8 Exciting Reasons to Study Hindi

Most people choose to study foreign languages because learning a certain language will benefit them in some way. While it’s true that any language learning will challenge your mind and expand your horizons, some languages offer more benefits than others. Hindi is one such language.

Reasons to Study Hindi:

1. You’ll Be Able to Have a Conversation with Half a Billion New Friends

One of the main reasons that most people want to learn a language is to be able to communicate with more people around the world. Over half a billion people around the globe speak Hindi, making it the second most commonly spoken language on Earth. It’s also the official language of India.

2. You’ll Be in Good Company

Hindi, being the official language of the second-biggest country on the planet, makes it an attractive option for people who want to learn an additional language. Up to 200 million people speak Hindi as their second language. If you become fluent, you’ll be joining a rather large and eclectic club, and since so many people are learning, you won’t struggle to find someone to practice with online.

3. You’ll Be Working in India

Moving to India for work purposes is quite common. It’s 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. Not only will learning basic Hindi help you communicate better, but having these connections to native speakers will also help you practice your Hindi skills as you go. Most native speakers are more than happy to help, so if you have any questions for the Hindi speakers in your work environment, don’t be afraid to ask!

4. You’ll Have Additional Professional Opportunities

Learning any new language is going to sharpen your resume and impress potential employers, but studying Hindi could have additional benefits. Since the language is so commonly spoken, some universities, businesses and governments are offering special opportunities for those who can speak it fluently.

5. You’ll Be Able to Enjoy Bollywood Films

When most people think of the heart of the film industry, they picture Hollywood, California. However, India’s thriving film industry is becoming a big competitor. In 2012, people bought over 2.6 billion tickets to see Bollywood films, which are known for their flashy musical numbers and over-the-top drama.

If you study Hindi, you’ll have access to films you might have missed out on otherwise. While it’s certainly possible to watch foreign films with subtitles, you’ll have a better viewing experience if you can understand what’s being said. In turn, watching Bollywood films is an excellent way to pick up on the subtle nuances of the language while you’re still learning.

6. You’ll be Deepening Your Spirituality

Hindi is used in a lot of meditative chants. If you’re interested in starting a meditation practice, learning the language could go hand in hand. Many spiritual texts are written in Hindi, not to mention countless fictional tales, poetry collections and other written works. Of all the languages you could learn, Hindi has the potential to open your mind to a truly special world.

7. You’ll Be Marrying into a Culture

Most articles on language learning focus on studying for the purposes of self-improvement, career development or brain health. Those are all wonderful reasons, but there’s another aspect that’s less commonly talked about, and that’s falling in love with someone from another culture.

If you’re an English speaker with a Hindu speaker for a partner, you might wish to learn your partner’s language in an effort to communicate better. This situation will increase your chances of succeeding since you’ll always have a native speaker around to practice with.

8. You’ll Be Prepping to Learn Other Languages in the Future

Some people fear that attempting to learn a variety of languages will confuse their minds and mess them up, but it doesn’t work that way. The more you study languages in general, the easier it will be for you to continue to learn them from there.

This is because you’ll have developed:

• Confidence in your ability to learn a language.
• Skills and study techniques that will help boost the learning process.
• Cognitive abilities and an understanding of language structure.