Series: Hindi Samiti UK — Full Journey (JL to Level 1)
Phase 2: JL (UK Hindi Samiti) – Alphabet & Recognition — Part 8 of 48
Goal: Spot and say Hindi letters that look similar.
You’ll learn: How to recognise lookalike Hindi letters, their sounds, and simple words using them.
Warm-up (30 seconds): Can you spot the difference? Stretch your fingers and get ready to be a detective with Hindi letters!
Mission: Practise telling apart Hindi letters that look alike and try saying them clearly.
| Hindi (देवनागरी) | English | Transliteration |
|---|---|---|
| न | na | na |
| ण | ṇa (retroflex n) | ṇa |
| ड | da (hard d) | ḍa |
| ढ़ | rha | ṛha |
| ब | ba | ba |
| व | va | va |
| स | sa | sa |
| श | sha | sha |
| ड | da (hard d) | ḍa |
| ढ | dha (hard dh) | ḍha |
| ग | ga | ga |
| घ | gha | gha |
Audio pronunciation links:
- न (na) on Forvo
- ण (ṇa) on Forvo
- ड (ḍa) on Forvo
- ढ़ (ṛha) on Forvo
- ब (ba) on Forvo
- व (va) on Forvo
- स (sa) on Forvo
- श (sha) on Forvo
- ढ (ḍha) on Forvo
- ग (ga) on Forvo
- घ (gha) on Forvo
Example sentences:
- नल में जल है। (There is water in the tap.)
- बड़ा गधा है। (It is a big donkey.)
- वह घर है। (That is a house.)
- शेर जंगल में है। (The lion is in the jungle.)
- डमरू बज रहा है। (The drum is playing.)
- घड़ी चल रही है। (The clock is ticking.)
- सड़क लंबी है। (The road is long.)
- णगाड़ा बजाओ। (Play the big drum.)
- ढ़ोल बड़ा है। (The dhol is big.)
Practice exercises:
- Circle the letter that is different: न or ण?
- Say aloud: ब, व, ब, व
- Find and write the odd one out: स, श, स, स
- Point to ड and then to ढ on a Hindi chart.
- Match the sound: घ (gha) or ग (ga)?
Mini quiz:
- Which letter is “sha”? (श or स)
- What is the difference between न and ण?
- Which one is “va”: ब or व?
- How do you write “dha” in Hindi?
- Which is the retroflex n: न or ण?
Quiz answers (click to show)
- श
- ण is retroflex (dot under line), न is plain “na”
- व
- ढ
- ण
Helper note: Children may mix up similar-looking letters. Encourage them to trace, say, and spot these differences in print and real life.
Your Progress
🔤 Sound Star badge earned! Lessons completed: 8 of 48.
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Next: Learn Hindi: Common Consonants (क to म)