Best Flashcard Sets to Learn Hindi Vocabulary (Devanagari, Romanization & Everyday Words)
Master the 480 most important everyday Hindi words across 15 thematic flashcard decks (CEFR A1–B2), complete with Devanagari script, IAST Romanization, aspirated consonant guides, gender patterns, postpositions, and spaced repetition routines.
Interactive Premade Curricula
Hindi Flashcard Decks (15)
Select any deck below to study cards with active recall, audio pronunciation, and FSRS spaced repetition, or filter by difficulty level.
Hindi — Greetings, Polite Words & Everyday Phrases
Hindi — Numbers, Days of the Week, Months & Time
Hindi — Home, Rooms, Furniture & Everyday Objects
Hindi — Food, Drinks, Meals & Ordering at a Restaurant
Hindi — Fruits, Vegetables & Supermarket Groceries
Hindi — Family, People, Friends & Relationships
Hindi — Clothing, Shoes, Accessories & Colors
Hindi — Body Parts, Health, Doctor & Pharmacy
Hindi — Animals, Pets, Nature & Weather
Hindi — Travel, Airport, Train, Hotel & Directions
Hindi — City Places, Shops, Money & Everyday Errands
Hindi — School, Work, Office, Tech & Professions
Hindi — Top 32 Essential Everyday Action Verbs
Hindi — Top 32 Essential Adjectives & Opposites
Hindi — Feelings, Emotions, Personality & Hobbies
Ready to start practicing Hindi right now?
Spoken by over 600 million people across India and a vibrant global diaspora, Hindi (हिन्दी — Hindī) is one of the world's most expressive, musical, and culturally rich languages. Whether you are learning Hindi to connect with family and heritage, travel through Delhi, Rajasthan, and Varanasi, collaborate with colleagues in Bengaluru and Mumbai, or enjoy Bollywood cinema and Hindustani music without subtitles, the secret to rapid progress is mastering concrete everyday vocabulary in thematic context.
Many beginners stall because they either rely solely on inconsistent English phonetic spellings (missing crucial sound distinctions) or spend months copying isolated alphabet charts without learning how to order चाय (cāy — tea) or ask for directions. When you study the first 480 high-frequency Hindi words across 15 Essential Thematic Flashcard Decks—with Devanagari script, precision Romanization, and real-life sentences side by side—both the script and the spoken language click into place simultaneously.
In this complete visual study guide, we break down the five core building blocks of Hindi grammar and pronunciation, then walk you step-by-step through all 15 Essential Thematic Hindi Flashcard Decks (480 core words total) on Flashcards World.
Why Learning Concrete Everyday Hindi Words First Works Best
1. The Phonetic Devanagari Script (देवनागरी)
Unlike English or French—where spelling and pronunciation often diverge wildly—Hindi's Devanagari (देवनागरी) script is an abugida that is nearly 100% phonetic. Once you know how the characters and vowel signs (mātrās) work, you can pronounce any word you read:
- Inherent Vowel (a): Every consonant carries a default short a sound (क = ka, ग = ga, म = ma, र = ra). At the end of a word (as in घर ghar "house" or फल phal "fruit"), that final short a is silent in spoken Hindi (schwa deletion).
- Attached Vowel Signs (Mātrās): Vowels attach directly to consonants as clear visual strokes—such as ा (-ā) in काम (kām — work), ि (-i) in दिल (dil — heart), ी (-ī) in पानी (pānī — water), ु (-u) in खुश (khush — happy), ू (-ū) in दूध (dūdh — milk), े (-e) in सेब (seb — apple), and ो (-o) in रोटी (roṭī — bread).
- Dual-Script Flashcard Advantage: Every Hindi flashcard on Flashcards World pairs Devanagari with Romanization (नमस्ते (namaste)), training your eye to recognize Devanagari word shapes while giving you instant pronunciation support.
2. Aspirated vs. Unaspirated Consonants (k/kh, g/gh, p/ph)
One of the most important breakthroughs for English speakers learning Hindi is mastering aspiration—the difference between pronouncing a consonant with zero puff of air (unaspirated) versus a strong, audible burst of breath (aspirated). In Hindi, aspiration changes the entire meaning of a word:
| Unaspirated (No Puff of Air) | Aspirated (Strong Puff of Air) | Dental vs. Retroflex Tip |
|---|---|---|
| क (k) — काम (kām) = work | ख (kh) — खाना (khānā) = food / to eat | Hold your palm in front of your mouth: feel no air on kām, and a strong puff on khānā. |
| ग (g) — गाजर (gājar) = carrot | घ (gh) — घर (ghar) = house / home | Voiced gh combines vocal-cord vibration with a breathy release (ghar, ghoṛā "horse"). |
| प (p) — पानी (pānī) = water | फ (ph / f) — फल (phal) = fruit | Unaspirated p in pānī and peṭ (stomach) vs. aspirated ph in phal and phūl (flower). |
| च (c / ch) — चाय (cāy) = tea | छ (chh) — छोटा (chhoṭā) = small | Cāy has a crisp, light ch, whereas chhoṭā releases a strong burst of air. |
| त / द (t / d — Dental) — दिल (dil) = heart | थ / ध (th / dh) — दूध (dūdh) = milk | Touch the tip of your tongue against the back of your upper teeth for dental t/d/th/dh, and curl it back to the roof of your mouth for retroflex ट / ठ / ड / ढ (टमाटर ṭamāṭar, ठंडा ṭhaṅḍā). |
3. Grammatical Gender Patterns (-ā Masculine vs. -ī Feminine)
Every Hindi noun is either masculine (पुल्लिंग) or feminine (स्त्रीलिंग), which affects adjectives, possessive words (मेरा merā / मेरी merī), and verb endings. Fortunately, Hindi gives you a high-accuracy phonological shortcut right in the word ending:
- Masculine
-āPattern (-आ): Nouns ending in -आ (-ā) are almost always masculine—such as कमरा (kamrā — room), दरवाज़ा (darvāzā — door), बेटा (beṭā — son), केला (kelā — banana), and कुत्ता (kuttā — dog). In the plural or before a postposition,-āshifts to-e(कमरे kamre, जूते jūte). - Feminine
-īPattern (-ई): Nouns ending in -ई (-ī) are almost always feminine—such as बेटी (beṭī — daughter), कुर्सी (kursī — chair), चाबी (cābī — key), रोटी (roṭī — flatbread), नदी (nadī — river), and बिल्ली (billī — cat) (with classic exceptions for male professions/liquids like पानी pānī "water"). - Adjective Agreement: Variable adjectives ending in
-āmatch the noun: बड़ा घर (baṛā ghar — big house) vs. बड़ी कक्षा (baṛī kakshā — big classroom).
4. Hindi Postpositions (में mein, पर par, से se, को ko) & SOV Word Order
Where English puts prepositions before the noun ("in the house", "on the table"), Hindi uses postpositions that come immediately after the noun, inside a Subject–Object–Verb (SOV) sentence structure:
- में (meiṅ) = in / inside → घर में (ghar meiṅ) = "in the house"; रसोई में (rasoī meiṅ) = "in the kitchen".
- पर (par) = on / at → मेज़ पर (mez par) = "on the table"; समय पर (samay par) = "on time".
- से (se) = from / with / by → बाज़ार से (bāzār se) = "from the market"; बस से (bas se) = "by bus".
- को (ko) = to / object marker → शरीर को (śarīr ko) = "to the body"; मुझको / मुझे (mujhe) = "to me".
- का / के / की (kā / ke / kī) = of / 's (possessive) → agrees in gender and number with the possessed noun (राम का भाई Rām kā bhāī vs. राम की बहन Rām kī bahan).
5. Polite Speech with आप (āp)
Hindi has three second-person pronouns for "you":
- आप (āp — Polite / Formal): Used with strangers, elders, colleagues, shopkeepers, and anyone you want to show respect to. Takes plural/respectful verb forms (आप कैसे हैं? āp kaise haiṅ? — "How are you?") and polite imperatives ending in -इए (-iye) like दीजिए (dījiye — please give), आइए (āiye — please come in), and बैठिए (baiṭhiye — please sit).
- तुम (tum — Familiar / Peer): Used among close friends, classmates, and younger family members.
- तू (tū — Intimate): Used only with very young children, poetry, prayer, or your closest childhood friend.
Golden Rule for Learners: Default to आप (āp) in every new conversation—it is universally polite and appreciated across India.
The 15 Essential Thematic Hindi Flashcard Decks (480 Core Words)
Each thematic deck below contains 32 carefully curated flashcards (15 decks × 32 cards = 480 core words & phrases). Study one deck every 2 days using Hindi Flashcards on Flashcards World.
Deck 1: Greetings, Polite Words & Everyday Phrases (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Essential Hindi greetings (Namaste, Suprabhāt, Śubh rātri), polite expressions of gratitude (Dhanyavād / Śukriyā), requests (Kṛpayā), apologies (Māf kījiye), and warm first-meeting questions using respectful आप (āp) verb forms. Why it matters: In India, opening a conversation with नमस्ते (namaste) and addressing strangers with polite आप (āp) immediately establishes warmth and cultural respect.
| Hindi Word (Devanagari) | Romanization (Phonetic) | Example Sentence (Devanagari & Romanized) | English Meaning & Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| नमस्ते | namaste | नमस्ते, आप कैसे हैं? (namaste, āp kaise haiṅ?) | Hello — Hello, how is your day? |
| सुप्रभात | suprabhāt | सुप्रभात, दिन शुभ हो (suprabhāt, din śubh ho) | Good morning — Good morning, did you sleep well? |
| नमस्कार | namaskār | नमस्कार, अंदर आइए (namaskār, andar āiye) | Good afternoon — Good afternoon, welcome to our shop. |
| शुभ रात्रि | śubh rātri | शुभ रात्रि, अच्छी नींद लें (śubh rātri, acchī nīnd leṅ) | Good night — Good night, sleep well tonight. |
| कृपया | kṛpayā | कृपया यहाँ बैठिए (kṛpayā yahāṅ baiṭhiye) | Please — Please pass me the water. |
| धन्यवाद | dhanyavād | आपकी मदद के लिए धन्यवाद (āpkī madad ke liye dhanyavād) | Thank you — Thank you for your kind help. |
| कोई बात नहीं | koī bāt nahīṅ | आपका स्वागत है (āpkā svāgat hai) | You're welcome — You're welcome, happy to help you. |
| सुनिए | suniye | सुनिए, रास्ता कहाँ है? (suniye, rāstā kahāṅ hai?) | Excuse me — Excuse me, where is the exit? |
| आपसे मिलकर खुशी हुई | āpse milkar khuśī huī | नमस्ते जी (namaste jī) | Nice to meet you — Nice to meet you today. |
| यह कितने का है? | yah kitne kā hai? | इसकी कीमत क्या है? (iskī kīmat kyā hai?) | How much is this? — How much does this shirt cost? |
👉 Practice Deck 1: Hindi — Greetings, Polite Words & Everyday Phrases (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 2: Numbers, Days of the Week, Months & Time (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Cardinal Hindi numbers (ek to sau), the seven days of the week (somvār to ravivār), relative time markers (āj, kal, subah, rāt), and telling time (kitne baje haiṅ?). Why it matters: Notice how Hindi uses the single word कल (kal) for both yesterday and tomorrow—the verb tense tells you whether the action already happened or will happen!
| Hindi Word (Devanagari) | Romanization (Phonetic) | Example Sentence (Devanagari & Romanized) | English Meaning & Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| एक | ek | मेरे पास एक टिकट है (mere pās ek ṭikaṭ hai) | one (1) — I have one ticket for today. |
| दस | das | मेरे पास दस किताबें हैं (mere pās das kitābeṅ haiṅ) | ten (10) — This book costs ten dollars. |
| बीस | bīs | कक्षा में बीस छात्र हैं (kakṣā meṅ bīs chātra haiṅ) | twenty (20) — There are twenty students here. |
| सौ | sau | किताब में सौ पन्ने हैं (kitāb meṅ sau panne haiṅ) | one hundred (100) — This book has one hundred pages. |
| सोमवार | somvār | सोमवार को स्कूल खुलेगा (somvār ko skūl khulegā) | Monday — I start work on Monday. |
| शुक्रवार | śukravār | शुक्रवार शाम को मिलेंगे (śukravār śām ko mileṅge) | Friday — We go out on Friday evening. |
| रविवार | ravivār | रविवार को बाज़ार बंद है (ravivār ko bāzār band hai) | Sunday — Shops are closed on Sunday. |
| आज | āj | आज मौसम बहुत सुहावना है (āj mausam bahut suhāvnā hai) | today — The weather is sunny today. |
| कल | kal | मैं कल दिल्ली जाऊँगा (maiṅ kal Dillī jāūṅgā) | tomorrow — I am flying to Rome tomorrow. |
| कितने बजे हैं? | kitne baje haiṅ? | अभी क्या समय हुआ है? (abhī kyā samay huā hai?) | What time is it? — Excuse me, what time is it? |
👉 Practice Deck 2: Hindi — Numbers, Days of the Week, Months & Time (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 3: Home, Rooms, Furniture & Everyday Objects (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Rooms of the home (ghar, रसोई rasoī, कमरा kamrā), furniture (कुर्सी kursī, मेज़ mez, पलंग palaṅg), and everyday objects (दरवाज़ा darvāzā, चाबी cābī). Why it matters: Household nouns are ideal for practicing Hindi grammatical gender: words ending in -आ (-ā) like कमरा (kamrā) and दरवाज़ा (darvāzā) are masculine, while words ending in -ई (-ī) like कुर्सी (kursī) and चाबी (cābī) are feminine.
| Hindi Word (Devanagari) | Romanization (Phonetic) | Example Sentence (Devanagari & Romanized) | English Meaning & Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| घर | ghar | हमारा घर बहुत सुंदर है (hamārā ghar bahut sundar hai) | house — Our house has a red roof. |
| रसोई | rasoī | माँ रसोई में खाना बनाती हैं (māṅ rasoī meṅ khānā banātī haiṅ) | kitchen — We cook dinner in the kitchen. |
| शयनकक्ष | śayankakṣ | सोने का कमरा शांत है (sone kā kamrā śānt hai) | bedroom — The bedroom is quiet and warm. |
| स्नानघर | snānghar | बाथरूम एकदम साफ़ है (bāthrūm ekdam sāf hai) | bathroom — I wash my hands in the bathroom. |
| कुर्सी | kursī | कृपया इस कुर्सी पर बैठें (kṛpayā is kursī par baiṭheṅ) | chair — Please sit on this chair. |
| मेज़ | mez | किताबें मेज़ के ऊपर रखी हैं (kitābeṅ mez ke ūpar rakhī haiṅ) | table — Dinner is on the table. |
| बिस्तर | bistar | मैं रात को जल्दी बिस्तर पर जाता हूँ (maiṅ jaldī bistar par jātā hūṅ) | bed — This bed has a soft mattress. |
| लैंप / दीपक | laimp | पढ़ने के लिए लैंप जलाओ (paṛhne ke liye laimp jalāo) | lamp — Turn on the reading lamp. |
| दरवाज़ा | darvāzā | कृपया दरवाज़ा बंद कर दें (kṛpayā darvāzā band kar deṅ) | door — Please close the front door. |
| चाबी | cābī | घर की चाबी मेरी जेब में है (ghar kī cābī merī jeb meṅ hai) | key — Where did I put my house key? |
👉 Practice Deck 3: Hindi — Home, Rooms, Furniture & Everyday Objects (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 4: Food, Drinks, Meals & Ordering at a Restaurant (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Staple Indian foods and drinks (पानी pānī, रोटी roṭī, चाय cāy, कॉफ़ी kofī, दूध dūdh, चावल cāval), proteins, and restaurant phrases (मेन्यू menyū, बिल bil) paired with polite imperative दीजिए (dījiye — 'please give'). Why it matters: Food and hospitality (Atithi Devo Bhava) are central to Indian life; mastering this deck lets you order chai, rotis, and meals anywhere across North India.
| Hindi Word (Devanagari) | Romanization (Phonetic) | Example Sentence (Devanagari & Romanized) | English Meaning & Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| पानी | pānī | एक गिलास ठंडा पानी दीजिए (ek gilās ṭhaṅḍā pānī dījiye) | water — A glass of cold water, please. |
| रोटी / ब्रेड | roṭī / breḍ | ताज़ी और गर्म रोटी खाओ (tāzī aur garm roṭī khāo) | bread — I buy fresh bread every morning. |
| कॉफ़ी | kofī | मुझे एक कप गर्म कॉफ़ी चाहिए (mujhe ek kap garm kofī cāhiye) | coffee — I drink black coffee without sugar. |
| चाय | cāy | शाम को अदरक वाली चाय पिएँ (śām ko adrak vālī cāy pieṅ) | tea — Would you like a cup of green tea? |
| दूध | dūdh | बच्चे रोज़ एक गिलास दूध पीते हैं (bacce roz dūdh pīte haiṅ) | milk — Children drink warm milk at night. |
| चावल | cāval | मुझे दाल और गर्म चावल पसंद हैं (mujhe dāl aur cāval pasand haiṅ) | rice — We serve steamed white rice with curry. |
| मुर्ग़ा / चिकन | cikan | भुना हुआ चिकन बहुत स्वादिष्ट है (bhunā huā cikan svādiṣṭ hai) | chicken — We had roast chicken for dinner. |
| मछली | machlī | ताज़ी मछली सेहत के लिए अच्छी है (tāzī machlī acchī hai) | fish — Grilled fresh fish with lemon. |
| मेन्यू / भोजन सूची | menyū | कृपया हमें मेन्यू दिखाइए (kṛpayā hameṅ menyū dikhāiye) | menu — Could we see the menu, please? |
| बिल | bil | कृपया खाने का बिल ले आइए (kṛpayā khāne kā bil le āiye) | the bill — Could we have the bill, please? |
👉 Practice Deck 4: Hindi — Food, Drinks, Meals & Ordering at a Restaurant (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 5: Fruits, Vegetables & Supermarket Groceries (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Fresh fruits (सेब seb, केला kelā, संतरा santrā), core Indian cooking vegetables (टमाटर ṭamāṭar, आलूālū, गाजर gājar, प्याज़ pyāz, लहसुन lahsun), and kitchen staples (शहद śahad). Why it matters: Visit any vibrant Indian sabzī maṇḍī (vegetable market) and you will hear these exact words called out every second.
| Hindi Word (Devanagari) | Romanization (Phonetic) | Example Sentence (Devanagari & Romanized) | English Meaning & Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| सेब | seb | यह लाल सेब बहुत मीठा है (yah lāl seb bahut mīṭhā hai) | apple — This red apple is crisp and sweet. |
| केला | kelā | पका हुआ पीला केला मीठा है (pakā huā pīlā kelā mīṭhā hai) | banana — Monkeys love ripe yellow bananas. |
| संतरा | santrā | संतरे में विटामिन सी होता है (santre meṅ viṭāmin sī hai) | orange — Peel a juicy sweet orange. |
| टमाटर | ṭamāṭar | लाल टमाटर से सूप बनाया जाता है (lāl ṭamāṭar kā sūp) | tomato — Slice a ripe red tomato for salad. |
| आलू | ālū | बच्चों को आलू की सब्ज़ी पसंद है (baccoṅ ko ālū pasand hai) | potato — Baked potatoes with butter and herbs. |
| गाजर | gājar | सर्दियों में गाजर का हलवा बनता है (gājar kā halvā) | carrot — Crunchy orange carrots are good for eyes. |
| प्याज़ | pyāz | तड़के के लिए बारीक प्याज़ काटो (bārīk pyāz kāṭo) | onion — Chop a white onion for the soup. |
| लहसुन | lahsun | लहसुन खाने का स्वाद बढ़ाता है (lahsun svād baṛhātā hai) | garlic — Two cloves of garlic add rich flavor. |
| जैतून का तेल | jaitūn kā tel | सलाद पर थोड़ा जैतून का तेल डालें (jaitūn kā tel ḍāleṅ) | olive oil — Drizzle extra virgin olive oil on bread. |
| शहद | śahad | मधुमक्खियाँ मीठा शहद बनाती हैं (mīṭhā śahad banātī haiṅ) | honey — Bees make sweet golden honey. |
👉 Practice Deck 5: Hindi — Fruits, Vegetables & Supermarket Groceries (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 6: Family, People, Friends & Relationships (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Immediate and extended family members (परिवार parivār, माँ mā̃, पिता pitā, भाई bhāī, बहन bahan, बेटा beṭā, बेटी beṭī, दादाजी dādājī) and social relationships (दोस्त dost, पड़ोसी paṛosī). Why it matters: Notice how adding the honorific suffix -जी (-jī) to elders (पिताजी pitājī, दादाजी dādājī) expresses respect, and how possessive words (मेरा merā / मेरी merī / मेरे mere) agree in gender with the family member.
| Hindi Word (Devanagari) | Romanization (Phonetic) | Example Sentence (Devanagari & Romanized) | English Meaning & Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| परिवार | parivār | मेरा परिवार यहाँ रहता है। (merā parivār yahā̃ rahtā hai.) | the family — My family lives in this city. |
| माँ | mā̃ | मेरी माँ अच्छा खाना बनाती हैं। (merī mā̃ acchā khānā banātī haiṁ.) | the mother — My mother cooks delicious food every day. |
| पिता | pitā | मेरे पिता अस्पताल में काम करते हैं। (mere pitā aspatāl meṁ kām karte haiṁ.) | the father — My father works at a local hospital. |
| भाई | bhāī | मेरा भाई गिटार बजाता है। (merā bhāī giṭār bajātā hai.) | the brother — My brother plays guitar in a band. |
| बहन | bahan | मेरी बहन डॉक्टर बन रही है। (merī bahan ḍôkṭar ban rahī hai.) | the sister — My sister studies medicine at the university. |
| बेटा | beṭā | उनका बेटा स्कूल जाता है। (unkā beṭā skūl jātā hai.) | the son — Their son goes to primary school now. |
| बेटी | beṭī | उनकी बेटी चित्र बनाती है। (unkī beṭī citra banātī hai.) | the daughter — Their daughter loves drawing colorful pictures. |
| दादा | dādā | मेरे दादाजी कहानी सुनाते हैं। (mere dādājī kahānī sunāte haiṁ.) | the grandfather — My grandfather tells great stories every evening. |
| दोस्त | dost | मैं अपने दोस्त से मिलता हूँ। (maiṁ apne dost se miltā hū̃.) | the friend — I meet my friend for coffee on Fridays. |
| पड़ोसी | paṛosī | हमारा पड़ोसी बहुत अच्छा है। (hamārā paṛosī bahut acchā hai.) | the neighbor — Our neighbor waters our plants when we travel. |
👉 Practice Deck 6: Hindi — Family, People, Friends & Relationships (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 7: Clothing, Shoes, Accessories & Colors (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Everyday garments (कमीज़ kamīz, जैकेट jaikeṭ, पोशाक pośāk, पैंट paiṅṭ), footwear (जूते jūte), accessories (चश्मा caśmā), and primary colors (लाल lāl, नीला nīlā, काला kālā, सफ़ेद safed). Why it matters: Great for shopping in Delhi, Jaipur, or Mumbai and practicing variable adjectives (काला kālā / काली kālī) vs. invariable adjectives (लाल lāl, सफ़ेद safed).
| Hindi Word (Devanagari) | Romanization (Phonetic) | Example Sentence (Devanagari & Romanized) | English Meaning & Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| कमीज़ | kamīz | वह सफेद कमीज़ पहनता है। (vah safed kamīz pahantā hai.) | the shirt — He wears a white shirt to the office. |
| जैकेट | jaikeṭ | बाहर जाने से पहले जैकेट पहनें। (bāhar jāne se pahle jaikeṭ pahneṁ.) | the jacket — Put on your jacket before going outside. |
| पोशाक | pośāk | उसने सुंदर पोशाक पहनी है। (usne sundar pośāk pahnī hai.) | the dress — She wears an elegant summer dress today. |
| पतलून | patlūn | यह काली पतलून थोड़ी लंबी है। (yah kālī patlūn thoṛī lambī hai.) | the trousers — These black trousers are slightly too long. |
| जूते | jūte | दरवाज़े पर अपने जूते उतारें। (darvāze par apne jūte utāreṁ.) | the shoes — Take off your shoes at the entrance. |
| चश्मा | caśmā | पढ़ने के लिए मुझे चश्मा चाहिए। (paṛhne ke lie mujhe caśmā cāhie.) | the glasses — I need my glasses to read small print. |
| लाल | lāl | यह एक लाल सेब है। (yah ek lāl seb hai.) | red — She bought a bright red sports car. |
| नीला | nīlā | आज आसमान बिल्कुल नीला है। (āj āsmān bilkul nīlā hai.) | blue — The sky is clear and bright blue today. |
| काला | kālā | उसके पास एक काला कुत्ता है। (uske pās ek kālā kuttā hai.) | black — He drinks black coffee without any sugar. |
| सफेद | safed | पहाड़ सफेद बर्फ से ढका है। (pahāṛ safed barf se ḍhakā hai.) | white — Fresh white snow covered the entire village. |
👉 Practice Deck 7: Hindi — Clothing, Shoes, Accessories & Colors (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 8: Body Parts, Health, Doctor & Pharmacy (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Key anatomical terms (सिर sir, आँख ā̃kh, हाथ hāth, दिल dil, पेट peṭ, पीठ pīṭh), medical professionals (डॉक्टर ḍôkṭar), and pharmacy essentials (दवाखाना davākhānā, दवाई davāī, बुखार bukhār). Why it matters: Distinguishing unaspirated प (peṭ — stomach) from aspirated पीठ (pīṭh — back) ensures crystal-clear communication at a clinic or pharmacy.
| Hindi Word (Devanagari) | Romanization (Phonetic) | Example Sentence (Devanagari & Romanized) | English Meaning & Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| सिर | sir | उसने सहमति में सिर हिलाया। (usne sahmati meṁ sir hilāyā.) | the head — He nodded his head in agreement. |
| आँख | ā̃kh | उसने अपनी आँखें बंद कर लीं। (usne apnī ā̃kheṁ band kar līṁ.) | the eye — She closed her eyes and fell asleep. |
| हाथ | hāth | खाने से पहले हाथ धोएं। (khāne se pahle hāth dhoeṁ.) | the hand — Wash your hands with soap before dinner. |
| दिल | dil | दौड़ने के बाद दिल तेज़ धड़कता है। (dauṛne ke bād dil tez dhaṛaktā hai.) | the heart — My heart beats fast after running. |
| पेट | peṭ | खाली पेट यह दवा न लें। (khālī peṭ yah davā na leṁ.) | the stomach — Never take this medicine on an empty stomach. |
| पीठ | pīṭh | मेरी पीठ में थोड़ा दर्द है। (merī pīṭh meṁ thoṛā dard hai.) | the back — He hurt his back lifting a heavy box. |
| डॉक्टर | ḍôkṭar | डॉक्टर ने मरीज़ की जाँच की। (ḍôkṭar ne marīz kī jā̃c kī.) | the doctor — The doctor examined the patient carefully. |
| दवाखाना | davākhānā | मैंने दवाखाने से दवा खरीदी। (maiṁne davākhāne se davā kharīdī.) | the pharmacy — I bought cough syrup at the pharmacy. |
| दवा | davā | यह दवा पानी के साथ लें। (yah davā pānī ke sāth leṁ.) | the medicine — Take this medicine with a glass of water. |
| बुखार | bukhār | उसे कल से तेज़ बुखार है। (use kal se tez bukhār hai.) | the fever — He stayed in bed because of a high fever. |
👉 Practice Deck 8: Hindi — Body Parts, Health, Doctor & Pharmacy (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 9: Animals, Pets, Nature & Weather (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Domestic and wild animals (कुत्ता kuttā, बिल्ली billī, पक्षी pakṣī, घोड़ा ghoṛā), natural landscapes (पेड़ peṛ, नदी nadī, समुद्र samudra, पहाड़ pahāṛ), and weather (सूरज sūraj, बारिश bāriś). Why it matters: From the Himalayas (पहाड़ pahāṛ) to the monsoon rains (बारिश bāriś), nature and weather idioms permeate daily Hindi conversation.
| Hindi Word (Devanagari) | Romanization (Phonetic) | Example Sentence (Devanagari & Romanized) | English Meaning & Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| कुत्ता | kuttā | कुत्ता पार्क में दौड़ रहा है। (kuttā pārk meṁ dauṛ rahā hai.) | the dog — The dog runs happily in the park. |
| बिल्ली | billī | बिल्ली सोफे पर सो रही है। (billī sophe par so rahī hai.) | the cat — The cat sleeps on the warm sofa. |
| पक्षी | pakṣī | पेड़ पर एक पक्षी गाता है। (peṛ par ek pakṣī gātā hai.) | the bird — A small bird sings in the tree. |
| घोड़ा | ghoṛā | घोड़ा मैदान में तेज़ दौड़ता है। (ghoṛā maidān meṁ tez dauṛtā hai.) | the horse — The brown horse gallops across the field. |
| पेड़ | peṛ | बगीचे में एक बड़ा पेड़ है। (bagīce meṁ ek baṛā peṛ hai.) | the tree — An old oak tree grows in our yard. |
| नदी | nadī | नदी का पानी बहुत साफ है। (nadī kā pānī bahut sāf hai.) | the river — A stone bridge crosses the wide river. |
| समुद्र | samudra | समुद्र की लहरें बहुत ऊँची हैं। (samudra kī lahreṁ bahut ū̃cī haiṁ.) | the sea — We love swimming in the warm sea. |
| पहाड़ | pahāṛ | वह पहाड़ बहुत ऊँचा है। (vah pahāṛ bahut ū̃cā hai.) | the mountain — Snow covers the top of the high mountain. |
| सूरज | sūraj | सूरज पूर्व दिशा से उगता है। (sūraj pūrv diśā se ugtā hai.) | the sun — The sun rises early in the summer. |
| बारिश | bāriś | बाहर तेज़ बारिश हो रही है। (bāhar tez bāriś ho rahī hai.) | the rain — Heavy rain fell throughout the afternoon. |
👉 Practice Deck 9: Hindi — Animals, Pets, Nature & Weather (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 10: Travel, Airport, Train, Hotel & Directions (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Air and rail transit (हवाई अड्डा havāī aḍḍā, हवाई जहाज़ havāī jahāz, ट्रेन ṭren, टिकट ṭikaṭ), travel documents (पासपोर्ट pāsporṭ, सूटकेस sūṭkes, होटल hoṭal), and navigation (बाएँ मुड़ें bāẽ muṛeṅ, दाएँ मुड़ें dāẽ muṛeṅ, सीधे जाओ sīdhe jāo). Why it matters: India's railway and domestic aviation networks connect hundreds of cities; these 32 cards handle every station, platform, and rickshaw ride.
| Hindi Word (Devanagari) | Romanization (Phonetic) | Example Sentence (Devanagari & Romanized) | English Meaning & Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| हवाई अड्डा | havāī aḍḍā | हम समय पर हवाई अड्डे पहुँचे। (ham samay par havāī aḍḍe pahũce.) | the airport — Arrive at the airport two hours early. |
| हवाई जहाज़ | havāī jahāz | हवाई जहाज़ समय पर उड़ा। (havāī jahāz samay par uṛā.) | the airplane — The airplane took off on time. |
| पासपोर्ट | pāsporṭ | यहाँ अपना पासपोर्ट दिखाएँ। (yahā̃ apnā pāsporṭ dikhāeṁ.) | the passport — Show your passport at border control. |
| सूटकेस | sūṭkes | यह सूटकेस बहुत भारी है। (yah sūṭkes bahut bhārī hai.) | the suitcase — This heavy suitcase has four wheels. |
| रेलगाड़ी | relgāṛī | तेज़ रेलगाड़ी अभी छूट रही है। (tez relgāṛī abhī chūṭ rahī hai.) | the train — The fast train leaves from platform three. |
| टिकट | ṭikaṭ | मैंने रेल का टिकट खरीदा। (maiṁne rel kā ṭikaṭ kharīdā.) | the ticket — I bought a round-trip ticket online. |
| होटल | hoṭal | हमारा होटल बाज़ार के पास है। (hamārā hoṭal bāzār ke pās hai.) | the hotel — Our hotel overlooks the old town square. |
| बाएँ मुड़ें | bāeṁ muṛeṁ | आगे से बाएँ मुड़ें। (āge se bāeṁ muṛeṁ.) | turn left — Turn left after the post office. |
| दाएँ मुड़ें | dāeṁ muṛeṁ | चौराहे से दाएँ मुड़ें। (caurāhe se dāeṁ muṛeṁ.) | turn right — Turn right at the second intersection. |
| सीधे चलें | sīdhe caleṁ | यहाँ से सीधे आगे चलें। (yahā̃ se sīdhe āge caleṁ.) | go straight — Go straight ahead for two blocks. |
👉 Practice Deck 10: Hindi — Travel, Airport, Train, Hotel & Directions (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 11: City Places, Shops, Money & Everyday Errands (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Urban places (शहर shahar, सुपरमार्केट suparmārkeṭ, बाज़ार bāzār, बैंक baiṅk, एटीएम eṭīem, पुस्तकालय pustakālay) and payment vocabulary (पैसे paise, नकद nakad, क्रेडिट कार्ड kreḍiṭ kārḍ, रसीद rasīd). Why it matters: Notice how postpositions like में (meiṅ — in) follow the noun: शहर में (shahar meiṅ — in the city), बाज़ार में (bāzār meiṅ — in the market).
| Hindi Word (Devanagari) | Romanization (Phonetic) | Example Sentence (Devanagari & Romanized) | English Meaning & Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| शहर | shahar | यह शहर बड़ा है (yah shahar baṛā hai) | city — This city is very lively. |
| सुपरमार्केट | suparmārkeṭ | मैं सुपरमार्केट जा रहा हूँ (maiṅ suparmārkeṭ jā rahā hūṅ) | supermarket — I buy food at the supermarket. |
| बाज़ार | bāzār | बाज़ार में ताज़े फल हैं (bāzār meṅ tāze phal haiṅ) | market — Fresh fruit is at the market. |
| बैंक | baiṅk | बैंक सुबह नौ बजे खुलता है (baiṅk subah nau baje khultā hai) | bank — The bank opens at nine. |
| एटीएम | eṭīem | पास में एक एटीएम है (pās meṅ ek eṭīem hai) | ATM — I need cash from the ATM. |
| पुस्तकालय | pustakālay | पुस्तकालय में शांति रखें (pustakālay meṅ shānti rakheṅ) | library — Please be quiet in the library. |
| पैसा | paisā | वह यात्रा के लिए पैसे बचाती है (vah yātrā ke liye paise bachātī hai) | money — She saves money for her trip. |
| नकद | nakad | मैं नकद भुगतान करूँगा (maiṅ nakad bhugtān karūṅgā) | cash — Do you pay in cash today? |
| क्रेडिट कार्ड | kreḍiṭ kārḍ | मैं कार्ड से पैसे दूँगा (maiṅ kārḍ se paise dūṅgā) | credit card — Can I pay by credit card? |
| रसीद | rasīd | कृपया अपनी रसीद रखें (kṛpayā apnī rasīd rakheṅ) | receipt — Please keep your paper receipt. |
👉 Practice Deck 11: Hindi — City Places, Shops, Money & Everyday Errands (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 12: School, Work, Office, Tech & Professions (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Education (स्कूल skūl, विश्वविद्यालय vishvavidyālay, किताब kitāb), office life (कार्यालय kāryālay, बैठक baiṭhak), digital tools (कंप्यूटर kampyūṭar, फ़ोन fon, ईमेल īmel), and professions (शिक्षक śikṣak, इंजीनियर iñjīniyar). Why it matters: Modern spoken Hindi seamlessly blends pure Sanskrit-derived words (विश्वविद्यालय vishvavidyālay, कार्यालय kāryālay) with everyday tech terms written in Devanagari.
| Hindi Word (Devanagari) | Romanization (Phonetic) | Example Sentence (Devanagari & Romanized) | English Meaning & Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| स्कूल | skūl | बच्चे स्कूल जाते हैं (bachche skūl jāte haiṅ) | school — The school starts at eight. |
| विश्वविद्यालय | vishvavidyālay | यह बड़ा विश्वविद्यालय है (yah baṛā vishvavidyālay hai) | university — She studies law at the university. |
| किताब | kitāb | यह किताब बहुत अच्छी है (yah kitāb bahut achchhī hai) | book — This book has a great story. |
| कंप्यूटर | kampyūṭar | मेरा कंप्यूटर नया है (merā kampyūṭar nayā hai) | computer — My computer is very fast. |
| फ़ोन | fon | मेरा फ़ोन मेज़ पर है (merā fon mez par hai) | phone — Where did I put my phone? |
| ईमेल | īmel | मैंने आपको ईमेल भेजा (maine āpko īmel bhejā) | email — I sent you an email today. |
| दफ़्तर | daftar | मेरा दफ़्तर पास में है (merā daftar pās meṅ hai) | office — She works in a modern office. |
| बैठक | baiṭhak | आज एक ज़रूरी बैठक है (āj ek zarūrī baiṭhak hai) | meeting — The morning meeting starts at ten. |
| शिक्षक | shikshak | हमारे शिक्षक बहुत अच्छे हैं (hamāre shikshak bahut achchhe haiṅ) | teacher — Our teacher explains things clearly. |
| इंजीनियर | iṅjīniyar | वह एक कुशल इंजीनियर है (vah ek kushal iṅjīniyar hai) | engineer — The engineer designed this bridge. |
👉 Practice Deck 12: Hindi — School, Work, Office, Tech & Professions (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 13: Top 32 Essential Everyday Action Verbs (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: The 32 highest-frequency Hindi action verbs in their infinitive -ना (-nā) citation form (होना honā, रखना rakhnā, जाना jānā, आना ānā, खाना khānā, पीना pīnā, बोलना bolnā, देखना dekhnā, खरीदना kharīdnā, काम करना kām karnā). Why it matters: In Hindi, stripping -ना (-nā) from any infinitive gives you the verb stem (जाना jānā → जा jā, बोलना bolnā → बोल बोल), which combines with tense markers to form every sentence in the language.
| Hindi Word (Devanagari) | Romanization (Phonetic) | Example Sentence (Devanagari & Romanized) | English Meaning & Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| होना | honā | मैं आज घर पर हूँ (maiṅ āj ghar par hūṅ) | to be — I am ready to start. |
| रखना | rakhnā | मेरे पास एक कार है (mere pās ek kār hai) | to have — We have two small dogs. |
| जाना | jānā | मैं बाज़ार जा रहा हूँ (maiṅ bāzār jā rahā hūṅ) | to go — I go to work early. |
| आना | ānā | कृपया अंदर आइए (kṛpayā andar āiye) | to come — Please come to our party. |
| खाना | khānā | हम दोपहर का भोजन करते हैं (ham dopahar kā bhojan karte haiṅ) | to eat — We eat lunch at noon. |
| पीना | pīnā | मैं ठंडा पानी पीता हूँ (maiṅ ṭhaṅḍā pānī pītā hūṅ) | to drink — Drink plenty of cold water. |
| बोलना | bolnā | वह साफ़ हिंदी बोलती है (vah sāf hindī boltī hai) | to speak — She speaks three languages fluently. |
| देखना | dekhnā | मैं तारे देख सकता हूँ (maiṅ tāre dekh saktā hūṅ) | to see — Can you see the mountains? |
| खरीदना | kharīdnā | मैंने नए जूते खरीदे (maine naye jūte kharīde) | to buy — I want to buy fresh bread. |
| काम करना | kām karnā | वह अस्पताल में काम करती है (vah aspatāl meṅ kām kartī hai) | to work — She works at a hospital. |
👉 Practice Deck 13: Hindi — Top 32 Essential Everyday Action Verbs (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 14: Top 32 Essential Adjectives & Opposites (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Core descriptive adjectives and antonym pairs (बड़ा baṛā / छोटा chhoṭā, अच्छा achchhā, गर्म garm / ठंडा ṭhaṅḍā, तेज़ tez, आसान āsān / कठिन kaṭhin, सस्ता sastā / महँगा mahaṅgā). Why it matters: Notice how aspirated consonants distinguish key Hindi adjectives like छोटा (chhoṭā — small), अच्छा (achchhā — good), and ठंडा (ṭhaṅḍā — cold).
| Hindi Word (Devanagari) | Romanization (Phonetic) | Example Sentence (Devanagari & Romanized) | English Meaning & Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| बड़ा | baṛā | यह एक बड़ा घर है (yah ek baṛā ghar hai) | big — They live in a big house. |
| छोटा | chhoṭā | यह कमरा छोटा है (yah kamrā chhoṭā hai) | small — This small bag is handy. |
| अच्छा | achchhā | यह एक अच्छा विचार है (yah ek achchhā vichār hai) | good — That is a very good idea. |
| गर्म | garm | चाय अभी बहुत गर्म है (chāy abhī bahut garm hai) | hot — Careful, the soup is hot. |
| ठंडा | ṭhaṅḍā | आज हवा बहुत ठंडी है (āj havā bahut ṭhaṅḍī hai) | cold — The winter wind is cold. |
| तेज़ | tez | यह रेलगाड़ी बहुत तेज़ है (yah relgāṛī bahut tez hai) | fast — This train is very fast. |
| आसान | āsān | पहला सवाल आसान है (pahlā savāl āsān hai) | easy — The first question is easy. |
| कठिन | kaṭhin | यह पहेली कठिन है (yah pahelī kaṭhin hai) | difficult — Climbing that mountain is difficult. |
| सस्ता | sastā | बाज़ार में फल सस्ते हैं (bāzār meṅ phal saste haiṅ) | cheap — Fresh apples are cheap now. |
| महँगा | mahaṅgā | वह घड़ी बहुत महँगी है (vah ghaṛī bahut mahaṅgī hai) | expensive — That gold watch is expensive. |
👉 Practice Deck 14: Hindi — Top 32 Essential Adjectives & Opposites (32 Flashcards) →
Deck 15: Feelings, Emotions, Personality & Hobbies (32 Cards)
What this deck covers: Emotional states (खुश khush, उदास udās, थका हुआ thakā huā, शांत shānt, उत्साहित utsāhit), character traits (दयालु dayālu, मिलनसार milansār), and hobbies (संगीत saṅgīt, पढ़ना paṛhnā, खाना बनाना khānā banānā). Why it matters: Lets you move beyond survival transactions and share your feelings, personality, and passions in natural Hindi.
| Hindi Word (Devanagari) | Romanization (Phonetic) | Example Sentence (Devanagari & Romanized) | English Meaning & Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| खुश | khush | मैं आज बहुत खुश हूँ (maiṅ āj bahut khush hūṅ) | happy — She is happy with the news. |
| उदास | udās | वह आज थोड़ा उदास है (vah āj thoṛā udās hai) | sad — The ending of the movie was sad. |
| थका हुआ | thakā huā | मैं काम के बाद थका हूँ (maiṅ kām ke bād thakā hūṅ) | tired — I feel tired after running. |
| शांत | shānt | आज समुद्र बिल्कुल शांत है (āj samudra bilkul shānt hai) | calm — The blue sea is calm. |
| उत्साहित | utsāhit | बच्चे बहुत उत्साहित हैं (bachche bahut utsāhit haiṅ) | excited — The kids are excited to travel. |
| दयालु | dayālu | वह एक दयालु इंसान है (vah ek dayālu insān hai) | kind — Thank you for your kind words. |
| मिलनसार | milansār | यहाँ के लोग मिलनसार हैं (yahāṅ ke log milansār haiṅ) | friendly — Everyone at the club is friendly. |
| संगीत | saṅgīt | कमरे में मधुर संगीत बज रहा है (kamre meṅ madhur saṅgīt baj rahā hai) | music — Soft music plays in the room. |
| पढ़ना | paṛhnā | किताबें पढ़ना मेरी आदत है (kitābeṅ paṛhnā merī ādat hai) | reading — Quiet reading helps me relax. |
| खाना पकाना | khānā pakānā | घर का खाना सबसे अच्छा है (ghar kā khānā sabse achchhā hai) | cooking — Home cooking tastes the best. |
👉 Practice Deck 15: Hindi — Feelings, Emotions, Personality & Hobbies (32 Flashcards) →
30-Day Spaced Repetition Study Schedule for Hindi (480 Core Words)
To master all 15 Essential Hindi Decks (480 core words) and read Devanagari fluently within one month, follow this structured 15-minute daily routine on Flashcards World:
| Study Phase | Days | Target Decks | Daily Focus & Active Recall Technique |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1: Script, Polite Speech & Survival | Days 1–7 | Decks 1–4 (Greetings, Numbers/Time, Home, Food & Chai) | Study 20–32 new cards/day. Read the Devanagari out loud first before checking the Romanization. Practice polite आप (āp) requests and दीजिए (dījiye). |
| Week 2: Everyday Life, Family & Health | Days 8–14 | Decks 5–8 (Fruits/Veggies, Family, Clothing/Colors, Body & Health) | Clear your daily FSRS-4.5 Spaced Repetition review queue first (5–8 mins), then add 1 new deck every 2 days. Notice -ā masculine vs. -ī feminine endings. |
| Week 3: Nature, Transit, City & Work | Days 15–21 | Decks 9–12 (Animals/Weather, Travel/Trains, City/Money, School/Work) | Practice postpositions (में meiṅ, पर par, से se) inside the example sentences so SOV word order becomes second nature. |
| Week 4: Core Verbs, Adjectives & Fluency | Days 22–30 | Decks 13–15 (32 Action Verbs, 32 Adjectives & Opposites, Emotions & Hobbies) | Combine the 32 core -nā verbs and 32 adjectives with nouns from Weeks 1–3. Flip your study direction to English → Hindi for active speaking recall. |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Learning Hindi Vocabulary
Should I learn the Devanagari script or stick to Romanized Hindi?
Learn both together from day one! While Romanized Hindi (Hinglish) is useful for texting and quick pronunciation checks, Devanagari is 100% phonetic and eliminates all ambiguity between dental (त / द) and retroflex (ट / ड) sounds or unaspirated (क / प) and aspirated (ख / फ) consonants. On Flashcards World, every Hindi card displays Devanagari alongside scholarly IAST Romanization so you absorb the script naturally while learning vocabulary.
How many Hindi words do I need for everyday conversation?
Linguistic frequency studies show that the top 480 to 1,000 core Hindi words cover roughly 80% to 85% of everyday spoken conversation. Because spoken Hindi builds many compound actions using core verbs like करना (karnā — to do/make) and होना (honā — to be) (for example, काम करना kām karnā "to work", साफ़ करना sāf karnā "to clean"), mastering these 15 thematic decks gives you an unusually large conversational reach.
How do Hindi and Urdu vocabulary relate to each other?
At the everyday conversational level (Hindustani), spoken Hindi and spoken Urdu share the exact same grammar, pronouns, core verbs, numbers, body parts, food words, and household vocabulary covered in these 15 decks. The primary difference is that Hindi is written in Devanagari and draws formal vocabulary from Sanskrit, whereas Urdu is written in the Perso-Arabic script and draws formal vocabulary from Persian and Arabic.
How do I remember whether a Hindi noun is masculine or feminine?
Look at the final vowel first: nouns ending in -आ (-ā) (कमरा kamrā, केला kelā, बेटा beṭā) are almost always masculine, while nouns ending in -ई (-ī) (कुर्सी kursī, चाबी cābī, नदी nadī) are almost always feminine. For consonant-ending nouns (घर ghar, किताब kitāb), always read the full example sentence on your flashcard—the accompanying adjective (बड़ा घर baṛā ghar vs. नई किताब naī kitāb) or possessive (मेरा merā vs. मेरी merī) reveals the gender immediately.
Start Practicing Hindi Today
Ready to turn passive recognition into confident Hindi conversation? Jump straight into our interactive decks: