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by Nathan

Informal Conversation, Interview at Houston Lunch and Learn, and announcements

August 22, 2010 2:21 pm in All, Podcast, Uncategorized by Nathan

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On Saturday, August 21, 2010 we had our second “Lunch and Learn Hindi” event in Houston.  This time we covered “Informal Conversations”.    Here are just some of the basic phrases that we covered:

आपका नाम क्या है? – What is your name?

आप कहाँ से हैं?   – Where are you from?

आप कहाँ रहते हैं? – Where do you live?

क्या आप चाय पीते हैं?  – Do you drink tea?

क्या आप विवाहित हैं? Are you married?

We also covered how to ask these same questions about someone’s husband (पति), wife (पत्नी), and children (बच्चे).  Along the way many new words were covered.  We also looked at the grammar rules to use verbs in the present tense.  For example,  पीना means to drink.   This changes to पीता when I use it with relation to myself.  मैं चाय पीता हूँ। but a girl would say  मैं चाय पीती हूँ।  And then if you are asking a man if he drinks tea you would say क्या आप चाय पीते हैं?  We covered these rules in different types of sentences and practiced as well. We also touched on adjective – noun agreement, the use of prepositions, and how to make plurals.

After the event, one of the participants, Lam Li, talked to me about her experiences.  We talked about why she is learning Hindi, how she is studying, and what she learned from the Lunch and Learn Event.  Lam had also attended the previous lunch and learn event where we learned “50 Hindi Words to Get You Started.”

The presentation from the previous event covering “50 Hindi Words to Get You Started” is now available in the Paid Subscriber Area.  The booklet  in PDF form and audio from the CDs that were passed out is there as well.  If you were not able to attend the Houston July 2010 learn Hindi event, then please go to the paid subscriber area to access this material.   (The materials for this month’s event covering “Informal Conversation” will be posted in the paid subscriber this week.  Also, we have the date for the next Houston Lunch and Learn event,  Saturday, September 18.  Keep this date free.  We will be finalizing the location, timings, and materials to cover this week, and will announce it soon.

If you live in the Dallas area, then come to the Lunch and Learn Event on September 4, 2010.  We will be covering the Informal Conversation material at that party as well.

by Nathan

Listener Comments and Questions

May 9, 2010 4:02 pm in All, Beginner, Listener Comments and Questions, Uncategorized by Nathan

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This past week we got feedback on several episodes.

 

May 4, 2010 – Special Guest: Indira Walia   (5 votes, average: 4.60 out of 5) and got 3 comments:

Philip said:

Best advice ever… you have to speak. In language learning you can practice everything else, but if you don’t engage in conversation you will only end up in frustration. That was my own little “ism” but it speaks from many experiences. I heard it said that you can watch swimming all you want but you’ll never learn until you get in the water. I hope this podcast motivates me to take the next step!

Premasru said:

This is always my greatest challenge, to actually use the language.

Abhi said:

I never could have guessed just what a different challenge speaking HIndi would turn out to be. It is one thing to write, read and listen; for me, my processing speeds are fast. When it comes to speaking, I find myself very out of my league. 1st, I have to see what I want to say in English, then I need to translate it to Hindi, then speak it out in Hindi. The time it takes for all this is long but with practice I am getting faster and more confident. I suggest a speaking buddy; I found one on Livemocha. The 5.5hrs time difference has not proved an insurmountable challenge thus far.

May 5, 2010 – घ + vowels (3 votes, average: 4.67 out of 5)

–no comments–

 

May 6, 2010 – What is this?  (5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Philip said:

very nicely done lesson.

Cnevett said:

Great exercise. Lets have more like this.

Michael said:

what fun. Thanks guys.

Johan said:

Great lesson for beginners (like me)!

Premasru said:

Great for beginners like me, as well as funny for rating the score as ‘unbeatable’ (:D)

Hteinlurn:

thanks a lot

Nine people took the quiz and 6 of them made 100%.

A challenge for me is how to make other lessons like this.  What made this a successful lesson?   There are several attributes that I believe made it successful. 

  1. Demonstrated a couple of sentences that would be useful in many different contexts.
  2. Lots of additional examples on how to use it.
  3. Contained a lot of pictures.
  4. Quiz
  5. line by line audio

Is that right?  Is there something you would add to the list?  This coming week we have several episodes that will contain these elements.  It will be interesting to see what feedback I get.

Let us look at some comments from older episodes, and some more general comments in the groups and activity stream on the site (http://www.ispeakhindi.com/activity/).

 

Johan says:

Although I am new to this site one subject seems to be missing, dating? I think there is lost of material for first contact, but then? :D

We have not made an attempt to cover conversational material related to dating.  But we do have some general purpose lessons that should be useful in this context.

Conversation Starters (January 31, 2010)

Talking about likes and dislikes (January 27, 2010)

Conversation Questions – Pets (बातचीत प्रश्न – पालतू जानवर) (November 28, 2009)

Love Greetings/Love notes (November 11, 2009)

Things to say to Your Spouse: (November 7, 2009)

 

Susmita says:

Hi, How many of you have a wish to travel to India? Have u already traveled or you are going to?

If so ,then ”Hindi Travelers’ Course ” is ready for you,Contact me to have a Hindi session.

Susmita has created several lessons on the site.   You can get a list of them and information about how to contact her on her profile page: http://www.ispeakhindi.com/members/talkingbees/profile/

 

If you are a Hindi tutor or teacher, then join the site, fill out your profile page, and contact me at nathan@ISpeakHindi.com about creating a few learn Hindi podcasts to introduce yourself to the ISpeakHindi.com community of Hindi learners.

 

Carolyn made a good find.  Language learning dolls:

http://www.desidollcompany.com/language-dolls/asian-language-doll.php Not really for learning, but isn’t she so cute?

Hannah asked (http://www.ispeakhindi.com/members/biblereeder/activity/1297)

Does anyone know what the name of a female sparrow is in Hindi? In English we say ”sparrow”, but what is it in Hindi?

Johnny Ji was able to provide the answer:

from google translate: ”sparrow”
गौरैया
gauraiyaa

Another good place to look up words is http://www.Shabdkosh.com

Premasru

Thanks for the question, and answer, gauraiyaa. I like to know the names of birds, trees, flowers, animals, etc.

There are several ISpeakHindi.com episodes you will be interested in:

animals (November 3, 2009)

292 – Water Animals (July 28, 2008)

291 – Insects, etc. (July 27, 2008)

290 – Wild Animals (July 26, 2008)

289 – domesticated animals pg. 32 (July 25, 2008)

#288 – birds pg. 31 (July 24, 2008)

birds (December 4, 2009)

Beginner Hindi: Birds (August 29, 2007)

#287 – vegetables pg. 30 (July 23, 2008)

#286 – fruits pg. 29 (July 22, 2008)

#285 – flowers pg. 28 (July 21, 2008)

#284 – parts of a plant and plants and tress pg. 27 (July 20, 2008)

My First 100 Words In Hindi (6 of 8) – Animals (September 8, 2007)

Plants (A First Bilingual Dictionary pg. 47) (October 25, 2007)

Plants (A First Bilingual Dictionary pg. 46) (October 24, 2007)

Living Creatures (A First Bilingual Dictionary pg. 45) (October 23, 2007)

Living Creatures (A First Bilingual Dictionary pg. 44) (October 22, 2007)

Living Creatures (A First Bilingual Dictionary pg. 43) (October 21, 2007)

Living Creatures (A First Bilingual Dictionary pg. 42) (October 20, 2007)

Living Creatures (A First Bilingual Dictionary pg. 41) (October 19, 2007)

Living Creatures (A First Bilingual Dictionary pg. 40) (October 18, 2007)

Living Creatures (A First Bilingual Dictionary pg. 39) (October 17, 2007)

Living Creatures (A First Bilingual Dictionary pg. 38) (October 16, 2007)

Flowers (December 9, 2009)

फूल – flowers (Hindi Primer – part 32) (November 26, 2008)

 

 

Do you have some good Hindi learning sites that you use?  Be sure and create links to them from the “links” part of the site: http://www.ispeakhindi.com/links  This will allow for other people to know about them.  And it will provide a place where will people can comment on them.

 

What’s coming up this week?  I am currently working on several lessons, but here are some possibilities:

  1. “Do you have…?  I have…” It will be similar to the “What is this?” lesson. 
  2. Hindi in 2012  (There are few lines of Hindi spoken in the English film 2012.  I want to use them as a fun way into looking at two types of sentences.
  3. च + vowels (Do you know how to read and write Hindi?  Each week I plan to publish an episode focused on the script to give you practice.)
  4. कहानी – word focus
  5. Grammar Drill: Postpositions with Plural Nouns
  6. Phrase Focus: Can you help me?

Email me at nathan@ISpeakHindi.com or leave a comment on the website if you have some suggestions or want to provide feedback on the ideas above. 

by Nathan

What is this?

May 6, 2010 3:30 pm in Beginner, Newbie, Uncategorized by Nathan

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Let us look at a set of phrases that will allow for you to expand your Hindi vocabulary.  Often in India, you might not know the name of something that is in front of you.  The person that you are speaking with may not know English, but it is still possible for you to learn some Hindi in this situation.  The phrase that will be most helpful is “What is this?”

यह क्या है?

(yah kyaa hai?)

You can point to something nearby, say a pen, and say यह क्या है? And your Hindi speaking friend can say, यह क़लम है।  (yah kalam hai) “This is a pen.”

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(This lesson has been enhanced with line-by-line audio.  If you are on the website http://www.ISpeakHindi.com and logged in as a Paid Subscriber, then the message “[Content protected for Paid Subscriber members only]” will be replaced by “play buttons” that will let you listen to just that line or word.   For example, if you are reading this in an email or if you are not logged in as a Paid Subscriber, you see something like:

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But when you log in as a Paid Subscriber, you see this.  You can click on the “play” buttons to hear just that line

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Here is an explanation of the benefits of becoming a Paid Subscriber: http://www.ispeakhindi.com/become-a-member/)

But why wait till you go to India?  This could be good practice with only yourself.  You can point to a book in your hand and say यह क्या है?  and then answer your own question यह किताब है। (yah kitaab hai) “This is a book.”

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The focus phrase for today is made of three simple words.

यह (yah) – this;  (should be used for an item near the speaker)

क्या (kyaa) – what?

है (hai) – is (in Hindi you will often find the verb at the end of the sentence)

The answer is simple.  Just replace the question word क्या (kyaa) with the name of the object.

यह क्या है?

यह क़लम है।

यह क्या है?

यह किताब है।

If something is further away, use the pronoun for “that”  वह (vah). 

While pointing at the table across the room you say, “वह क्या है?”  (vah kyaa hai) “What is that?”.

वह मेज़ है। (vah mez hai) “That is a table.”

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While pointing at the door that is away from you, you say  “वह क्या है?”  वह दरवाज़ा है। (yah dar-vaa-zaa hai) “That is a door.”

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Try finding these things in your home and ask your self “What is this?” यह क्या है? 

or ask “What is that?” वह क्या है?  Then answer your own question.

अलमारी (al-maa-rii)  – cabinet

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कुरसी (kur-sii) – chair

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खिड़की (khird-kii) – window

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पंखा (pan-khaa) – fan

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पलंग (palang) – bed

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मेज़ (mez) (f) – table

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अख़बार (akh-baar) – newspaper

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किताब (ki-taab)  – book

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शब्दकोश (shabd-kosh) – dictionary

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कपड़ा (kap-rdaa) – piece of clothing

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क़लम (ka-lam) – pen

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तस्वीर (tas-viir) – picture

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दरवाज़ा (dar-vaa-zaa) – door

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दराज़ (da-raaz) – drawer

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दरी (da-rii) – floor rug

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दीवार (dii-vaar) – wall

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परदा (par-daa) – curtain

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by admin

Hindi Song: Chhun Chhun Karti Aayi Chidiya

January 13, 2010 2:06 am in Uncategorized by admin

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Learn Hindi through the song “Chhun Chhun Karti Aayi Chidiya”..

[In the Paid Subscribers area you download all of January’s lessons in one zip.  Plus, you can get an “ad free” recording of the lesson and PDFs of the written content are included.

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.]

A Hindi film Song

छुन-छुन[1] करती आई चिड़िया, दाल का दाना लाई चिड़िया

मोर भी आया, कौआ भी आया, चूहा भी आया, बंदर भी आया

छुन-छुन करती आई चिड़िया…….

भूख लगी तो चिड़िया रानी मूँग की दाल पकाएगी, दाल पकाएगी, दाल पकाएगी

कौआ रोटी लाएगा लाके[2] तुझे खिलाएगा

मोर भी आया, कौआ भी आया, चूहा भी आया, बंदर भी आया

छुन-छुन करती आई चिड़िया…….

चलते चलते मिलेगा भालू, हम बोलेंगे नाचो कालू, नाचो कालू, नाचो कालू

मुन्ना ढोल बजाएगा, भालू नाच दिखाएगा

मोर भी आया, कौआ भी आया, चूहा भी आया, बंदर भी आया

साथ हमारे चले बाराती, मैं तो हू मुन्ने के हाथी, मुन्ने के हाथी, मुन्ने के हाथी

सीधा दिल्ली जायूँगा, तेरी दुल्हनिया[3] लायुंगा

मोर भी आया, कौआ भी आया, चूहा भी आया, बंदर भी आया

छुन-छुन करती आई चिड़िया…….

Words that we learnt:

English

Hindi

Transliteration

Bird

चिड़िया

chidiya

Lentil

दाल

daal

Grain

दाना

daana

Peacock

मोर

mor

Crow

कौआ

kauwa

Rat

चूहा[4]

chuha

Monkey

बंदर

bandhar

Hunger

भूख

bhookh

Green gram[5]

मूँग की दाल

mung kee dal

to Cook

पकाना

pakaana

Indian Bread

रोटी

roti

to feed

खिलाना

khilaana

Bear

भालू

bhaloo

Dance

नाच

naach

Drum

ढोल

dhol

Wedding guests

बाराती[6]

baraati

Elephant

हाथी

haathi

Straight

सीधा

seedha

Bride

दुल्हनिया

dulhaniya

Delhi (place name)[7]

दिल्ली

dilli

Quiz:

1) How many animals had been mentioned in this song?

2) Who will dance?

3) Which place has been mentioned here?

4) Who will bring bread for the kid?


[1] छुनछुनाना : to make a tinkling chirping or hissing noise; also applied to sizzling. Also seen as छनछन.

[2] लाके = ला कर (लाने के बाद) after having brought.

[3] From दुल्हन (bride), [also नववधू or वधू : new/ daughter-in-law]; दूल्हा being the groom (also वर).

[4] A rat or mouse (field mice included); colloquially, it can refer to what in America is called a “booger”, dried nasal mucus.

[5] The pulse Phaseolus radiatus or Vigna radiata, a.k.a. mung dal, moong dal, mash bean, munggo or monggo, golden gram, and green soy.

[6] Usually बराती : One who joins a marriage procession, or attends a marriage. From बारात (also बरात barāt, ब्रात brāt) : procession of the bridegroom (to the house of the bride), marriage procession; the company or attendants at a marriage; by extension: multitude, flock, assemblage, troop, crowd

[7] Forming, along with New Delhi, the capital of India; population: 13 million; extended metropolitan population: close to 22 million.

by admin

#260 – Kid’s Primer – Intro

June 26, 2008 1:22 am in Beginner, Meena, Naraindas, Nathan, Uncategorized by admin

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Today we do not cover any Hindi. We just talk about the plan for the next month, which is to cover the type of content that is in the Kid’s Primer book. Over the next few weeks, we will cover the Hindi sounds and some basic vocabulary. We will also talk about people names in Hindi. You can see all the sessions that are planned on our wiki: http://www.ispeakhindi.com/wiki/index.php?title=June_2008_-_Daily_Learn_Hindi_Podcasts

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