Top 3 Common Mistakes Foreigners Make when Learning Hindi (And How to Fix Them)

I have been teaching Hindi to beginners and foreigners all over the world, and there are some common mistakes that I have noticed repeating again and again. Here, I am listing the common mistakes in learning Hindi so you can avoid these errors while learning Hindi.

Firstly, don’t try to do literal word-by-word translation when learning Hindi. Is that difficult? Yes, and I know that the most intuitive thing for our brain to do is to do word-by-word translation of each sentence and put it together. But languages all over the world have evolved and taken their form in their own unique ways. The sentence structure is different, the literal translation of a word may take up some other meaning in a sentence, and the depth of vocabulary itself varies for different languages. A common example is how “you” in English has three different forms in Hindi : tu, tum, and aap,  depending on who you are speaking with. 

One thing which I have noticed as immensely helpful to my students to overcome this error is by never teaching them Hindi as a translation project. I never explain a grammar rule or a new vocabulary by doing a literal translation from English. Secondly, immersing yourself in Hindi through social media, movies, and conversations helps your brain register how the language works. It’s wonderful how our brain registers these patterns. And obviously, a structured understanding of the sentence structure and formation in Hindi is required, e.g., is the verb towards the end of Hindi sentences or the beginning? Where do we generally place the subject? Knowing the answer to these helps you whenever you get stuck.

But all of this will fall flat if you ignore the cultural nuances of the language. Like I said, all the languages in the world have evolved in their own contexts, and that context impacts the language as well. Ignoring the cultural nuances of language is the second mistake which foreigners make while learning Hindi. Don’t learn Hindi in isolation from its cultural context. Understanding culture not only makes you more fluent but also helps you grasp aspects of the language that may not make logical sense otherwise.For example, why do I say aap kaise hain (how are you) when I am asking “how are you” to my father-in-law when I know that kaisa is singular and kaise is plural? It does not add up.

That’s because he is elder to me, I am being respectful, and in the Hindi language, we treat elders as plural. Think of it as them having more weight in their persona. Or why do I say mujhe pasand hai ( i like ) when I know main is “I” and mujhe means “to me.” These aspects become more relatable when you understand them in juxtaposition with the cultural nuance.

One on One Hindi Lesson in progress with Namastey Hindi

Third, the trap of “pure shuddh Hindi.” I understand that a lot of Hindi learners aspire to speak pure Hindi, but firstly, what counts as pure Hindi is itself a big topic of debate in India. Secondly, understand if the “pure Hindi” goal aligns with your learning motivation. Do native speakers speak the Hindi you read in books? No! No one on the road is saying kripya and vartalaap.So if you are learning Hindi to talk with Indian friends, relatives, or locals in India, your focus should be on real-life conversational Hindi that people actually speak. And the great thing about that is that Hindi is a flexible language. Don’t hesitate to speak if you don’t know the Hindi word vidyalaya. You know the word school, say that and complete your sentence in Hindi. And guess what? The native speaker next to you is also going to be using the word school. Don’t get trapped in the pursuit of perfection to start speaking Hindi. It’s a vicious circle, and you may end up not speaking at all.

If you are committed to learning Hindi as a beginner and want to focus on real, conversational Hindi, feel free to book a free Hindi trial lesson with me. Feel free to reach out to me on Instagram or mail or Facebook :) I promise I will reply.

By Ekta Rawat

Hi, I’m Ekta , the creator of Namastey Hindi. I help people learn real-life practical Hindi so they can speak Hindi confidently.

I hold an MA in Hindi, but more importantly, I love making the language feel simple, friendly, and stress-free. Over the years, I’ve taught learners from all over the world and watching them speak even a few lines of Hindi with a big smile is my favorite part of this journey.

I keep Hindi practical and full of heart.If you ever want personalized guidance, I’d love to help you.

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