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Languages of Nepal

{{Short description|none}}

{{Update|part=Languages in Nepal by numbers of speakers|reason=2021 Nepal census|date=March 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}

{{Infobox country languages

| country = Nepal

| image =Nepal ethnic groups.png

| caption=Ethnolinguistic map of Nepal

| official =Nepali

| semi-official = Newar, Maithili, Limbu, Bhojpuri, Bajjika, Tamang, Magar, Gurung, Tharu, Awadhi,

| national =

| unofficial =

| main =

| vernacular = Nepalese English

| indigenous = Many Indo-Aryan languages and Sino-Tibetan languages; Kurukh, Santali

| minority =

| immigrant =

| foreign = English

| sign = Nepali Sign Language {{•}} Jhankot Sign Language {{•}} Jumla Sign Language {{•}} Ghandruk Sign Language

| keyboard = QWERTY/Nepali keyboard

| keyboard image = 200px

| source =

}}

Languages of Nepal, referred to as Nepalese languages in the country's constitution, are the languages having at least an ancient history or origin inside the sovereign territory of Nepal, spoken by Nepalis.

There were 124 mother tongues according to the "National Report on caste/ethnicity, language & religion", National Population and Housing Census 2021 in Nepal.

Nepali accounted as a mother tongue for 44.86% while also being a second additional language for 46.2% of the total population.{{Cite web |title=National Population and Housing Census 2021 National Report on Caste/ethnicity, Language & Religion". |url=https://censusnepal.cbs.gov.np/results/files/result-folder/Caste%20Ethnicity_report_NPHC_2021.pdf |url-status=}} Most belong to the Indo-Aryan and Sino-Tibetan language families.

The official working language at federal level is Nepali, but the constitution provisions each province to choose one or more additional official working languages.{{cite web |title=The Constitution of Nepal |website=Nepal Law Commission |url=https://www.lawcommission.gov.np/en/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Constitution-of-Nepal.pdf |access-date=28 October 2021}} The Language Commission of Nepal in 2021 recommended 14 official languages for different provinces of Nepal.{{cite web |title=सरकारी कामकाजको भाषाका आधारहरूको निर्धारण तथा भाषासम्बन्धी सिफारिसहरू (पञ्चवर्षीय प्रतिवेदन- साराांश) २०७८ |url=https://languagecommission.gov.np/files/%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B8%20%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%A3%20%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80%20%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%8B%20%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%BE.pdf |website=Language Commission |access-date=28 October 2021}}

The mother languages of Nepal, or languages of Nepali origin are sometimes referred to as Nepali languages.{{cite magazine |title=नेपालको संविधानको प्रारम्भिक मस्यौदामा वर्ल्ड नेवाः अर्गनाइजेशनको सुझाव |trans-title= Organisation of the preliminary draft of Nepal's constitution|magazine=Halin Newah |date=March 2016 |page=27 |url=http://www.worldnewah.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/wno-magazine-2016-inner-pages.pdf |access-date=9 November 2021}}{{cite web |title=नेपालका सबै भाषाहरु नेपाली भाषा हुन् |website=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/NepaliBhasaLanguage/ |access-date=9 November 2021}}

National languages

According to the constitution of Nepal: "All languages spoken as the mother tongue in Nepal are the languages of the nation".{{cite web |url=http://www.lawcommission.gov.np/en/archives/985 |title=Constitution of Nepal, Part-1 Preliminary |publisher=Nepal Law Commission |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180915191217/http://www.lawcommission.gov.np/en/archives/985 |archive-date=2018-09-15}} Many of the languages also have various dialects. For example, the Rai people have about 30 languages. Some of the languages are similar and may be considered dialects. The distinction between dialects and languages is sometimes unclear.{{Cite journal|journal=Linguistics of the Tibeto-Burman Area |volume=19|issue=2|last=Kansakar|first=Tej R.|date=Fall 1996|title=Multilingualism and the Language Situation in Nepal |url=http://sealang.net/sala/archives/pdf8/kansakar1996multilingualism.pdf}}

Classification

Nepal's languages are mostly either Indo-European or Sino-Tibetan, while only a very few of them are Austro-Asiatic and Dravidian.

Out of 123 languages of Nepal, the 48 Indo-European languages, which are of the Indo-Aryan (Indic) sub-family (excluding English), constitute the largest group in terms of the numeric strength of their speakers, nearly 82.1%{{Cite web|url=https://nepal.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/Population%20Monograph%20V02.pdf|title=Population Monograph of Nepal Volume II (Social Demography)}} of population. Nepali, Bhojpuri, Maithili, Awadhi, the Tharu languages and Urdu fall in this group.

The Sino-Tibetan family of Nepal's languages forms a part of its Tibeto-Burman group. Though spoken by relatively fewer people than the Indo-European family (17.3% of population), it includes a greater number of languages, about 63 languages. Languages belonging to this group include Tamang, Nepal Bhasa (Newar), Magar and Limbu.

The small declining number of Dravidian languages are represented by Kurux, and the Munda languages of the Austroasiatic family by Santali and Mundari.

The indigenous languages of Nepal that predated the influx of Indic, Tibeto-Burman, and other families barely survive in the Kusunda language, which is nearly extinct today.{{Cite journal|last1=Whitehouse|first1=Paul|last2=Usher|first2=Timothy|last3=Ruhlen|first3=Merritt|last4=Wang|first4=William S.-Y.|date=2004-04-13|title=Kusunda: An Indo-Pacific language in Nepal|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|language=en|volume=101|issue=15|pages=5692–5695|doi=10.1073/pnas.0400233101|issn=0027-8424|pmc=397480|pmid=15056764|bibcode=2004PNAS..101.5692W|doi-access=free}}

Nepal also has at several indigenous village sign languages: Jhankot Sign Language, Jumla Sign Language, and Ghandruk Sign Language, in addition to the Nepali Sign Language designed for national use.{{cite report |last=Hurlbut|first=Hope M.|date=June 2012|title=A Lexicostatistic Survey of the Signed Languages in Nepal|publisher=SIL International|url=https://www.sil.org/system/files/reapdata/42/15/10/42151003210731178089838051874320977778/silesr2012_021.pdf|id=SIL Electronic Survey Report 2012-021}}

class="wikitable"

|+Number of speakers by language family{{Break}}(2011 Census)

!Language family

!Number

!Percentage

Indo-European

|21,752,496

|82.10%

Sino-Tibetan

|4,584,871

|17.31%

Austro-Asiastic

|49,858

|0.19%

Dravidian

|33,651

|0.13%

Others/Not reported

|73,375

|0.27%

Total

|26,494,504

|100%

Constitutional status

File:Maru tol street sign.jpg, Devanagari script and English in Kathmandu]]

Part 1 of the Constitution of Nepal 2015 (2072 B.S.) contains these provisions about the languages of Nepal:

  • Article 6: All languages spoken as the mother tongue in Nepal are the languages of the nation.
  • Article 7(1): The Nepali language in the Devanagari script shall be the official language of Nepal.
  • Article 7(2): A Province may, by a provincial law, determine one or more than one languages of the nation spoken by a majority of people within the Province as its official language or languages, in addition to the Nepali language.

Languages in Nepal as of 2021

There were 124 mother tongues according to the "National Report on caste/ethnicity, language & religion", National Population and Housing Census 2021 in Nepal.

Nepali accounted as a mother tongue for 44.86% while also being a second additional language for 46.2% of the total population.

= Mother tongues =

There were 124 mother tongues according to the "National Report on caste/ethnicity, language & religion", National Population and Housing Census 2021 in Nepal.111 were previously reported in the earlier census 2011 and 13 were newly found in the census 2021.

The newly added mother tongues were Bhote, Lowa, Chum/Nubri, Baragunwa, Nar-Phu, Ranatharu, Karmarong, Mugali, Tichhurong Poike, Sadri, Done, Munda/Mudiyari and Kewarat.

Population by mother tongue and sex, NPHC 2021

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Number of native speakers (2021 Census)

! Rank

! Language

! Total

! Percentage

|All MotherTongues

|29,164,578

|100

1

|Nepali

|13,084,457

|44.86

2

|Maithili

|3,222,389

|11.05

3

|Bhojpuri

|1,820,795

|6.24

4

|Tharu

|1,714,091

|5.88

5

|Tamang

|1,423,075

|4.88

6

|Bajjika

|1,133,764

|3.89

7

|Avadhi

|864,276

|2.96

8

|Nepalbhasha(Newari)

|863,380

|2.96

9

|Magar Dhut

|810,315

|2.78

10

|Doteli

|494,864

|1.7

11

|Urdu

|413,785

|1.42

12

|Yakthung/Limbu

|350,436

|1.2

13

|Gurung

|328,074

|1.12

14

|Magahi

|230,117

|0.79

15

|Baitadeli

|152,666

|0.52

16

|Rai

|144,512

|0.5

17

|Achhami

|141,444

|0.48

18

|Bantawa

|138,003

|0.47

19

|Rajbanshi

|130,163

|0.45

20

|Sherpa

|117,896

|0.4

21

|Khash

|117,511

|0.4

22

|Bajhangi

|99,631

|0.34

23

|Hindi

|98,399

|0.34

24

|Magar Kham

|91,753

|0.31

25

|Chamling

|89,037

|0.31

26

|Ranatharu

|77,766

|0.27

27

|Chepang

|58,392

|0.2

28

|Bajureli

|56,486

|0.19

29

|Santhali

|53,677

|0.18

30

|Danuwar

|49,992

|0.17

31

|Darchuleli

|45,649

|0.16

32

|Uranw/Urau

|38,873

|0.13

33

|Kulung

|37,912

|0.13

34

|Angika

|35,952

|0.12

35

|Majhi

|32,917

|0.11

36

|Sunuwar

|32,708

|0.11

37

|Thami

|26,805

|0.09

38

|Ganagai

|26,281

|0.09

39

|Thulung

|24,405

|0.08

40

|Bangla

|23,774

|0.08

41

|Ghale

|23,049

|0.08

42

|Sampang

|21,597

|0.07

43

|Marwadi

|21,333

|0.07

44

|Dadeldhuri

|21,300

|0.07

45

|Dhimal

|20,583

|0.07

46

|Tajpuriya

|20,349

|0.07

47

|Kumal

|18,435

|0.06

48

|Khaling

|16,514

|0.06

49

|Musalman

|16,252

|0.06

50

|Wambule

|15,285

|0.05

51

|Bahing/Bayung

|14,449

|0.05

52

|Yakkha

|14,241

|0.05

53

|Sanskrit

|13,906

|0.05

54

|Bhujel

|13,086

|0.04

55

|Bhote

|12,895

|0.04

56

|Darai

|12,156

|0.04

57

|Yamphu/Yamphe

|10,744

|0.04

58

|Nachhiring

|9,906

|0.03

59

|Hyolmo/Yholmo

|9,658

|0.03

60

|Dumi

|8,638

|0.03

61

|Jumli

|8,338

|0.03

62

|Bote

|7,687

|0.03

63

|Mewahang

|7,428

|0.03

64

|Puma

|6,763

|0.02

65

|Pahari

|5,946

|0.02

66

|Athpahariya

|5,580

|0.02

67

|Dungmali

|5,403

|0.02

68

|Jirel

|5,167

|0.02

69

|Tibetan

|5,053

|0.02

70

|Dailekhi

|4,989

|0.02

71

|Chum/Nubri

|4,284

|0.01

72

|Chhantyal

|4282

|0.01

73

|Raji

|4247

|0.01

74

|Thakali

|4220

|0.01

75

|Meche

|4203

|0.01

76

|Koyee

|4152

|0.01

77

|Lohorung

|3884

|0.01

78

|Kewarat

|3469

|0.01

79

|Dolpali

|3244

|0.01

80

|Done

|3100

|0.01

81

|Mugali

|2834

|0.01

82

|Jero/Jerung

|2817

|0.01

83

|Karmarong

|2619

|0.01

84

|Chhintang

|2564

|0.01

85

|Lhopa

|2348

|0.01

86

|Lapcha

|2240

|0.01

87

|Munda/Mudiyari

|2107

|0.01

88

|Manange

|2022

|0.01

89

|Chhiling

|2011

|0.01

90

|Dura

|1991

|0.01

91

|Tilung

|1969

|0.01

92

|Sign Language

|1784

|0.01

93

|Byansi

|1706

|0.01

94

|Balkura/Baram

|1539

|0.01

95

|Baragunwa

|1536

|0.01

96

|Sadri

|1347

|0

97

|English

|1323

|0

98

|Magar Kaike

|1225

|0

99

|Sonaha

|1182

|0

100

|Hayu/Vayu

|1133

|0

101

|Kisan

|1004

|0

102

|Punjabi

|871

|0

103

|Dhuleli

|786

|0

104

|Khamchi(Raute)

|741

|0

105

|Lungkhim

|702

|0

106

|Lowa

|624

|0

107

|Kagate

|611

|0

108

|Waling/Walung

|545

|0

109

|Nar-Phu

|428

|0

110

|Lhomi

|413

|0

111

|Tichhurong Poike

|410

|0

112

|Kurmali

|397

|0

113

|Koche

|332

|0

114

|Sindhi

|291

|0

115

|Phangduwali

|247

|0

116

|Belhare

|177

|0

117

|Surel

|174

|0

118

|Malpande

|161

|0

119

|Khariya

|132

|0

120

|Sadhani

|122

|0

121

|Hariyanwi

|114

|0

122

|Sam

|106

|0

123

|Bankariya

|86

|0

124

|Kusunda

|23

|0

125

|Others

|4201

|0.01

126

|Not stated

|346

|0

= Second Language =

There were 25 languages that were being used as second language by more than 10 thousand population on each in the "National Report on caste/ethnicity, language & religion", National Population and Housing Census 2021 in Nepal, whereas there were only 18 such languages reported as second language in the earlier census 2011.

Population by second language, NPHC 2021

class="wikitable"

|Rank

|Second Language

|Total

|Percentage

|Total

|29164578

|100

1

|No Second Language

|14023086

|48.08

2

|Nepali

|13482904

|46.23

3

|Maithili

|267621

|0.92

4

|Hindi

|223106

|0.76

5

|Bhojpuri

|138572

|0.48

6

|English

|102561

|0.35

7

|Tharu

|89606

|0.31

8

|Bajjika

|86062

|0.3

9

|Avadhi

|75651

|0.26

10

|Urdu

|72128

|0.25

11

|Tamang

|71569

|0.25

12

|Magar Dhut

|54143

|0.19

13

|Bhote

|45292

|0.16

14

|Bantawa

|43536

|0.15

15

|Nepalbhasha(Newari)

|32604

|0.11

16

|Chamling

|29253

|0.1

17

|Magahi

|29191

|0.1

18

|Gurung

|23698

|0.08

19

|Yakthung/Limbu

|19705

|0.07

20

|Thulung

|17187

|0.06

21

|Magar Kham

|16814

|0.06

22

|Bahing/Bayung

|15104

|0.05

23

|Rai

|14398

|0.05

24

|Doteli

|14344

|0.05

25

|Sampang

|14261

|0.05

26

|Khaling

|10370

|0.04

27

|Baitadeli

|9521

|0.03

28

|Sherpa

|9435

|0.03

29

|Sanskrit

|6615

|0.02

30

|Achhami

|6522

|0.02

31

|Angika

|6127

|0.02

32

|Musalman

|6084

|0.02

33

|Kulung

|6039

|0.02

34

|Dumi

|5870

|0.02

35

|Dadeldhuri

|5535

|0.02

36

|Bangla

|5447

|0.02

37

|Wambule

|5227

|0.02

38

|Darchuleli

|4272

|0.01

39

|Puma

|4271

|0.01

40

|Rajbanshi

|4103

|0.01

41

|Bote

|3891

|0.01

42

|Mewahang

|3669

|0.01

43

|Marwadi

|3449

|0.01

44

|Nachhiring

|3176

|0.01

45

|Tibetan

|3134

|0.01

46

|Bajhangi

|2641

|0.01

47

|Khash

|2607

|0.01

48

|Chhintang

|2135

|0.01

49

|Tilung

|1762

|0.01

50

|Sunuwar

|1597

|0.01

51

|Belhare

|1491

|0.01

52

|Punjabi

|1274

|0

53

|Dungmali

|1271

|0

54

|Jero/Jerung

|1245

|0

55

|Jumli

|1125

|0

56

|Bajureli

|1076

|0

57

|Dhimal

|999

|0

58

|Majhi

|971

|0

59

|Ghale

|963

|0

60

|Koyee

|928

|0

61

|Ranatharu

|871

|0

62

|Thami

|859

|0

63

|Danuwar

|845

|0

64

|Chepang

|833

|0

65

|Sign Language

|828

|0

66

|Bhujel

|740

|0

67

|Thakali

|733

|0

68

|Yakkha

|704

|0

69

|Santhali

|703

|0

70

|Chhiling

|685

|0

71

|Ganagai

|644

|0

72

|Lohorung

|622

|0

73

|Kumal

|615

|0

74

|Kagate

|615

|0

75

|Darai

|591

|0

76

|Khamchi(Raute)

|526

|0

77

|Magar Kaike

|515

|0

78

|Hyolmo/Yholmo

|508

|0

79

|Yamphu/Yamphe

|494

|0

80

|Dailekhi

|434

|0

81

|Chhantyal

|394

|0

82

|Hayu/Vayu

|349

|0

83

|Koche

|335

|0

84

|Jirel

|332

|0

85

|Athpahariya

|320

|0

86

|Balkura/Baram

|307

|0

87

|Waling/Walung

|304

|0

88

|Manange

|304

|0

89

|Dura

|278

|0

90

|Uranw/Urau

|245

|0

91

|Lapcha

|242

|0

92

|Sindhi

|217

|0

93

|Tajpuriya

|209

|0

94

|Dhuleli

|187

|0

95

|Pahari

|142

|0

96

|Lhopa

|129

|0

97

|Dolpali

|127

|0

98

|Sadhani

|125

|0

99

|Sadri

|106

|0

100

|Baragunwa

|89

|0

101

|Phangduwali

|85

|0

102

|Hariyanwi

|84

|0

103

|Sam

|79

|0

104

|Malpande

|78

|0

105

|Raji

|76

|0

106

|Meche

|75

|0

107

|Tichhurong Poike

|72

|0

108

|Surel

|64

|0

109

|Kurmali

|60

|0

110

|Bankariya

|42

|0

111

|Kewarat

|38

|0

112

|Sonaha

|35

|0

113

|Karmarong

|34

|0

114

|Kisan

|33

|0

115

|Byansi

|32

|0

116

|Kusunda

|32

|0

117

|Lungkhim

|28

|0

118

|Mugali

|23

|0

119

|Others

|159

|0

120

|Not stated

|8105

|0.03

class="wikitable sortable"

|+

Number of native speakers (2011 Census)

! Rank

! Language

! Language family

! Count

! Percentage

1

| Nepali

|Indo-European

11,826,95344.64%
2

| Maithili

|Indo-European

3,092,53011.67%
3

| Bhojpuri

|Indo-European

1,584,9585.98%
4

| Tharu

|Indo-European

1,529,8755.77%
5

| Tamang

|Sino-Tibetan

1,353,3115.11%
6

| Nepal Bhasa (Newar)

|Sino-Tibetan

846,5573.20%
7

| Bajjika

|Indo-European

793,4162.99%
8

| Magar

|Sino-Tibetan

788,5302.98%
9

| Dotyali/Doteli

|Indo-European

787,8272.97%
10

| Urdu

|Indo-European

691,5462.61%
11

| Awadhi

|Indo-European

501,7521.89%
12

| Limbu

|Sino-Tibetan

343,6031.30%
13

| Gurung

|Sino-Tibetan

325,6221.23%
14

| Baitadeli

|Indo-European

272,5241.03%
15

| Rai (Kiranti)

|Sino-Tibetan

159,1140.60%
16

| Aachami

|Indo-European

142,7870.54%
17

|Bantawa (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

132,5830.50%
18

| Rajbanshi

|Indo-European

122,2140.46%
19

| Sherpa

|Sino-Tibetan

114,8300.43%
20

| Hindi

|Indo-European

77,5690.29%
21

| Chamling (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

76,8000.29%
22

| Bajhangi

|Indo-European

67,5810.26%
23

| Santhali

|Austro-Asiatic

49,8580.19%
24

| Chepang

|Sino-Tibetan

48,4760.18%
25

|Danuwar

|Indo-European

45,8210.17%
26

|Sunuwar

|Sino-Tibetan

37,8980.14%
27

| Magahi

|Indo-European

35,6140.13%
28

|Uranw/Kurux

|Dravidian

33,6510.13%
29

| Kulung (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

33,1700.13%
30

| Kham (Magar)

|Sino-Tibetan

27,1130.10%
31

| Rajasthani

|Indo-European

25,3940.10%
32

|Majhi

|Indo-European

24,4220.09%
33

| Thami

|Sino-Tibetan

23,1510.09%
34

| Bhujel

|Sino-Tibetan

21,7150.08%
35

| Bengali

|Indo-European

21,0610.08%
36

|Thulung (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

20,6590.08%
37

|Yakkha

|Sino-Tibetan

19,5580.07%
38

| Dhimal

|Sino-Tibetan

19,3000.07%
39

| Tajpuriya

|Indo-European

18,8110.07%
40

| Angika

|Indo-European

18,5550.07%
41

| Sampang (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

18,2700.07%
42

| Khaling (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

14,4670.05%
43

|Wambule (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

13,4700.05%
44

| Kumal

|Indo-European

12,2220.05%
45

| Darai

|Indo-European

11,6770.04%
46

| Bahing (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

11,6580.04%
47

| Bajureli

|Indo-European

10,7040.04%
48

|Hyolmo

|Sino-Tibetan

10,1760.04%
49

| Nachiring (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

10,0410.04%
50

|Yamphu (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

9,2080.03%
51

| Bote

|Indo-European

8,7660.03%
52

| Ghale

|Sino-Tibetan

8,0920.03%
53

| Dumi (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

7,6380.03%
54

| Lepcha

|Sino-Tibetan

7,4990.03%
55

| Puma (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

6,6860.03%
56

|Dungmali (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

6,2600.02%
57

| Darchuleli

|Indo-European

5,9280.02%
58

|Aathpariya (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

5,5300.02%
59

| Thakali

|Sino-Tibetan

5,2420.02%
60

|Jirel

|Sino-Tibetan

4,8290.02%
61

|Mewahang (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

4,6500.02%
62

|Sign Language

|−

4,4760.02%
63

|Tibetan

|Sino-Tibetan

4,4450.02%
64

| Meche

|Sino-Tibetan

4,3750.02%
65

|Chhantyal

|Sino-Tibetan

4,2830.02%
66

| Raji

|Sino-Tibetan

3,7580.01%
67

|Lohorung (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

3,7160.01%
68

|Chhintang (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

3,7120.01%
69

| Gangai

|Indo-European

3,6120.01%
70

| Pahari

|Sino-Tibetan

3,4580.01%
71

| Dailekhi

|Indo-European

3,1020.01%
72

| Lhopa

|Sino-Tibetan

3,0290.01%
73

| Dura

|Sino-Tibetan

2,1560.01%
74

|Koch

|Sino-Tibetan

2,0800.01%
75

|Chiling (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

2,0460.01%
76

| English

|Indo-European

2,0450.01%
77

|Jerung (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

1,7630.01%
78

| Khas

|Indo-European

1,7470.01%
79

| Sanskrit

|Indo-European

1,6690.01%
80

|Dolpali

|Indo-European

|1,667

|0.01%

81

|Hayu

|Sino-Tibetan

|1,520

|0.01%

82

|Tilung (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

|1,424

|0.01%

83

|Koi (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

|1,271

|0.00%

84

|Kisan

|Indo-European

|1,178

|0.00%

85

|Waling (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

|1,169

|0.00%

86

|Musalban

|Indo-European

|1,075

|0.00%

87

|Hariyani/Haryanvi

|Indo-European

|889

|0.00%

88

|Jumli

|Indo-European

|851

|0.00%

89

|Lhomi

|Sino-Tibetan

|808

|0.00%

90

|Punjabi

|Indo-European

|808

|0.00%

91

|Belhare (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

|599

|0.00%

92

|Odia

|Indo-European

|584

|0.00%

93

|Sonaha

|Indo-European

|579

|0.00%

94

|Sindhi

|Indo-European

|518

|0.00%

95

|Dadeldhuri

|Indo-European

|488

|0.00%

96

|Byangshi

|Sino-Tibetan

|480

|0.00%

97

|Assamese

|Indo-European

|476

|0.00%

98

|Raute

|Sino-Tibetan

|461

|0.00%

99

|Saam (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

|401

|0.00%

100

|Manange

|Sino-Tibetan

|392

|0.00%

101

|Dhuleli

|Sino-Tibetan

|347

|0.00%

102

|Phangduali (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

|290

|0.00%

103

|Surel

|Sino-Tibetan

|287

|0.00%

104

|Malpande

|Indo-European

|247

|0.00%

105

|Chinese

|Sino-Tibetan

|242

|0.00%

106

|Khariya

|Austro-Asiatic

|238

|0.00%

107

|Kurmali

|Indo-European

|227

|0.00%

108

|Baram

|Sino-Tibetan

|155

|0.00%

109

|Lingkhim (Rai)

|Sino-Tibetan

|129

|0.00%

110

|Sadhani

|Indo-European

|122

|0.00%

111

|Kagate

|Sino-Tibetan

|99

|0.00%

112

|Dzongkha

|Sino-Tibetan

|80

|0.00%

113

|Bankariya

|Sino-Tibetan

|69

|0.00%

114

|Kaike

|Sino-Tibetan

|50

|0.00%

115

|Garhwali (Gadhawali)

|Indo-European

|38

|0.00%

116

|French

|Indo-European

|34

|0.00%

117

|Mizo

|Sino-Tibetan

|32

|0.00%

118

|Kuki

|Sino-Tibetan

|29

|0.00%

119

|Kusunda

|Language Isolate

|28

|0.00%

120

|Russian

|Indo-European

|17

|0.00%

121

|Spanish

|Indo-European

|16

|0.00%

122

|Nagamese

|Sino-Tibetan

|10

|0.00%

123

|Arabic

|Afro-Asiatic

|8

|0.00%

−

|Not reported

|−

|47,718

|0.18%

−

|Others

|−

|21,173

|0.08%

colspan="3" |Total

|26,494,504||100%

class="wikitable"

|+Second language speakers (2011 Census)

! Language

! Count

! Percentage

Nepali

|8,682,499

|32.77%

Maithili

|1,225,950

|4.62%

Hindi

|195, 287

|0.73%

Bhojpuri

|159,518

|0.60%

Tharu

|84,748

|0.32%

English

|81,447

|0.30%

Bajjika

|60,863

|0.23%

Urdu

|45,766

|0.17%

Awadhi

|45,428

|0.17%

Magar

|42,952

|0.16%

Tamang

|33,450

|0.12%

Nepal Bhasa (Newar)

|32,594

|0.12%

Sanskrit

|2,975

|0.01%

Others

|190,327

|0.72%

Total

|10,883,804

|41.04%

Official languages

{{Main|Languages with official status in Nepal}}

File:Kmc3.jpg, Devanagari and English.]]

Nepali in Devanagari script is the official working language in federal level. The constitution has provisioned provinces to choose one or more than one official language(s) besides Nepali. According to the Language Commission of Nepal Maithili and Limbu are recommended to have official status in Province No. 1; Maithili, Bhojpuri and Bajjika in Province No. 2; Tamang and Nepal Bhasa in Bagmati Province; Magar and Gurung in Gandaki Province; Tharu and Awadhi in Lumbini Province; Nepali (Khas Bhasa)'s Karnali dialect and Magar in Karnali Province; Dotyali and Tharu in Sudurpashchim Province.

Scripts

Most of the languages are found exclusively in oral form. According to the Language Commission, fifteen scripts are currently in use in Nepal,{{cite web |last1=Ganesh |first1=Rai |title=प्रदेशमा ११ भाषा सिफारिस |url=https://ekantipur.com/news/2021/09/08/163106136964166335.html |website=Kantipur Daily |access-date=29 October 2021}} आयोगले १५ वटा लिपि प्रचलनमा रहेको जनाएको छ । including the following:

{{div col|colwidth=12em}}

{{div col end}}

See also

Further reading

  • Hale, Austin. 1973. Clause, sentence, and discourse patterns in selected languages of Nepal IV: word lists. SIL and Tribhuvan University Press (CLDF dataset on Zenodo {{doi|10.5281/zenodo.3537629}})

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Languages of Nepal}}

{{Languages of South Asia}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Culture of Nepal