1 The Letters

1.1 The Vowels
We will learn four vowels in this lesson and a vowel like character < ṛ >. We will also see the use of the matras of all five.

Listen.

ए	ऐ	ओ	औ	ऋ
e	ai	o	au	ṛ

1.2 Pronunciation

1.2.1 The pronunciation of <ए> and <ओ>

The pronunciation of the vowels <ए> and <ओ> are akin to the vowels of English - <e> and <o> as in <gate> and <goal> respectively.  However there is a difference. The Hindi sounds are ‘pure’ vowels whereas the English sounds are diphthongs. The English vowels are followed by semi vowels written as /ei/ and /ou/respectively. Listen to the pronunciation of the words. Hindi /ge:T/ English /geit/ (gate); Hindi /gol/ H English /goul/ (goal) .

1.2.2. The pronunciation of <ऐ> and <औ>

The pronunciation of the vowels <ऐ> and <औ> has been shown as <ai> and <au> respectively as there is no agreed symbol available in English alphabet. The notation could give us the impression that these are diphthongs.

The fact is that these two are pure vowels in Hindi represented by the phonetic notation / ε/ and / ɔ/ respectively. Listen to the words – ऐब /εb/ (fault) और /ɔr/ (and)

1.2.3. The letter <ऋ>

The letter <ऋ> is placed in the alphabet with other vowels. It behaves like a vowel as it has a matra but it more a syllable than a vowel as it consists of a consonant too. Its phonetic notation is /rɨ/.  Listen to the words – ऋण /rɨN/ (loan), ऋतु /rɨtu/ (season).

1.3 The matras of these vowels

1.3.1 The matra of <ए> and < ऐ>

The matra of <ए> and < ऐ> are placed above the letter. See the difference between the vowels and the syllables in the number of strokes above.

ए – के  ऐ – कै

1.3.2. The matra of <ओ> and < औ>

The vowels <ओ> and < औ> are formed from the vowel <अ> and the syllables <को> and <कौ> are formed similarly from the consonant <क> in the same way.

ओ – को औ – कौ

1.3.3. The matra of < ऋ >

The matra of < ऋ > is ृ which is placed beneath the letter- <कृ>.

2 Reading Practice

2.1 Word Formation

The syllable with the vowel <ऋ> does not take the Chandrabindi <ँ>.  The rest of the four vowels are represented by strokes above the letter. So nasalization is represented by a dot placed above a letter.

2.2. The phonetic value of <ऋ>

The vowel following /r/ is a central vowel / ɨ / – neither /i/ nor /u/. Since there is no corresponding letter in English to represent it, it is generally written with<i> in English.

2.3 Reading words

Listen to the pronunciation of the following words, repeat and practice. You can repeat practicing the words till you are able to read the word. Choose a word and read it. For reinforcement you can listen to the pronunciation again.

Words with <ए>

एक	एकता	एड़ी	केला	मेला	देरी	मेरा	सवेरा
one	unity	heel	banana	fair	delay	my	morning
सुरेश	रमेश	राजेश	लड़के	कपड़े	पंखे	सवेरे	पहले
Suresh	Ramesh	Rajesh	boys	clothes	fans	In the morning	firstly

Words with <ऐ>

ऐनक	ऐश	ऐब	पैर	सैर	पैदल	तैरना	बैठना
glasses	indulgence	folly	leg	tour	On foot	To swim	To sit
मैना	कैसे	पैसा	मैला	कुवैत	बगैर	कसैला	वगैरह
mynah	how	paisa	soiled	Kuwait	without	…	Et cetera

Words with <ओ>

ओर	ओस	ओला	ओछा	दो	कोना	सोना	शोर
direction	dew	hail	mean	two	corner	gold	noise

लोग	मोर	चोर	टोकरी	छोटा	रखो	उठो	बैठो
people	peacock	thief	basket	small	Keep it.	Get up.	Sit.

In the case of roots ending in consonants the imperative verbs for friends or youngsters are formed by adding /o/ which is represented by the matra of <>.

Listen to the pronunciation of the words, repeat and practice. Read the verb as an imperative.

निकलो	पूछो	सीखो	उठो	नाचो	माँगो	रुको	ठहरो
Leave.	Ask.	Learn.	Get up.	Dance.	Demand.	Stop.	Stay.

Words with <औ>

और	औरत	शौक	लौटना	दौड़ना	नौका	मौका	चौदह
and	woman	hobby	To come back	To run	boat	chance	fourteen

Words with <ऋ> /ri/

ऋण	ऋतु	कृपा	कृपया	गृह	दृग	हृदय	शृंगार
loan	season	kindness	please	home	eyes	heart	make up

2.4 Feminine plural nouns

We have discussed that word final nasalization is represented by a dot if the matra comeson top of the letter. The same thing applies to the word  में ‘in’.

Feminine plural nouns ending in vowels other than /i:/ are formed by adding /ẽ/. The nasalized vowel <एँ> is added to the word if it ends in a vowel (other than /i/), such as माला मालाएँ ‘garlands’. It is represented by the matra and a dot in the case of feminine plural nouns ending in a consonant such as रात रातें ‘nights’.

Listen to the pronunciation of the words, repeat and practice. You can infer the singular form.

माताएँ	बहनें	दुकानें	दीवारें	आँखें	किताबें	शामें	सड़कें
mothers	sisters	shops	walls	eyes	books	evenings	roads

2.4.1 Plural Subjunctive verbs

Plural subjunctive verbs such as करें (We may do/ Let us do) and करें? (Shall we do?) are formed by adding /ẽ/ to the root. If the root ends in a vowel <> is added to it, if the root ends in a consonant it takes a matra and a dot.

Listentothe pronunciation of the words, repeat and practice. We give only the meaning of the root with the words. You can infer the syntactic meaning by the punctuation mark. Pay attention to the intonation.

आएँ	जाएँ?	बनाएँ	लाएँ?	खाएँ?	सिखाएँ	पिएँ (पीना)	सोएँ?
come	go	prepare	bring	eat	teach	drink	sleep
निकलें?	पूछें	सीखें	उठें?	नाचें	माँगें?	रुकें	ठहरें
leave	ask	learn	Get up	dance	demand	stop	stay

3 Perception Test

3.1 Recognition

3.1.1 Letter Recognition

Press the letter pronounced. Once you finish you can start the list all over.

Press the syllable pronounced. Once you finish you can start the list all over.

थे	हो	मैं	सौ	कृ

3.1.2 Sound Recognition - First Letter

Listen to a word, recognize the first sound of the word and punch it. You can see the word just for two seconds. However you can listen to it many times.

एड़ी
			Next	Exit

3.1.3 Recognition of the vowel in a syllable

Recognize the vowel in the first syllable of the word occurring as a matra and punch the vowel. You can see the word just for two seconds. However you can listen to it many times.

केला	पौधा	मौन	केंद्र	चौंकना	शोरबा	ठोकर	थैली
ए	औ	औ	ए	औ	ओ	ओ	ऐ

3.1.4 Sound Recognition - Last Letter

Now listen to the last letter of the word, recognize the sound and punch it.

जूते
			Next	Exit

3.2 Matching

Listen to the pairs of words. If both words pronounced are similar press ‘same’; if not press ‘different’.

		Same	Different
		Next	Exit

4 Further Reading

4.1 Spelling and Pronunciation

4.1.1 Non-initial <ए> and <ओ>

If the two vowels <ए> and <ओ> occur within a word after a long vowel or at the end of the word the pronunciation of these vowels  /ए/ and /ओ/ tend to be shorter in comparison with the corresponding vowels of <ये> and <यो>.  Listen – के लिए (for) लिये (bought); जाओ (go) योयो (yoyo). So this does not apply to words such as पिएगा (he will drink) पिएँगे (they will drink) पिओ (drink) पिओगी? (will you drink) हुए (happened) छुए (touched) छुओगे (if you touch)..

Listen to the pronunciation of the words, repeat and practice.

जाएगा	जाएँगे	चाहिए	सोएगा	इसलिए	जाए	जाएँ	मालाएँ
He will come	They will come	(sb) want	He will sleep	so	let him/her/it go	Let them go	garlands
जाओगे	बनाओगी?	सोओगे	जाओ	बचाओ	बनवाओ	माओ	मालाओं
You will go	Will you make	You will sleep	go	Save me	Get it done	Mao	The garlands

4.1.2 Imperative verbs for elders or in formal situations

We use a different imperative form for elders or formal acquaintances as mark of respect. The form <> is added to the roots – the same form is added to vowels such as (please come) or matra of<> if added to a consonant such as (Please speak). In either case the final <> is pronounced short.

Listen to the pronunciation of the words, repeat and practice. We give only the meaning of the root with the words.

निकलिए	पूछिए	सीखिए	उठिए	नाचिए	माँगिए	रुकिए	ठहरिए
Leave.	Ask.	Learn.	Get up.	Dance.	Demand.	Stop.	Stay.

4.1.3 Alternate pronunciation of <ऐ> and <औ>
If <ऐ> is followed by <य> it is pronounced as /ay/; if <औ> is followed by <व> then it is pronounced as /av/. You may also note the word शय्या has already this sound /shayya/ though it is not written with <ऐ>; similarly अव्वल pronounced as /avval/ is not written with <औ>.

Listen to the pronunciation of the words, repeat and practice.

तैयार	तैयारी	ऐयाशी	सैयद	मैया	नैया	तलैया	रैयत
ready	preparation	indulgence	Syed	mother	boat	small pond	tillers
चौवन	यौवन	पौवा	कौवा	कौवों	हौवा	सौवाँ	मुरौवत
54	youth	quarter	crows	crows	fear	hundredth	regard

4.1.4   English /ai/
English has a vowel which is closer to the Hindi vowel <ऐ>  but distinctly more open. Hindi represents this vowel in borrowed words with the matra of <> itself. So we have no way on knowing the distinction by the spelling. The different vowel can only be accessed by knowing the origin of the word.

Listen to the pronunciation of the words, repeat and practice.

गैस	बैलेंस	पैड	गैलन	बैंक	टैंक	हैंडबैग	सैंडविच
gas	balance	pad	gallon	bank	tank	handbag	sandwich

4.1.5 The vowels <ए> and <ओ> before <ह>

We saw in Lesson 4 that <अ> before <ह> undergoes phonetic change. Similarly vowels <ए> and <ओ> before <ह>undergo sound change. Monosyllabic words such as देह ‘body’ do not undergo this change. 

Listentothe pronunciation of the words, repeat and practice.

मेहमान	मेहनती	बेहतर	तेहरान	मेहरा	देहाती	सेहत	रेहन
guest	studious	better	Tehran	Mehra	rural	health	pawn broking

You may also note that both <ए> and <अ> before <ह> sound alike in this context. That is the reason some words have dual spelling though the pronunciation is the same such as मेहरी/ महरी ‘maid’, एहसास/ अहसास ‘feeling’.

Let us see words where <ओ> before <ह> undergoes sound change. Monosyllabic words such as मोह ‘passion’ do not undergo this change. 

Listen to the pronunciation of the words, repeat and practice.

बोहनी	कोहनी	शोहदा	शोहरत	ओहदा	सोहबत	मोहसिन	मोहर
first sale of the day	elbow	ruffian	fame	status	company	Mohsin	seal

You may also note that since is pronounced short like // we come across a few words with dual spelling but same pronunciation such as कुहनी/ कोहनी ‘elbow’, कुहरा/ कोहरा ‘fog’,मुहम्मद/ मोहम्मद Mohammed.

For detailed information on spelling you should consult a book on grammar.

4.1.6 Short /e/ and /o/ of some words

Hindi does not have a letter for short /e/ in words such as ‘pen’. Some Indian languages have the short /e/ and/short /o/ as well. As a consequence two words with the same spelling have different pronunciation such as सेल H1374 ‘cell’ and सेल H1375 ‘sale’. However Hindi speakers manage to pronounce the short vowels from their knowledge of the original word.

Listen to the pronunciation of the words, repeat and practice.

पेशावर	वेंकटेश	मेस	टेरीलीन	नेगेटिव	लेंस	बेंच	डेंगी
Peshawar	Venkatesh	mess	terylene	negative	lens	bench	dengue
बोकारो	कोंकण	मोबाइल	कोलाज	सोसाइटी	मोनाको	रोमांस	ओसाका
Bokaro	KonkaN	mobile	collage	society	Monaco	romance	Osaka

4.2 Perception of Expressions

Click icon to listen to a phrase/sentence and say which one of the five is pronounced by pressing it.

4.2.1 Pattern 1

मेरे पिता जी कानपुर गये हैं.   My father has gone to Kanpur.

	मेरे चाचा जी जयपुर गये हैं.	My uncle has gone to Jaipur.
	हमारे मामा जी कानपुर से आये हैं	My uncle has come from Kanpur.
	मेरी छोटी बहन यहाँ आयी है.	My younger sister has come here.
	मेरी बड़ी बहन वहाँ आयी हैं.	My elder sister has come there.
	मेरी छोटी बहन अमरूद लायी है.	My younger sister has brought guavas.
	Start	Next	Back	Exit

4.2.2 Pattern 2 -Phrases

पाकिस्तान एशिया में है. Pakistan is in Asia.

	लाओस एशिया में है.	Laos is in Asia.
	पोलैंड यूरप में है.	Poland is in Europe.
	शिकागो अमेरिका में है.	Chicago is in America.
	रोम और वेनिस इटली में हैं.	Rome and Venice are in Italy.
	सिंगापुर मलेशिया के पास है.	Singapore is near Malaysia.
	Start	Next	Back	Exit

4.3 Reading Expressions

Read the following expressions. You may listen to the pronunciation of the sentences when necessary.  Practice till you are able to read fluently.

आप परसों सवेरे नौ बजे आइए.		Please come day after tomorrow at nine.
किशोर के पिता जी आजकल कहाँ हैं?		Where is Kishore’s father these days?
गौरी आज पाठशाला नहीं गयी है.		Gauri has not gone to the school today.
सुरेश जी कल मैदान में नहीं थे.		Mr. Suresh was not in the playground yesterday.
मोहन और गौरी को बुलाओ.		Call Mohan and Gauri.
रमेश के चाचा मलेशिया में हैं.		Ramesh’s uncle is in Malaysia.
मैनेजर साहब कहाँ गये हैं?		Where has the manager gone?
मैं चलने को तैयार हूँ.		I am ready to go.

5 Writing Practice

5.1 Letter Formation

See how the letters are written. You will learn to write them in your PDF. Go to 5.2

5.2 Copying

5.2.1 Copy the letters

Print the page and copy the words you hear. If you need to do the Writing Practice again exit the program and print another PDF

5.2.2 Copying words

Try to get the pronunciation as you write. You can listen to the word many times. When ready to write you can see the word many times by pressing the Show Hint button.
You should get a mental image of the whole word and write it from memory. Do not copy letter by letter.

	Next	Back

5.3 Word formation
Listen to the pronunciation of the word, press the appropriate letters to form that word. You can listen to or see the word many times.

5.4 Dictation

Listen to the words and write in the page. You can listen to or see the word many times.
After writing your word press Show Hint once more for reinforcement.

		आइए
		Next	Exit

 

6 Follow up

6.1 Write sentences: Imperative

Write two imperative sentences using the phrases given for both ‘tum’ (youngsters0 and a:p (elders) as per the model given.

वह साड़ी निकालना  To take out that saree	तुम वह साड़ी निकालो.	आप वह साड़ी निकालिए.
एक गिलास पानी लाना bring a glass of water	.........................................................	.........................................................
हिंदी में बोलना speak in Hindi	.........................................................	.........................................................
पाँच मिनट रुकना wait for five minutes	.........................................................	.........................................................
दुकान पर जाना come to the shop	.........................................................	.........................................................
यह पाठ टाइप करना type this lesson	.........................................................	.........................................................
एक बजे वापस आना come back at one	.........................................................	.........................................................
माँ से यह बात कहना tell this to mother	.........................................................	.........................................................
कल शाम को आना come tomorrow evening	.........................................................	.........................................................