Learn About Bengali
বাংলা • 230 million speakers worldwide
"হ্যালো, তুমি কেমন আছ?"
Pronunciation: Hyālō, tumi kēmōn āchō?
Translation: Hello, how are you?
Speakers
230 million
Language Family
Indo-European (Indo-Aryan)
Writing System
Bengali script
Official Status
Official language in Bangladesh and Indian state of West Bengal
Regions (2 countries)
Bengali evolved from Sanskrit through Magadhi Prakrit and Apabhraṃśa. It became standardized in the 19th century, with rich literary traditions dating back to medieval poetry and modern novels.
Subject-Object-Verb word order
Gender-neutral nouns
Rich verb conjugation system
Distinct phonemes like retroflex and aspirated sounds
Use of postpositions
Standard Colloquial Bengali
Sylheti
Chittagonian
Rangpuri
Focus on Bengali script reading
Practice correct pronunciation of retroflex and aspirated sounds
Listen to Bengali songs for listening comprehension
Use flashcards for basic vocabulary
Immerse with Bengali media and literature
Bengali culture emphasizes literature, poetry, and festivals like Pohela Boishakh
Respectful language is used when addressing elders
Food and family traditions are central in Bengali life
Rabindra Sangeet is a unique musical heritage
Bengali has the 7th largest number of native speakers in the world
It is the language of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore
Bengali has a unique script derived from Brahmi
International Mother Language Day (Feb 21) originates from Bangladesh