Did you know that when it comes to language, India is actually among the nations that have the most languages in the world, and we are talking about the living languages that are spoken in the modern era too? But have you ever wondered like which is actually the hardest language to learn in India? Sure, many of you may know that Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, or Sanskrit are the toughest and hardest languages in India, but what are others on this list? Well, that’s what we’ll be closely taking a look at, so, come with us as we explore this list of the top 10 hardest languages in India as of 2024. Alright, here we go now.
1. Malayalam
Of course, first on the list is Malayalam, one of the most difficult languages to learn right here in India. Just so you know though, its writing system comprises a complex structure with 56 letters, which is something rare. And sure, it is widely spoken in Kerala. This language is characterized by several levels of formality, and extremely complicated verb conjugations that make it so difficult even for the Indian natives. With a bunch of regional dialects all across Kerala, Malayalam also necessitates that learners get the low down on its extraordinary sounds and vast vocabulary.
2. Sanskrit
Sanskrit, the “language of the gods,” is certainly one of the toughest languages to learn not only in India but also in the world as it is one of the oldest, you know? And just so you know, the fact that Sanskrit is written using the Devanagari script is an added complexity that comes with this language which has 10 different grammatical cases, great verbs with many forms, and very precise rules which are varying issues for modern languages. Usually, though, scholars and linguists mostly study this ancient language.
3. Tamil
Next on the list, you see, Tamil is an ancient classical language in the world actively used in Tamil Nadu and certain parts of Sri Lanka. Its alphabet is distinct from other languages in India as it has 247 characters. The sounds of this language are interesting as they include some that are not common in other Indian languages, you know? Tamil’s complexity is not only in its script and layered grammar but also in the huge amount of time and effort that one requires in order to comprehend it fully.
4. Telugu
Although the sound of Telugu appears to create kind of a musical rhythm, the reality is the challenges in its extensive grammatical and syllabic writing system are daunting, you know? Like, although Telugu is chiefly spoken in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, it has over 56 characters and employs symbols that represent syllables instead of individual sounds of the letters. And sure, this extensive conjugation of verbs renders the learning of the language very difficult for those who are new to it.
5. Kannada
Then there’s this one, you know, as the official language of Karnataka, Kannada epitomizes a different script and diverse linguistic variations. The 49-letter Kannada alphabet is joined by the verb and grammar rules which are sometimes complicated. The varieties of dialects across Karnataka are a source of difficulty for the learners as these dialects have different pronunciations and vocabulary than the standard Karnataka dialects, and therefore, to be in a position to be able to learn or speak Kannada, one needs to have a great amount of dedication towards it.
6. Urdu
Furthermore, with writing the holy scripture of the Quran from right to left in the Perso-Arabic alphabet, Urdu differs considerably from most of the Indian languages and it raises a different dimension of problems, and what’s that? Well, it is a predominantly spoken language in North India, Pakistan, and other countries. Urdu is a blend of languages, such as Persian and Arabic, which increases the complexity of the structure and the vocabulary. These sounds and intonations are the parts of the language that are being posed by the natives differently as compared to the beginners, and hence, the language proves to be quite challenging for first-time learners.
7. Bengali
Bengali, a language that is most widely spoken in India, is the first language of West Bengal and it is also a language with a unique script. Just so you know, the script is typically curvilinear and consists of 50 letters; the tense is the other grammatical feature that is difficult to understand as one needs to know the right form of the verb in order to convey the correct meaning. Not just that though, interestingly enough, from the tonal changes that occur in the language, many non-native speakers are often unable to understand that the same sounds can have different meanings depending on the tone used to pronounce them.
8. Marathi
If we look at the stats, Marathi is the 3rd most spoken language in India. The language is written in Devanagari, though there are some Marathi-specific characters that are added. The grammar of Marathi, along with the sentence and verb structures, is one of the toughest ones among those who do not derive from it. It is also important to note that there exist various dialects of the language throughout Maharashtra, even some in different areas of the same town, and this fact adds more challenge for the learner.
9. Assamese
Next on the list, you see, the official language of the state of Assam, Assamese is a cousin of Bengali but it has a totally different script besides some resemblance between both of them. Assamese has a unique writing system containing 41 letters, you know? Moreover, the grammar of Assamese is very complex with full of such features as tricky verb conjugations and phonetic elements, which are often challenging to pronounce.
10. Odia
Last on the list, but not least hard or complex is the native language of Odisha state, and yes, we are talking about Odia. It is a language that is another one of the many with a round-shaped script and the distinction that it makes is the two semicircles. Without a single doubt, the unusual shapes and letters of the Odia script, which consists of 52 characters, might be very difficult to learn and get used to.
Conclusion
Alright, so, this is the list we prepared about the hardest languages in India, but sure, it can very well be that your own list might be a little different. We talked in generalities, and as per most people and experts, this is a well-suited list, so there is nothing to get offended about. That’s all.