It is said that Devanagari means “script of the city of the gods”, although the actual true meaning of “Devanagari” is unknown and therefore this meaning is just speculative. Devanagari is the written script used by the Hindi language. Devanagari is the script also used by other languages, including ancient languages such as Sanskrit and Prakrit, as well as modern languages such as Marathi and Nepali, and a variety of regional dialects in between.

The name of Devanagari is colloquially shortened to “Nagari” when used in the Hindi-speaking world, which actually means “urbane, sophisticated”, also linked to the word “nagar”, which means “city”, one can automatically get a sense that the writing system is designed to be one of a complete and logical nature. A beginner learner of Devanagari would be pleased to know that the system is phonetic, which would make it an easier and enjoyable endeavor to learn Hindi.

Despite it’s roots in antiquity, the script is described as bal-bodh, translated as “comprehensible by children”, which should serve to be particularly reassuring for any learner!

The following is an example of the script that will give you some sort of idea of how easy the basics of this language are supposed to be to grasp. The box below lists three Indian food items that are common in their cuisine. Look at the transcribed letters, and read what’s in the box, from left to right, in order to get an idea of how to read the language: