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
List of minimal pairs in Devnâgarî/Hindi
========================================
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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