Mongolian Letter La

It marks the Mongolian consonant sound “l,” as in “lamp.”

Traditional Mongolian writing was adapted from Old Uyghur, an earlier Central Asian writing system, around the beginning of the thirteenth century, as Mongol rulers needed writing to administer a growing empire. Accounts of its deeper roots differ: another traces Mongolian and Uyghur writing to Sogdian, an older regional script, around the fifth century. A traditional account credits the Uyghur scribe Tatatonga with teaching the script to Genghis Khan's sons.

The inscription on a stone monument for Yisüngge, known as the Genghis Stele, is commonly considered the oldest surviving Mongolian writing; it was probably erected in 1224 or 1225. Todo writing was revised for Kalmyk Mongols in 1648. Mongolian writing was adapted for the Manchu language, and Sibe writing later developed from Manchu. Mongolia made Cyrillic its official script in 1946 and revived traditional writing in the early 1990s. As of 2026, traditional writing remains in use in Inner Mongolia, while Mongolia uses it alongside Cyrillic. Since 2025, Mongolia's state offices have used both scripts for official paperwork.

Why does ᠯ change shape?

Its position in a word determines its displayed form.

Traditional Mongolian text runs vertically in columns: read each column from top to bottom, then move right. Alone, ᠯ has an isolated form; inside a word, it takes a form for its start, middle, or end. These are displayed forms of the same letter, not separate characters.

A Mongolian-capable input method enters the base letter, and the font shapes it from context. Invisible free variation selectors can request a display form when context cannot decide it; use one only when an input method or spelling reference calls for it. If the word appears horizontal or disconnected, the app or font may lack Mongolian vertical-layout or shaping support.