Languages of Nepal
Languages of Nepal, referred to as Nepalese languages in the country's constitution, are the languages having at least an ancient history or origin inside the sovereign territory of Nepal spoken by Nepalis. The 2011 national census listed 123 languages spoken as a mother tongue (first language) in Nepal. Most belong to the Indo-Aryan and Sino-Tibetan language families.
| Languages of Nepal | |
|---|---|
Ethnolinguistic map of Nepal | |
| Official | Nepali |
| Semi-official | Nepal Bhasa, Maithili, Limbu, Bhojpuri, Bajjika, Tamang, Magar, Gurung, Tharu, Awadhi, Dotyali, Khas language (Karnali dialect), English |
| Indigenous | Many Indo-Aryan languages and Sino-Tibetan languages; Kurukh, Santali |
| Vernacular | Nepalese English |
| Foreign | English, Hindi |
| Signed | Nepali Sign Language • Jhankot Sign Language • Jumla Sign Language • Ghandruk Sign Language |
| Keyboard layout | QWERTY/Nepali keyboard |
The official working language at federal level is Nepali, but the constitution provisions each province to choose one or more additional official working languages. The Language Commission of Nepal On September 6, 2021 recommended 14 official languages for different provinces of Nepal.
The mother languages of Nepal, or languages of Nepali origin are sometimes referred to as Nepali languages.