Note: This HindiPod101 review has been updated on Sept 9th, 2022. This review contains affiliate links, however we only recommend products that we actually personally use and love.
A quick google search yields many results for learning Hindi. It can be difficult to know which course to invest in and which resources are the most useful. HindiPod101 is one of the more popular options, for several reasons we’ll explore in this in-depth language review.
Knowing Hindi provides a huge advantage for anyone looking to do business in south-east Asia, and is crucial to find work in India – one of the most booming economies in the world. Hindi also provides a fascinating gateway into the Indian culture & religious heritage, including all the cultural treasures to be found in the world-famous Bollywood!
In this article, we take a thorough look into HindiPod101. We’ve spent hours testing out the language program to provide you with everything you need to know before buying.
HindiPod101 Review: Summary
Overall Score: 4.1
The Goods
- New lessons and tools added regularly
- One of the most extensive lesson libraries out there
- Native speakers teach audio and video lessons
- Engaging learning tools and quizzes and the option for one-on-one teaching
The Bads
- Advanced learners may need to supplement HindiPod101 with another program to enhance fluency
- Small group of Hindi speaking community online
HindiPod101 Review: Overview
Upon signing up for HindiPod101, you immediately receive access to your free lifetime account and a free 7-day trial for all the premium content. You can immediately start working through the vocabulary lists, phrase lists, and audio and video lessons. There are learning tools like flashcards, common Hindi phrases, access to your own word bank, and a Hindi dictionary.
If you choose to continue using HindiPod101 after your trial period, there are a few monthly subscriptions from which to choose. With these subscriptions you can delve deeper into the Hindi language and culture with:
- Daily mini-lessons delivered to you
- Interactive quizzes and learning tools
- PDF lesson notes and translations
- Extensive library of audio and video lessons by native speakers
- One-on-one instruction (for PremiumPLUS members only)
When you first create your account you’ll be prompted to select your language level. HindiPod101 offers 5 difficulty levels from absolute beginner to advanced (roughly corresponding to the standard CEFR levels, with level 1 equating to A1 and level 4 equating to B1-B2). You can change your level at any point by selecting a different lesson pathways from any of the 5 levels.
The whole concept behind all the 40+ language programs by Innovative Language is that they teach you completely on your own time, at your own pace and with a syllabus that you personally create based upon your specific needs and interests.
HindiPod101 is no different, with 100s of different lesson pathways and a total of over 1370 lessons to choose from, you have an entire library to explore. Simply filter by level, category and lesson type, choose a lesson pathway that takes your fancy and add it to your dashboard. Once the pathway is added to your dashboard you’ll be able to track your progress and see all of your completed lessons in one place.
The Pros: What We Liked About HindiPod101
Pro #1: Ideal for Beginning and Intermediate Hindi Speakers
Structured courses that start off slowly provide the ultimate foundation for learning to speak Hindi. The ability to listen to native speakers helps to develop a strong sense for intonation and accent. Someone with little to no experience in speaking Hindi can very quickly learn basic conversational phrases that are useful for daily life.
Pro #2: Learn at Your Own Pace
HindiPod101 lets you truly learn at your own pace. Not only can you take your learning on the go with mobile applications, you can also go back through your lessons and review as often as you please. There is no time frame in which learning has to occur, so it is truly up to you how fast you want to go.
Pro #3: Relatable, Interesting Lessons
Instead of outdated, formal scenarios, HindiPod101 teaches you to speak Hindi with relatable real-world conversations. Many other language learning software uses older material that is either irrelevant or nonexistent in today’s society.
Pro #4: Mixing Language and Culture
HindiPod101 mixes language lessons with cultural lessons for a more rounded learning experience. This type of teaching is especially useful if you will be traveling or even relocating to a Hindi-speaking country in the future.
What We Didn't Like About HindiPod101: The Cons
Con #1: No One-On-One Instruction With Lower Packages
In order to benefit from one-on-one instruction, including asking questions, you have to sign up for the PremiumPLUS service. Though the monthly fee is still nominal in comparison to others, it would be nice to have at least some one-on-one instruction available at lower subscription levels.
Con #2: Small Community of Hindi Speakers
Despite its large coverage, Hindi is a less popular among those picking up a second language. As such, it is hard to find others in the community to practice conversing. This is where it could be beneficial to add another program with more speakers or even take an immersive course in India to further expand your knowledge.
What Are the Lessons Like?
Upon signing up, you will first choose your desired level of expertise from Absolute Beginner through Advanced Speaker. Each level is different and each level builds upon the previous. If you have absolutely no knowledge of the Hindi language, the Absolute Beginner course is right for you. Here, you will begin by learning how to say “thank you” and “you’re welcome” before moving on to self-introductions and pleasantries.
As you move through the Beginner and Intermediate levels, you will find lessons that teach you how to talk about topics as diverse as video games, geographical features, your daily plans, and how to read food labels. When you get to the Advanced Speaker level, idioms and colloquialisms begin to be incorporated so that you truly can sound like a local.
How Are the Lessons Structured?
Every lesson is centered around either a video or podcast. Most lessons include an authentic dialogue so you can see the vocab and grammar that’s being taught in action, depending upon the lesson type. The dialogue is broken down into a line-by-line transcript for you to listen to again and again, and even record your own voice and compare alongside a native speaker. You have the option to favorite a lesson, mark it as complete, or share it with a friend.
You then have a vocabulary section which lists all the new vocab you encountered in the lesson, each with a supplementary example sentence. You can add any of these words/phrases to your work bank or vocab lists (more on these later). Finally, everything is summarised rather nicely into one succinct document – the lesson notes. You can download this as a pdf along with the transcript and mp3 files for you to review at any time.
The fact that everything can be easily downloaded is a massive bonus. It allows you to download a lesson in advance for on-the-go learning when you are without wifi. You can even listen to the mp3 files in isolation, since everything is explained in detail with the full dialogue etc. So you can learn whilst at the gym, on a lunch break or on a daily commute – perfect for those who are balancing language learning around a busy lifestyle.
Additional Features and Learning Tools
Innovative Language has really got their platform perfected to a tee – with over 15 years of experience creating programs like HindiPod101 it really does show. The value is not only in the massive plethora of lessons (the most out of any Hindi language program on the market), but also in the whole suite of extra tools and features that are there to aid you in your language studies. Let’s take a look at a few of them.
Word Bank & Flash Cards
Firstly, they’ve incorporated a fully functional flashcard and word bank feature into HindiPod101. Many students find that flashcards are a great way to learn new vocabulary, especially when you group them together into sets and revise them regularly. HindiPod101 allows you to add a word to your word bank at any time during a lesson. This way you’ll never lose a word again. Within the word bank you can assign labels, listen to the pronunciation from native speakers, see examples, and add it to a flash card deck for you to practice later.
Most Common Words List
A great strategy to use to avoid learning obsolete or outdated language is to focus on only the most used words in a language. The most common words list does just that – it’s a comprehensive list of only the most used words in Hindi. You can filter them all by category, listen to the pronunciation and add any words to your word bank or a flash card deck.
Topical Vocab Lists
In this section you’ll find hundreds of premade vocab lists on a wide array of topics, from slang phrases to ‘Star Wars day’. A great way to break up your learning and deepen your vocab knowledge in a playful and fun way.
‘Word of the day’ Emails
This is a free complimentary service that you can opt into if you wish. They will email you with a new word everyday, along with some background behind the words meaning and how it is used in context. A great way to stay motivated and consistently build up your memory bank of new vocabulary daily.
Hindi Dictionary
Search any word in English or Hindi and you’ll get the translation, a voice clip (at full and half speed), a few grammar notes, and the script in both Devanagari and Roman (latin).
Who Is HindiPod101 Good For?
HindiPod101 is an ideal learning platform for anyone who wants to work up to speaking fluent Hindi. It can be exceptionally beneficial for those who:
- are serious about picking up Hindi as a second language
- are planning a business or leisure trip to a mostly Hindi-speaking country
- prefer learning on their own time as independent study
- have family, friends, or partners who are native Hindi-speakers
Who Is HindiPod101 NOT Good For?
Learning a new language is not a one-size-fits-all type of thing and as such, there are some individuals who may not benefit from HindiPod101 including those who:
- require the structure of a classroom setting for optimal learning
- are looking for dedicated one-on-one instruction
- lack self-motivation
- prefer a one-track syllabus that covers everything
HindiPod101 Best Alternatives
You will find quite a few mobile and desktop applications that claim to teach you to speak another language. Many of these applications like Duolingo and Optilingo offer little along the lines of structured courses with appropriate grammar lessons. Instead, you will be left wondering why and how certain words are used when others are not with no clear explanations.
Some programs focus solely on learning the Hindi alphabet. While this is essential to learning Hindi, it is only a portion of the language. However, there are a few programs that can compare to the in-depth and comprehensive nature of HindiPod101. Read on to see how they measure up.
HindiPod101 vs. Pimsleur Method
The Pimsleur Method boasts hands-free learning as most of its instruction is via audio lessons using their “Graduated Interval Recall” method. It is based upon repetition of words and phrases at specific time intervals so that the brain commits them to long-term memory. This program cost $14.95 per month after a 7-day free trial period.
The concept behind the Pimsleur Method makes sense, and the price is affordable. However, we feel this isn’t helpful if you’re a visual or tactical learner.
HindiPod101 vs. Rosetta Stone
Like HindiPod101, Rosetta Stone offers a more comprehensive learning platform which begins with learning the Hindi alphabet.
Rosetta Stone Hindi currently costs $79 for the first three months, although purchasing multiple months in advance can yield a larger discount.
Some people like the interface and method, but personally I’m not a fan. They have a free trial, so you can see ifit’s your style or not.
Is HindiPod101 Worth the Money?
For serious learners, we feel it is worth the money to invest in HindiPod101. When you consider the cost associated with taking a Hindi class for a semester, if it is even available, HindiPod101 with a PremiumPLUS subscription for one year is usually much cheaper.
Sign up using our coupon code to get 30% off HindiPod101
The folks at Innovative Languages were kind enough to offer our readers 30% off. All you have to do is sign up using the link below and the discount will be automatically added to your account:
HindiPod101 Review: Summary
Overall, HindiPod101 offers a superb method of learning another language at your own pace. How far you progress is completely up to you and set to your schedule. With very few legitimate competitors, HindiPod101 is comparable in price to other courses on the market.
You can save quite a bit of money with a one-year Premium subscription when you compare the cost to studying at a university and what you’d typically pay for Hindi textbooks. Whether you are branching out in business or for personal reasons, investing in HindiPod101 is a sound decision for most serious Hindi students.
Our Editorial Team is a group of language learning enthusiasts who are passionate about testing new apps and finding the best ways to learn a language.
