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It is difficult being understood. But sometimes it helps for us to know how we might be misunderstood in order to be more clear. The "What did I say?" episodes will have Hindi learners trying to be understood by Hindi speakers. We will find out what are some ways that the Hindi learn can be miss understood.

This episode has Nathan reading a single sentence to Mr. Naraindas

"झाड़ू कहाँ है?" (Where is the broom?)

It gets misunderstood as

"जादू कहाँ है?" (Where is the magic?)

Notice the difference between these words:

जादू – magic

झाड़ू – broom

magic begins with the un-aspirated ज (ja) and broom begins with the aspirated झ (jha). This difference is subtle. The ending is more distinct. "magic" ends with "दू" (doo) (dental, unaspirated "d" sound with the "oo" vowel). "broom" ends with the ड़ू (notice the dot underneath the letter!! this makes it the retroflexive "r" sound. "Roo".)

Now you should be able to say "magic" and "broom" correctly in the future.

[In the Paid Subscribers area you will be able to download all of January’s lessons in one zip file at the end of the month.  Plus, you can get an “ad free” recording of the lesson.

If you are not a paid ISpeakHindi.com subscriber, then consider becoming a paid subscriber. For a small fee you can download all the episodes from September 2009, October 2009, November 2009, and December 2009. Each month's episodes are in convenient zip files making it easy for you to download.]

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