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Hindi Lesson 1

Practice Speaking

The first practical thing we'll need to say in Hindi is "Hello."  There are many ways to say hello, depending on what region the person is from.  Fortunately, an easy way to say hello that everyone will understand is:

Hello-ji       (sounds like Hello-gee)  The"ji" sound at the end gives more respect to what you are saying and 

is included in other Hindi phrases as well.

If someone is from an area that has a predominantly Hindu background, here is another common word for hello

Namaste    (sounds like Naa maa stay)

Introduction to the Hindi Alphabet

At first, we all think we'll never master the Hindi Alphabet, but don't worry, it's not as bad as you think if you break it down.

 

At first, it seems strange that technically there aren't any Hindi letters.  Instead, we call them Hindi syllables.  Why?  All consonant sounds always have an inherent vowel "a" attached to them unless the consonant has other strokes attached to it to tell you the consonant is spoken with a different vowel sound.  We'll learn more about vowels later.  

Here is a summary of the Hindi Syllables. The first line shows you the vowels in their long-form, the second line shows you how to add the short-form of the vowel to the consonant "p".  The third line is the beginning of the alphabet, so the first five letters are "ka", "kha", "ga", "gha" and "ng".

So if you were trying to number questions, like 1 a, 1 b, and 1 c, it would be 1 ka, 1 kha, and 1 ga

Instead of trying to memorize all of them at once, try learning to recognize, say and write the first five for this lesson.

All Hindi Letters Numbers and Common Con

Practice writing

To practice writing ka, kha, ga, gha and ng, watch time 0:21 to 3:29

Hindi writing alphabet children.PNG

Now you've probably noticed that ka, kha, and ga, gha sound almost the same.  What's the difference?  The "h" indicates that it is a breathy "ka" or a breathy "ga".  In other words, if you put your hand in front of your mouth when saying "ka", you won't feel any air, but with "kha" you can feel your breath on your hand - like you're trying to blow out a candle.  So every time you see a Hindi syllable that includes an "h", make it breathy.

With that in mind, practice writing and saying ka, kha, ga, gha and ng some more.

ka kha ga gha ng.PNG

Practice Reading

Can you spot these Hindi consonants in these Bible books?

Can you see "ka?" क

Micah - mee kaa - मीका

Malachi - ma laa kee - मलाकी

Luke - lu kaa - लूका

Can you see "ga?" 

Numbers - Gin ti - गिनती
Haggai - haag guy - हाग्गै

Galatians - ga laa ti yon - गलातियों

To hear these bible books spoken out loud, download the JW Language App - then look

Under "Words and Phrases"

Under "Teaching Skills"

Under "Books of the Bible"

Can you see "kha?" ख

duck - bat takha - बत्तख

Can you see "gha?" घ

clock - gha dee - घड़ी

Now practice holding your hand in front of your face, and practice the above two sounds, both without air and with making a "breathy" sound.  Go back and forth, feeling the difference between the two letters.

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