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Home ยป Most Spoken Languages ยป ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ Sindhi #56 Most Spoken Language (32M speakers)

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ Sindhi #56 Most Spoken Language (32M speakers)

Sindhi โ€” Indo-Aryan language of Sindh, with rich consonants and multiple scripts

Indo-Aryan โ€ข Indo-European โ€ข Perso-Arabic / Devanagari โ€ข SOV โ€ข Non-tonal
Number of Speakers (est.)
~30โ€“35 million first-language speakers, mainly in Pakistan (Sindh) and India (especially among Sindhi communities). It is widely used in daily life, education, media, and literature.
South Asia Heritage Communities Literary Tradition
Family / Branch
Indo-European โ†’ Indo-Iranian โ†’ Indo-Aryan โ†’ Northwestern Zone โ†’ Sindhi
Indo-Aryan Northwestern
Writing Systems
Most commonly written in a Perso-Arabic script (especially in Pakistan), and also in Devanagari (especially in India). Traditional community scripts include Khudabadi and Khojki. Romanization is used informally online.
Perso-Arabic Devanagari Khudabadi
Word Order
Default is SOV (Subjectโ€“Objectโ€“Verb). Postpositions are typical, and verbs often appear at the end of the clause.
SOV Postpositions
ISO Codes
ISO 639-1: sd โ€ข ISO 639-3: snd โ€ข Glottocode: sind1272
ISO Language ID
Learning Notes
Comfortable entry for learners familiar with Indo-Aryan languages. The main challenges are script choice, sound contrasts, and rich verb patterns.
Script Choice Sound Detail
Where It Is Used
Sindhi is strongly associated with the Sindh region of Pakistan and is also widely used by Sindhi communities in India and in global diaspora settings. It appears in education, newspapers, television, music, and everyday conversation.
What Makes It Distinct
  • Multiple scripts: Perso-Arabic and Devanagari are both widely used, with older community scripts still valued.
  • Rich consonant inventory: clear contrasts between aspirated and unaspirated sounds.
  • Breathy-voiced consonants: a notable feature in Sindhi compared to many neighboring languages.
  • Strong literary culture: poetry and prose have long been central to Sindhi identity and education.
Sound System Highlights
  • Aspiration: pairs like โ€œtโ€ vs โ€œthโ€ are meaningful in many words.
  • Breathy voice: certain consonants are pronounced with a softer, breathy vibration.
  • Retroflex sounds: tongue curls slightly back for sounds such as แนญ, แธ, แน› in many words.
  • Long vs short vowels: vowel length can change meaning.
Grammar Snapshot
  • Basic order: Subjectโ€“Objectโ€“Verb is common in neutral statements.
  • Postpositions: grammar relations often follow the noun rather than precede it.
  • Gender and number: nouns and adjectives reflect grammatical gender and number in many contexts.
  • Verb patterns: aspect and agreement play an important role in everyday speech.
Dialects
Sindhi has several regional varieties. A commonly referenced set includes:
  • Vicholi: the prestige variety, often used as a standard in education and literature.
  • Lari: spoken in southern Sindh.
  • Siro (or Sireli): associated with northern areas.
  • Thari: linked to the Thar region.
  • Lasi: used around Lasbela and nearby areas.
  • Kachhi: used in areas near the Kachhi plain and adjacent regions.
Script Notes (Practical)
  • Perso-Arabic Sindhi: uses an expanded alphabet with extra letters for Sindhi sounds. Right-to-left direction.
  • Devanagari Sindhi: left-to-right and familiar to readers of Hindi/Marathi scripts.
  • Roman Sindhi: common online; spelling varies because there is no single universal standard.
Common Words (Roman)
Assalam-o-Alaikum (Greeting) Meharbani (Kindness / Please) Shukriya (Thank you) Tawhan Jo Naalo? (Your name?) Maa Theek Aahyaan (I am fine)

Roman spellings vary by region and personal preference.

Sindhi Sentence Builder (SOV โ€ข NP โ€ข Question) โ€” Roman Script

Create simple Sindhi-style patterns using Roman script. This helps you see the typical verb-final structure.

Tip: In many Sindhi sentences, the verb naturally comes at the end.

Helpful Etiquette Notes
  • Politeness matters: respectful forms are common in greetings and requests.
  • Names and titles: using a title or respectful address is appreciated in formal settings.
  • Script choice is personal: some readers prefer Perso-Arabic, others Devanagari or Roman online.
If You Want to Read Sindhi
  • Pick a script first: Perso-Arabic is most common in Sindh; Devanagari is common in India.
  • Learn sound-to-letter rules: Sindhi scripts represent many fine sound differences.
  • Start with short texts: greetings, signs, and childrenโ€™s stories build confidence quickly.
sindhi