Elementary Hindi: (MP3 Audio CD Included) Hardcover – December 10, 2009

About 6 months ago I decided I wanted to teach myself Hindi after I discovered a free learning site through the library. From there, I checked out several learning books and tapes from the library. I also downloaded information from some free learning Internet sites. I found that some books were transliterating a few words with different English letters ( a long "I" might become "ee", for example), so I began checking out Hindi learning books on Amazon.In December, I purchased Elementary Hindi with audio MP3s and Elementary Hindi Workbook. I based my purchase decision on the fact that the textbook was almost 8 1/2 x 11 inches, so I might not have to read Hindi script type so small that I could not accurately read or write it. Secondly, the book preview showed each script character drawn in large enough font, with arrows depicting each stroke so I could precisely write each script character. The final reason for my decision to buy was that the textbook and workbook began the first chapter with only a few script characters, not the whole alphabet. Even though I appreciate the books that do start with the entire alphabet, for me I thought it would be easier to learn. Two weeks after I received my books, I decided to purchase Hindi In A Flash, Volume 1, flashcards. The cards are beautiful, and although I am not yet ready to use them, I treasure them.I am extremely pleased that I bought these books for the above reasons and many more. I am a slow learner so I can learn in small pieces. Lesson 1 is broken into small segments that are manageable. It introduces a few consonants and a few vowels. Then the student is guided to the workbook and to listen to the MP3 which slowly gives accurate pronunciation by a Hindi speaker of each vowel introduced, and the consonants paired with the vowels. I may only spend a few minutes a day or in a week, but each time I play the MP3s, I hear each consonant, vowel, or word more accurately. At first I couldn't keep up with the time element allowed to pronounce, but I am now beginning to keep up.I am currently working on Lesson 1 which introduces Rules for Pronunciation, a small vocabulary using the newly introduced script. When I began trying to read the practice vocabulary, I found that I was expecting to see a transliteration pronunciation guide. It wasn't there, so I searched the Internet and found out the term "Romanagari" and difficulties one can encounter translating text and how easy it is to spell the intended word incorrectly or come up with an inaccurate translation. So I am happy that these books are nudging me to learn the Hindi script. There are several appendices in the back of the book as well as a small glossary. The workbook contains answer keys in the back of the book.I am highly confident that Elementary Hindi, the MP3s, the Workbook, and the Flashcards will be my foundation to accurately read, write, and speak Hindi even if there turn out to be variations. I am quite content that the workbook is not included in the main learning book, as it might have become confusing. In the main book, the Practice words are closely related so that maybe later they might not be mixed up. The Rules for Pronunciation and the Grammar rules are written succinctly and illustrated in a manner that makes the meanings clear.Since beginning Lesson 1, I find it easier to look at other Hindi books, even though I don't understand everything, they are becoming more understandable, and I am more relaxed. It's fun to go exploring. I received an e-mail the other day which had a picture of part of a Hindi newspaper, and I was able to decipher some of the script characters and a person's name.I have no Hindi speakers in my life at present--maybe someday. However, one day when I was riding the bus, there were several Hindi couples chatting and laughing in their native language. There was so much life in their conversation, I found it attractive.Online I found out that Windows Character Map has some foreign language fonts, so if I only have an English keyboard, I can insert a few letters into my text. Here is one: नमस्ते. I found these characters under Arial Unicode MS.

Excellent, adult, sophisticated, and seemingly comprehensive, this text has really impressed me so far. Its inclusion of linguistic terminology is excellent (though perhaps daunting if you’ve never been exposed to such; while I’m new to Hindi, I’ve studied several other languages), and its eschewing of excess Roman script, at least equally so. It’s a book that immediately draws in the learner. धन्यवाद, Elementary Hindi! मुझे यह किताब बहुत पसंद है!

Exactly as the book says - Elementary Hindi. It's fantastic!When I started, I honestly thought I would never learn the Devanagari script or the pronunciation. It was so bewildering. But this book really makes it simple. It breaks things down and makes everything big and clear. The workbook (separate purchase) is a really great addition for extra practice.Summary:Pros: easy to use, friendly, makes a very intimidating script and pronunciation simple, holds your hand through the journey, fantastic hard cover bookCons: this isn't really a con, but this book won't get you speaking fluent Hindi. It is what it says - Elementary Hindi. I firmly believe that this is the best book to begin with. If you want to get further, I recommend Complete Hindi - but that can be used after this.Final point: get the hard cover book! It's so much easier flicking through pages (which you will do a lot when learning the alphabet)

First of all, this book cannot be used alone. You also need the workbook, because the CD that comes with the book is for the workbook only. I do not find the CD very useful as the words are spoken quickly with not enough time to repeat them after the speaker. As Hindi asks us to learn a host of new sounds we are not familiar with, hearing the words once and in quick succession does not help me.Second, the book is perfectly suited for people who like to study grammar before learning the language. It systematically covers grammar with practically no practice sentences. You get some practice sentences in the workbook but mostly you have to deduce them from the grammar you studied in the book. As this is not my way of studying a new language, the book is not very useful to me. I would rather have lots of conversations, sentences, and examples and then deduce the grammar myself, maybe with a bit of help from a book. By concentrating on grammar, the book does not give me a feeling for the language. The whole learning process becomes very mechanical.Third, in order to slowly introduce us to the Devanagari script, the authors teach only a few new letters in each chapter, which would be perfect if the words associated were more useful. Instead of using simple everyday words that we can then use in a sentence, we get a host of words that fit the available letters but are not useful for conversation. For example, the first three lessons introduce us to words like faith, lotus, betel leaf, prayer, vomit, together with more useful words. No practice sentences are given. We are then asked to work through the exercises in the workbook. They provide sentences in Devanagari script that we have to translate. That's okay, but of course I have not memorized the long list of words, so I now have to search for those that are actually being used in the sentences.About Devanagari: The authors use Devanagari script only. No transliterations. And the script is introduced a dozen letters a time, which I think is an excellent approach. Those letters are then pronounced, letter by letter, on the CD that comes with the workbook (not with the book).Summary: Although I do not like the book, I gave the book three stars because I believe it can be very useful for people who like a systematic, very orderly and structured approach to language learning. This book and the workbook with CD are the opposite of the Pimsleur approach.I may return to this book at a later point when I have a better command of the language and need additional help with grammar, but for the beginning this book is too frustrating to me.

यह मेरी पसंदीदा पुस्तकों में से एक है

Muy completo y a buen precio . Además tiene un CD para hacer ejercicios de escuchar y contestar en el libro.

Excelente livro. Ótima didática, layout e conteúdo impecáveis.

Fast delivery， arrived before the proposed day. This is the last book left but it has plastic cover and protect the book well. Good seller sent me a nice book.

I guess everyone learns differently, but for me the book has been superb. I also purchased the Workbook and the two together are necessary, I would say, if you really want to progress as effectively as possible in your learning journey. I have found the chapters very well structured for progressive learning of Hindi letters, pronunciation, vocab and grammatical principles. Also, I didn’t have any problems with the CD -I loaded it onto iTunes and have found the sound quality absolutely fine and help with my learning of Hindi pronunciation.I’ve learnt a number of languages to a basic level over the years and have found this to be the best book for learning a language out of all I have encountered. If you want to learn Hindi in an in-depth way (ie building up by learning grammatical principles), then I highly recommend this book. If you want to maybe learn for a trip abroad, it may be a little heavy going. I wish all language tutors were like this book. Top marks for what I needed.

I think this is a very good book to learn Hindi from, including the Devanagari script. Do also buy the workbook and flash cards. It is certainly one of the best textbooks on Hindi since Fairbanks published his textbook in the 1960s.