How to Learn Hindi (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Hindi (मानक हिन्दी) is, together with English, the first official language of India and is spoken as a lingua franca throughout the Indian subcontinent and by emigrants from this country. Hindi shares its roots with other Indo-Aryan languages, such as Sanskrit, Urdu and Punjabi, as well as Indo-Iranian and Indo-European ones, from Tajik to Pashto, Serbo-Croatian, up to Italian. By learning the basics of Hindi, whether from your origins, for work or out of pure curiosity, you will be able to communicate with over a billion people around the world and discover a very rich language and culture.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Learning the Hindi Alphabet

Step 1. Learn about Devanagari script

It is an abugida alphabet widespread in India and Nepal, used to write Hindi, Marathi and Nepali. It reads from left to right, has no capital letters and is recognizable by the horizontal line that joins the letters at the top.

You can find a table of the Devanagari alphabet at this address:

Step 2. Study Hindi vowels

This language has 11 vowels, some indicated with diacritics, that is symbols added to the letters of the alphabet, in order to show different pronunciations. Vowels in Hindi have two forms: one when they are used alone and another when they are related to a consonant in a word.

• अ a and आ aa

  • अ does not change the consonant, so if you see a consonant without any symbol, it is accompanied by this sound.
  • When आ is together with a consonant, the symbol ा is added after the letter (for example, न na becomes ना naa when joined with आ).

• इ i and ई ee

  • When इ is together with a consonant, the symbol ि is added before the letter.
  • When ई is together with a consonant, the symbol ी is added after the letter.

• उ u and ऊ oo

  • When उ is together with a consonant, the symbol ु is used under the letter.
  • When ऊ is together with a consonant, the symbol ू is added under the letter.

• ए e e ऐ ai

  • When ए accompanies a consonant, the symbol े is used above the letter.
  • When ऐ is together with a consonant, the symbol ै is added above the letter.

• ओ o and औ au

  • When ओ is added to a consonant, the symbol ो is used before the letter.
  • When औ is together with a consonant, the symbol ौ is added before the letter.

• ऋ ri

  • When ऋ is added to a consonant, the symbol ृ is used under the letter.
  • This vowel is not very common in Hindi and is used only in words of Sanskrit origin.
• You can find a detailed guide to how to pronounce vowels here:

Step 3. Study Hindi consonants

This language has 33 consonants, divided into the alphabet based on how the mouth and throat are used to pronounce them. Since Hindi has more consonants than Italian, some of them don't have a direct match. The (a) next to some consonants indicates that they are pronounced aspirated (ie with a strong puff of air, as p in "pack").

• Velar consonants, pronounced using the back of the tongue against the palate (e.g. k or gh in Italian): क k, ख k (a), ग g, घ g (a), ङ n
• Palatine consonants, pronounced by lifting the front of the tongue just behind the gums (for example g in "Job"): च ch, छ ch (a), ज j, झ j (a), ञ n
• Retroflex consonants, pronounced by curling the tongue back and touching the palate just behind the gums (they do not exist in Italian, only in some dialects): ञ t, ट t (a), ड d, ढ d (a), ण n
• Vibratory consonants, pronounced by moving the tip of the tongue towards the palate behind the upper incisors (for example the t of some English words like "butter", which is pronounced almost "badder"): ड़ d e ढ़ d (a)
• Dental consonants, pronounced by touching the part of the mouth behind the upper incisors with the tip of the tongue (for example d of "nut"): त t, थ t (a), थ d, ध d (a), न n
• Lip consonants, pronounced by joining the lips (for example b in "dad"): प p, फ p (a), ब b, भ b (a), म m
• Semivowels are vowel-like consonants, like the English "w": य y (as in "yogurt"), य r, ल l, व w or v
• Hissing consonants, pronounced using the tip of the tongue to push the air out with a hiss: श sh, ष sh, स s
• Glottal consonants, pronounced using the glottis at the back of the throat: स h

Step 4. Learn to distinguish "voiced" and "unvoiced" consonants

In Hindi consonants can be pronounced in two different ways. Reading the pronunciation explanation may seem complicated, but don't worry; once you try to imitate the sounds, you will be able to hear the difference between voiced and unvoiced consonants.

• Vowed consonants are pronounced by vibrating the vocal cords. Some examples in Italian are the "z" of zoo and the "r" of green lizard.
• Unvoiced consonants are pronounced without causing the vocal cords to vibrate. Some examples in Italian are the "s" in "snodo" and the "c" in the hood.

Step 5. Learn to distinguish "aspirated" from "non aspirated" consonants

In Hindi, consonants also fall into these two basic subcategories. There are non-voiced non-aspirated consonants, non-voiced aspirated consonants and so on.

• Aspiration indicates a puff of air released from the mouth when the letter is pronounced.
• The only way to really understand this difference is to listen to recordings in Hindi.

Step 6. Listen to a recording of the Hindi alphabet, then try to imitate the sounds

The Hindi alphabet can seem very strange to you, especially if your native language is Italian, but with a little practice you will be able to pronounce it correctly. You can find a video in which all the letters of the Hindi alphabet are pronounced at this address:

Listen to the recording a few times, then pause it and try to mimic the pronunciation you heard. Don't be in a hurry and slowly learn the whole alphabet

Step 7. Learn to write the Hindi alphabet

You may be better able to learn Devanagari if you see it written. You can find many guides on the internet, but the one on the hindibhasha.com site is recommended by many linguistics departments.

Part 2 of 4: Learning Hindi Grammar

Step 1. Familiarize yourself with Hindi nouns

Nouns are the words that represent objects, places, emotions, animals and people. In Hindi, all nouns have a gender: masculine or feminine. Gender is very important for correct communication and grammar, so when you learn a term, you also need to know its gender.

• A very rough rule of thumb for determining the gender of a noun is that words ending with the vowel आ aa are usually masculine and those ending with the vowel ई ee are usually feminine. However, there are many exceptions to this rule, so it's important to learn the gender of all words with study and practice.
• For example: boy is said to be लड़का larkaa (M) and girl is लड़की larkee (F). In this case, the gender rule applies.
• Conversely, nouns like मेज़ mez, desk (F) or घर ghar, house (M) are exceptions.

Step 2. Get to know Hindi pronouns

Simple personal pronouns, such as he, she, me, us, them, are very important for communicating in all languages, including Hindi. Pronouns in this language are:

• First person singular: मैं main - Io
• First person plural: हम ham - We
• Second person singular: तू too - Tu (intimate)

• Second person plural: तुम tum - Voi (Informal), आप aap - Voi (Formal)

  • A note on formal and informal pronouns: they are used according to the level of education required by the conversation. Use आप aap when meeting someone for the first time, when talking to someone older than you, or simply to show your respect for the person you are dealing with.
  • Use तुम tum when chatting with friends or close relatives. Use तू too in very informal or intimate conversations, for example with your partner or a small child. In Hindi it is considered extremely rude to use तू too when talking to a stranger or someone you don't know well.
• Third person singular: यह yah - He, she, it, this

• Third person singular: वह vah - He, she, it, that

  • In the spoken language these words are pronounced slightly differently: यह is pronounced yeh and वह voh. Use यह yeh when talking about someone or something close to you, for example a person sitting next to you.
  • Use वह voh when talking about someone or something further away, for example a person across the street.
  • If in doubt, use वह voh.
• Third person plural: ये ye - These, they, them

• Third person plural: वे ve - Those, they, them

  • You will often hear वे ve pronounced similar to the singular "voh". The third person plural pronouns follow the same rules as the singular ones: ये ye for people / things close to you (physically) and वे ve for those further away.
  • Note that यह yeh or वह voh can mean either "he" or "she", so there is no difference based on the gender of the person you're talking about. You need to get this information from the context of the sentence.

  

  Step 3. Familiarize yourself with Hindi verbs

  Verbs describe an action, event or state. Learn them infinitely, because they are conjugated by removing the suffix of the infinitive and adding others. In Hindi, infinitive verbs end in ना naa.

  Here are some examples of Hindi infinitive verbs: होना honaa, to be; पढ़ना pahrnaa, to read or study; बोलना bolnaa, to speak; सीखना seekhnaa, to learn; जाना jaanaa, to go

  

  Step 4. Learn the basics of verb conjugation

  Like nouns, verbs in Hindi must also be conjugated to reflect grammar categories, such as number, gender, tense and manner.

  • For example, the infinitive verb होना honaa, to be, conjugated by number becomes:

    • मैं हूँ main hoon - I am
    • हम हैं ham hain - We are
    • तू है too hai - You are (intimate)
    • तुम हो tum ho - You are (informal)
    • आप हैं aap hain - You are (formal)
    • यह है yah hai - He / she / this is
    • वह है voh hai - He / she / that is
    • ये हैं ye hain - These / they are
    • वे हैं ve hain - Those / they are

  • There are three gender conjugations in the present tense verbs:

    • For masculine singular subjects, the infinitive suffix ना naa falls and ता taa is added.
    • For plural masculine subjects, the infinitive suffix ना naa falls and ते te is added.
    • For feminine subjects, singular or plural, the suffix of the infinitive ना naa falls and ती tee is added.
  • Since there are many verb tenses in Hindi, you need to use a teaching manual or other reference materials to learn verb conjugation in addition to the present simple. A good dictionary will also help you conjugate verbs you don't know.

  

  Step 5. Continue practicing speaking in Hindi with longer sentences

  When you feel more proficient in the use of nouns, pronouns and verbs, you can move on to studying other aspects of the language.

  Part 3 of 4: Practice Hindi Words and Phrases

  

  Step 1. Buy a good Hindi dictionary

  In Italian there are some, but if you know English you can buy the vocabulary considered to be the excellence in the subject, the Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary published by the Oxford University Press. While small pocket dictionaries may suffice if you just need to look up a word or two, you should invest in a more comprehensive academic vocabulary if you really want to learn the language.

  There are also Hindi dictionaries on the internet, always in English. The University of Chicago's Digital Dictionaries of South Asia project includes a dictionary of Urdu and classic Hindi

  

  Step 2. Learn the days of the week

  Start with the simplest words, which will help you understand how Hindi vowels and consonants are used to create words and sentences. Focus on recognizing the Devanagari words and alphabet. The days of the week are:

  • Sunday, Hindi word: Raveevaa, Devanagari script: R रविवार
  • Monday, Hindi word: somvaa, Devanagari script: R सोमवार
  • Tuesday, Hindi word: mangalvaa, Devanagari script: R मंगलवार
  • Wednesday, Hindi word: budvaa, Devangari script: R बुधवार
  • Thursday, Hindi word: guRoovaa, Devangari script: R गुरुवार
  • Friday, Hindi word: shukRavaa, Devangari script: R शुक्रवार
  • Saturday, Hindi word: shaneevaa, Devangari script: R शनिवार

  

  Step 3. Learn simple words for time and place

  Once you are familiar with the days of the week, move on to other basic Hindi terms, always considering Devanagari script.

  • Yesterday, Hindi word: kal, script: कल
  • Today, Hindi word: aaj, spelling: आज
  • Tomorrow, Hindi word: kal, script: कल
  • Day, Hindi word: din, script: दिन
  • Night, Hindi word: Raat, script: रात
  • Week, Hindi word: haftaa, script: हफ़्ता
  • Month, Hindi word: maheenaa, script: महीना
  • Years, Hindi word: aal, script: साल
  • Second, Hindi word: doosRaa
  • Minute, Hindi word: mint, writing: मिनट
  • Now, Hindi word: gantaa, script: घंटा
  • Morning, Hindi word: saveRey, spelling: सवेरे
  • Evening, Hindi word: shaam, script: शाम
  • Noon, Hindi word: dopeheR, script: दो पहर
  • Midnight, Hindi word: aadeeRaat, script: आधी रात
  • Now, Hindi word: ab, script: अब
  • After, Hindi word: baad mey, spelling: बाद में

  

  Step 4. Test common phrases with a helper or with a recording

  Learning to converse in Hindi is a great way to practice learning the alphabet and prepare for basic grammar lessons. Having a real conversation in Hindi is the most important method of learning the language.

  • Find a friend in your language course or search the internet on language forums for people who want to test their Hindi conversation skills. There are also recordings of simple sentences on the net that you can refer to.

  • Focus on phrases like:

    • Hello !, Hindi: Namastey !, writing: नमस्ते
    • Good morning !, Hindi: Suprabhaat, script: सुप्रभात
    • Good evening !, Hindi: Shubh sundhyaa, script: शुभ संध्या
    • Welcome !, Hindi: Aapka swaagat hai !, writing: आपका स्वागत हैं।
    • How are you ?, Hindi: Aap kaisey hain ?, writing: आप कैसे हैं?
    • I'm fine, thank you !, Hindi: Mein theek hoon, shukriya !, writing: मैं ठीक हुँ।
    • What about you ?, Hindi: Aur aap ?, writing: और आप?
    • Well / So-so, Hindi: Accha / Theek-thaak, script: अच्छा / ठीक-ठाक
    • Thank you (very much) !, Hindi: Shukriyaa (Bahut dhanyavaad), script: शुक्रीया (बहुत धन्यवाद)
  • Visit this link to find recordings of the quoted sentences and more details on pronunciation:
  • Don't be afraid to start speaking in Hindi if you only know simple terms and the basics of grammar. The sooner you start, the sooner you will learn the language; Learning Hindi requires practice and determination above all.

  Part 4 of 4: Expanding Your Knowledge

  

  Step 1. Take advantage of online courses to test your skills

  Many universities around the world offer free internet tuition. When you get the chance, look for courses with audiovisual aids, so you can hear the spoken language.

  • North Carolina State University offers a series of 24 video lessons (in English) that include information on writing, vocabulary, grammar and culture, as well as exercises and quizzes.
  • The University of Pennsylvania offers a series of 20 audio lessons (in English) covering the basics of Hindi grammar.

  

  Step 2. Find a good teaching manual

  Once you are familiar with the basics of Hindi vocabulary and grammar, you need a more in-depth source for learning the more complex aspects of the language. If possible, try to find a book that includes audio media.

  • Teach Yourself Hindi by Rupert Snell is the title of a very useful course and book for beginners, which includes audio aids.
  • Elementary Hindi by Richard Delacy and Sudha Joshi is a text and exercise book, accompanied by an audio CD.
  • Practice Makes Perfect Basic Hindi by Sonia Taneja is a book full of exercises that will help you improve your knowledge and practice some concepts, such as the conjugation of words.

  

  Step 3. Read as many materials as possible in Hindi

  Fortunately, there are a lot of resources in this language on the internet, including newspapers, blogs and social media. You also have a very rich literature that dates back to 760 AD, composed of poets, philosophers and religious writers.

  • Dainik Jagaran is the most popular Hindi newspaper in India. Other major newspapers published in Hindi are Hindustan, Dainik Bhaskar and Rajasthan Patrika. The BBC also has an Indian version of their site.
  • The Parikalpana Award is an annual award given to Indian blogs, similar to the Bloggie Award for English ones.
  • As in many other countries around the world, the most used social media in India are Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. By visiting the social media pages in Hindi you can easily access the most discussed language and cultural topics.
  • The most prominent authors in Hindi literature include Chanda Bardai, author of Prathviraj Rasau (twelfth century), Kabir (fourteenth century), a religious author, poet Ganga Das (1823-1913), novelists Munshi Premchand (nineteenth century), Dharmavir Bharati (twentieth century) and Jainendra Kumar (twentieth century).
  • Children's books are a great place to start, because they are written very simply and often include illustrations. Learning-Hindi.com offers a collection of children's books (in English) on the internet.

  

  Step 4. Watch movies in Hindi

  India has a colossal film industry, commonly known as "Bollywood"; it is in fact the most prolific film industry on the planet, with over a thousand films made every year. Indians LOVE going to the movies; more tickets are sold in this country than in any other (2.7 billion tickets a year). Hindi movies are produced every year, and thanks to online streaming services like Netflix and distribution platforms like iTunes, you can watch many from your home. Watch them in their original language with subtitles to practice your listening skills.

  • The most notable films in the history of Hindi cinema include Mughal-e-Azam (often cited as the best Bollywood film of all time), the comedy Golmaal and the drama Kahaani.
  • If you like superhero movies, India offers a lot of them. Some of the most popular are Krrish and Ra. One.

  

  Step 5. Attend events related to Indian culture

  If you live near a university town, foreign students probably organize various cultural events. In many cities with a high presence of Indian immigrants, festivals and other events are organized where you can meet new friends and learn about the culture of this country. If there is an Indian or Hindu cultural center near where you live, you can check their calendar of events or contact the president.

  If similar cultural events are not organized in your area, search the internet! Wesleyan University has even created a "Virtual Village" where you can explore topics of cultural interest and read interviews with the "inhabitants"

  

  Step 6. Find friends who speak Hindi

  Since so many people around the world speak this language, you probably know some of it too. Particularly if they live away from home, they will be happy to talk to you in their native language.

  • Websites like meetup.com give you the chance to find groups of people interested in learning more about the Hindi language and Indian culture. At the moment you can find 103 groups in 70 countries around the world on Meetup, but if there isn't one in your area, why not create it yourself?
  • Try chatting with someone at the local Indian restaurant or supermarket. Not only will you practice the language, but you will learn many secrets of delicious Indian cuisine!

  Advice

  • When learning a language, it is a good idea to immerse yourself in the culture of that country. Attend festivals involving India, try to meet people from that country, visit Indian restaurants and try to order food in Hindi. The more you practice in everyday life, the better your command of the language will be.
  • Another great way to learn spoken Hindi is to read labels, signs, and children's books. Hindi and Sanskrit also have a rich literary tradition, so when your understanding of the language has improved, try reading books of poetry, short stories or novels in Hindi.