How To Learn Hindi (Best Resources)
- Written byDonovan NagelDonovan NagelTeacher, translator, polyglot🎓 B.A., Theology, Australian College of Theology, NSW🎓 M.A., Applied Linguistics, University of New England, NSW
Applied Linguistics graduate, teacher and translator. Founder of The Mezzofanti Guild and Talk In Arabic. - Read time3 mins
- Comments1
Lately I’ve been getting a lot of requests for help finding Hindi language resources.
Many of my new subscribers indicate that their primary interest is learning Hindi which has prompted me to devote more time to researching the highest quality material available.
Unfortunately, despite it being one of the most spoken languages in the world (260 million+ native speakers!), there’s a serious shortage of quality resources available to learn Hindi.
Either that or they’re hard to find.
So whether you’re planning a trip to India or just interested in the language, I’m going to help you out by sharing what I’ve found to be the highest quality Hindi resources and online tools to help you learn the language.
All the resources listed below are ones I currently use (or have used) personally.
Rocket Hindi
Firstly, I’m a huge fan of the Rocket Languages series.
It’s a comprehensive online program but there’s also the option of purchasing a 20 disc hard copy if you prefer to not to be limited to online use.
All the editions that I’ve used (review or trial copy) have been outstanding, especially in the quality of the natural audio dialogues and downloadable lesson notes.
Rocket Hindi’s a linear program which covers a tonne of useful topics in the Hindi language, including some great features like voice recognition for pronunciation training and intuitive testing.
HindiPod101.com
The HindiPod101 course is part of the outstanding Innovative Language series which teaches using a podcast-style format and videos.
All lessons are fully downloadable for offline use and include a range of awesome features such as a vocab database, inbuilt flashcard app, grammar lessons and more.
There are currently loads of audio and video lessons available at various levels.
One of the newer additions to HindiPod101 (as part of a higher tier membership option) is personal help from your own a Hindi tutor who can answer any questions you have.
italki
This is the best service hands down for finding conversation partners and teachers online.
Don’t have a Hindi teacher nearby? Find one online (Skype) in India!
The great thing about italki is that most teachers are VERY affordable (there are a lot of Hindi teachers on there currently for as low as $8 an hour).
See italki here – BONUS: you get a free lesson because I sent you.
Glossika Hindi
Glossika is a product unlike anything else on the market for many languages including Hindi.
I’ve used it many times before and found it to be an extremely effective way to study.
The basic idea is that it gets you to listen to and reproduce natural sentences in Hindi with spaced repetition. Might seem strange and little unconventional at first but you’ll be amazed at the progress you make if you follow the method.
Or alternatively use it as a resource for natural Hindi dialogue material in your own study.
Best books for learning Hindi
Lastly, I want to recommend three outstanding books for learning Hindi by reputable publishers.
1) Elementary Hindi (with MP3 CD) <– The Elementary series (Tuttle) is a personal favorite of mine.
2) Hindi – A Complete Course For Beginners (Living Language) <– I’m not usually a big fan of the Living Language series but for Hindi, it’s excellent.
3) Get Started In Hindi (Teach Yourself)
Got a suggestion? Any Hindi resources that should be added to this list?
Comment below!
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Amber Sanson
Hello 👋
I am a primary school teacher in NZ teaching 6 and 7 year olds. One of the girls in my class has shown a great interest in learning Hindi to gain a better understanding of her culture as her father (Fijian Indian) does not live with her. Are you able to direct me to resources that may be age appropriate for her and the class?