How to learn Hindi systematically in a short time?
Hindi or more precisely Modern Standard Hind is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in India. Hindi has been described as a standardised and Sanskritised register of the Hindustani language, which itself is based primarily on the Khariboli dialect of Delhi and neighbouring areas of Northern India. Hindi, written in the Devanagari script, is one of the two official languages of the Government of India, along with the English language. It is an official language in 9 States and 3 Union Territories and an additional official language in 3 other States. Hindi is also one of the 22 scheduled languages of the Republic of India.
Hindi is the lingua franca of the Hindi belt and to a lesser extent other parts of India (usually in a simplified or pidginised variety such as Bazaar Hindustani or Haflong Hindi). Outside India, several other languages are recognised officially as “Hindi” but do not refer to the Standard Hindi language described here and instead descend from other dialects, such as Awadhi and Bhojpuri. Such languages include Fiji Hindi, which is official in Fiji and Caribbean Hindustani, which is spoken in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, and Suriname. Apart from the script and formal vocabulary, standard Hindi is mutually intelligible with Standard Urdu, another recognised register of Hindustani as both share a common colloquial base.
Knowing even basic Hindi, whether for heritage, business, or pure curiosity, will allow you to communicate with over 1 billion people on this planet and become immersed in a rich language and culture.
How to learn Hindi systematically in a short time?
- Become familiar with Devanagari Script. Devanagari is an abugida alphabet of India and Nepal and is the main script used to write Hindi, Marathi, and Nepali. It is written from left to right, lacks distinct letter cases, and is recognizable by a distinctive horizontal line running along the tops of the letters that links them together.Study the Hindi vowels. Hindi has 11 vowels, some of which are indicated by the use of diacritic marks, or symbols added to the letters of an alphabet in order to show different pronunciations. Vowels in Hindi have two forms: one form for when they are used by themselves, and one form for when the vowel is joined to a consonant in a word.Study the Hindi consonants. There are 33 consonants in Hindi.They are organized in the alphabet by how you use your mouth and throat to pronounce them. Because Hindi uses more consonants than English does, some of them have no direct equivalent in English.The (a) next to some consonants indicates that they are pronounced as aspirated (i.e., with a strong breath of air such as p in “pit” or “puff”).
- Become familiar with Hindi nouns. Nouns are words for objects, places, emotions, animals, and people. In Hindi, all nouns have a gender: masculine (M) or feminine (F). The gender of Hindi nouns is essential for proper grammar and communication, so when learning Hindi nouns, you must also learn their genders so you can use the nouns correctly.
- Purchase a good Hindi dictionary. Oxford University Press publishes the gold standard of dictionaries, the Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary. While smaller pocket dictionaries are fine if you just need to look up a word or two, invest in a more substantial academic dictionary if you are serious about more formal study.
- Take an online class: Nowadays many free apps and websites available to learn any languages. By these apps you can learn any language from basics to advance level.
- Use online lessons to practice your skills. There are several universities that offer free online lessons. Find audio and video lessons whenever possible so that you can hear the language being spoken.
- Read as much as you can in Hindi. Fortunately, there is a wealth of online resources available in Hindi, including newspapers, blogs, and social media. There is also a tradition of Hindi literature dating back to the 760s CE, full of poets, philosophers, and religious writers.
- Watch movies in Hindi. India has a huge movie industry, popularly known as “Bollywood”– it’s actually the most prolific film industry in the world, with over 1,000 films released per year. Indians LOVE going to the movies; more tickets are sold in India than in any other country (2.7 billion tickets per year).
- Attend Indian cultural events. If you live near a college or university, there will probably be a variety of cultural events hosted by international students. Many towns and cities with high Indian populations have festivals and other cultural events where you can meet new friends and learn about Indian culture. If there is an Indian or Hindu cultural centre near you, you can check their events calendar or contact their organizer.
- Find friends who speak Hindi. Because so many people speak Hindi, the chances are good that you know people who can speak the language. Particularly if they live far away from home, people will often be happy to chat with you in their native language.
Finally,
Once you are secure enough, start or participate actively in Hindi conversations. This is the most successful way to improve and develop your Hindi by far in a shorter period of time.