Your 30-day Hindi plan (20–30 minutes a day)
Short, steady sessions beat long, rare ones. Aim for 20–30 minutes daily. Keep a notebook for new words and a simple spaced-review schedule (Day 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, 21).
We will build in layers: sounds, must-use phrases, light grammar, and daily speaking practice. By the end of 30 days, you should handle greetings, introduce yourself, shop, ask for help, and hold short, clear chats.
- Days 1–7: Sounds, script basics (or clean romanization), greetings, introductions, numbers 1–20.
- Days 8–14: Daily phrases (food, travel, shopping), question words, present tense with 'hai'.
- Days 15–21: Past and future basics, polite requests, time and days, directions.
- Days 22–30: Role-plays, listening practice, speed drills, review all the basics and weak spots.
- Daily micro-task (2–3 minutes): recite yesterday’s 5 phrases out loud, twice.
Sound and script: Hindi you can hear and see
Hindi uses the Devanagari script. You can start with English letters (romanization) but learn the alphabet in your first 10 days so signs and books make sense: अ a, आ aa, इ i, ई ii, उ u, ऊ uu, ए e, ऐ ai, ओ o, औ au.
Key sounds: retroflex letters (ट ठ ड ढ ण) are made with the tongue curled back; aspirated stops (kh, gh, chh, jh, th, dh, ph, bh) add a small puff of air. Hearing and copying these early makes everything easier.
- Practice pairs: ta/ṭa, da/ḍa, na/ṇa; say each 5 times slowly.
- Minimal pairs for aspiration: ka vs kha, ta vs tha, pa vs pha.
- Rhythm tip: stress is light; keep syllables even.
- Script sprints: write 5 new letters a day for 5 minutes.
Core phrases: all the basics you’ll use every day
Learn high-frequency chunks first. Say them out loud, then plug in new words. Keep each phrase short and useful.
Use polite forms with most adults (aap). Switch to tu/tum only with friends or children.
- Namaste. Hello.
- Mera naam Alex hai. My name is Alex.
- Aap kaise hain? (male) / Aap kaisi hain? (female) How are you?
- Haan/nahin. Yes/no.
- Kripya dhire boliye. Please speak slowly.
- Mujhe samajh nahin aaya. I didn’t understand.
- Mujhe paani chahiye. I want water.
- Yeh kitne ka hai? How much is this?
- Shauchalay kahan hai? Where is the toilet?
- Dhanyavaad/Shukriya. Thank you.
Grammar that gets you speaking fast
Hindi word order is Subject–Object–Verb: Main chai peeta hoon. I tea drink. Keep the verb at the end. Postpositions follow nouns: ghar mein (in the house), doston ke saath (with friends).
Gender (masc/fem) affects adjectives and some verbs. For now, learn set phrases and copy patterns. The verb ‘to be’ in the present is often ‘hai’ (is/are).
- I want X: Mujhe X chahiye. (Mujhe chai chahiye.)
- I need X: Mujhe X ki zaroorat hai.
- I like X: Mujhe X pasand hai.
- I am going to X: Main X ja raha hoon/rahi hoon. (m/f)
- Past quick start: Main gaya/gayi. I went. Main khaya/khayi. I ate.
- Questions: Kya + sentence? Kya aap angrezi bolte/bolti hain?
Practice that sticks + free resources
Use a tight loop: listen, repeat, record, compare. Shadow short clips daily. Create 2–3 role-plays (ordering food, asking prices, directions) and act them out in minutes.
Resources: pick one beginners book, one audio source, and one printable. Keep it simple so you actually use them all.
- Free pdf: make a one-page checklist of 50 phrases and 20 verbs; print and review daily.
- Beginners book: choose a course with audio (dialogues + exercises).
- Audio ideas: beginner podcasts, Bollywood songs with lyrics, news headlines at slow speed.
- Speaking buddy: 10 minutes on a language app or weekly exchange.
- Labels: put Hindi words on 10 items at home; say them each morning.
- Weekly test: record a 60-second monologue about your day, then rewrite weak lines.
FAQ
- Can I really learn to speak Hindi in 30 days?
- Yes, you can reach beginner conversation. In 30 days, focus on greetings, introductions, shopping, travel questions, and polite requests. Fluency takes longer, but you can hold short, clear chats if you practice daily.
- How many minutes should I study each day?
- Aim for 20–30 minutes. Split it: 10 minutes phrases, 5 minutes pronunciation, 5 minutes speaking drills, 5 minutes review. Add optional listening while commuting or walking.
- Do I need to learn Devanagari, or can I use English letters?
- Start with romanization to speak fast, but learn Devanagari in the first 10 days. It helps with accurate pronunciation and lets you read signs, menus, and beginner materials.
- Where can I find a free pdf or a good beginners book?
- Search for a free pdf phrase list or cheat sheet to print. For books, look for beginner courses with audio, like a teach-yourself style book with dialogues and exercises. Keep one primary source to avoid overload.
- How can I practice speaking if I have no partner?
- Shadow audio, record yourself, and do timed role-plays. Read dialogues aloud, then replace words to make new lines. Post a 60-second diary audio daily and compare it week by week.