complete or partial closure of the vocal tract, except for the h, which is pronounced without any stricture in the vocal tract. Examples are and [b], pronounced with the lips; and [d], pronounced with the front of the tongue; and [g], pronounced with the back of the tongue;, pronounced throughout the vocal tract;, [v], and, pronounced by forcing air through a narrow channel (fricatives); and and, which have air flowing through the nose (nasals). Most consonants are pulmonic, using air pressure from the lungs to generate a sound. Very few natural languages are non-pulmonic, making use of ejectives, implosives, and clicks. Contrasting with consonants are vowels.

व्यञ्जन वर्ण का प्रयोग वैसी ध्वनियों के लिए किया जाता है जिनके उच्चारण के लिये किसी स्वर की ज़रुरत होती है। ऐसी ध्वनियों का उच्चारण करते समय हमारे मुख के भीतर किसी न किसी अङ्ग विशेष द्वारा वायु का अवरोध होता है। जब हम व्यञ्जन बोलते हैं, हमारी जीभ मुह के ऊपर के हिस्से से रगड़कर उष्ण हवा बाहर आती है।