Travel tips · Nepal
Nepali or Nepalese? What Are People from Nepal Called?
People from Nepal are Nepali — Nepalese works too. Here's which to use, why the two forms exist, and the story behind the Gurkha name.
People from Nepal are called Nepali — also spelled Nepalese. Both are correct in English, but Nepali is what Nepalis call themselves, and it is increasingly the preferred form in international usage too. Handily, it does triple duty: a Nepali (person), Nepali food (adjective) and the Nepali language are all the same word.
Nepali: the word that does everything
Nepali works as both noun and adjective — "she is Nepali", "a group of Nepalis", "Nepali tea", "the Nepali language". It is the form used inside Nepal, in the country's English-language press, and by the government. If you only remember one word, make it this one. It is also, as our guide to the languages of Nepal explains, the name of the official national language.
Where "Nepalese" fits
Nepalese is an older English coinage, built on the same pattern as Chinese or Japanese. It is still perfectly correct and you will meet it constantly in formal and institutional contexts — embassy names, older histories, airline and army references from past decades. Some style guides have moved to Nepali across the board, others still accept both. Nobody in Nepal will be offended by Nepalese; it simply reads a touch more old-fashioned than Nepali, which carries the weight of being the people's own word.
A quick rule of thumb: say Nepali in conversation and writing; expect Nepalese in proper names and older texts.
Nepalis are not Indian
A clarification worth making, because the confusion is common and Nepalis feel it keenly: Nepal is a sovereign nation and Nepalis are a distinct nationality. Nepal was never colonised — it was never part of British India nor of modern India — and it has been an independent state throughout its history. The two countries share an open border, Hindu traditions and linguistic cousins, which explains the surface similarities, but calling a Nepali "Indian" is a bit like calling a Canadian "American": geographically adjacent, nationally wrong. Nepal's own identity is a proud patchwork of the ethnic groups — Chhetri, Bahun, Magar, Tharu, Tamang, Newar, Sherpa and many more — that make up the country.
Gurkha, Gorkhali and other names
One more demonym floats around: Gurkha. It comes from Gorkha, the hill kingdom whose king, Prithvi Narayan Shah, unified Nepal in the eighteenth century — his subjects and soldiers were Gorkhali, and for a time that was effectively the name of the state and its language. The British, impressed by these soldiers in the Anglo-Nepalese War, began recruiting them, and "Gurkha" became the enduring name of Nepali soldiers in British and Indian service. So while every Gurkha is Nepali, Gurkha today is a military identity rather than a word for Nepali people in general. The old language name survived too: what we now call Nepali was long known as Gorkhali or Khas kura.
Meet the Nepali people
The word is settled — the people behind it are the interesting part. Start with the culture and people of Nepal, see what languages Nepal speaks, learn a few useful Nepali phrases, and read up on culture and etiquette before you land.
Frequently asked questions
What are people from Nepal called?+
People from Nepal are called Nepali, also spelled Nepalese in English. Both are correct, but Nepali is what Nepalis call themselves and is increasingly the preferred form in modern usage — it works as both noun and adjective, and it is also the name of the national language.
Is it Nepali or Nepalese?+
Both are accepted in English. Nepali is the form used within Nepal and increasingly preferred internationally, while Nepalese is an older English coinage that survives in formal and institutional names and older publications. If in doubt, say Nepali — no one will be offended by either.
Are Nepali people Indian?+
No. Nepal is a sovereign country with its own history, and Nepalis are a distinct nationality — not Indian. Nepal was never colonised and was never part of India, though the two neighbours share an open border and deep cultural ties.
What language do Nepali people speak?+
The official language is also called Nepali, spoken by most of the population as a first or second language. Beyond it, Nepal recognises more than 120 languages, including Maithili, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Tamang and Newari.
What does Gurkha mean?+
Gurkha (or Gorkhali) originally meant a soldier or subject of the Kingdom of Gorkha, the hill state that unified Nepal in the eighteenth century. Today it refers to the famed Nepali soldiers serving in British, Indian and Nepali regiments — it is a military legacy, not a general term for Nepali people.
