Languages & Dialects
All 32+ Rai languages and dialects — their ISO codes, classification, scripts, and where they're spoken.
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- Limbu(लिम्बु)One of the major Kirat languages, spoken primarily in the Taplejung, Panchthar, and Ilam districts of eastern Nepal, and in Sikkim and Darjeeling. The Limbu script (Sirijanga script) is historically significant and was added to Unicode in 2003.
- Sunuwar(सुनुवार)Also known as Mukhia, Sunuwar is spoken in the Ramechhap, Okhaldhunga, and Sindhuli districts, as well as in Darjeeling and Sikkim. Sunuwar has a rich tradition of folk songs and oral literature.
- Bantawa(बन्तुवा)Spoken primarily in the Bhojpur and Dhankuta districts of eastern Nepal, and in Sikkim, India. Bantawa is one of the more widely spoken Rai languages and has a rich oral tradition.
- Khaling(खालिंग)Spoken along the Upper Khaling River in the Koshi region. Khaling is a well-attested Kiranti language with significant speaker population.
- Kulung(কুলুং)Spoken in the Solukhumbu district along the Hongu River valley. Kulung has several dialects including Sotang and Chukwa.
- Bahing(बाहिङ)Spoken in the Bhojpur and Dhankuta districts. Bahing is one of the more widely spoken Rai languages in the eastern hills.
- Chamling(ছाम্লিং)Spoken in the Udayapur and Khotang districts. Chamling is closely related to Bantawa and shares many cultural practices.
- Dewas Rai(देवास)A Rai-affiliated language spoken in the Makawanpur district (Rai gaun) and Hetauda area of central Nepal. Closely related to Danuwar language. Classified under Eastern Indo-Aryan languages, which makes it unique among Rai languages that are typically Sino-Tibetan.
- Yakkha(যাক্খা)Spoken mainly in the Dhankuta and Terhathum districts of eastern Nepal. Yakkha is closely related to Limbu and shares cultural practices.
- Belhare(बेलहारे)Spoken in the Dhankuta district. Belhare has a rich oral literature tradition including folk tales and songs.
- Thulung(थुलुंग)Spoken in the Solukhumbu district of eastern Nepal. Thulung is a Kiranti language with a moderate speaker population. The Thulung-speaking people live in the highland areas of Solukhumbu and maintain traditional Rai cultural practices.
- Nachhiring(नाच्हिरिंग)Spoken in the Solukhumbu district. Related to Kulung and other Central Kiranti languages.
- Yamphu(याम्फु)Spoken in the Sankhuwasabha and Bhojpur districts. Yamphu is also known as Yamphe.
- Dumi(दुमी)Spoken in the Khotang and Solukhumbu districts along the Dudhkoshi river. Dumi is an endangered Kiranti language.
- Chintang(चिन्तङ्ग)Spoken in the Dhankuta district of eastern Nepal. Chintang is an endangered language with a small speaker population.
- Dungmali(दुन्ग्माली)Spoken in the Bhojpur district of eastern Nepal. Dungmali is also known as Bahing in some contexts.
- Bhujel(भुजेल)Spoken in the eastern hills of Nepal. Closely related to other Kirat languages.
- Athpare(अथपारे)Spoken in the Dhankuta district of eastern Nepal. Athpare is a Kiranti language with a moderate speaker population. It is one of the Rai languages that has received some linguistic attention.
- Puma(पुमा)Spoken in the Khotang district of eastern Nepal. Puma is a Kiranti language with a small but stable speaker population. The Puma people maintain traditional Rai cultural practices including the Sakela festival.
- Lohorung(लोहोरुंग)Spoken in the Sankhuwasabha district. Lohorung has a very small and declining speaker base.
- Jerung(जेरุง)Spoken in the Okhaldhunga district of eastern Nepal. Jerung is also known as Jero.
- Sotang(सोताङ)Spoken in the Solukhumbu district. Sotang is closely related to Kulung and is sometimes considered a dialect of Kulung. It is spoken in the Sotang village area and surrounding regions.
- Sampang(समपान्ग)Spoken in the Udayapur district. Sampang has a very small speaker base and is considered endangered.
- Tilung(तिलुंग)Spoken in the Udayapur district of eastern Nepal, particularly in the Belkhu and surrounding villages. Tilung is a critically endangered Rai language with a small speaker population. It belongs to the Central Kiranti group and is closely related to Bantawa and Chamling.
- Mewahang(मेवाहंग)Speaken in the Sankhuwasabha district. Mewahang is closely related to other Eastern Kiranti languages.
- Hayu(हयु)Spoken in the Dhankuta and Sankhuwasabha districts. Hayu is a very small and endangered Kirat language.
- Chhiling(छिलिंग)Spoken in the Dhankuta and Bhojpur districts of eastern Nepal.
- Tayangli(तायंगली)Also known as Nahale, spoken in the eastern hills of Nepal. Very small and endangered.
- Koyu(कोयु)Spoken in the Khotang district of eastern Nepal. Koyu is a Kiranti language with a small speaker population. The Koyu-speaking people are part of the broader Rai community in eastern Nepal.
- Wambule(वाम्बुले)Spoken in the Okhaldhunga and Udayapur districts. Wambule has an extremely small speaker population.
- Mugali(मुगाली)Spoken in the Dhankuta district of eastern Nepal. Mugali is an endangered Rai language with a small speaker population. The Mugali-speaking community maintains traditional Kirat cultural practices.
- Phangduwali(फांगदुवाली)Spoken in the Dhankuta district of eastern Nepal. Phangduwali is a critically endangered Rai language. The Phangduwali-speaking community is small and concentrated in specific villages in the Dhankuta hills.
Rai Language Family Tree
See how all 32+ Rai languages are classified into families and sub-groups.