How to Learn the Hindi Alphabet Through Tamil

Tamil is a language spoken in parts of Southern India, Singapore and Sri Lanka. You may think knowing Tamil will give you an advantage to learning the Hindi alphabet, but this may not be the case. Hindi is the primary official language of India, and spoken by more Indians than any other dialect. Learning the Hindi alphabet will help you master the Hindi language, which will allow you to communicate and connect with a wider population of Indian people.

Prepare yourself for a long-term project. Learning the Hindu language is not easy, even with a background in Tamil. Buy Hindi-to-Tamil and Tamil-to-Hindi dictionaries. If you are traveling to India, or planning to communicate in Hindi, be sure to start learning the alphabet awhile before your encounters with native speakers, giving yourself enough time to learn the language and gain enough proficiency to be understood.

Break the alphabet into sections. The Tamil alphabet contains 12 vowels and 18 consonants, while the Hindi alphabet contains 12 vowels and 33 consonants. Begin by learning the vowels. Understand the pronunciation and how they are used in conjunction with the other letters before moving on to the consonants.

Practice pronunciation. While Tamil and Hindi may sound similar to untrained ears, there are several nuances that native speakers of Hindi will pick up on if you're incorrect. Consider listening to a Hindi language CD to help with the pronunciation of the vowel and consonant blends.

Practice writing the letters of the Hindi alphabet. The more proficient you become at writing the letters, the easier it will be to create words once you master the alphabet. Try pronouncing the letters out loud as you write them to increase your spoken pronunciation, as well.

Practice pronouncing and writing common letter blends. Understanding how the letters work together will help with both writing and speaking the Hindi language.