Hindi Dictation for Class 1: Worksheets with Answers + 200 Imla Words by Matra

Most schools start weekly Hindi imla (dictation) tests in Class 1, and many parents only find out when the first notebook comes home with red marks. If you have been looking for dictation in Hindi Class 1 worksheets PDF files, what you usually need first is simpler: a graded list of words to read aloud, in the right order, so your child is never tested on a matra they have not practised yet.

This page gives you everything for Hindi dictation for Class 1: worksheets with answers you can use today (three ready imla tests are below), 200 graded words sorted by matra, Class 2 sentences, a 4-week plan and a marking table.

This page gives you exactly that: 200 imla words grouped by stage (no-matra words first, then each of the 10 matras), short sentences for Class 2, a 4-week plan, a copy-ready answer-line sheet and a marking table. Every list doubles as the answer key, so you can check your child’s work in seconds.

What is imla, and what do schools expect?

Imla (इमला) is simply Hindi dictation: the teacher reads a word or sentence aloud and children write it from memory. It checks three things at once: whether the child hears the sounds correctly, knows which letter makes each sound, and places the matra in the right spot.

Expectations vary from school to school, but this is a common pattern:

If your child still mixes up letters, go back a step first. Our Hindi varnamala chart with pictures and the Hindi barakhadi chart are good places to revise before dictation starts.

How to use these dictation in Hindi Class 1 worksheets (PDF or notebook)

You can read straight from this page and let your child write in a four-line Hindi notebook, or copy the answer-line sheet further down. Either way, follow the same steps each time:

1. Say the word clearly once. Do not stretch sounds unnaturally, but do say it slowly.
2. Use it in a sentence. “कान। मेरे दो कान हैं। कान।” The sentence helps the child know which word you mean.
3. Wait. Give 20 to 30 seconds. Do not spell it out or hint at the matra.
4. Check together at the end, not after each word, so the test feels calm.
5. Rewrite mistakes three times and add them to next week’s list.

Keep sessions to about ten minutes. Two short sessions a week work far better than one long test on Sunday night.

Stage 1: Words without matras (30 words)

These words use letters only, so children can focus on hearing each sound. For longer lists and blending practice, see our full guides to two-letter words in Hindi and three-letter words in Hindi.

Two-letter words (15)

Three-letter words (15)

Stage 2: Hindi matra dictation lists (170 words)

Each matra has 17 words. The lists are cumulative: once a matra has been learnt, it can appear again in later lists (for example, केला in the ए list also has आ की मात्रा). Dictate the first 8 to 10 words in week one and keep the rest for revision. For a deeper look at how each matra joins its letter, read our guide to Hindi matra worksheets, and for the first matra in full, see aa ki matra words.

आ की मात्रा (ा)

इ की मात्रा (ि)

Remind your child: ि is written before the letter but said after it.

ई की मात्रा (ी)

उ की मात्रा (ु)

Watch for रु: with र, the matra joins at the side instead of underneath.

ऊ की मात्रा (ू)

ए की मात्रा (े)

ऐ की मात्रा (ै)

ओ की मात्रा (ो)

औ की मात्रा (ौ)

अं की मात्रा (ं, anusvar)

Many schools teach chandrabindu (ँ, as in चाँद) separately, usually after the 10 matras. If your child’s book uses it, add it as an eleventh week.

Short sentences for Class 2 dictation

Once single words feel easy, move to sentences. Read the whole sentence, then read it again in two or three chunks. Check that your child ends each sentence with the पूर्ण विराम (।).

1. कमल, जल भर। (Kamal, fill the water.)
2. सूरज निकला। (The sun came out.)
3. मोर नाच रहा है। (The peacock is dancing.)
4. दादी ने खीर बनाई। (Grandmother made kheer.)
5. मेरी पतंग लाल है। (My kite is red.)
6. बंदर पेड़ पर बैठा है। (The monkey is sitting on the tree.)
7. गुलाब का फूल सुंदर है। (The rose is beautiful.)
8. हम सुबह दूध पीते हैं। (We drink milk in the morning.)
9. चिड़िया दाना चुग रही है। (The bird is pecking at grain.)
10. तोता हरी मिर्च खाता है। (The parrot eats green chillies.)

A 4-week imla plan

This plan suits a Class 1 child who knows most letters. For Class 2, move through it in two weeks and add sentences every session.

Copy-ready answer-line sheet

Rule a page like this in a Hindi notebook, or print this page and use the table below. The last two columns are filled in after checking.

Hindi dictation for Class 1 worksheets with answers (3 ready tests)

Each test has 10 words. Read each word aloud twice, slowly, while your child writes it on the answer-line sheet above. The table below is the answer key: cover it during the test, then check together and tick or correct each word.

Test 1: Words without matras (बिना मात्रा के शब्द)

For the first weeks of Class 1. Every word is made only of letters, with no vowel signs.

Test 2: ा, ि and ी matras

Once your child knows the aa, chhoti i and badi ee matras.

Test 3: Mixed matras (ु ू े ै ो ौ ं)

For later in Class 1, or as a revision test in Class 2.

Marking tip: give one mark per word. If the letters are right but a matra is missing or wrong (for example दिन written as दन), mark it as half right and practise that matra the next day. Repeat any test until your child gets 8 or more out of 10, then move to the next one.

Marking and self-check table

Older children can check their own work with this table before you look. Ask them to find the mistake type, not just the wrong word.

Give one tick for every correct word, and praise the child for words that are nearly right too. Confidence matters more than marks at this age.

Print-ready matra practice behind every list

Dictation works best when children have already traced and read the words. Our Hindi Matra Worksheets PDF (₹99, 44 A4 pages, ages 5 to 7) gives each of the 10 matras (ा to ं) its own three-page section: syllable tracing on शिरोरेखा lines, picture words with the matra shown in colour, and a circle-the-matra or match activity. It also has a बारहखड़ी chart, no-matra words, read-aloud sentences, two pages of answer keys and a matra tracker. Practise a section on Monday, then use the matching list on this page for Thursday’s imla.

Get 20 Hindi Imla Tests with Answers – ₹49

If your child is still blending letters, start one step earlier with the Hindi Two & Three Letter Words Worksheets PDF (₹99, 38 pages of no-matra words, phrases and sentences). Want a fun break from tests? Try our jumbled words in Hindi puzzles, or browse all Hindi worksheets.

See the Hindi Two & Three Letter Words Pack – ₹99

Frequently asked questions

How many words should I give in a Class 1 Hindi dictation?

Start with 5 words and build up to 10 words per session. Ten words read slowly, each used in a sentence, takes about ten minutes, which is right for a six-year-old.

Which matra should Class 1 dictation start with?

Start with words that have no matra at all, then आ की मात्रा (ा), because it is the easiest to hear and write. After that, teach इ and ई together, then उ and ऊ, then ए, ऐ, ओ, औ and the anusvar.

Where are the answers for these dictation lists?

The word lists themselves are the answer key. Read a word aloud, let your child write it, then compare their spelling with the list on this page.

What is the difference between Class 1 and Class 2 Hindi dictation?

Class 1 dictation usually covers single words, first without matras and then with one matra at a time. Class 2 dictation mixes all the matras, adds longer words and includes short sentences that end with a पूर्ण विराम.

My child keeps writing ि after the letter. What should I do?

This is the most common Hindi spelling mistake. Ask your child to say matra first, letter second while writing words like दिन and किला, and practise five such words every day for a week.