Mind Your Language: Want to master Hindi? 9 strategies to enhance skills

All Hindi language teachers will tell you that this is the easiest subject to study since you can’t go wrong with the spellings. But it is just the opposite. India is a country with diverse languages and dialects. Hindi language has many letters and sounds that may be unfamiliar to students who are not native speakers. As a result, they end up making spelling mistakes when writing.

Also, Hindi shares many similarities with other Indian languages, but it also has its unique features that may be different from other languages. Students who are fluent in other languages may tend to make mistakes in Hindi language due to the influence of their native language.

Jyoti Goyal, primary teacher at Apeejay School, Charkhi Dadri who teaches Hindi said that mostly students at the primary level make grammatical errors and matras (spellings). “Most spelling mistakes occur when it comes to छोटी इ and बड़ी ई ke matra. Students also make mistakes when it comes to छोटे उ and बड़े उ. The reason for this is that students don’t want to do any written practice today. Students today want to give oral answers instead of writing them down. If you are not going to write, you are bound to make mistakes. As teachers, we insist that they write; this is the only way that students will get knowledge of matras,” Goyal stressed.

Mistakes while speaking

Another problem when it comes to writing correct Hindi is that students write how they speak. “For example, students say bouhat which is incorrect. The correct pronunciation is bahut. While writing, they will end up making spelling mistake. Here’s another example. Students says mereko. There is not such word in Hindi; it is mujhe. These mistake s happen when Hindi is not your native language. Only when students speaks, will they write correctly,” Goyal said.

Write to master the language

Goyal opined that the only way to have command over any language is to practice writing. “The problem is that students want to give their answers orally. But the exam/test is written and this is where they start making mistakes. Kids want to make all kinds of excuses to not write in Hindi,” Goyal said.

Here are some additional points to help students improve their Hindi speaking skills

Use it in daily life: Students can start incorporating Hindi words and phrases into their daily conversations, such as greeting people in Hindi, asking for directions, ordering food in Hindi, and so on. This will help them become more comfortable with the language and also improve their communication skills.

Record and listen to yourself speaking: Students can record themselves speaking Hindi and listen to their recordings to identify areas that need improvement, such as pronunciation, intonation, and grammar. This will help them focus on their weaknesses and work on improving them.

Watch Hindi YouTube channels: Students can subscribe to Hindi YouTube channels that focus on topics they are interested in, such as cooking, fashion, music, and so on. This will help them improve their listening and comprehension skills while also getting exposed to different dialects and accents.

Participate in language events: Students can attend Hindi language events in their community, such as cultural festivals, language exchange meetups, and Hindi language classes. This will give them the opportunity to practice speaking with native speakers, learn more about Hindi culture, and make new friends.

“Reading Hindi books and newspapers can help students improve their vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension skills. They can start with simple stories and gradually work their way up to more complex texts. Children can pick up Chacha Chaudhary and or even Champak to begin with and then start reading novels by Munshi Prem Chand and Sharad Chandra to name a few writers,” Goyal opined.

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“Reading Hindi books and newspapers can help students improve their vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension skills. They can start with simple stories and gradually work their way up to more complex texts”

–Jyoti Goyal, primary teacher at Apeejay School, Charkhi Dadri

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Use Hindi language learning apps: There are many Hindi language learning apps available that can help students improve their speaking skills like Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, and Babbel. These apps offer interactive lessons, quizzes, and speaking exercises to help students practice speaking Hindi.

Practice speaking regularly: The more students practice speaking Hindi, the more comfortable and confident they will become. They can start by speaking with family and friends who know Hindi or find language exchange partners online.

Learn new words and phrases: Students can expand their Hindi vocabulary by learning new words and phrases every day. They can use language learning apps or websites, read Hindi books, and watch videos with subtitles to improve their vocabulary.

Practice with a language tutor: Hiring a Hindi language tutor can be beneficial for students who want to improve their speaking skills. A tutor can give them personalised feedback, correct their mistakes, and help them develop their fluency.