Grammar is a piano I play be ear. All I know about grammar is its power - Joan Didion
Hindi is an Indo-Aryan language, which is a sub-group of languages in the Indo-Iranian family. The latter is a subset of the Indo-European family of languages. It is derived from the Devanagari script which is distinct from Pali or Sanskrit. It is one of the 22 scheduled/official languages, recognized by the Constitution of India. It is the preferred language, along with English, for most official and state businesses. Almost 450 million people speak Hindi as their mother tongue in India, while another 120 million use it as a second language. Other countries where you will find significant Hindi diaspora include Mauritius, South Africa, Bangladesh, Yemen, and Uganda.
As such, there is a lot of interest in Hindi grammar and the history of the language's evolution through time. This article deals with revealing snippets of its evolutionary journey with focused attention on a specific aspect of Hindi grammar - the verb.
A Brief History of Hindi Language
Unlike spoken Hindi, literary Hindi which is still written in the Devanagari script, is heavily influenced by Sanskrit. The standard dialect is Khadi Boli which is a distinctive feature of the northern and eastern parts of Delhi's Hindi. Other important dialects of Hindi include,
- Braj Bhasha
- Awadhi
- Bagheli
- Bhojpuri
- Bundeli
- Garhwali
- Haryanwi
- Kanauji
- Magadhi
- Chhattisgrahi
- Marwari
- Kumayuni
More than dialects, the above maybe described as the regional languages of the Hindi belt of Northern India that extends up to the state of Madhya Pradesh.
Variations in the Hindi Language
The regional languages differ from place to place in their degree of variation from standard Hindi. A few examples are illustrated here -
- Maithili is the easternmost regional language of the so-called Hindi belt and it almost resembles Bengali.
- Rajasthani is the westernmost regional language of the same belt and sounds more like Gujarati than Hindi.
Reasons for Regional Variations
The English had grouped together different Indian languages with Hindi for ease of administration and to classify official languages in India. Hindi was also the chosen medium for education at least at the elementary school level. In a way, speaking standard Hindi gives people what some identify as social mobility or a so-called upward class of people. For example, people looking to switch jobs in India aim to improve their Hindi and English, the two languages used most widely to communicate in the country.
You can find out about spoken Hindi classes online here on Superprof.
Basics of Hindi Grammar & Vocabulary
Sanskrit, Apabhramsha, and Prakrit are considered to be precursors of the Hindi language. When you learn Hindi, each lesson is underlined with such snippets from history and the origin of the language. Now, these three languages being verbally and nominally inflected, has also resulted in a similar but simpler inflection in Hindi grammar. Hindi was greatly influenced by Persian and in the latter the change in adjective is not dependent on the change in number of the noun. In fact, Hindi grammar uses postpositions to indicate number agreement. Nouns, adjectives, pronouns, use of punctuation, etc. in Hindi have all been influenced by Persian.
Unlike Sanskrit, the number of genders in Hindi language is just two - masculine and feminine. There are examples of languages that have also retained the neuter gender - Gujarati, Marathi, etc.
Evolution of Words & Vocabulary
The words and even pronunciations used in modern Hindi have evolved from the interaction of Khari Boli and Arabic or Persian. A few examples of Hindi words borrowed from Persian are mentioned below -
- faujdari, meaning criminal case
- vazir, meaning minister
- musahib meaning courtier
- dalil meaning document
- gavahi, meaning witness
Phonology
Apart from words, Hindi also owes certain phonemes such as /f/ and /z/ to Persian and Arabic. Similarly, you will find influences of the English phonology in Hindi. Examples include the words pencil, college, and button which have been absorbed in the Hindi lexicon.
Do you know you can learn Hindi through English here?
Learn Hindi Verbs - Types & Classification
Verbs are also called action words. In Hindi, they are termed as kriya. Some call it the main word of the sentence without which a sentence is incomplete. A verb can be placed in relation to a person, number, voice, tense, etc. It demonstrates the action taken by the subject.
Types of Verbs in Hindi Grammar
Main Verb
In Hindi, it is called mukhya kriya. It is the action done by a person, animal, or a thing. Examples of main verb include eating or khana, playing or khelna, thinking or sochna, etc. The main verb can be further divided into two types.
Transitive Verb
These are actions of the subject in relation to another subject or object. These transitive verbs or sakarmak kriya usually follow nouns and pronouns in a sentence.
Intransitive Verb
This type of verb does the exact opposite thing as the transitive verb. Also known as akarmak kriya, this type of verb describes the action of the subject to himself.
Helping Verb
As the name suggests, this verb helps to form the mood, tense, voice, etc. of the main verb.
Benefits of Hindi Tuition
Let grammar, punctuation, and spelling into your life! Even the most energetic and wonderful mess has to be turned into sentences - Terry Pratchett
Online education has literally revolutionized teaching and learning. Online tutoring is in vogue and you can easily enroll in an online Hindi tuition to improve your grammar, use of nouns and verbs, punctuation, pronouns, etc. Online tutoring has come to play an important part in academic progress, especially in the last 18 months.
What are the Advantages of Online Hindi Teachers?
Given the present pandemic situation and the consequent lockdown, an online class can be very useful to learn Hindi. Check out the top benefits that await you when you look for Hindi tuition near me.
- Learn at your own pace.
- Familiarize yourself with difficult topics and concepts.
- Get additional attention and time from Hindi teachers beyond dedicated hours.
- Get quick help with assignments.
- Access online learning resources 24x7.
- Get access to peer learning communities.
- Get effective tips to cope with exam pressure.
- Get FAQs answered to better prepare for competitive exams.
- Participate in live sessions or access recorded ones.
- Learn from the comfort of your own home.
Best Tips to Learn Hindi in 2021
There is one simple way to learn a new language - be consistent. If you dedicate enough time on a daily basis to studying and practicing the language, there is no force on Earth that can stop you from learning. With nearly 1.5 billion speakers in the world, Hindi is one language that you should have least difficulty in learning.
Tried & Tested Methods to Learn Hindi Effectively
- Start practicing speaking in Hindi on a daily basis.
- Write small paragraphs in Hindi and get feedback from a Hindi speaker.
- Understand the meaning of each word when you write.
- Familiarize yourself with the Hindi script.
- Perfect your pronunciation and the use of verbs with the help of a Hindi-speaking friend.
- Get familiar with spoken Hindi words and phrases.
- Enroll for a free demo class online for specific aspects of Hindi grammar - nouns, pronouns, verbs, punctuation, etc.
- Become a master in basic grammar skills to build a strong foundation.
- Use flashcards to improve vocabulary and memorize commonly used words.
- Read books in Hindi to learn new words.
- Listen to Hindi music or watch Hindi movies to make learning enjoyable.
- Practice what you learn in class.
Like any other language or skill, practice can help you become a master of the Hindi language. If English or Bengali are your primary languages, make sure to make friends who speak, read, and understand fluent Hindi. That way you can have a partner who can help you teach and learn the language in an engaging manner.
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It’s a useful to all hindi learning seekers