Languages of the World
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Languages of the country

India

Official languages (2): Hindi, English. Regional: Bangla, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Punjabi, Assamese, Maithili, Nepali, Santali, Kashmiri, Konkani, Sindhi, Dogri, Manipuri, Khasi, Sanskrit. Population (CLDR): 1.4 billion.

The Constitution lists 22 “scheduled languages” (Eighth Schedule); Hindi and English are the languages of the Union, and each state sets its own official languages.

Map of regions

Colours mark the regions where a language is official or predominant; stripes – several languages in one region. Hover over a language in the list to see its regions.

Languages and their status

Share: the estimated part of the population that uses the language (also as a second language), according to CLDR.

LanguageStatusShare
Hindi हिन्दी

Official in the states of the northern and central “Hindi belt”.

 Co-official 41%
English Co-official 19%
Bangla বাংলা

Official in West Bengal and Tripura, and in the Barak Valley of Assam.

 Regional 8.1%
Telugu తెలుగు

Official in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

 Regional 7.2%
Marathi मराठी

Official in Maharashtra.

 Regional 7%
Tamil தமிழ்

Official in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

 Regional 5.9%
Urdu اردو

Official in Jammu and Kashmir; an additional official language in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana and Delhi, among others.

 Regional 5%
Gujarati ગુજરાતી

Official in Gujarat.

 Regional 4.5%
Kannada ಕನ್ನಡ

Official in Karnataka.

 Regional 3.7%
Malayalam മലയാളം

Official in Kerala and Lakshadweep.

 Regional 3.2%
Odia ଓଡ଼ିଆ

Official in Odisha.

 Regional 3.2%
Punjabi ਪੰਜਾਬੀ

Official in Punjab; an additional official language in Delhi and Haryana.

 Regional 2.8%
Assamese অসমীয়া

Official in Assam.

 Regional 1.3%
Maithili मैथिली Regional 1.2%
Nepali नेपाली

Official in Sikkim; also used in the Darjeeling district.

 Regional 0.6%
Santali ᱥᱟᱱᱛᱟᱲᱤ Regional 0.6%
Kashmiri کٲشُر

Official in Jammu and Kashmir (since 2020).

 Regional 0.4%
Konkani कोंकणी

Official in Goa.

 Regional 0.3%
Sindhi سنڌي Regional 0.3%
Dogri डोगरी

Official in Jammu and Kashmir (since 2020).

 Regional 0.2%
Manipuri মৈতৈলোন্

Official in Manipur.

 Regional 0.1%
Khasi

An associate official language of Meghalaya (with Garo and English).

 Regional <0.1%
Sanskrit संस्कृत भाषा

An additional official language in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

 Regional <0.1%
Bhojpuri भोजपुरी Minority 2.3%
Awadhi Minority 1.9%
Haryanvi हरियाणवी Minority 1.2%
Magahi Minority 1.2%
Marwari Minority 1.2%
Chhattisgarhi Minority 1.1%
Deccan Marathi Minority 1.0%
Kanauji Minority 0.6%
Mewati Minority 0.5%
Central-Eastern Kamta Minority 0.4%
Maharashtrian Konkani Minority 0.4%
Shekhawati Minority 0.3%
Garhwali Minority 0.3%
Lambadi Minority 0.3%
Gondi Minority 0.2%
Kumaoni Minority 0.2%
Kurukh Minority 0.2%
Sadri Minority 0.2%
Waddar Minority 0.2%
Kangri कांगड़ी Minority 0.2%
Tulu Minority 0.2%
Wagdi Minority 0.2%
Khandesi Minority 0.2%
Bodo बर’ Minority 0.1%
Nimadi Minority 0.1%
Bhili Minority 0.1%
Rajasthani राजस्थानी Minority 0.1%
Ho Minority <0.1%
Mewari Minority <0.1%
Mundari Minority <0.1%
Bhilali Minority <0.1%
Hadothi Minority <0.1%
Kachchi Minority <0.1%
Tibetan བོད་སྐད་ Minority <0.1%
Western Panjabi Minority <0.1%
Divehi ދިވެހި Minority <0.1%
Dzongkha རྫོང་ཁ Minority <0.1%

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