Hindi is a direct descendant of Sanskrit through Prakrit and Apabhramsha which emerged in the 7th century. Approximately six hundred million people speak Hindi, as either a first or second language. It is ranked among the five most widely spoken languages of the world. Along with English, it is the official language of India and Uttar Pradesh. More than 180 million people in India regard Hindi as their mother tongue. Another 300 million use it as second language.

Hindi has been influenced and enriched by Dravidian, Turkish, Farsi, Arabic, Portuguese and English. It is a very expressive language to write poems and songs as it can convey emotions using simple and gentle words.

Hindi has been influenced and enriched by Dravidian, Turkish, Farsi, Arabic, Portuguese and English. It is a very expressive language to write poems and songs as it can convey emotions using simple and gentle words.

Historically, it was synonymous with Hindui, Hindawi, Rexta, and Rexti. The terms Urdu and Hindustani are also employed to refer to this language. However, these labels denote a mixed speech spoken around the area of Delhi which gained popularity during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries as a contact language between the Arabs, Afghans, Persian and Turks, and native residents.

Some notable literary figures of Hindi are Kabir, Surdas, and Tulsidas.

Dialects of Hindi: Marwari, Braj, Bundeli, Kanauji, Urdu, Chattisgarhi, Bagheli, Avadhi, Bhojpuri and many others.

Facts About Hindi

• Hindi shares with English and most other European languages the same ancestral roots. They evolved from a language thought to have been spoken in Central Asia around 5,000 BC, called by linguists the Indo-European parent language. For this reason (and because of the 200-year influence of the British in India), many basic words in Hindi are the same as or similar to their equivalent in English.

• The primary source of Hindi is Sanskrit, one of the most ancient spoken and written languages in the world and one of the earliest members of the Indo-European language family. Like Sanskrit, Hindi is written in the Dev Naagari script, which is common to several other Indian languages as well. Much of the vocabulary of Hindi comes from Sanskrit, though Hindi also has a special relationship with Urdu. Their grammar and much of their vocabulary are virtually identical.

• Hindi is a rich and melodic language, spoken, written and studied widely throughout the world. Learning it will open the door to a fascinating and diverse culture that spans thousands of years of uninterrupted history.

• More than 600 million people speak the Hindi language, not only in India but also in almost every other country in the world.

• A country of innumerable languages and dialects, India has chosen Hindi as its national language.

• Pronunciation in Hindi is relatively easy since, unlike English, letters are always pronounced exactly the same way. Once you've learned it, you've got it!