How many languages are spoken in Bengaluru in 2024? 

Sometimes standing in Bengaluru’s commercial street, or sitting in a BMTC Bus, you slowly start paying attention to the sounds around you. The chatter is not pure Kannada. The bus driver who said “Channagiddiya?” (All good?) to another bus driver passing by, turns around, and asks passengers to get down in Hindi. This experience cannot be just for you. There are countless memes and reels on social media that show how Bengaluru people are born polyglots, and you can spot a true-blue Bengaluru if he speaks to everyone in their native language. 

Bengaluru prides itself on its ability to speak any language with ease, or even better than any other state. You can find anything from Ragi Mudde to Kimchijjiggae here. Bengaluru celebrates Dandiya from Gujarat and Bomma Golu from Tamil Nadu with equal fervor. The city has become truly cosmopolitan.  

What are the main languages of Bengaluru? 

 

Bengaluru - the Silicon Valley of India is a melting pot of languages. The 2011 census states that about 44% of the population speaks Kannada, Karnataka’s state language. But it is the second lowest among all capital cities speaking their state language, just after Hyderabad. This cannot be solely blamed on immigration. Bengaluru, as we see it today, was highly influenced by Tamil, Telugu, and Malayali immigrants and immigrants from various states in Bengaluru’s cantonment area. Historical proofs such as multilingual stone inscriptions support this argument, says ‘Incredible Inscriptions of Bengaluru’s Udayakumar. 

A study by Shamika Ravi of the Brookings Institute and Mudit Kapoor of the Indian Statistical Institute showed Bengaluru district has almost 107 languages spoken. While Kannada leads by a high margin at 44%, Tamil is at 14%, Telugu at 14%, Urdu is at 12%, Malayalam at 6%, and Marathi at 2%. Bengaluru even has a version of Marathi that is 350 years old, from the period of Shahaji Bhosale reigned. 

Why are so many languages spoken in Bengaluru? 

Karnataka shares borders with all 4 Southern states as well as Maharashtra and Goa. It is the only Southern state with this privilege, leading to a deeper amalgamation of cultures. The historical reason is Bengaluru as established today by Kempe Gowda was a small portion of current Bengaluru. In 1537 after building the mud fort, Kempe Gowda invited traders to create a thriving trade system for the city. 

The Tamil immigrants from Southeast through Hosur, Malayalis from North of Kerala, and Telugites from Andhra and Telangana made their way into the city contributing to its growing size. Tippu Sultan’s regime promoted Bengaluru as a trader's paradise and welcomed immigrants with open hands. The Britishers expanded the cantonment. More Hindi speakers, especially Marwadis came for business. 

The next big wave of immigration post-independence happened after Bengaluru became a hub for large public sector projects like Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited. Post 1990s it has expanded with IT workers who became part of Bengaluru’s tech boom - the new-gen IT immigrants coming from across the country.  

Kannada’s legacy in Bengaluru 

Kannadigas hold their language and culture with pride and rightfully so. Kannada is one of the earliest classic languages. This Dravidian language with its own script and numerical, is still widely used across the state as lingua fraca and official language. The historical literature of Kannada is enriched by Hindu, Lingayat, and even Jain literature. Kannada culture has various art forms like Yakshagana and Gombe aata. It has also deeply influenced Carnatic music. The passion and grit to protect the language have often been dragged into controversies. The recent linguistic reservation by the state government was criticized heavily. 

Does Bengaluru speak foreign languages? 

 

British colonial era had set a definite English influence in the city. German, French, Japanese, and Mandarin are taught in schools and specialized language tutoring centers. Many companies encourage their employees to pick up an international language, often providing them with training to interact with clients. This gives Bengaluru an advantage in expanding its software business across international borders. Translation services in Bengaluru help software products scale further. 

Localization for Bengaluru 

The city is not just a seasoned polyglot but is a tech-savvy software nerd as well. A 2019 report by Accel, Government of Karnataka, 3one4 Capital, and Idea Spring Capital reflects on how it is an early adopter of technology. Many breakthrough innovations in B2C and B2B technology use Bengaluru as a pilot city because if Bengaluru does not pick it up, it is highly unlikely that anyone else will. The diversity of languages and cultures is a major contributing factor to this. 

Shamika calls Bengaluru's multilingual expertise a “driving force of economy and jobs.” The talent pool is brimming with diverse skills, which attracts MNCs and IT startups to set up their businesses in Bengaluru (Bangalore).  

Interestingly, today translation services in Bengaluru have a wide profile of clientele ranging from startups to seasoned politicians. The election manifestos in Karnataka polls were published in multiple languages including Kannada, English, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. Document translation services that used to cater to government officials have found their way into translating product documentation and sales pitches. 

The tech companies focus on localization with a blend of Kannada, English, and Hindi. Peppered with other local languages. Many ride-sharing apps in Bengaluru, especially Bengaluru’s own Namma Yatri, give out promotional notifications in Kannada but in English script. They even manage to pull in some cultural references. During incessant rains, Namma Yatri suggested you share an auto with a friend saying “Maleyalli Jotheyali” (translated to ‘together in rain’) - a cheeky reference to the 2009 hit Kannada films. Professional translation services have found a goldmine to put into use a variety of their skills in Bengaluru. 

So, Bengaluru’s translation service requirements are not limited to state borders, it surpasses the international level as well.

How can LanguagesNoBar cater to a multilingual Bengaluru?   

Professional translation services are growing with the number of brands and startups springing from Bengaluru. The content needs to be localized for so many languages for a place like Bengaluru to reach a wide audience. LanguagesNoBar provides translation services that are reliable and ensure high clarity to work as your trusted language partner. You can trust your content will be in safe hands. 

 

 

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