Image: Wikimedia Commons

Newar

Sino-Tibetan language of central-eastern Nepal

Languagenatural language modern languageQ33979

Also known as Newāh Bhāy · Nepal Bhasa language · Newar language · Newah Bhaye · Newari · Newari language

Speakers: 1,000,000
, 893,600(2011)
, 32,600(2011)
Subclass of: Newari-Thangmi
Script: Devanagari
, Ranjana
Indigenous to: Newar people
, Bihar
, Sikkim
+2 more

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

Newar is a Sino-Tibetan language of central Nepal belonging to the Tibeto-Burman group. It is spoken natively by the Newar people, the indigenous inhabitants of Nepal Mandala, which consists of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding regions in Nepal. The name Nepal Bhasa was historically used for the language and is also the name used in official contexts by the Government of Nepal. This name is also preferred by native speakers and writers of the language. Another name frequently used is Newari, but this name is considered inappropriate by Newars due to the addition of the Indic -i suffix and it has become increasingly common to refer to the language as Newar in English.

Overview

Works in this language

16 linked to Newar in Wikidata

All data

59 statements · 25% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

Wikimedia language code: new
Native label: नेवाः भाय्
Linguistic typology: subject–object–verb
UNESCO language status: 3 definitely endangered
1
Sources
1.Stated in Red Book of Endangered Languagesunesco.org/languages-atlas/en/atlasmap/language-id-1117.htmlRetrieved 2018-06-24
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Country: Nepal
1
Sources
1.“ScriptSource - Nepal”scriptsource.org/country/NPRetrieved 2023-08-21
View statement on Wikidata ↗
India
1
Sources
1.“ScriptSource - India”scriptsource.org/country/INRetrieved 2023-08-21
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Bhutan
Ethnologue language status: 4 Educational
1
Sources
1.Stated in Ethnologueethnologue.com/language/newRetrieved 2019-05-10
View statement on Wikidata ↗
Different from: Nepali
Category for films in this language: Category:Newar-language films

On other databases

32 identifiers linking Newar across the web's reference databases

27.6000, 85.3000OpenStreetMap ↗

Data quality

statements

25%

externally sourced

Source last edited October 13, 2026. AIDB refreshes this page daily.

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AIDB. (2026). Newar (Q33979). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/newar-Q33979