This subject is designed for people with little or no previous knowledge of Hindi. Primary emphasis will be placed on developing the proficiency necessary to converse with native speakers on a variety of subjects. The Hindi script is introduced and topics covered include: asking questions, forms of greetings, shopping, introducing one's self, train travel, family life, health issues, village life, planning trips, studying in college and popular media. At the end of this subject students should be able to read and write basic Hindi and take part in simple conversations. It is recommended that student take AST1IJI and AST1ICI with this subject.