From Fiji to the Gulf: Countries where Hindi is widely spoken

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It is not as if Hindi spread overnight outside India, though; it followed people. Indentured labour during the British era, modern migration for work and education, and the global reach of Indian films and media have helped Hindi find a place in daily life far from the subcontinent.

Nepal remains the closest Hindi-speaking neighbour

The presence of Hindi outside India is strongest in Nepal. Most people understand Hindi, mainly in the Terai area of the Indian border. But Nepali being the national language, Hindi is used throughout in trade, media, and daily conversations. According to both the Nepal census and linguistic studies, a large share of people understand spoken Hindi, though it may not be their mother tongue.

Fiji and Mauritius reveal Hindi's colonial origins

Of the countries with a historical connection, two are Fiji and Mauritius. While in Fiji, Hindi came with the descendants of Indian indentured labourers in the late nineteenth century, it is today a recognized linguistic variety spoken by a large section of the Indo-Fijian community. Estimates by government and academic circles say that as many as 30 percent of Fiji's population understand or speak Hindi-related dialects.

There is also a strong element of Hindi in Mauritius. The country recognizes Hindi as an ancestral language, and it is taught in schools. Indeed, according to data from the Mauritius census and cultural ministry, Hindi is spoken or understood by a sizeable portion of the population, as with Bhojpuri and Creole.

Suriname keeps Hindi alive in South America

Suriname is one of those less well-known Hindi-speaking nations. Immigrants from India, locally referred to as Hindustanis, have preserved the language over generations. The dialect spoken there is closely related to both Bhojpuri and Awadhi. As the linguistic surveys carried out show, Hindi and its related dialects find active representation in homes, religious congregations, and other cultural activities.

The Gulf countries use Hindi as a working language

Hindi is widely spoken all over the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman, although it is not an officially recognized language in any of these countries. Government labour statistics and migration data in both home and destination countries report millions of Indian nationals who reside or work in the Gulf. Hindi then becomes the medium of communication in markets, on construction sites, and in service sectors.

The major western nations use Hindi quite extensively

Relatively growing populations of Hindi speakers are found in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. According to the census count conducted in those countries, Hindi has been noted among the top immigrant languages spoken at home. Bollywood, digital media, and community networks maintain regular use across generations.

A language that moves with people

The presence of Hindi outside India attaches to people, not borders. Wherever relatively large groups of Indians have settled over the years, their language has followed and adapted to survive. And its global footprint keeps widening, quietly shaping conversations far beyond its homeland.