Indo-Aryan languages form a major branch of the Indo-Iranian group within the wider Indo-European language family. They are primarily spoken in South Asia, especially in countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. This language family includes over 1.5 billion speakers as of 2024. The Indo-Aryan languages evolved from Old Indo-Aryan, which includes the Vedic Sanskrit language used in ancient religious texts, passing through Middle Indo-Aryan (Prakrits), to the New Indo-Aryan languages spoken today.
These languages are characterized by a rich system of inflection, complex verbal conjugations, and a broad vocabulary that reflects their historical and cultural evolution. There is a dialect continuum across the region, meaning languages gradually change across geographical areas, often making clear-cut distinctions between languages and dialects difficult. Major Indo-Aryan languages include Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi, Urdu, Marathi, Gujarati, and Sanskrit.
Linguists classify Indo-Aryan languages into three historical stages: Old Indo-Aryan (e.g., Vedic Sanskrit), Middle Indo-Aryan (Prakrits like Maharashtri, Shauraseni, and Ardhamagadhi), and New or Modern Indo-Aryan (current regional languages). These languages have been profoundly influenced by social, cultural, and historical factors over millennia, contributing to the rich linguistic diversity of the Indian subcontinent.