Many people assume that "Indian" is a single language, but India is home to many
languages. Growing up in India, I quickly realized that language isn't just about communication—it’s deeply tied to identity, culture, and history. When asked what language they speak, Indians may give different answers depending on their region, background, and even their personal experiences.
For example, someone from Mumbai might say Marathi, while someone from Chennai would say Tamil. Yet, both might also speak Hindi or English, depending on their education and social circles.
In my own experience, I’ve seen how multilingualism is a way of life—switching between languages mid-conversation is completely normal.
That’s why when people ask, "Do you speak Indian?" It's a bit tricky to answer. There’s no single Indian language, but rather a vast, diverse linguistic landscape where every person’s language journey is unique. According to the 2011 census (Castillo), 121 languages are recognized as mother tongues - the first language a person learns and uses.
Within this linguistic blend, 22 languages have been granted official status through the Indian Constitution's 8th Schedule (Chandras): Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.
Recent research has revealed even greater diversity than officially recognized. Literary scholar and cultural activist Ganesh Narayan Devy and his team have documented 780 languages in India, with many more yet to be studied. This figure far exceeds the 22 officially recognized languages in the Constitution and the 121 "major" languages (those with 10,000 or more speakers) identified in the 2011 census (Seetharaman and Mukeri).
The relationship between Hindi and Urdu presents a fascinating case study. Though grammatically identical, these languages differ primarily in their scripts and some vocabulary choices, while Urdu employs a modified Perso-Arabic script. While it is assumed in a sense that these languages are often associated with religion, for example - Hindi with Hindus and Urdu with Muslims - the reality is far more nuanced. Language and dialect are determined by geographical location and community practice rather than their religious association.
English, too, holds a unique position in India. During the country's independence in 1947, it emerged as a crucial bridge between the northern and southern regions. English is assumed to be a practical choice for national unity and continues to serve this purpose today. The emergence of Indian English, also known as “Hinglish,” is recognized as a global variety with a distinctive vocabulary and accent, further demonstrating the language's successful integration into Indian society (Chandras).
While the official status of languages in India reflects their complexity. The Constitution calls Hindi and English official languages for government business, learning Hindi is not mandatory in public schools in some regions, and a significant portion of the population does not speak the language, highlighting the importance of verbal diversity and local language usage in Indian society.
This language diversity represents India's cultural richness and the successful intertwining of multiple languages within the national framework. The coexistence of numerous languages, scripts, and dialects characters India's identity as a multilingual nation, where language diversity is both a challenge and an opportunity for cultural strength. Below are translations of common phrases in various languages spoken across India.
Here’s how you say, “How are you?"
Hindi: Aap kaise hain?
Tamil: Neenga eppadi irukeenga?
Bengali: Tumi kemon acho?
Marathi: Tumhi kase aahat?
Malayalam: Ningal sugamano?
Here’s how you say, "Where are you going?"
Assamese: Tumi koloi goi asaa?
Bodo: Nanga bi jathay?
Nepali: Timi kaha Jaadai chau?
Gujarati: Tu kya jai rahyo che?
Urdu: Tum kahan ja rahe ho? (males) Tum kahaan ja rahi ho? (females)
Here’s how you say, "I am feeling hungry."
Odia (Oriya): Mu bhukhili.
Punjabi: Mainu bhukh lag rahi hai. (females) Mainu bhukh lag rahi hai. (males)
Sindhi: Mun khe bhukh lagi rahi ahe.
Sanskrit: मम क्षुधा वर्धते। Mama kṣudhā vardhate.
Works Cited
Castillo, Valeria. “Which Languages Are Spoken In India?” Babbel, 15 February 2019, https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/what-languages-are-spoken-in-india. Accessed 24 February 2025.
Chandras, Jessica. “Multilingualism in India.” Association for Asian Studies, https://www.asianstudies.org/publications/eaa/archives/multilingualism-in-india/. Accessed 24 February 2025.
Seetharaman, G., and Zafer Mukeri. “Meet Ganesh Devy, the man who is out to map the world's linguistic diversity.” The Economic Times, 3 July 2016, https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/meet-ganesh-devy-the-man-who-is-out-to-map-the-worlds-linguistic-diversity/articleshow/53025448.cms?from=mdr. Accessed 24 February 2025.
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