There are a plethora बहुतायत of sources to learn Hindi!  But all these sources great? Or effectiveप्रभावशाली? The most effective method for learning Hindi is via an authentic source. Why, you ask?

Current Trends

Apps and Textbooks are great but can you really learn the nuances अति सूक्ष्म अंतरof language and dialects through apps? Although, it can help you learn handy phrases quickly apps work great if they replicate a portion of what you have learned in the text. They cannot explain grammar व्याकरणpoints or cultural nuances in detail when learning. There is also the danger of learning the wrong thing. For example, there are three levels of addressing someone in Hindi, informalअनौपचारिक, formalऔपचारिक, and honorific level. Can an app distinguish between all three and tell you when to use which one? Whereas an authentic विश्वसनीयsource such as a newspaper article or a news report on television can not only help with grammar and vocabulary but also help you learn the regional dialects and the culture of a state in which the language is spoken.

Texts are great as they teach core grammar principles व्याकरण के सिद्धांतvery well. Forming a sentence, the basic structure of sentences and tenses, etc.

In addition to learning great grammar principles, textbooks allow you to practice these principles in the form of exercises. There are many textbooks पाठ्यपुस्तक out there that allow for practice – for example, Kavita Kumar has texts as well as exercise books.

But, textbooks don’t necessarily teach you real-world Hindi.  They don’t teach slang, colloquialisms, popular trendy phrases.

Authentic Sources

An authentic source is one that is written by a native speaker and for native speakers. Learning Hindi from authentic sources is great! Why? There are cultural nuances, colloquialismsबोलचाल, slang, trending words and phrases, references to movies, and popular culture.

Here are a few authentic sources to learn Hindi.

1. Newspapers: The Navbharat Times and Dainik Jagran are great newspapers. Written in Hindi, they have interesting articles, videos, and news from the little towns and cities of North India. They cover topics ranging from news to tech, social, lifestyle, and business.  The language is at a lower intermediateमध्यम level. It is a great resource for learning new vocabulary.
2. Blogs: Here is a list of the top Hindi blogs to learn Hindi. Blogs are useful as you get a taste of how the locals speak and think. Therefore, you learn cultural nuances, local lingo, and of course the particular socio-cultural psycheमानस of the people in a particular region.
3. Podcasts: Are also wonderful for honing your listening skills. Learn pronunciation उच्चारणand inflectionsविभक्ति in tone for certain topics. Podcasts are also great to learn about regional and cultural differences in Hindi as well as local dialects.
4. Poems and Songs: are also great ways to memorize यादphrases and proverbs. Hindi has classic beautiful poems with colorful and descriptive वर्णनात्मकvocabulary.
5. Movies: There is nothing like a Bollywood movie to entertain you while teaching you the current trends in the Hindi language!

In summary, while textbooks and apps, language school, and tutors are all good in their own way, it is only when you use authentic sources for learning that you can acquire real-world language skills in Hindi.