There are always a number of great reasons for learning practically any foreign language, and each learner’s choice depends on their individual reasons. Although Hindi might seem a little intimidating with its ‘exotic’ script, it is actually not that hard to master and a language well worth learning.
In this article, we will take a look at some of the great reasons for learning Hindi.
It is one of the world’s top languages
There are around 350 million native speakers of Hindi, which makes it the fourth biggest language in the world by the number of native speakers.
Almost 300 million people all over the world speak Hindi as a foreign language, which brings the total number of speakers to around 650 million, making Hindi the third most widespread language on the planet.
So if you’re looking to learn a new language, you know that with Hindi, you’ll have plenty of people to practice speaking with across a number of different countries. On top of that, Hindi is the most commonly spoken language in India, which solidifies its place as one of the most important languages of south-east Asia.
It offers great career opportunities
India is a country with a booming economy and an ever-growing influence. As such, anyone looking to do business in south-east Asia would do very well to add Hindi to their resume, as it is a crucial language used when doing business in India.
Moving to India for work purposes is quite common. It is a big country with a variety of industries, from tourism to technology. Whether you’ll be doing graphic design for a resort in Mumbai or managing a technology firm in New Delhi, being fluent in Hindi will be highly beneficial.
The same could be said for those who live in English-speaking countries and work with people from India. Since so many tech jobs are currently being outsourced to the country, you might end up having regular phone calls with members of your team who speak Hindi.
It is not as hard as it seems
The Devanagari script used to write Hindi can be intimidating at first but it is also very phonetic and well-suited to the language. The words in Hindi are pronounced just as they are written down. This can be a real advantage when learning a language, as it makes picking up new words and developing your vocabulary much easier.
Hindi grammar is also fairly regular, as long as you have patience and show some effort, you can master it well without any trouble.
You will be able to enjoy Bollywood and Indian culture
Bollywood, as the Hindi film industry is commonly known, is a huge resource for anyone wanting to learn Hindi. Bollywood films are known for their flashy musical numbers and over-the-top drama and can be quite a lot of fun. Watching films can also be a great way to gain insight into the culture of a country, and also can help your language learning.
If you’re not a fan of films or want to experience and learn about a country’s culture in other ways, then learning Hindi can give you a wonderful insight into India’s culture, for example through its literature, art, or music. Don’t forget the amazing architecture, deep spiritual roots, and delicious spicy food.
It expands your traveling opportunities
While some say that you don’t really need to learn the local language to travel (especially given that many people in India speak English), it can also be argued that knowledge of Hindi will provide for a much better, deeper, and more authentic travel experience.
You will be able to get around easier, get off the beaten tourist path, explore lesser-known sights, and make friends with the locals.
Knowledge of Hindi will help you in your travels in India as well as in other South-Asian countries.
It can help you learn other languages
Hindi is a great language to learn for aspiring polyglots. Learning Hindi can help you learn Urdu and other related languages within the Indo-Iranian language group. As related languages tend to, these languages share some vocabulary and have certain grammatical similarities. If you master Hindi, learning Urdu, Sanskrit, Bengali, or Gujarati will be a little easier.
It is good for your brain
Learning a foreign language is to our brains what exercising is to our bodies: it helps our brains stay young, ‘fit’ and healthy much longer. And while it is true for any foreign language, why not learn Hindi – a beautiful world language that offers great career and travel opportunities, as well as an insight into a unique and rich culture?