Nepali, the official language of Nepal, is spoken as mother tongue by 44.64% of the total population followed by Maithili (11.67%), Bhojpuri (5.98%), Tamang (5.77%), Tharu (5.11%), Newari (3.2%), Bajjika (2.99%), Magar (2.98%), and others (17.66%). Altogether 123 languages are spoken mother tongues in Nepal.
Number of native speakers (2011 Census):
Rank Language Language family Count Percentage
1) Nepali Indo-European 11,826,953 44.64%
2) Maithili Indo-European 3,092,530 11.67%
3) Bhojpuri Indo-European 1,584,958 5.98%
4) Tharu Indo-European 1,529,875 5.77%
5) Tamang Sino-Tibetan 1,353,311 5.11%
6) Nepal Bhasa (Newar) Sino-Tibetan 846,557 3.20%
7) Bajjika Indo-European 793,416 2.99%
8) Magar Sino-Tibetan 788,530 2.98%
9 Dotyali/Doteli Indo-European 787,827 2.97%
10 Urdu Indo-European 691,546 2.61%
11 Awadhi Indo-European 501,752 1.89%
12 Limbu Sino-Tibetan 343,603 1.30%
13 Gurung Sino-Tibetan 325,622 1.23%
14 Baitadeli Indo-European 272,524 1.03%
15 Rai (Kiranti) Sino-Tibetan 159,114 0.60%
16 Aachami Indo-European 142,787 0.54%
17 Bantawa (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 132,583 0.50%
18 Rajbanshi Indo-European 122,214 0.46%
19 Sherpa Sino-Tibetan 114,830 0.43%
20 Hindi Indo-European 77,569 0.29%
21 Chamling (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 76,800 0.29%
22 Bajhangi Indo-European 67,581 0.26%
23 Santhali Austro-Asiatic 49,858 0.19%
24 Chepang Sino-Tibetan 48,476 0.18%
25 Danuwar Indo-European 45,821 0.17%
26 Sunuwar Sino-Tibetan 37,898 0.14%
27 Magahi Indo-European 35,614 0.13%
28 Uranw/Kurux Dravidian 33,651 0.13%
29 Kulung (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 33,170 0.13%
30 Kham (Magar) Sino-Tibetan 27,113 0.10%
31 Rajasthani Indo-European 25,394 0.10%
32 Majhi Indo-European 24,422 0.09%
33 Thami Sino-Tibetan 23,151 0.09%
34 Bhujel Sino-Tibetan 21,715 0.08%
35 Bengali Indo-European 21,061 0.08%
36 Thulung (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 20,659 0.08%
37 Yakkha Sino-Tibetan 19,558 0.07%
38 Dhimal Sino-Tibetan 19,300 0.07%
39 Tajpuriya Indo-European 18,811 0.07%
40 Angika Indo-European 18,555 0.07%
41 Sampang (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 18,270 0.07%
42 Khaling (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 14,467 0.05%
43 Wambule (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 13,470 0.05%
44 Kumal Indo-European 12,222 0.05%
45 Darai Indo-European 11,677 0.04%
46 Bahing (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 11,658 0.04%
47 Bajureli Indo-European 10,704 0.04%
48 Hyolmo Sino-Tibetan 10,176 0.04%
49 Nachiring (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 10,041 0.04%
50 Yamphu (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 9,208 0.03%
51 Bote Indo-European 8,766 0.03%
52 Ghale Sino-Tibetan 8,092 0.03%
53 Dumi (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 7,638 0.03%
54 Lepcha Sino-Tibetan 7,499 0.03%
55 Puma (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 6,686 0.03%
56 Dungmali (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 6,260 0.02%
57 Darchuleli Indo-European 5,928 0.02%
58 Aathpariya (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 5,530 0.02%
59 Thakali Sino-Tibetan 5,242 0.02%
60 Jirel Sino-Tibetan 4,829 0.02%
61 Mewahang (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 4,650 0.02%
62 Sign Language − 4,476 0.02%
63 Tibetan Sino-Tibetan 4,445 0.02%
64 Meche Sino-Tibetan 4,375 0.02%
65 Chhantyal Sino-Tibetan 4,283 0.02%
66 Raji Sino-Tibetan 3,758 0.01%
67 Lohorung (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 3,716 0.01%
68 Chhintang (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 3,712 0.01%
69 Gangai Indo-European 3,612 0.01%
70 Pahari Sino-Tibetan 3,458 0.01%
71 Dailekhi Indo-European 3,102 0.01%
72 Lhopa Sino-Tibetan 3,029 0.01%
73 Dura Sino-Tibetan 2,156 0.01%
74 Koch Sino-Tibetan 2,080 0.01%
75 Chiling (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 2,046 0.01%
76 English Indo-European 2,045 0.01%
77 Jerung (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 1,763 0.01%
78 Khas Indo-European 1,747 0.01%
79 Sanskrit Indo-European 1,669 0.01%
80 Dolpali Indo-European 1,667 0.01%
81 Hayu Sino-Tibetan 1,520 0.01%
82 Tilung (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 1,424 0.01%
83 Koi (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 1,271 0.00%
84 Kisan Indo-European 1,178 0.00%
85 Waling (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 1,169 0.00%
86 Musalban Indo-European 1,075 0.00%
87 Hariyani/Haryanvi Indo-European 889 0.00%
88 Jumli Indo-European 851 0.00%
89 Lhomi Sino-Tibetan 808 0.00%
90 Punjabi Indo-European 808 0.00%
91 Belhare (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 599 0.00%
92 Odia Indo-European 584 0.00%
93 Sonaha Indo-European 579 0.00%
94 Sindhi Indo-European 518 0.00%
95 Dadeldhuri Indo-European 488 0.00%
96 Byangshi Sino-Tibetan 480 0.00%
97 Assamese Indo-European 476 0.00%
98 Raute Sino-Tibetan 461 0.00%
99 Saam (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 401 0.00%
100 Manange Sino-Tibetan 392 0.00%
101 Dhuleli Sino-Tibetan 347 0.00%
102 Phangduali (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 290 0.00%
103 Surel Sino-Tibetan 287 0.00%
104 Malpande Indo-European 247 0.00%
105 Chinese Sino-Tibetan 242 0.00%
106 Khariya Austro-Asiatic 238 0.00%
107 Kurmali Indo-European 227 0.00%
108 Baram Sino-Tibetan 155 0.00%
109 Lingkhim (Rai) Sino-Tibetan 129 0.00%
110 Sadhani Indo-European 122 0.00%
111 Kagate Sino-Tibetan 99 0.00%
112 Dzongkha Sino-Tibetan 80 0.00%
113 Bankariya Sino-Tibetan 69 0.00%
114 Kaike Sino-Tibetan 50 0.00%
115 Garhwali (Gadhawali) Indo-European 38 0.00%
116 French Indo-European 34 0.00%
117 Mizo Sino-Tibetan 32 0.00%
118 Kuki Sino-Tibetan 29 0.00%
119 Kusunda Language Isolate 28 0.00%
120 Russian Indo-European 17 0.00%
121 Spanish Indo-European 16 0.00%
122 Nagamese Sino-Tibetan 10 0.00%
123 Arabic Afro-Asiatic 8 0.00%
− Not reported − 47,718 0.18%
− Others − 21,173 0.08%
Total 26,494,504 100%
Second language speakers (2011 Census):
Language Count Percentage
Nepali 8,682,499 32.77%
Hindi 1,225,950 4.62%
Maithili 195, 287 0.73%
Bhojpuri 159,518 0.60%
Tharu 84,748 0.32%
English 81,447 0.30%
Bajjika 60,863 0.23%
Urdu 45,766 0.17%
Awadhi 45,428 0.17%
Magar 42,952 0.16%
Tamang 33,450 0.12%
Nepal Bhasa (Newar) 32,594 0.12%
Sanskrit 2,975 0.01%
Others 190,327 0.72%
Total 10,883,804 41.04%