Gujarati language Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Gujarati

ગુજરાતી
Gujarātī

"Gujarati" in Gujarati script

Native to Gujarat
Daman and Diu
Dadra and Nagar Haveli

Region Gujarat

Ethnicity Gujaratis

Native speakers 49 million (2007)ne2007

Language family

Indo-European

Indo-Iranian
- Indo-Aryan
  - Western
    - Gujarati languages
      - Gujarati

Early forms:

Old Gujarati

Middle Gujarati
- Gujarati

Writing system Gujarati alphabet (Brahmic)
Gujarati Braille
Arabic script
Devanagari (historical)

Official status

Official language in Gujarat (India)
Daman and Diu (India)
Dadra and Nagar Haveli (India)

Linguasphere 59-AAF-h

Distribution of native Gujarati speakers in India

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Gujarati is a language spoken mainly in India. It belongs to a big family of languages called Indo-Aryan. Millions of people speak Gujarati as their first language. Most of them live in the state of Gujarat in India. Some also live in nearby Pakistan.

You can also find many Gujarati speakers in other parts of the world, like the United States of America. It is one of the most common languages spoken there. Two very famous leaders, Gandhi and Muhammad Ali Jinnah, spoke Gujarati as their mother tongue. Gandhi, a great leader from India, once said about the Gujarati language: "Bad handwriting is a sign of an uncomplete education."

Where Gujarati is Spoken
- Gujarati Speakers Around the World
The History of Gujarati
- How Gujarati is Written
Famous Gujarati Speakers
- Mahatma Gandhi
- Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Images for kids
See also

Where Gujarati is Spoken

Gujarati is mainly spoken in the Indian state of Gujarat. It is the official language there. It is also spoken in the Indian union territories of Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

Gujarati Speakers Around the World

Many people who speak Gujarati have moved to other countries. This means you can find Gujarati speakers in many places. Large groups of Gujarati speakers live in the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Canada, and parts of Africa.

The History of Gujarati

The Gujarati language has a long history. It developed from an older language called Old Gujarati. This language was spoken around 700 years ago. Over time, Old Gujarati changed and became what we know today as Gujarati.

How Gujarati is Written

Gujarati is written using its own special alphabet. This alphabet is called the Gujarati alphabet. It looks a bit different from the English alphabet. It is part of a larger group of writing systems called Brahmic scripts. These scripts are used for many languages in India.

People who are blind can also read Gujarati. They use a special system called Gujarati Braille. In the past, some people also wrote Gujarati using the Arabic script or Devanagari script.

Famous Gujarati Speakers

Many important people have spoken Gujarati.

Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi was a very important leader in India. He helped India gain its freedom from British rule. He was born in Gujarat and Gujarati was his first language. He used his words and writings to inspire many people.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Muhammad Ali Jinnah was another important leader. He was the founder of Pakistan. Even though he later supported the use of Urdu for Pakistan, Gujarati was his mother tongue.