Which Indian Language Should I Learn?

How many languages are spoken in India?

India is a diverse country with many languages, cultures, histories, and traditions. India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories, and each region has its own linguistic and cultural identity. A language may be used across several states, while a state may also recognise more than one language for official or local purposes.

The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution lists 22 scheduled languages. These are not the only languages spoken in India. The Census of India has recorded many languages and mother tongues, so the total number depends on whether a source is counting languages, mother tongues, dialects, or raw names reported by respondents.

Important fact: India does not have a national language. Hindi in Devanagari script is the official language of the Union, and English may also be used for official purposes under the Official Languages Act. States may use their own official languages under the constitutional and legal framework.

The 22 languages in the Eighth Schedule

This list should not be treated as a ranking of importance. A language can be valuable to learn because of family, location, culture, literature, work, or personal interest.

Are Indian Languages Hard to Learn?

Short answer: Indian languages may introduce unfamiliar sounds, scripts, and grammar patterns, but difficulty depends on your existing language knowledge, exposure, practice, and learning goal.

Learning a language other than your first language can be challenging, but it can also be enjoyable and rewarding. For an English speaker, Indian languages may introduce unfamiliar sounds, scripts, sentence patterns, and forms of politeness. These features are learnable with regular practice.

Hindi is one of the most widely spoken languages in India and is used extensively in many parts of northern and central India. Bengali is widely spoken in eastern India and Bangladesh. Marathi is widely spoken in Maharashtra and by communities elsewhere. The usefulness of a language depends strongly on where you live, travel, work, or maintain relationships.

Some learners may find Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Sanskrit, Urdu, or another language challenging because of its script, pronunciation, grammar, or limited prior exposure. That does not mean these languages are impossible. Every language has a different learning path.

You can choose an Indian language for family, travel, work, study, literature, films, music, cultural interest, or personal growth.

Major Indian languages to consider

This list retains the article’s language focus. It is not a ranking of the easiest, hardest, or most important languages. Speaker totals vary according to whether a source counts native speakers, additional-language speakers, language varieties, or both.

These are the 22 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule. The official list also includes Bodo, which was absent from the old numbered list. The list should be presented as a constitutional language list, not as a complete list of all Indian languages.

How Long Does It Take to Learn Hindi?

Short answer: There is no single timetable. Progress depends on your first language, study method, practice time, feedback, and target level.

It is useful to set a realistic goal before you begin learning Hindi. Your goal may be to introduce yourself, speak with family, handle everyday conversations, travel comfortably, read simple messages, or work professionally. Each goal requires a different level of ability.

Conversational ability may take months for some learners and longer for others. Professional working ability usually requires broader vocabulary, stronger listening, more accurate grammar, and sustained practice. Instead of promising that you will learn Hindi in a fixed number of months, set a short-term target and review your progress every few weeks.

Who Speaks Hindi?

Hindi is one of the world’s most widely spoken languages. The exact ranking and speaker total depend on the source and on whether the count includes only first-language speakers or also people who use Hindi as an additional language. A current source and publication date should always be given when quoting a global figure.

The Census of India 2011 reported that 43.63%% of India’s population returned Hindi as a mother tongue. This is a census mother-tongue figure. It should not be described as the percentage of all people who can speak or understand Hindi.

Hindi is used by communities outside India as well, including diaspora communities in countries such as Mauritius, Fiji, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, South Africa, and Trinidad and Tobago. The size and form of Hindi use varies by country and community.

Fiji has a large Indo-Fijian community and a language known as Fiji Hindi. Fiji’s 2013 Constitution provides for translations in iTaukei and Hindi, and it requires conversational iTaukei and Fiji Hindi to be taught as compulsory subjects in primary schools. This is more precise than simply saying that Fiji has the same official-language arrangement as India.

How to Learn an Indian Language

Learning an Indian language becomes easier when you connect study with a clear purpose and regular use. You can search for local classes or online language courses, but the method you follow matters as much as the platform you choose.

1. Choose a language. Choose the language that fits your purpose. Research where it is spoken, which script it uses, what learning materials are available, and which situations you want to handle.
2. Find your motivation. Write down why you want to learn. Motivation connected to family, travel, work, study, culture, or communication is usually stronger than a vague wish to learn.
3. Find a partner. Practise with a relative, friend, teacher, language partner, or patient native speaker. A partner can help you use the language instead of only studying it.
4. Talk to yourself. Speaking to yourself can help you practise words and sentence patterns when no partner is available. Describe what you are doing, name objects, or rehearse a short conversation.
5. Listen more. Listening helps you become familiar with pronunciation, rhythm, common phrases, and natural sentence patterns. Use short and understandable material, then listen repeatedly.

Will Learning Languages Become Obsolete?

Translation tools, dictionaries, and language applications are useful, but they do not replace the human benefits of learning a language. A translation tool may help you understand a sentence, while language learning helps you participate more naturally in a conversation and understand cultural context.

Proficiency in another language can support communication, travel, education, work, and relationships. It can also help children and adults connect with family heritage and access literature, films, music, and community life.

Technology can support language learning through audio, subtitles, dictionaries, flashcards, and conversation tools. The strongest results still come from combining technology with listening, speaking, reading, writing, feedback, and real interaction.

How Hard Is Learning Hindi?

Short answer: Hindi can be challenging for a native English speaker, especially at the beginning, but the challenges become manageable when you learn them step by step and practise them in meaningful sentences.

The learner may need to become comfortable with Devanagari, new sounds, pronunciation contrasts, word order, verb patterns, gender, and forms of politeness. Some sounds may not have direct equivalents in English. Hindi sentence structure also differs from English in important ways.

You do not have to master Devanagari before speaking Hindi. You can begin with listening and conversation, then learn the script alongside your speaking practice. Learning Devanagari is still valuable because it helps with reading, pronunciation, spelling, signs, menus, messages, and independent learning.

Are Indian Languages Similar?

Some Indian languages share vocabulary, historical influences, or grammatical features, while others belong to different language families and have very different structures. Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, and Assamese are generally classified within the Indo-Aryan group. Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam belong to the Dravidian family. India also has languages from Austroasiatic, Tibeto-Burman, and other families.

Similarity can help, but it should not be exaggerated. A Hindi speaker may recognise some vocabulary in Marathi or Bengali, but pronunciation, grammar, script, and everyday usage can still require serious study.

Sanskrit has had a major historical influence on many Indian languages, but it is not accurate to describe Sanskrit as the “father” of all Indian languages. Each language has its own history, development, literature, and community of speakers.

Languages are connected to centuries of migration, contact, literature, administration, religion, trade, and everyday communication. Learning one gives you a way to understand the people who use it.

How Often Should You Learn a Language?

Learning a language takes time, and the right schedule depends on your goal and your daily routine. A regular short session is usually more sustainable than studying intensely once a week.

• You can study for 45 to 90 minutes per day if your schedule allows it.
• If you are busy, begin with at least 20 minutes per day and build consistency.
• Divide the time between listening, speaking, vocabulary review, reading, and writing.
• Use a course or teacher if you need a clear sequence, regular feedback, or a fixed target.

A simple routine is more useful than an unrealistic promise. Review what you can do every few weeks and adjust your study plan.

Which Indian Language Is Easy to Learn?

Short answer: The easiest language is usually the one you have a strong reason to use and regular opportunities to practise.

A Hindi speaker may find some vocabulary in Marathi, Bengali, or Gujarati familiar, but this does not mean that the languages are identical or that they can be learned without effort.

Hindi may be a practical choice for learners who expect to travel, work, study, or communicate in parts of northern and central India. It is not automatically the best choice for every learner. In a different region, the local language may be more useful.

The Census of India 2011 reported that 43.63%% of the population returned Hindi as a mother tongue. The 2001 and 2011 figures are census categories, not measures of everyone who can speak or understand Hindi. Bengali and Marathi are also major languages, but the right choice depends on your purpose and location.

If you are comparing Hindi, Bengali, and Marathi, ask where you will use the language, which people you want to speak with, which culture interests you, and which learning resources you can access.

Where to Learn Indian Languages

You can learn Indian languages through online or offline classes. Offline classes may provide face-to-face interaction and a local community. Online classes can be useful for learners who live outside India or do not have suitable teachers nearby.

Apps and online resources can support vocabulary, pronunciation, listening, and review. Examples include Hindustani Tongue, Busuu, Memrise, and other language-learning platforms. Check the current course content and teaching method before choosing a service.

A structured online language course can help you progress from beginner to intermediate and advanced levels. Explore Hindustani Tongue’s Hindi course and compare it with your learning goals.

Try to learn the language as it is used by real speakers. Learn natural phrases, listen to different voices, practise pronunciation, and study the level of formality needed in your situations.

Where to Learn Indian Sign Language

Indian Sign Language is a visual language used by Deaf communities in India. It should not be treated as a spoken language converted into hand gestures. It has its own vocabulary, grammar, regional variation, and culture.

The Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre and NCERT have worked on access to educational materials in Indian Sign Language. The Central Institute of Educational Technology, NCERT, and ISLRTC have also been involved in initiatives related to educational resources. Because programmes and agreements can change, link to current official announcements when publishing this section.

Learners should seek instruction from qualified Indian Sign Language teachers and Deaf community organisations where possible.

How to Learn Hindi

Short answer: Start with useful listening and speaking, then build vocabulary, grammar, and Devanagari reading step by step.

To learn Hindi well, study how the language developed, how it is used today, its sounds, its vocabulary, its grammar, and its writing system. Hindi is commonly written in Devanagari. You can begin speaking Hindi before you know the script, but learning Devanagari will improve reading, pronunciation, spelling, and independent study.

Hindi includes words and expressions with several historical sources, including Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic, English, and regional languages. The words you hear may vary by region, social setting, profession, age, and level of formality.

A useful beginner sequence is to learn greetings, introductions, numbers, question words, common verbs, family terms, food, directions, time, and polite requests. Build short sentences and listen to them in context.

Hindustani Tongue is an online platform that teaches Indian languages and offers structured language courses. Its current course details and claims about speaking from the first day should be checked against the actual teaching programme and learner outcomes before publication.

Language courses listed in the original article

• Hindi language course
• Punjabi language course
• Bengali language course
• Marathi language course
• Gujarati language course