Hindi shortcuts

The alphabet, the matras, and why you already know the order.

• You already know the alphabet orderDevanagari and your own script share the same 5×5 grid, in the same order.
• Matras are just the vowel's shadowEvery vowel has a full form and a small sign — learn them as pairs.
• The four conjuncts worth learning firstक्ष, त्र, ज्ञ, श्र appear constantly and look like nothing else.

Numbers, time, and sentences you can use tomorrow.

• Hindi numbers — learn the tens, guess the restEvery number is 'one-less-than-the-next-ten' in disguise.
• तू, तुम, आप — getting respect rightThree words for 'you', and choosing wrong is worse than a grammar mistake.