8th c.
Earliest records
Arab geographers describe Sindhi as a distinct spoken language; parts of the Quran are translated into it — among the earliest such translations anywhere.
Guide · Language
The Sindhi language, in two scripts.
Sindhi is an Indo-Aryan language with roughly 30 million speakers, written in Perso-Arabic in Pakistan and in Devanagari or Perso-Arabic in India. It preserves sounds older than Hindi or Urdu, carries one of South Asia's great poetic traditions, and is now fighting generational decline in the diaspora.
Where Sindhi sits in the family tree
Sindhi belongs to the Northwestern Indo-Aryan branch, closest to Lahnda and Saraiki, and descends from the Vrachada Apabhramsha spoken in the lower Indus valley. It is unusual among Indo-Aryan languages in retaining four implosive consonants (ɓ, ɗ, ʄ, ɠ) — the swallowed sounds that make spoken Sindhi instantly recognisable — and in keeping short vowels at the ends of words that Hindi long ago dropped.
One language, two alphabets
The Perso-Arabic Sindhi alphabet has 52 letters — more than Arabic, Persian or Urdu — because it had to represent sounds those languages don't have. In India, Devanagari Sindhi was adopted to make the language teachable alongside Hindi, and both scripts hold official status. The split is a practical inheritance of 1947, and it is one reason Sindhi literacy fragmented after exile.
The poetry that holds it together
The Shah Jo Risalo of Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (1689–1752) is to Sindhi what Shakespeare is to English — except it is still sung, nightly, at his shrine in Bhit Shah and in living rooms from Karachi to Toronto. Sachal Sarmast, Shaikh Ayaz and the folk cycles of Sassui Punhun and Umar Marvi carry the rest.
A short history in six moments
1853
The standard alphabet
The colonial administration in Sindh fixes a 52-letter Perso-Arabic alphabet, still the standard in Pakistan today.
1866
First printing
Sindhi printing presses in Karachi and Hyderabad begin producing books, newspapers and religious texts.
1947
The break
Exile scatters Sindhi speakers across India and the world, severing the language from its territory and its schools.
1967
Scheduled language
Sindhi is added to the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution after a long community campaign.
Now
Digital revival
Unicode support, YouTube channels, apps and diaspora classes are pulling a new generation back to the language.
Ten seconds of Sindhi
| Sindhi | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Sain | A respectful 'sir' or 'madam' — the most Sindhi word there is |
| Kehra haal aahin? | How are you? |
| Bhala theendo | It will be well / thank you kindly |
| Mehrbani | Thank you |
| Ada / Adi | Brother / sister — used for almost anyone |
| Halo ta halo | Come along, let's go |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Sindhi language?
Sindhi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by around 30 million people, mainly in Sindh province of Pakistan and across India. It is an official language of Sindh and one of the 22 scheduled languages of India.
What script is Sindhi written in?
Two main scripts. In Pakistan, Sindhi uses a 52-letter Perso-Arabic alphabet standardized in 1853. In India, it is written in both Perso-Arabic and Devanagari, and many younger Sindhis read it most easily in Roman transliteration.
Is Sindhi similar to Hindi or Urdu?
They are related Indo-Aryan languages and share much vocabulary, but Sindhi is not mutually intelligible with Hindi-Urdu. Sindhi keeps features the others lost — implosive consonants, short final vowels, and a large Dravidian and pre-Aryan substrate.
Is the Sindhi language dying?
It is thriving in Pakistan, where it is a medium of school instruction. It is endangered in the Indian diaspora: UNESCO and Indian census data show sharp generational decline, as families shifted to Hindi, English or Gujarati after 1947.
How can I learn Sindhi?
Start with spoken Sindhi at home or in community classes, use Devanagari or Roman transliteration for reading, and listen to Sindhi music and the Shah Jo Risalo. Sindhi-language TV, YouTube channels and diaspora associations run beginner courses.
Do you still speak it at home?
Tell us how Sindhi survived — or didn't — in your family. Every account helps the archive.