Easiest Ways to Learn Devanagari Script for Mastery of Hindi

Do you want to learn Devanagari script so that you can speak, write, and read Hindi but have tremendous confusion? There is no shame in accepting the truth, as Hindi language letters are quite hard to understand. In fact, for native English speakers, Hindi grammar rules, sentence structure, gender-specific words, and pronunciation are extremely daunting.

However, things can get much easier if you stick to a systematic and well-organized process. This process consists of some simple steps mentioned in this blog, but first, become familiar with the Hindi language alphabet.

Hindi Alphabet List:

The following is a list of Hindi language vowels (स्वर) and consonants (व्यंजन). If you are able to recognize these words, you will make a giant step to your goal.

Vowels:

1.     अ (a)

2.     आ (ā)

3.     इ (i)

4.     ई (ī)

5.     उ (u)

6.     ऊ (ū)

7.     ऋ (ṛ)

8.     ए (e)

9.     ऐ (ai)

10.ओ (o)

11.औ (au)

Consonants:

1.     क (ka)

2.     ख (kha)

3.     ग (ga)

4.     घ (gha)

5.     ङ (ṅa)

6.     च (cha)

7.     छ (chha)

8.     ज (ja)

9.     झ (jha)

10.ञ (ña)

11.ट (ṭa)

12.ठ (ṭha)

13.ड (ḍa)

14.ढ (ḍha)

15.ण (ṇa)

16.त (ta)

17.थ (tha)

18.द (da)

19.ध (dha)

20.न (na)

21.प (pa)

22.फ (pha)

23.ब (ba)

24.भ (bha)

25.म (ma)

26.य (ya)

27.र (ra)

28.ल (la)

29.व (va)

30.श (śa)

31.ष (ṣa)

32.स (sa)

33.ह (ha)

34.ज्ञ (gya)

Simple Ways to Learn Writing in Hindi

After giving you a list of the Devanagari alphabet for Hindi, we have listed a step-by-step process for expertise in Hindi. So, stick to the given steps to fulfill your target.

1.     Recognize Hindi Letters First:

The most important and first thing you need to do to learn Hindi is to recognize the Devanagari alphabet. We have listed 34 consonants and 11 vowels above. You should learn each of them so perfectly that you can recognize them easily.

It’s best to learn 5 letters each day to learn Devanagari script comfortably. This way, you will not feel burdened or nervous, and it will fill you with motivation and confidence.

2.     Start Writing in Hindi:

After you become familiar with these letters, keep writing vowels and consonants daily. Get some idea of the Hindi grammar and phrases by watching video tutorials with Hindi subtitles.

Thereafter, buy a Hindi dictionary or use an online Hindi dictionary app that has all the meanings of the words you see in the subtitles of the videos. On a daily basis, write new phrases or words. Doing so will enable you to write Hindi words and sentences with more confidence.

3.     Practice Reading Hindi:

After you learn Devanagari script, it will make it much easier for you to read Hindi. Remember Hindi is one of those languages that have gender-specific words that may sound different when you read and write them.

Words that end with the Hindi vowel आ (aa) are generally masculine, such as Ladka (boy). On the other hand, the word ends with the vowel ई (ee) tends to be feminine, like Ladkee (girl).

4.     Learn Hindi Parts of Speech:

It’s a must to attain mastery of the Hindi parts of speech. So, keep listening to various audio lessons available on Hindi learning websites and apps. Doing so will familiarize you with Hindi pronouns, such as मैं (I), which is for first person singular, and हम (we), which is for first person plural.

In addition, learn Hindi verbs, like पढ़ना (padhna), which means reading, and सीखना (seekhna), whose English counterpart is learning. Besides these two, learn about Hindi adjectives, adverbs, etc.

If you have some Hindi speakers who also take Hindi language classes, start talking to them to feel comfortable with Hindi grammar.

5.     Look for Day-to-day Words:

When you can recognize, write, and read Hindi words, you should start learning words used in daily activities. You can learn some days of the week, such as Sunday (रविवार), Tuesday (मंगलवार), etc.

Some other things, कुर्सी (chair), खाना (food), जल (water), etc.

Learning such words will help you talk to Hindi speakers in usual situations, like eating with them, sitting among them, sharing experiences with them, etc.

6.     Stick to Regular Practice:

Having learned Hindi letters to write and read Hindi will enable you to learn new words or phrases daily. That’s why Hindi language coaches advise students to learn Devanagari script.

Paying heed to Hindi grammar and parts of speech is a must-do, as told above. However, all your learning can go in vain if you don’t continue practicing what you have learned.

Therefore, spend 1 to 2 hours daily, as you feel comfortable, to learn Hindi. Aside from that, ask your friends or other Hindi speakers you know not to laugh at your pronunciation, as you are learning.

If there is somebody else like you who wants to learn Hindi, spend more time with and exchange Hindi lessons with each other.

Other Helpful Tips to Learn Hindi

1.  Take online Hindi lessons offering video lessons to work on your Hindi grammar. You can also benefit from quizzes, games, and exercises provided by such institutes.

2.   Keep an audio or visual textbook for vocabulary composition and a clear idea of grammar and other elements of Hindi.

3.  Rely on Hindi newspapers, blogs, and literature to maintain your knowledge after you learn Devanagari script.

4.   When you reach an advanced level, receive daily updates about the changing trends and popular cultural topics on social media platforms in Hindi. It will maintain your interest and help you grow as a learner.

5.     If possible, find native Indian speakers to know how to pronounce Hindi words to work on your pronunciation.

Let’s Conclude All

As a Hindi language learner, if you learn the Devanagari script, you will be able to recognize Hindi letters. These Hindi letters will help you write in Hindi after learning Hindi grammar rules and parts of speech. To gain an excellent command of the language, read Hindi newspapers, watch Hindi YouTube videos with subtitles, and read Hindi literature.  You can also rely on online Hindi language coaching. Last but not least, practice daily for growth.