1. LEARN TO USE DEAD TIME
Ok, you’re busy. We’re all busy. I know that. I’m not asking you to sit down for five hours every day and study Japanese chained to your desk.
Time management is one of the biggest difficulties for most language learners. Most likely, you have a job, or you’re attending school or both. Then you have to spend time with your family, walk the dog, do your chores… I get it. One of the most effective ways to learn Hindi is to claw back dead time for language study. Look for little pockets of time where you’re not doing anything, or you’re doing something passive and could multitask. Why can’t you listen to a Hindi audio course while you’re walking your dog or driving to work? How about a Hindi vocabulary game on your phone while you’re on the train?
Finding just five minutes to study here and there throughout the day can really add up!
2. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH Hindi
One of the most powerful things you can do when you’re learning a foreign language is to create an immersion environment.
Can’t travel to India just yet? No worries. Bring India to you. Listen to Hindi music, watch Hindi movies, cook Hindi food, make Hindi friends, stick Hindi posters on your wall…. You get the idea. You’ll learn more Hindi just by absorbing it, and you’ll also grow a greater appreciation and love for the culture.
3.Use Full Sentence Flashcards
Everyone knows that flashcards are a great way to learn new vocabulary. But for Hindi beginners, flashcards will work best with full sentences as opposed to individual words or characters.
Construct a deck of simple sentences so you get used to the context that surrounds much of the language, as well as the order in which you find words in a sentence. Websites like Brainscape have pre-compiled sentence flashcards so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
Find a Good Hindi-English Dictionary
Sometimes Google Translate isn’t enough to explain the full context around a Hindi character, word, or sentence. Several resources exist that provide a more complete picture.
4.DO A LITTLE BIT EVERY DAY
If you’re serious about learning Hindi, you have to practice every day. A one-hour class per week just isn’t going to cut it. There are two main reasons why you should be practicing every day:
Firstly, you remember a language better when you are constantly using and reviewing it. If you only study once a week, you’ll spend the first half of the class feeling ‘rusty’ and trying to get back into the groove. Daily use keeps you in the habit and also helps new words stick into your long term memory.
Secondly, by making Hindi study a daily habit you’ll likely add up more hours than if you went for one monster study session once a week.
Ultimately, learning to speak a language well comes down to how many hours you spend on it. Estimates vary regarding how long it takes to get fluent, but realistically it will be several hundred hours. Start working on it today, study consistently, and you’ll get there!
5.Read Hindi newspapers and magazines
Reading a newspaper in a foreign language can be very challenging. Experts agree that journalistic language is some of the hardest to understand. Stick to reading sections that are less serious such as culture, gossip, local events, cinema, and music. You can also read Hindi newspapers online.
6. Find a conversation partner.
If you don’t have a native speaker in and around your neighborhood, take full advantage of online resources to find yourself a Hindi speaker you could practice with online, through multiple online language exchange programs. italki for example is a really good resource- you could get teachers as your conversation partner.
7. Listen to Hindi Music
Listen to Hindi music on Spotify.A great way to improve your pronunciation and pick up new words is by listening to Hindu music, and of course, singing along to your favorite songs.
