There are over 129 languages spoken in Nepal, but the two official languages of the country are Nepali and English. Over 45% of people in Nepal speak the Nepali language. In addition to Nepali and English, there are many other languages spoken in Nepal, including Maithili, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Tamang, Magar, and many others. These languages are spoken by different ethnic groups and communities within Nepal and are an important part of the country’s linguistic and cultural diversity.
Nepali
Nepali is the official language of Nepal so Nepali has mostly spoken language in Nepal. Over 45% of the population prefers the Nepali Language but almost every citizen of Nepal understands the Nepali language. Nepali is the most widely spoken language in Nepal and is the language of the government and media. It is written in the Devanagari script and is a member of the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. Nepali is closely related to Hindi and is spoken by the majority of the population, particularly in the central and western regions of the country.
English
English is also the official language of Nepal and is used as a second language in education and business. It is spoken by a small portion of the population, particularly in urban areas, and is used as a language of international communication.
Most Spoken Language in Nepal
All language has their own origin, historical, geographical, and cultural importance. More than 129 languages are spoken in Nepal by different groups of people. Even though the geographically small size of Nepal has a wide variety of languages. Here are the 10 most spoken languages in Nepal besides Nepali and English.
1. Maithili
The Maithili language is the first largest language spoken in Nepal. More than 12% of the population speaks the Maithili language. So, Maithili is the second largest language spoken in Nepal.
Maithili is a language spoken by the Maithil people, who are an ethnic group native to the Mithila region of Nepal and India. It is written in the Maithili script and is a member of the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. Maithili is spoken by a large portion of the population in eastern Nepal and is an official language in the state of Bihar, India.
2. Bhojpuri
More than 6% of people prefer to speak the Bhojpuri language in Nepal, So Bhojpuri is the second largest spoken language in Nepal.
Bhojpuri is a language spoken by the Bhojpuri people, who are an ethnic group native to the Bhojpur region of Nepal and India. It is written in the Devanagari script and is a member of the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. Bhojpuri is spoken by a significant portion of the population in eastern Nepal.
3. Tharu
More than 5.8% of people in Nepal speak the Tharu language, So the Tharu language is the 3rd largest spoken language in Nepal.
Tharu is a language spoken by the Tharu people, who are an ethnic group native to the Terai region of Nepal and India. There are several dialects of Tharu, which are spoken by different subgroups of the Tharu community. Tharu is written in the Devanagari script and is a member of the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.
4. Tamang
Over 5.3% of the population of Nepal prefers the Tamang language so, Tamang is the 4th largest spoken language in Nepal.
Tamang is a language spoken by the Tamang people, who are an ethnic group native to the central and western regions of Nepal. It is written in the Devanagari script and is a member of the Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. Tamang is spoken by a large portion of the population in Nepal and is one of the country’s recognized national languages.
5. Newari / Nepalbhasa
Newari Language is the 5th most spoken language in Nepal. Over 3.2% of the people of Nepal speak the Newari language.
Newar is a language spoken in Nepal by the Newar people, who are an indigenous ethnic group native to the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding areas. Newar is a Tibeto-Burman language and is written in the Nepal Bhasa script, which is an abugida script that originated in Nepal. It is one of the recognized national languages of Nepal and is spoken by a significant portion of the population in the central region of the country.
6. Bajjika
Bajjika is the 6th largest spoken language of Nepal and it is preferred by 3% of people in Nepal.
Bajjika is a language spoken in Nepal by the Bajjika people and other ethnic groups in the eastern region of the country. It is a member of the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family, written in the Devanagari script, and closely related to Maithili and Bhojpuri. It is spoken as a first language by a small portion of the population in Nepal and is used for communication among the Bajjika and other ethnic communities in the region.
7. Magar
Magar is the 7th largest spoken language of Nepal. Over 2.98% of people speak the Magar language in Nepal.
Magar is a language spoken by the Magar people, who are an ethnic group native to the central and western regions of Nepal. It is written in the Devanagari script and is a member of the Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. Magar is spoken by a significant portion of the population in Nepal and is one of the country’s recognized national languages.
8. Dotyali
Dotyali is the 8th largest spoken language of Nepal. Dotyali is spoken by almost 2.97% people of Nepal.
Dotyali, also spelled Doteli or Dotyal, is a language spoken in Nepal by the Dotyali people, who are an ethnic group native to the western region of the country. It is a member of the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family and is written in the Devanagari script. Dotyali is spoken by a small portion of the population in Nepal, primarily in the districts of Doti, Kailali, and Kanchanpur in the far western region of the country.
9. Urdu
The Urdu language is spoken by over 2.6% people of Nepal so Urdu is the 9th largest spoken language of Nepal.
Urdu is a language spoken in Nepal by a small minority of the population, primarily in urban areas. It is a standardized register of the Hindustani language, which is spoken across India and Pakistan, and is written in the Perso-Arabic script. In Nepal, Urdu is primarily spoken by members of the Muslim community, who make up a small percentage of the population.
10. Awadhi
Awadhi is the 10th most spoken language in Nepal. Over 1.8% of people in Nepal speak the Awadhi language.
Awadhi is a language spoken in Nepal by a small minority of the population, primarily in the western and central regions of the country. It is a member of the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family and is written in the Devanagari script. Awadhi is closely related to Hindi and is one of the languages that has contributed to the development of modern Hindi.
These are just a few examples of the many languages spoken in Nepal. The country is home to a diverse linguistic and cultural landscape, with a wide variety of languages and dialects spoken by different ethnic groups and communities.