Languages of New Delhi

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New Delhi: A Multilingual City

Besides being India’s capital, New Delhi is the second largest metropolis in the country, after Mumbai.  This is a cosmopolitan city-- a melting pot of cultures and civilizations.  New Delhi is one of those world cities that has been continuously inhabited thanks to colonization, globalization, trade, and expansion.  The Mughals ruled their vast empire from New Delhi and built a part of the city which they named Shahjehanabad, known today as Purani Dilli (Old Delhi).  The British chose New Delhi as the seat of their imperial administration.  And today, New Delhi is largely regarded as one of the main economic, political, and cultural centers of India.   All these periods have helped shape New Delhi’s cultural, social, and linguistic fabric throughout the centuries.   

Languages Spoken in New Delhi

Hindi, English, and Punjabi are the languages most widely spoken in New Delhi.  Hindis is the official language of the country and is especially prevalent in the nation’s capital.  The city is home to embassies and diplomatic missions of various nations, and so you’ll find people here who speak many international languages. New Delhi also has many institutes and universities that teach foreign languages.  These language courses have many takers as New Delhi residents seem to grasp the importance of being multi-lingual in a global world.   

Foreigners without knowledge of English can avail of a wide resource pool of professional translators to help them during their stay in the city.  Diplomatic missions from countries like the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Italy, and Spain hold regular cultural festivals in New Delhi.  The city’s population is, therefore, aware of the customs, traditions, cuisine, language, and music of a variety of countries.  Although it takes some getting used to the various English accents and dialects in common use, those who are somewhat familiar with English shouldn’t have too much difficult navigating their way around this 14.1 million person sprawling metropolis.