Learning Hindi with Pimsleur

Talk Now Hindi

IF you're new to Hindi, there are some basics you will have to learn, whether you're eight years old or 80, on business abroad or a tourist on holiday. Talk Now! Hindi offers a simple-to-use method for you to start learning the language, whoever you are.

Will it work for me?

Lots of people have difficulty learning languages. Why? Most have been put off at school, don't have time to learn, or think they are too lazy to do it.

Talk Now! Hindi answers these problems:

It lifts the language off the page. There are no dull exercises; just encouraging games that award you points for progress.

It fits easily into short ten-minute sessions. But if you want to push yourself you can learn the basics in a weekend.

if you think you're lazy, think again! You'll be amazed how motivated you can be when you enjoy the experience of learning!

What will I learn?

To speak and understand enough to "get by".

You're just starting, so we won't drop you in at the deep end. There are some things you'll want to say in any language: you'll want to say 'hello', order a drink, ask for directions and so on.

This beginners program gets straight to the point. It covers food, colors, shopping, parts of the body, numbers, telling the time, countries, greetings and essential phrases.

How does it work?

Talk Now! Hindi gives you easy-to-achieve goals. Learning a new language is far too big a task to tackle all at once, so we have broken it down into a series of rewarding challenges.

Play interactive language games. Talk Now! feeds you new words, along with pictures to reinforce your memory. It then tests your knowledge with fun quizzes. As soon as you start playing you start learning.

Earn points for every game you play. High scorers can go on to win bronze, silver and gold awards, which you can print out as a record of achievement.

You will hear Hindi all of the time and, using the recording games, you can start speaking straight away, then compare your voice to a native speaker.

You can learn on the move. Carry on learning in the airport lounge or the ferry without a computer. Just print out the phrasebook sheets included in the program and take them with you, or upload the program's sound files onto an iPod.

System Requirements

Windows 2000 or later
Mac OS X 10.3.9 or above
CD ROM Drive (+ computer microphone)
You can also upload words onto your iPod

For more information visit Talk Now Beginner Hindi Software.

Talk The Talk Hindi

TALK The Talk is designed with teenagers' social lives in mind. It concentrates on the words and phrases young people need for social conversation, including plenty of useful, up-to-date vocabulary. It then builds their spoken confidence, allowing them to compare their accent to that of a native speaker.

Will it work for me?

This program is best suited for teenagers who are beginning to get to grips with Hindi. It's best if you know some basic vocabulary before you start.

Because it's aimed at recent beginners, everything you hear will be clearly spoken at a speed that you can easily keep up with.

What will I learn?

To talk about the things that are relevant to you. We won't bother you with lots of information you won't need or don't find interesting.

Talk The Talk teaches phrases like "I'll send you a text message later" and "we won the game on penalties". Topics include family, school, hobbies, travelling, home, technology, work and sport.

How does it work?

Watch and learn! See and hear how to speak Hindi by watching video footage of native speakers.

Build confidence on a computer. Before testing your new speaking skills in the real world, record yourself, then play back to compare your pronunciation with a native speaker. (Note that we don't use electronic voice analysis: the human ear is usually much more accurate.)

Play interactive games. The comprehension quiz prompts you to react to real life situations, while a challenging recording quiz tests your knowledge and pronunciation.

You earn points for every game you play. High scorers can go on to win bronze, silver and gold awards, which you can print out as a record of achievement.

You can learn on the move. Carry on learning in the airport lounge or on the ferry. Just print out the phrasebook sheets included in the program and take them with you.

System Requirements

Windows 2000 or later
Mac OS X 10.2 or above
CD ROM Drive (+ computer microphone)

For more information visit Talk The Talk Hindi Beginner Software.

Talk Business Hindi

PICTURE yourself doing business with someone who doesn't speak your language. The chances are you'll need more than "holiday level" conversation to get by. That's why Talk Business was developed. It teaches you basic business vocabulary so that you can concentrate on the important stuff and not waste time searching for the right words.

Will it work for me?

Talk Business is aimed at people who already have some experience of the language. You must feel confident enough to start up a conversation and keep it going.

The specialist phrases in Talk Business Hindi are clearly spoken at a speed that you can easily keep up with and copy.

What will I learn?

Talk Business Hindi gives you essential vocabulary for the workplace. It covers basics such as "what is your website address?" and "my computer crashed and I lost all my files" as well as more advanced discussion of exchange rates, product guarantees and marketing budgets.

Topics covered are: - Trading, buying and selling - Marketing, advertising and PR - IT, Internet, e-commerce and communications - Banking, finance, stock exchange and accounting - Business meetings - Business travel - Careers - Negotiations - On the phone - General business vocabulary

How does it work?

Watch and learn! See and hear how to speak Hindi by watching video footage of native speakers.

Build confidence on a computer. Before testing your new speaking skills in the real world, record yourself, then play back to compare your pronunciation with a native speaker. (Note that we don't use electronic voice analysis: the human ear is usually more accurate.)

Play interactive games. The comprehension quiz prompts you to react to real life situations, while a challenging recording quiz tests your knowledge and pronunciation.

You earn points for every game you play. High scorers can go on to win bronze, silver and gold awards, which you can print out as a record of achievement.

You can learn on the move. Carry on learning in the airport lounge or on the ferry. Just print out the phrasebook sheets included in the program and take them with you.

System Requirements

Windows 2000 or later
Mac OS X 10.3.9 or above
CD ROM Drive (+ computer microphone)
QuickTime 6 or higher

For more information visit Talk Business Hindi Intermediate Software.

World Talk Hindi

World Talk Hindi is aimed at intermediate level learners who have already built up some confidence listening to and speaking Hindi. The interactive games and quizzes will help to further develop fluency and understanding of the language.

10 Hindi language games including 'Lottery numbers', 'What did you say', 'Sentence building', 'Out to dinner' and others to help you learn, test and practice your Hindi language skills.

Quickfire TV quiz challenge a friend, or the computer to improve your Hindi skills.

Recording studio gain confidence in speaking Hindi. Take the part of an actor and record yourself!

Dictation six stories to give you practice in dictation and comprehension at your own pace!

Automatic localization lets you choose the language you learn from (more than 50 available).

Printable worksheets that you can take anywhere.

Mac OS X 10.3.9 or higher
Windows 2000/ME/XP/Vista

For more information visit WorldTalk Intermediate Hindi Software.

Why And How To Learn Hindi

Author: Fran Madden

Are you wondering how to learn Hindi? That's not surprising. More people in the United States are studying Hindi than ever before. Language schools and software developers are having a hard time keeping up with the demand. And considering the dynamic emergence of India on the global economic and political stage, it makes sense that there are so many people in the United States and elsewhere trying to find out how to learn Hindi.

Hindi is spoken worldwide by millions of people. It ranks fourth on the list of languages most commonly spoken; only Mandarin, Spanish and English are ahead of it. Hindi and English are the two official languages of India, a country in which 347 languages are spoken. Hindi is also spoken in Fiji, Mauritius and Guyana. Urdu is the national language of Pakistan and is another language commonly spoken in India. The two languages have so much in common that a Hindi speaker could also speak and understand colloquial Urdu. The languages are, however, written in different alphabets. So someone who has learned how to learn Hindi can get around in India, Pakistan and elsewhere.

It could be that you are wondering how to learn Hindi because you want to travel to India or do business with Indian companies. More and more people are traveling to India now for business, given the tremendous growth that the Indian economy is experiencing. Or maybe you want to travel, not for business, but for other reasons, like spiritual growth or cultural adventure. Or perhaps your interest is interpersonal; a significant other or friend with ties to India has you intrigued with Indian culture and the Hindi language. Or could it be that you are a film buff and you want to be able to enjoy Bollywood films? (Bollywood films are in Urdu, but remember that spoken, colloquial Urdu and Hindi are essentially identical.)

Well, those are all possible answers to the question of why to learn Hindi. But once you have decided that you want to learn this language, you need to think about how to learn Hindi.
And frankly, opportunities to learn Hindi are limited in the United States. Although US universities saw an increase in enrollment in Hindi courses of 36% from 2002 to 2006, there are few universities with complete Hindi programs or majors.

If you aren't a university student, your choices for learning a language generally include commercial language schools, a private tutor or self-teaching programs. But those alternatives aren't often available to someone trying to find out how to learn Hindi. Commercial language schools offer Hindi typically only in large metropolitan areas, if they offer it at all. There are people who speak Hindi as a native or second language who live in the United States and who tutor others in the language, but those people are not as numerous as tutors of other languages. The easiest way for most people living in the United States to learn Hindi is to embark on some course of self-study, available either on CD or online.

There are obvious drawbacks to self-study language programs. For one thing, you don't get feedback from a teacher when you make a mistake. For another, the best way to learn a language is to practice speaking it. You don't have that opportunity when studying a language in a self-study program.

Still, whatever your reasons for studying the language, a self-study program, whether on CD or online, is most likely your best choice if you are trying to discover how to learn Hindi.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/languages-articles/why-and-how-to-learn-hindi-1820946.html

About the Author

Fran Madden wants to help you learn Hindi. Visit her site at http://HowToLearnHindiBlog.com to get your free copy of her report, "Before You Start Your Hindi Course: Some Things to Know About How To Learn Hindi." The report will help you as you take your Hindi course -- and it's free!