Hindi Language Flashcards: Learn Devanagari Script for Countries

Study Notes

What is Hindi?

Hindi is one of the official languages of India and is spoken by the majority of Indians. It is a part of the Indo-Aryan family of languages, which also includes Urdu and Sanskrit, and is the third most widely spoken native language in the world, after Mandarin and Spanish. Hindi is the primary language for more than 70% of the population in India and is the most commonly spoken language in the country.

Origin of Hindi

The origin of Hindi dates back to the ancient Sanskrit language, which has influenced many Indian languages, including Hindi. The speakers of this language have been living in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent for about 4,500 years. The name "Hindi" comes from the Persian words "Hind" and "stan," which mean "land of the Indus. The Hindus were the natives of India, and the name "Hindu" came from the Persian term "Hindu," which is derived from the Sanskrit word "Sindhu" and refers to the Indus River.

Hindi Script

The Hindi script is one of the few scripts in the world that has not been influenced by ancient Greek or Roman scripts. It is a descendant of the Brahmi script, which was used during the time of the Mauryan Dynasty (321-185 BC). The Devanagari script, which is used for writing Hindi, is the most widely used script in North India.

Hindi and Urdu

Hindi and Urdu are two closely related languages spoken in South Asia. While Hindi is the most widely spoken language in India, Urdu is the national language of Pakistan and is often referred to as the language of the Mughal court in India. The two languages share many written and spoken words, and there is no clear distinction between the two. However, there are some differences in grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary between the two languages.

Hindi in Other Countries

Hindi is not only spoken in India and Pakistan but is also spoken in other countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. There are many Hindi speakers in these countries, particularly in the United States, where there are more than 2 million people who speak Hindi.

In conclusion, Hindi is a significant language spoken by the majority of Indians and has played a crucial role in the country's history. It has evolved from the ancient Sanskrit language and has influenced many other Indian languages. The Hindi script is unique and has not been influenced by any other scripts. Hindi and Urdu are closely related languages, and while they share many similarities, there are some differences in grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary. Hindi is not only spoken in India and Pakistan but is also spoken in other countries, particularly in the United States.