Resources and guides for learning Hindi
On this page you will find a guide to materials for learning Hindi for speakers of the English language. If you are looking for a guide to learning English for Hindi speakers, then go to the second page.
Online tools
Online dictionaries
Online translators
Transliteration of the alphabet
Transliteration is the act of switching scripts; it will allow you to read the sound form of the text written in the alphabet that you do not understand (e.g. a Hindi speaker who does not know the English alphabet cannot read I like cars correctly, but they can understand the pronounciation of आई लाइक कार्स, which is a transliteration into the Hindi alphabet, and will be able to read it, even if they can't understand it.)
Application useful for learning Hindi
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Duolingo - Duolingo's a popular free app which includes a Hindi course for English speakers. It's short and contains only basic vocabulary, but has a good Devanagari course (very useful if you don't know it at all). Note: grammar instructions are not visible from the Duolingo app, only from the web version
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Mondly - The application is paid, but the basic version can be downloaded for free. You can learn Hindi directly from English; however, it doesn't contain grammar, and you only learn a set of phrases and dialogue situations.
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Unofficial Duolingo Stories - 10 unofficial Duolingo stories translated into Hindi
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OkyDoky - The application is paid, but several introductory sections are free.
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50languages - This site contains recordings of 2,000 basic phrases and several exercises to practice them! the advantage is that Hindi you can also teach in English, you can download all audio recordings:
- a set of English-Hindi recordings (start with this),
- set of only Hindi recordings (when you get a little further, this second one will come in handy)
Practicing the alphabet
- We are learning the alphabet - online pexeso game for learning the English and Hindi alphabet
- Hindi alphabet video
Applications
- Learn Hindi Fast (learn to write Hindi Devanagari) - for iOS and Android
- HindiPod (podcast with basic words in Hindi and English) - for iOS
Basic vocabulary
Grammar
- Verbix - enter a verb, the application tenses it for you
Textbooks and dictionaries
Free textbooks
Printed textbooks and dictionaries
Other printed materials
- Map of the world in Hindi, learn the names of the countries (PDF download)
- Maps of America in Hindi
Electronic books in Hindi
Books in Hindi
For kids
Coloring books
Audio fairy tales
- Fairy tales on YouTube
- Some more fairytales
Other materials for children
- Hindi stories - bilingual audio stories in Hindi
- Shoonya - website for learning Hindi
- Learn Hindi words - app
- In kindergarten - communication cards for English speakers
Videos, Movies
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Easy Hindi - basic phrases - subtitled videos with basic sentences
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Easy Hindi - on the street - an educational Hindi video
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Netflix - you can watch Netflix in Hindi
Groups of Hindi students
- Learn Hindi - Facebook group
- Learn Hindi Language - Facebook group
- Hindi Learning Group - Facebook group with Hindi and English speakers
An application for connecting students
- Tandem.net - website and application, has a paid account, but you can get by with a free plan. You create your profile in it, enter which languages you know (English, possibly your second language) and which languages you want to learn (Hindi). Tandem will search for students in your area who have the opposite language set (they can speak Hindi and want to learn English), you will connect, you can write or call through the application. It's called language exchange, you help each other with language training. Remember that on the other side is not a teacher, but a student like you.