Travel tips · Nepal
What Languages Are Spoken in Nepal?
Nepali is the official language, but Nepal speaks more than 120 — here is who speaks what, what you'll hear in Kathmandu and the phrases worth learning.
Nepal is one of the most linguistically dense countries on earth. In a nation smaller than many single provinces of its neighbours, the census records more than 120 living languages, from the Indo-Aryan tongues of the Terai plains to Tibetan dialects spoken in high Himalayan valleys.
The short answer
Nepali is the official language of Nepal and the lingua franca that ties the country together — most Nepalis speak it as a first or second language. Beyond it, more than 120 languages are recognised per the census, the largest being Maithili, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Tamang and Newari (Nepal Bhasa). In Kathmandu you will hear Nepali everywhere, Nepal Bhasa among Newars, and plenty of English in the tourist quarters.
Nepali and Nepal Bhasa are not the same language
The names trip up almost everyone, so it is worth untangling them first. Nepali — historically called Khas kura — is an Indo-Aryan language written in the Devanagari script, a cousin of Hindi that spread east across the hills with the Khas people and became the language of the unified state. Nepal Bhasa, usually called Newari in English, is something else entirely: a Tibeto-Burman language spoken by the Newar people of the Kathmandu Valley, with its own centuries-old literature. Same country in the name, two unrelated language families.
The major languages, family by family
Nepal's languages sort broadly into two great families, mirroring the country's geography and its ethnic groups. Indo-Aryan languages, which arrived from the south, dominate the Terai and the hills; Tibeto-Burman languages, carried over the passes from the north, are strongest in the middle hills and high mountains. A handful of smaller families and language isolates round out the picture.
| Language | Family | Where you'll hear it |
|---|---|---|
| Nepali | Indo-Aryan | Nationwide — mother tongue of roughly two in five Nepalis |
| Maithili | Indo-Aryan | Eastern Terai — the largest language after Nepali |
| Bhojpuri | Indo-Aryan | Central Terai, around Birgunj |
| Tharu | Indo-Aryan | Across the Terai, from Chitwan to Bardia |
| Tamang | Tibeto-Burman | Hills ringing the Kathmandu Valley, Langtang |
| Newari (Nepal Bhasa) | Tibeto-Burman | Kathmandu Valley old towns |
| Magar | Tibeto-Burman | Western and central hills |
| Sherpa | Tibeto-Burman | Everest region — closely related to Tibetan |
Speaker shares shift a little with each census, so treat any percentages as approximate — but the ranking above has been stable for decades. Nearly half of Nepalis grow up speaking something other than Nepali at home, then pick up Nepali through school, media and trade.
Beyond the big two families
The two great families do not tell the whole story. The Rai and Limbu communities of the eastern hills speak a cluster of Kiranti languages — Tibeto-Burman, but so internally diverse that neighbouring valleys can be mutually unintelligible. In the Terai you will find pockets of Austroasiatic (Santhali) and Dravidian speakers, families otherwise associated with central and southern India. And Nepal has at least one true oddity: Kusunda, a language isolate related to nothing else on earth, now down to its last handful of speakers. Many of Nepal's smaller languages are similarly endangered, which is why the constitution charges the state with protecting them and lets provinces adopt regional languages for official use.
What language is spoken in Kathmandu?
Nepali, everywhere. It is the language of the street, the shop and the taxi, and the only language you need for day-to-day life in the capital. Layered underneath it is Nepal Bhasa, the historic tongue of the valley — you will still hear it among Newar families in the old lanes of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, though fewer young Newars speak it fluently today. Because the city draws migrants from every district, snippets of Tamang, Maithili and dozens of other languages float through its markets, and English is common in Thamel, hotels and anywhere tourism operates. Many Kathmandu residents also understand Hindi from Indian films and television.
Do you need Nepali as a traveller?
Not really. English is widely spoken in the cities, tourist hubs and along the main trekking routes, and it fades only when you get well off the beaten track — our guide to whether English is spoken in Nepal covers exactly where it works and where it runs out. That said, even a handful of Nepali words is repaid many times over in warmth.
A dozen Nepali phrases worth knowing
| Nepali | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Namaste | Hello (with palms together) |
| Namaskar | Hello — more formal, respectful |
| Dhanyabad | Thank you |
| Maaph garnuhos | Sorry / excuse me |
| Kasto chha? | How are you? |
| Thik chha | I'm fine / it's OK |
| Ho / Hoina | Yes / no |
| Kati ho? | How much is it? |
| Mitho chha | It's delicious |
| Pani | Water |
| Dai / Didi | Polite address for a man / woman |
| Pheri bhetaula | See you again |
For pronunciation tips and a longer list, see our full guide to useful Nepali phrases.
Go deeper
Language is the fastest doorway into Nepal's diversity. Read how the country's tongues map onto its ethnic groups, settle the Nepali or Nepalese question, and brush up on culture and etiquette before you go. For the full picture, browse the culture and people of Nepal collection.
Frequently asked questions
How many languages are spoken in Nepal?+
More than 120 languages are recognised in Nepal's national census, spread across two major families — Indo-Aryan in the plains and lower hills, Tibeto-Burman in the hills and Himalaya. Nepali is the official language and lingua franca; Maithili, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Tamang and Newari are among the largest mother tongues after it.
What is the official language of Nepal?+
Nepali is the sole official language of the federal government, used in administration, education and media nationwide. The constitution also recognises all mother tongues spoken in Nepal as languages of the nation, and provinces may grant official status to widely spoken regional languages.
What language do they speak in Kathmandu?+
Nepali is spoken everywhere in Kathmandu and is all you need for daily interactions. The city's indigenous Newar community also speaks Nepal Bhasa (Newari), especially in the old towns of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, and English is widely used in tourist areas like Thamel.
Is Nepali the same as Hindi?+
No. Nepali and Hindi are related Indo-Aryan languages that share the Devanagari script and some vocabulary, but they are distinct languages with different grammar and pronunciation — not mutually intelligible beyond the basics. Many Nepalis do understand Hindi from films and television, but the reverse is rarely true.
Is Newari the same as Nepali?+
No — despite the similar names they are unrelated languages. Nepali is an Indo-Aryan language, while Newari (properly Nepal Bhasa) is a Tibeto-Burman language spoken by the Newar people of the Kathmandu Valley, with its own literature and historic scripts.
Can you get by with English in Nepal?+
Yes, in the cities and tourist areas most travellers visit — hotels, agencies, trekking routes and restaurants all operate comfortably in English. It thins out in rural areas, where a few Nepali phrases and a translation app go a long way.
