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Expressing your Emotions or Feelings in Hindi Posted by Nitya on Apr 22, 2018
As we go about life, we humans are overcome by a variety of emotions every day. Some of them may be routine irritations like mild anger at a bad driver or traffic; sometimes it may be happiness or pleasure; at other times it could be something as strong fear. In Hindi, an emotion or feeling…
Increasing Word Choice and Meaning with Synonyms Posted by Nitya on Apr 15, 2018
I was working with some adult English learners last week. As in every class, there are the early-finishers and this class was no exception. While the rest of the class was working on learning the names of objects in a department store, I put the early finisher to a challenge — to use the newly-acquired…
If … Then. Conditional Statements/Clauses Posted by Nitya on Mar 30, 2018
Conditional clauses convey the dependence of one event upon another. Why should you learn conditional clauses in Hindi? Well, when you are in a new place, things don’t always go as planned. Instead of keeping your host waiting, it’s good to convey the “if” and “when” in your plan. Here are some common and useful…
The use of Metaphors, Similes in Hindi using References to Nature Posted by Nitya on Mar 20, 2018
Songs from Hindi cinema are filled with metaphors, and many of these are derived from nature. Newfound love नया प्यार (nayaa pyaar) is compared to the first rain पहली बारिश (pehli baarish) of the season. Loneliness तन्हाई (tanhaai) is likened to the desert रेगिस्तान (registaan). Impending trouble or sorrow दुःख-दर्द (dukh-dard) hangs overhead like rain clouds मेघ (megh). Youth जवानी (jawaani)…
An Indian Breakfast Posted by Nitya on Mar 10, 2018
Families begin their day with a hot beverage like tea, coffee, or milk, and a substantial breakfast that keeps you satiated until lunch time . Especially for school-going children, this is important since the practice of “snack time” in the mid-morning isn’t very commonly observed. When I was in school, my breakfast would comprise a…
Tales from the Panchatantra Posted by Nitya on Feb 20, 2018
The Panchatantra is an ancient collection of animal fables from India. Surviving works have been dated back to 300 BC although the stories themselves are believed to be much older. Currently, the Panchatantra is considered to be the most widely translated Indian text around the world, including Persian, Arabic, and European languages. Written in…
Finding your way … or an address Posted by Nitya on Feb 11, 2018
I’ve always admired the mailmen and women of India’s vast postal network. That they are able to navigate the country’s labyrinthine and often chaotic sprawl of addresses (pataa sing.), is nothing short of a feat. Many a times, rural addresses bear no more than the name of the person, with other landmarks like “next to…