I have thoroughly enjoyed learning Hindi this semester. Although it has proven to be a challenging experience, it has been an enjoyable one. When I first started the semester off, I could barely say a single word in Hindi. I had often listened to Bollywood songs in Hindi but could never understand the meaning.
I think creating a learning plan during the first few weeks of the semester really helped me to structure my learning sessions well. I decided what it was that I wanted to learn in these next few weeks and what would be the most useful to me. There was so much that I wanted to learn, but then I realized I had a time constraint. So, I narrowed down the topics I really wanted to focus on, and what I would be able to utilize after this semester. Also, creating a list of goals allowed me to be aware of what I learned and what I still needed to learn.
During my meetings with my language partner, I usually start by reviewing information I learned the previous week, and then start learning a new topic. I started the semester off by learning the sounds of letters. I then learned how to introduce myself and talk about my family. Later, I learned to describe my interests and myself. So, if I were to meet someone or have small talk I would be able to say my name, where I am from, how many siblings I have, and my interests. Recently I have learned how to order food if I go to a restaurant. There is a distinction between formal and informal language. If we are speaking to our siblings or friends, we can use the pronoun “tum.” However, if we are speaking to elders, new people, etc, we use the pronoun “aap,” which is more formal. Body language is also important when communicating with people from India. For example, Indians tend to bob their head a lot in response to a yes or no question. Learning about body language and culture from my language partner allowed me to better understand communication.
Whenever I learn new vocabulary, I sound out the letters and repeat the word several times. This helps me practice the pronunciation as well as help store the word in my memory. I try to make flashcards as well for new words. In addition, I downloaded an app. on my phone for learning Hindi words. It’s a quick way for me to practice learning words when I don’t always have my notes on me. I also practice speaking with my friends who know Hindi. In addition, I watch Bollywood movies as well as listen to Bollywood music to help my speaking and comprehension skills. Sometimes, I am able to pick up random words in the songs or movies that I have previously learned. During one of my language lessons, when I was learning body parts, my language partner would play a popular Bollywood song, and have me point out words that I recognized. It was a very fun and effective way for me to review the vocabulary. Recently, I have been learning how to structure sentences. For example, in Hindi, the verb always comes at the end.
I realize I tend to forget words or concepts I learned if I do not practice them in someway a day or so after my language session. Also, setting a time to practice Hindi everyday has helped me stick to a routine and proved to be quite effective. Earlier in the semester, I would not study on my own as much. Later, I realized I need to be more self-motivated if I want to learn everything on my learning plan. I have found watching mini YouTube tutorial lessons has helped me review material I learn during my sessions. It is also a fun, interactive way to learn, as there are many children’s videos. For the remainder of the semester, I want to continue to learn the rest of what I anticipated on my learning plan as well as achieve all my goals. I want to be able to practice speaking a few phrases at a time. I want to try more discussion back-and-forth with my language partner and actually practice having conversations. After this class is over, I hope to continue practicing Hindi, by interacting with my peers, watching movies, etc. This class has allowed me to further explore my language learning abilities and has provided me helpful techniques that I will continue to utilize.
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