Birmingham is famous for its large South Asian population – immortalised (although maybe that is a bit strong) in the BBC series Citizen Khan.
And this fame is well-deserved – a quarter of the population of the UK’s second biggest city is of Asian origin. Twenty-two per cent of the population traces their roots back to Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh.
As such, the city's linguistic diversity is quite impressive, too – with seven of the city's twenty most commonly spoken languages originating from India. Those, by the way, are Urdu, Punjabi, Bengali, Pakistani Pahari, Gujarati, Hindi, and Tamil.
Hindi and Urdu – the two known together as Hindustani – make up Birmingham's most commonly spoken language after English. So, you’ll understand you’re in a great place to get to grips with this new language.
Here, we will look at some of the best places to learn Hindi in Birmingham and the surrounding area. We’ll give you all the information you need to ensure you can do all you want with your second language skills.
Let’s first briefly look at what Hindi is and where it came from before diving into the language learning opportunities.
Check out Hindi lessons across the UK.
What is Hindi?
Understanding its nature and history is crucial when learning a language – as you can begin to understand the context in which the language occurs. Languages aren’t just random things. Instead, they emerge from a particular relationship between language and culture.
All languages do this, and Hindi is no less than any others.
Hindi is the direct descendant of the ancient Vedic Sanskrit, yet, of all the dialects of northern India, the thing we now call modern standard Hindi was born from the dialect of New Delhi (just as classic Italian is based on the dialect of Tuscany, and English on the dialect from south-east England). This meant there were – as there still are – lots of different regional variations and differences in pronunciation and vocabulary across Hindi.
One of these variations was Urdu, which, under the British Empire, borrowed lots of words from Arabic and Persian. Associated primarily with the Muslim population of ‘British India’, It also adopted the Persian script – whilst the Hindu population maintained the Devanagari script from the Sanskrit.
However, Urdu and Hindi remain, when spoken, pretty much precisely the same – both being different forms of Hindustani.
Yet, it is essential to note that Hindi remains the official language of India (along with English), whilst Urdu is the national language of Pakistan. And whilst there are more people from India in Birmingham than Pakistan, Urdu is much more commonly spoken because many of the people who came to the UK from India spoke Gujarati, Bengali, or Punjabi.
Meanwhile, only about fifteen hundred people in Birmingham speak Hindi.
Learn to speak Hindi in London!
Why Take Hindi Language Lessons?
However, Hindi remains one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world – after English and Mandarin Chinese. And it functions as a lingua franca across the many different languages of northern India, Nepal, Fiji, and parts of the Caribbean.
It is one of the most essential languages in the world, quite frankly – as India continues to boom economically and invite investment from around the world. If you are a business person hoping to do business in South Asia, someone on your staff will need to learn to speak Hindi. Even the British Council agrees, putting Hindi on the top ten languages needed for economic purposes.
This, then, is primarily why you should be learning Hindi.
Meanwhile, you should be considering taking Hindi classes because it is a wee bit difficult. Look at the Hindi alphabet, for example, which bears no relation to the Latin alphabet with which we are so accustomed. Consider the grammatical aspects of the language that you will need to learn. Then there’s the pronunciation and the subtleties of the meaning of different words and phrases.
This is all stuff that Hindi tutors would be able to help you with. And this is precisely why having one would be good for you.
Now, let’s look at where a Hindi teacher might be available in Birmingham.
Birmingham’s Hindi Language Classes
Birmingham is creaking at the seams with language-learning opportunities – in all the different languages you could imagine. That diversity makes it such a wonderful city – yet, the sheer number can make things a little challenging to navigate.
Here, we’ve brought together some of the best options for those who are interested in learning Hindi in the city – from those who are after social classes to those who want a dedicated private tutor, from those who wish to speak practice to those with a desire for knowledge of grammar and complete accuracy.
Everyone learns differently – and so they should. But make sure that the class you choose to attend is the best one for you. You should enjoy your language learning experience – that’s all down to you.
Let’s find you a Hindi language course that works for you.
Take Hindi Classes at the Shree Geeta Bhawan, Birmingham
The Shree Geeta Bhawan Hindu temple is based on Heathfield Road.
Whilst it is primarily a place for religious services, the mandir also provides many community events and services. These include social clubs for the over-fifties and sessions teaching about Hindu culture.
However, they also provide Hindi lessons for all who want them. These take place every Saturday afternoon.
Check out Hindi lessons in Leeds!
Find a Hindi Teacher at My Language Exchange
My Language Exchange provides an online space to connect with tutors and fellow students of different languages in your local area. People list the languages they can teach, the languages they want to learn, or those they wish to converse in, and you can quickly get in touch.
It is a charming way of practising a language – with other local, like-minded people who are also learning.
Try it – and you’ll find yourself improving and having a lot of fun too.
Learn Hindi across the Midlands with Cactus Languages
Cactus Languages is a nationwide language training provider in the UK, with eleven centres nationwide. They offer a broad range of languages to learn – and can organise those not already available.
Teaching in Hindi is available from Birmingham to Coventry and Wolverhampton – and they can come to your office to train your staff if that is something you require.
Enquire at Brasshouse Languages, Birmingham, for Hindi Courses
Based in the towering new Library of Birmingham, Brasshouse Languages teaches over thirty languages. Of course, the majority are in European languages – as they usually are – however, you get in touch or visit their website to see what is on offer.
Do it – because they are a hugely respected language education institution. And if you want language training that is professional and reliable, this is undoubtedly one of the top places to come.
Find Hindi lessons in Birmingham!
Attend Hindi Language Courses at Kriti UK, Birmingham
The UK Hindu Samiti is an organisation aimed at raising awareness about and educating people on Hinduism and Hindi in the UK.
With centres across the UK, the affiliated organisation in Birmingham is known as Kriti UK.
These guys will be able to teach you Hindi – and they provide a lot of cultural events, too, including plays and performances.
Find a Private Hindi Tutor with Superprof
If none of these tickles your fancy, there is always the opportunity for a private tutor in Hindi.
Superprof is a platform that connects budding students to inspiring, friendly, and experienced tutors from across the world. We have nearly ten million tutors globally, teaching over a thousand different subjects.
One of those subjects is Hindi: we have nine tutors in Birmingham waiting to teach you Hindi – either in your home or somewhere else convenient for you.
All you need to do is scroll through the tutors available and get in touch. The majority offer the first session free!
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