Learn to Speak Hindi
Are you one of the growing number of people who have wisely decided to learn to speak Hindi?
It's not surprising that learning the Hindi language has become so important for so many people. Anyone following the global economic news can see what a huge rising star India has become.
Investors and corporations are already expanding into India and the search is on for people who are not only familiar with Hindi culture but who also have an understanding of the language.
Enrollments in Hindi language courses in the US in the last few years have increased by nearly forty percent.
And what about entertainment? Bollywood is second only to Hollywood in its high output of much loved films.
And the good news is that Hindi is one of the easiest languages to learn to speak and read.
Try this free six part course Learn to speak Hindi
Learn to Speak Hindi-The Basics
The Indian alphabet is called Hindi Varnamala.
It is composed of fifty two sounds.
There are 10 vowels, forty consonants and two vocalizations. The two vocalizations you need to learn are nasal and aspiration.
This of course is not unusual. All languages require the use of nasal and aspiration to some degree. For example it is often said that the French 'speak through their noses.'
And Americans are well known for their 'nasal twang.' Australians too often vocalize their speech 'through the nose.'
As for aspiration this is nothing more than the audible breath that accompanies or comprises a speech sound.
Hindi is one of the easiest languages to learn because it is pronounced exactly as it is written. English on the other hand is a very confusing language in this regard.
To show what I mean here is one of the most basic Hindi words and phrases. You will be able to say it easily.
NA-MA-SKAR
Do you know what it means?
Basically it means hello. It is the common greeting but it's full meaning is quite lovely. It expresses a spiritual reverence and deep respect towards whoever you greet.
It is usually accompanied by a slight bow made with the hands pressed together with the palms touching the the fingers pointed upwards.
The literal interpretation of Namaskar goes something like "I respect the divinity in you that is also within me." It is also sometimes expressed as "I bow to that inherent in you." 'That' in this context refers to divinity. And in yoga the interpretation is "The light within me honors the light within you."
Breaking the word Namaskar into its parts we see that namas which is derived from the ancient language of Sanskrit means to bow in reverence and te simply means to you.
What do you think? It's a very nice way of greeting someone I think. It confers respect upon the other as well as acknowledging self-respect.
What a lovely language Hindi is.
It is composed of fifty two sounds.
There are 10 vowels, forty consonants and two vocalizations. The two vocalizations you need to learn are nasal and aspiration.
This of course is not unusual. All languages require the use of nasal and aspiration to some degree. For example it is often said that the French 'speak through their noses.'
And Americans are well known for their 'nasal twang.' Australians too often vocalize their speech 'through the nose.'
As for aspiration this is nothing more than the audible breath that accompanies or comprises a speech sound.
Hindi is one of the easiest languages to learn because it is pronounced exactly as it is written. English on the other hand is a very confusing language in this regard.
To show what I mean here is one of the most basic Hindi words and phrases. You will be able to say it easily.
NA-MA-SKAR
Do you know what it means?
Basically it means hello. It is the common greeting but it's full meaning is quite lovely. It expresses a spiritual reverence and deep respect towards whoever you greet.
It is usually accompanied by a slight bow made with the hands pressed together with the palms touching the the fingers pointed upwards.
The literal interpretation of Namaskar goes something like "I respect the divinity in you that is also within me." It is also sometimes expressed as "I bow to that inherent in you." 'That' in this context refers to divinity. And in yoga the interpretation is "The light within me honors the light within you."
Breaking the word Namaskar into its parts we see that namas which is derived from the ancient language of Sanskrit means to bow in reverence and te simply means to you.
What do you think? It's a very nice way of greeting someone I think. It confers respect upon the other as well as acknowledging self-respect.
What a lovely language Hindi is.
Here's my favorite link:
Is Hindu a Language?
Another matter that often arises when people want to learn Hindi is that they get mixed up between Hindu and Hindi.
Hindu is not a language. In its earliest usage it referred to the people who lived near the Indus river in Pakistan. Later it assumed its current religious connotation. That is Hindu is how we refer to people who practice the faith of Hinduism.
Hinduism is the religion of many people around the world so Hindus speak the language of their own country.
If you are wanting to learn the official language of India you need a Hindi language tutorial. Hindi is spoken by about 70% of the population of India.
However there are 1500 different mother tongues spoken throughout the sub-continent. Some of these languages include Gujarati, Marathi and Punjabi. These, like Hindi, are derived from the ancient Sanskrit and are mostly spoken in the north.
In the south of India the language comes from a different root called Dravidian. Dravidian is a modern term coined by an Anglican missionary.
Hindu is not a language. In its earliest usage it referred to the people who lived near the Indus river in Pakistan. Later it assumed its current religious connotation. That is Hindu is how we refer to people who practice the faith of Hinduism.
Hinduism is the religion of many people around the world so Hindus speak the language of their own country.
If you are wanting to learn the official language of India you need a Hindi language tutorial. Hindi is spoken by about 70% of the population of India.
However there are 1500 different mother tongues spoken throughout the sub-continent. Some of these languages include Gujarati, Marathi and Punjabi. These, like Hindi, are derived from the ancient Sanskrit and are mostly spoken in the north.
In the south of India the language comes from a different root called Dravidian. Dravidian is a modern term coined by an Anglican missionary.
Make Sure You Learn Modern Hindi
Hindi is a very old language and because of the huge geographic diversity within India there are many variations of the Hindi language.
When you choose a Hindi language tutorial to study the things to look out for include:
learning from native Hindi speakers
learning the version of Hindi spoken in Delhi
ensure the course you choose has a strong audio component. You must be able to listen to the language spoken properly so that you will be understood when you speak your new language yourself
consider a Hindi language tutorial that includes some fun learning games as well as standard lessons
When you choose a Hindi language tutorial to study the things to look out for include:
learning from native Hindi speakers
learning the version of Hindi spoken in Delhi
ensure the course you choose has a strong audio component. You must be able to listen to the language spoken properly so that you will be understood when you speak your new language yourself
consider a Hindi language tutorial that includes some fun learning games as well as standard lessons
Sample Audio Hindi Language Tutorial
Here is the transcript of a sample audio demonstration you can listen to at Rocket Hindi
Hindi conversation (Romanized Hindi):
Nikita: namaskaar , Rohan!
Rohan: namaskaar nikithaa , kaisee haiM aap?
Nikita: achChee hooAO, aura aapa?
Rohan: bahuth achChaa, maiM bahuth achChaa hooAO.
English Translation:
Nikita: Hello, Rohan!
Rohan: Hello, Nikita! How are you?
Nikita: Good! And you?
Rohan: Very good. I'm very good
Hindi conversation (Romanized Hindi):
Nikita: namaskaar , Rohan!
Rohan: namaskaar nikithaa , kaisee haiM aap?
Nikita: achChee hooAO, aura aapa?
Rohan: bahuth achChaa, maiM bahuth achChaa hooAO.
English Translation:
Nikita: Hello, Rohan!
Rohan: Hello, Nikita! How are you?
Nikita: Good! And you?
Rohan: Very good. I'm very good
