Getting an idea of mimimal pairs in Devnagari / Hindi through examples
is useful, particularly for us foreign people who want to learn Hindi
as it is not our native language.
Every language has its specific phonology (system of sounds), inside
which minimal pairs are a relevant feature to describe that language
(and to learn it correctly!). A minimal pair is a pair of words having
different meanings with exactly the same pronunciation except for one
sound that differs. Example in Hindi :
माता , माथा [maataa ,
maathaa] [mother , forehead] where the unaspirated [t] and the
aspirated [th] are two different sounds in Hindi.
To get a more detailed description of that feature in phonology, just
have a look at some web pages or pdf documents available on the net
(this message is only a small contribution for a better practice).
The list below is not exhaustive. Purpose is to propose some relevant
examples which I found out by my own and somehow limited practice.
Although there are numerous minimal pairs in Hindi, those given below
are the most relevant ie the most difficult to assimilate - regarding
Hindi as a foreign language.
Most entries were collected from learning books and dictionaries. Some
entries of minimal pairs are empty because either they are not
relevant in Hindi or it is likely I have found no example until now...
all suggestions are welcome.
A few entries contain in the second column a question mark [?] :
either those entries are not "real" or "pure" minimal pairs as in
मकी , मक्खी [?] maize
, a fly
or the translation or existence of a word is to be checked as in
पंक , पंख [?] , wing
An approximative translation of pairs was added for more convenience
but it is not mandatory. However if translation is wrong or sounds
strange, please let me know.
Theoretically a single example by minimal pair in Hindi is sufficient
to make it exist - same rule in any other language. Practically my
goal was to find at least ten examples by pair in order to get a more
comprehensive view. From that point of view the list is incomplete :
except one or two sections I am far from that expectation yet !
Therefore any help from native Hindi speakers
(प्रिय
हिन्दी
बोलनेवाले) is
most welcome. Thank you in advance.
Best regards,
Terry PF
=== This text was typed using the Takhti editor designed by Jay
Hanuman ji www.geocities.com/hanu_man_ji ===
========================================
Summary of sections
1 - Unaspirated / aspirated consonants
2 - Retroflex / non-retroflex consonants
3 - Simple / double consonants
4 - Short / long vowels
5 - Short / long nasalized vowels
1 - Unaspirated / aspirated consonants
१.१ क / ख
काल , खाल period , skin
पंक , पंख [?] , wing
कुल , खुल total , to open (v.
stem)
मकी , मक्खी [?] maize
, a fly
१.२ ग / घ
गोल , घोल round , mixture
गिरना ,
घिरना to fall , to be surrounded
बाग , बाघ rein(s) , tiger
१.३ च / छ
चल , छल to walk (v. stem) , fraud
चोटी , छोटी top ,
small (f. adj.)
चोर , छोर thief , extremity
चूना , छूना to leak ,
to touch
चुरा , छुरा to steal
(v. stem) , dagger
१.४ ज / झ
सूजना ,
सूझना to swell , to occur (in one's
mind)
जड़ी, झड़ी medicinal herb , non-stop
rain
जाड़ी , झाड़ी to be
continued , bush
जूठा , झूठा rest ,
false/liar
जीना , झीना to live ,
thin (m. adj)
समाज , समझ [?] society , to
understand (v. stem)
१.५ ट / ठ
जूटा , जूठा shoe ,
false/liar
१.६ ड / ढ
१.७ ड़ / ढ़
पड़ना , पढ़ना to fall ,
to read
कड़ी , कढ़ी link , curry (sort of)
बाड़ , बाढ़ hedge , flood
१.८ त / थ
तोड़ा , थोड़ा to break
(v. past, m.) , a little
माता , माथा mother,
forehead
तक , थक until , to be tired (v. stem)
सात , साथ seven , with/in company
of
ताली , थाली clapping ,
plate
तोप , थोप gun , to impose (v.
stem)
१.९ द / ध
दुनिया ,
धुनिया world , carder
बंद , बंध closed , to tighten (v.
stem)
१.१० प / फ
पल , फल moment , fruit
पेन , फेन [?] pen , foam
१.११ ब / भ
बार , भार time , load
बाप , भाप father , steam
बारी , भारी turn ,
heavy
बोली , भोली dialect ,
innocent (adj. f.)
बाँग , भाँग call to
prayers , hemp
बात , भात word , boiled rice
2 - Retroflex / non-retroflex consonants
२.१ ट / त
भाट , भात bard , boiled rice
मोटी , मोती thick
(adj. f.) , pearl
२.२ ठ / थ
२.३ ड / द
मंडी , मंदी market ,
slackness
डाल , ढाल branch , pulse/daal
पैडल , पैदल on foot ,
pedal
२.४ ड़ / र
पूड़ी , पूरी fried
bread (puuri), full (adj. f.)
साड़ी , सारी saree ,
whole (adj. f.)
पड़ोस ,
परोस neighbourhood , to serve (v. stem)
मोड़ , मोर bend , peacock
बड़ी , बरी big (adj. f.) ,
acquitted
२.५ ढ / ध
२.६ ढ़ / र
मढ़ना , मरना to mount ,
to die
साढ़े , सारे and a half
, whole (adj. m. pl.)
3 - Simple / double consonants
३.१ क / क्क
एका , एक्का unity ,
ace (cards)
पका , पक्का cooked ,
strong/firm
३.२ ग / ग्ग
३.३ च / च्च
बचा , बच्चा to save
(v. past m.) , child
३.४ ज / ज्ज
३.५ त / त्त
पता , पत्ता address ,
leaf
३.६ द / द्द
३.७ न / न्न
जाना ,
जान्ना to go , to know
कनी , कन्नी particle ,
edge
३.८ प / प्प
३.९ म / म्म
३.१० ल / ल्ल
दिली ,
दिल्ली cordial , Delhi
३.११ र / र्र
३.१२ स / स्स
रसा , रस्सा broth ,
rope
उसे , उस्से to him/her
, from him/her
4 - Short / long vowels
४.१ अ / आ
कम , काम less , work
कली , काली bud , black (adj.
f.)
सदा , सादा always , simple
सन , सान year , whet-stone
तल , ताल bottom , pond
मरना , मारना to
die , to beat/kill
बचन , वाचन word/promise ,
reading
घटा , घाटा big cloud , loss
रख , राख to put (v. stem) , ash
सड़ी , साड़ी rotten (adj. f.)
, saree
रस , रास juice , reins
दल , दाल (political) party , pulse/daal
भई , भाई hey! , brother
४.२ इ / ई
मिल , मील to find (v. stem) , mile
कि , की that (conj.) , of (postp. f.)
सिख , सीख Sikh(s) , to learn (v.
stem)
पिला , पीला to make
drink (v. stem) , yellow (adj. f.)
छिलना ,
छीलना to be peeled , to peel
दिन , दीन day , poor
बिन , बीन without , flute
४.३ उ / ऊ
पुरी , पूरी city ,
full (adj. f.)
5 - Short / long nasalized vowels
५.१ अं / आँ
५.२ इं / ईं
५.३ उं / ऊँ
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