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…
Compound Verbs in Hindi: लेना/Lenaa (Part 2) Posted by Rachael on Mar 28, 2018
You’ll recall that we talked about Compound Verbs in Hindi last week. As a refresher, a compound verb is merely a (usually) two-word verb that includes a verb stem and an auxiliary verb. In a compound such as this, the auxiliary verb loses its primary meaning and, instead, adds a different shade of meaning to…
Compound Verbs in Hindi: देना/Denaa (Part 1) Posted by Rachael on Mar 21, 2018
There are many compound verbs in Hindi but, to begin, we will explore compound verbs formed with the auxiliary verb देना/denaa (to give). This and others like it are the easiest compound verbs to master and thus a good starting point for those just beginning to learn about this concept. Now, you may be wondering…
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)…
Shivrani Devi Premchand: A Shadow on The Stage Posted by Rachael on Mar 14, 2018
Most people familiar with Hindi literature (साहित्य/saahitya, masc. noun) readily recall the literary (साहित्यिक/saahityik) giant Munshi Premchand (or, Dhanpat Rai Shrivastav); yet, despite her contributions to Hindi literature and the Indian Independence movement, his wife Shivrani Devi, is much less renowned. Similarly, one of Premchand’s sons, Amrit Rai, composed a monumental biography (जीवनी/jeevani, fem. noun, or जीवन-चरित/jeevan charit…
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…
Sridevi (1963-2018): In Memoriam Posted by Rachael on Feb 28, 2018
On February 24th, 2018, the Hindi film industry and the citizens of India lost one of their brightest stars and most lovable personas: the actress (अभिनेत्री/abhinetri, fem. noun) Sridevi passed away (गुज़र जाना/guzar jaanaa) in Dubai while visiting for her nephew’s wedding. Once they learned of her passing, people in every corner of the globe…