Languages of South Asia facts for kids
South Asia is a big region that includes countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives. Sometimes, Afghanistan is also included. This area is home to many different languages!
Imagine a huge family tree for languages. The languages spoken in South Asia belong to a few main "families" or groups. These are:
- Indo-Aryan languages: These are part of the even bigger Indo-European family. Many of them grew from an ancient language called Sanskrit.
- Dravidian languages: These are mainly spoken in South India and Sri Lanka.
- Tibeto-Burman languages: You'll find these along the northern and eastern parts of South Asia. They are part of the Sino-Tibetan language family.
- Iranian languages: These are also part of the Indo-European family. They are spoken in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Contents
Indo-Aryan Languages: A Big Family
Most of the Indo-Aryan languages developed from Sanskrit, a very old language. This group has the most speakers in South Asia. Here are some of the main Indo-Aryan languages:
| Language | Number of Speakers | Where it's Spoken |
|---|---|---|
| Hindi | 615,500,000 | North India (like Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand) |
| Bengali | 265,000,000 | Bangladesh, West Bengal, Tripura |
| Urdu | 170,200,000 | Pakistan, and parts of India (like Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh) |
| Marathi | 95,300,000 | Maharashtra |
| Western Punjabi | 92,700,000 | Pakistani Punjab, Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| Gujarati | 60,600,000 | Gujarat |
| Bhojpuri | 52,400,000 | Western Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Nepal |
| Odia | 38,000,000 | Odisha |
| Maithili | 34,000,000 | Eastern Bihar, eastern Jharkhand, Nepal |
| Eastern Punjabi | 32,600,000 | Punjab, India |
| Sindhi | 24,600,000 | Sindh, northern Gujarat |
| Nepali | 24,500,000 | Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan |
| Magahi | 20,700,000 | Southern Bihar, eastern Jharkhand, northern West Bengal |
| Saraiki | 20,000,000 | Southwest Pakistani Punjab |
| Sinhala | 17,300,000 | Sri Lanka |
| Chhatisgarhi | 16,300,000 | Chhattisgarh |
| Assamese | 15,300,000 | Assam |
| Chhitagonian | 13,000,000 | Eastern Bangladesh |
| Deccan | 12,800,000 | Northern Karnataka |
| Sadri | 12,100,000 | Jharkhand, eastern Chhattisgarh, northern Odisha, southern Bihar |
| Sylheti | 11,800,000 | Eastern Bangladesh, southern Assam |
Dravidian Languages: Southern Sounds
The Dravidian languages are mostly spoken in the southern parts of India and in Sri Lanka. They form a separate language family. Here are some of the most spoken Dravidian languages:
| Language | Number of Speakers | Where it's Spoken |
|---|---|---|
| Telugu | 93,000,000 | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana |
| Tamil | 81,000,000 | Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka |
| Kannada | 56,400,000 | Karnataka |
| Malayalam | 37,800,000 | Kerala |
| Brahui | 3,300,000 | Central Balochistan |
| Gondi | 3,000,000 | Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra |
| Kurukh | 2,300,000 | Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal, northern Bangladesh |
| Tulu | 1,900,000 | Western Karnataka, northern Kerala |
| Beary | 1,700,000 | Western Karnataka, northern Kerala |
Tibeto-Burman Languages: Mountain Voices
These languages are found in the northern and eastern parts of South Asia, often in mountainous regions. They are part of the Sino-Tibetan language family. One example is:
| Language | Number of Speakers | Where it's Spoken |
|---|---|---|
| Dzongkha | Bhutan |
Iranian Languages: From West to South Asia
Some Iranian languages are spoken in South Asia, particularly in Pakistan and Afghanistan. These languages are also part of the larger Indo-European family. It's important to note that many Iranian languages are spoken outside South Asia, in West or Central Asia. The numbers below show the total speakers for each language.
| Language | Number of Speakers | Where it's Spoken |
|---|---|---|
| Pashto | 40,000,000 | Afghanistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa |
| Dari Persian | 20,500,000 | Afghanistan |
| Balochi | 10,000,000 | Balochistan |
Images for kids
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Map of language families in South Asia.
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The names of each state in the script of the dominant language of that state of India, part of Pakistan and the whole of Bangladesh, Maldives , Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
