Introduction:

Hindi is the national language of India and it’s quite amusing that a considerable amount of our population are either unaware regarding the usage due to regionalism or they have twisted and turned Hindi depending on their region and dialect. In such a scenario it becomes rather difficult for a novice to catch hold of the right form or the so-called ‘shudh Hindi, which sadly no one speaks. In a country that is always under the frenzy of English, first of all, I want to congratulate you for showing your interest in learning Hindu and thus today let me take you through the methods of listening to Hindi and therefore acquiring Hindi. Now whether you will be able to master it or not- that is complete ‘individual-effort based’.

• Movies

 Movies are a one-stop-shop for sharpening Hindi listening skills and again it’s a great source of pride that Bollywood has an international market. In fact, if you pick up a movie like Bahubali or a movie like Badlapur – you will see the difference in dialect and how they are spoken depending on the context or region. The best part about learning Hindi is that unlike a foreign language you won’t have to spend a fortune. Initially when you start to learn Hindi please do not dive into the intricacies of Grammar. Try to watch Hindi movies with English subtitles and pause after every 20mins and check if you can get the gist or some familiar words.

• Music

I have not met a soul to date, on whom there is no impact of Music. Just like movies, Hindi songs have an International market. Amazon music has this wonderful facility where you can actually read the lyrics while hearing the song. Recently when we were invited to a dinner party, there was a Maldivian guy who sung the song, ‘Tum hi ho’ from Ashiqui-2, word by word, however not surprising for me, as I have seen a lot of foreigners having affinity to Indian music. They may not be understanding word by word, but it is through avid repetition and listening that they achieve singing these songs at ease. I hope you have got my clue!

• Social media and its impact

Thanks to social media now everything is available at your fingertips. Podcasts and Youtube videos can be downloaded and some of the free apps like Duolingo, Anki, and Memrise – can also teach you from audio-visual aids. Though I personally feel learning from a trainer has a long-standing effect but yes basic Hindi like name of the days, greeting techniques, etc, can be brushed through these apps. In fact, on Facebook, you may join a Hindi-speaking community where you can easily get a partner, with whom you may start chatting right away without spending a dime! Recently I also came across a site called ‘Skillshare’, where initially you may get videos for learning Hindi. The best part about learning Hindi is that in developing countries like India, Pakistan, Afghanistan- the prime mode of entertainment be it listening to the news or daily soaps – are all in Hindi, so unlike foreign language where sometimes you have to spend a fortune to get a decent material, in the case of Hindi, there is a plethora of material, you only have to choose as per your likings.

• Conclusion

A lot of trainees want to learn a language out of a hobby, however, if your purpose is work where you have to deal with Hindi-speaking colleagues or juniors, then I would like to recommend the name Multibhashi. It’s an ed-tech platform, where you can hire trainers to not only listen to them but also speak with them on a regular basis. You also get your daily session recording so that you may check your mistakes, as well as your curriculum for reference. Listening to Hindi will open doors to a beautiful culture, poetry, history, so on and so forth. I am sure in due time and with active listening, you will not only humming but also singing in Hindi. Good luck!