10 Common English Pronunciation Mistakes by Hindi Speakers (And How to Fix Them!)
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Introduction
English pronunciation can be challenging for Hindi speakers because some English sounds don’t exist in Hindi.
📌 Example Mistake:
❌ "Bery" instead of "Very"
✅ Correct: "Very" (with a soft V sound)
🚀 In this guide, you’ll learn:
✅ The 10 most common pronunciation mistakes Hindi speakers make
✅ Why these mistakes happen and how to fix them
✅ Step-by-step exercises to improve pronunciation
By the end, you'll speak English with confidence! 🎙️✅
1. Replacing ‘V’ with ‘B’
❌ Wrong: "Bery" instead of "Very"
✅ Correct: "Very" (with a soft V sound)
Why?
👉 In Hindi, the ‘V’ sound is often pronounced as ‘B’.
How to Fix It?
🎯 Practice:
✅ Bite your lower lip slightly and say "Vvvv-ery" instead of "Bery".
✅ Say these words aloud: Very, Vanilla, Vehicle, Vinegar, Victory.
2. Mispronouncing ‘Th’ Sounds
❌ Wrong: "Dree" instead of "Three"
✅ Correct: "Three" (soft ‘th’ sound)
Why?
👉 Hindi doesn’t have the "th" sound, so speakers replace it with "T" or "D".
How to Fix It?
🎯 Practice:
✅ Place your tongue between your teeth and say "Thhhh-ree".
✅ Repeat: Three, Think, Thursday, Thirty, Thank you.
3. Adding an Extra ‘Uh’ Sound at the End of Words
❌ Wrong: "Filam" instead of "Film"
✅ Correct: "Film" (without an extra sound)
Why?
👉 Hindi words often end with vowel sounds, so Hindi speakers accidentally add an extra "uh" at the end of English words.
How to Fix It?
🎯 Practice:
✅ Focus on stopping after the final consonant.
✅ Repeat these words: Film, Problem, System, Anthem, Rhythm.
4. Confusing ‘S’ and ‘Sh’ Sounds
❌ Wrong: "Sip" instead of "Ship"
✅ Correct: "Ship" (with a soft 'Sh' sound)
Why?
👉 Hindi speakers often pronounce "Sh" as "S" because some Hindi dialects don't differentiate between these sounds.
How to Fix It?
🎯 Practice:
✅ Purse your lips slightly and push air out while saying "Shhh".
✅ Say these words aloud: Ship, Sheep, Shine, Shock, Sheet.
5. Mispronouncing ‘Z’ as ‘J’
❌ Wrong: "Jebra" instead of "Zebra"
✅ Correct: "Zebra" (with a buzzing ‘Z’ sound)
Why?
👉 Hindi has limited usage of the ‘Z’ sound, so speakers replace it with ‘J’.
How to Fix It?
🎯 Practice:
✅ Place your tongue behind your upper teeth and say "Zzzzz" like a bee buzzing.
✅ Try: Zebra, Zero, Zoom, Zone, Zodiac.
6. Mispronouncing Silent Letters in Words
❌ Wrong: "K-nife" instead of "Knife"
✅ Correct: "Knife" (silent ‘K’)
Why?
👉 Hindi pronunciation rules require every letter to be spoken, but English has silent letters.
How to Fix It?
🎯 Practice:
✅ Memorize common words with silent letters.
✅ Examples: Knife (silent K), Honest (silent H), Write (silent W), Comb (silent B).
7. Mispronouncing ‘R’ Sounds
❌ Wrong: "Warld" instead of "World"
✅ Correct: "World" (soft ‘R’ sound)
Why?
👉 Hindi speakers often roll the R too much or don’t pronounce it clearly.
How to Fix It?
🎯 Practice:
✅ Curl your tongue slightly back but don’t roll the R too much.
✅ Say these words: World, Word, Work, Write, Wrong.
8. Replacing ‘F’ with ‘Ph’
❌ Wrong: "Phish" instead of "Fish"
✅ Correct: "Fish" (soft ‘F’ sound)
Why?
👉 In Hindi, the ‘F’ sound is often replaced with ‘Ph’.
How to Fix It?
🎯 Practice:
✅ Bite your lower lip and blow air out while saying "Fff".
✅ Say these words aloud: Fish, Fan, Friend, Fit, Four.
9. Mispronouncing ‘J’ and ‘G’ Sounds
❌ Wrong: "Gaam" instead of "Jam"
✅ Correct: "Jam" (soft ‘J’ sound)
Why?
👉 Hindi speakers sometimes replace J with G or vice versa.
How to Fix It?
🎯 Practice:
✅ Try saying: Jam, Jelly, Jungle, Jacket, Jump.
10. Mispronouncing ‘W’ and ‘V’ Sounds
❌ Wrong: "Wery" instead of "Very"
✅ Correct: "Very" (soft ‘V’ sound)
Why?
👉 Hindi speakers often confuse W and V sounds.
How to Fix It?
🎯 Practice:
✅ Bite your lower lip slightly and say "Vvvv-ery" instead of "Wery".
✅ Say these words aloud: Very, Vine, Victory, Volcano, Vehicle.
Pronunciation Practice Exercises
✅ Exercise 1: Repeat the words in front of a mirror.
✅ Exercise 2: Record your voice and compare it with a native speaker.
✅ Exercise 3: Use online tools like Forvo or YouGlish to hear real pronunciations.
✅ Exercise 4: Watch English movies and repeat dialogues aloud.
Conclusion
Now, you know how to fix the 10 most common English pronunciation mistakes Hindi speakers make! 🚀
✅ Focus on "Th," "V," "Z," and silent letters.
✅ Practice every day with listening & speaking exercises.
✅ Use English subtitles to learn correct pronunciation.
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