हिन्दी
hindī/ɦɪn.d̪iː/feminine
The word Hindi, the name of the language, is हिन्दी (hindī) in Hindi. If unsure, use हिन्दी. Wiktionary also lists हिंदी (hindī) and हिंदी भाषा (hindī bhāṣā).
Meaning: language (name)
Ways to say it
| Hindi | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| हिन्दी | hindī | /ɦɪn.d̪iː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| हिंदी | hindī | /ɦɪn.d̪iː/ (Hindi, Standard) | feminine |
| हिंदी भाषा | hindī bhāṣā | /ɦɪn.d̪iː bʱɑː.ʂɑː/ (Hindi, Standard, word by word) | feminine |
| हिन्दी भाषा | hindī bhāṣā | /ɦɪn.d̪iː bʱɑː.ʂɑː/ (Hindi, Standard, word by word) | feminine |
हिन्दी is the name of the language and is used just like Hindi in English, for example when you ask whether someone speaks it or say what script it is written in.
Which one should you use?
There are two correct spellings, हिन्दी and हिंदी. The second one writes the n sound as a dot above the letter, and both are pronounced the same. हिन्दी भाषा (hindī bhāṣā) adds the word for language and sounds more explicit, so it often appears in academic or official writing.
How does it change in a sentence?
हिन्दी is feminine, so verbs and adjectives that agree with it take feminine endings.
How do you pronounce it?
It is pronounced /ɦɪn.d̪iː/, in two syllables. The d is soft, made with the tongue against the upper teeth and the final vowel is a long ee sound.
Did you know?
- Many people in India refer to हिन्दी and उर्दू (urdū) as the same language, हिन्दुस्तानी (hindustānī), when spoken in a common everyday style.
- The name हिन्दी actually comes from Persian and Arabic rather than from an ancient Indian language like Sanskrit.
- While English speakers often use 'Hindi' to refer to the language, in its own language, the word can also mean 'Indian' or 'pertaining to India' in a historical context.
Examples in context
- क्या आप हिन्दी बोल सकते हैं?Can you speak Hindi?This is a polite way to ask whether someone can speak हिन्दी.
- हिन्दी देवनागरी लिपि में लिखी जाती है।Hindi is written in the Devanagari script.Here हिन्दी is the subject, and the verb takes a feminine ending to agree with it.
- हिंदी और उर्दू एक ही भाषा हैं।Hindi and Urdu are one language.This sentence uses the other spelling, हिंदी, with the dot above the first letter.Tatoeba #5131806 by eeyinn, translation #5131801 by eeyinn
- मैं नयी भाषा सीखना चाहता हूँ। शायद मैं हिंदी सीखूँ?I want to learn a new language. Maybe I should learn Hindi?
- हिंदी पढ़ना मुझे अच्छे से आता है।I am good at reading Hindi.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing language classes at a cafe.
- पूजा Poojaक्या आपको हिन्दी पसंद है?Kya aapko Hindi pasand hai?Do you like Hindi?
- विकास Vikasहाँ, मुझे हिन्दी सीखना अच्छा लगता है।Haan, mujhe Hindi seekhna achha lagta hai.Yes, I like learning Hindi.
- पूजा Poojaक्या आप हिन्दी में बात कर सकते हैं?Kya aap Hindi mein baat kar sakte hain?Can you speak in Hindi?
- विकास Vikasमैं थोड़ी बहुत हिन्दी बोल सकता हूँ।Main thodi bahut Hindi bol sakta hoon.I can speak a little bit of Hindi.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hindi” translations and entries हिन्दी, हिंदी, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (हिंदी, भाषा, हिन्दी) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries भाषा, हिंदी, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0, Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
