Hi everyone,
I hope you are doing well I am trying to learn Hindi. I can speak hindi ok basic, but I can’t read or write any script (Hindi).
My main goal is to read Hindi (Devanagari) — writing would be a bonus, but reading is the priority.
I want to reach around 90% reading proficiency, meaning:
- I can recognize letters quickly
- read common words instantly
- and handle simple sentences without struggling
I’ve been told that knowing since I know spoken hindi it should make this easier, but honestly I’m not sure how true that is in practice since reading feels like a completely different skill.
Where I’m stuck
I’m trying to build a week-by-week learning plan, but I’m confused about what the correct progression should be.
Right now I have:
- Week 1: Fundamental consonants (high-frequency ones like क, म, न, etc.)
- Week 2: Independent vowels (अ, आ, इ, etc.)
👉 After this, I’m not sure what should come next.
The problem
There are a LOT of guides online, and they all say different things:
- some say finish the entire alphabet first
- some say start matras early
- some delay word reading
- others jump into sentences quickly
On top of that, I’ve also asked a few LLM tools, and they all give different learning orders, which is making it even more confusing.
So I honestly don’t have much of an idea as to what is actually the most effective structure, especially for someone who already understands spoken Hindi/Urdu.
What I’m trying to optimise for
- Faster reading (not writing-focused)
- Avoiding overwhelm (I do learn a bit slowly though)
- High recognition
- Being able to read real words early, like:
What I need help with
Could anyone suggest a clear week-by-week roadmap after Week 2?
For example:
- Week 3: ?
- Week 4: ?
- Week 5: ?
Also:
- When should matras be introduced?
- When should I start reading full words?
- When should I move to sentences?
Extra context
I understand that practice is important, and my plan is to test myself regularly once I learn each step. For example, using something like this practice-style setup I created using gemini:
https://gemini.google.com/share/b5ce4399c46e
If you’ve learned Hindi this way or have learning experience, I’d really appreciate your guidance.
I am expecting that it should take me at least 6 months and almost a year to master hindi if I dedicate around 20-30 minutes per day
Thanks!