Gujarati is one of the Indo-Aryan languages of India. It is spoken by more than 46.6 million people throughout the world. The language is considered the closest relative to Hindi. However, it also has a lot of influence from other languages, including Sanskrit and English.
Gujarati is a syllabic language with seven vowel phonemes. Vowels are written with diacritical marks (before or after consonants) or as independent letters. They are typically pronounced as /v/. Some words have a sound similar to an English source, such as the word “she”. But others differ from the English source in different ways.
Gujrati is a dialect of Hindustani and a language in the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family. It is widely spoken in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Tanzania, Kenya, and African countries. It is also considered the 26th most common native language in the world.
Gujarati is a regional language with a variety of variations. Although it is the closest relative to Hindi, it also has a large influence from Sanskrit, Persian, Portuguese, and other languages. This influences its vocabulary as well as its pronunciation.
A typical Gujarati village is a cluster of houses arranged along a central street. There is usually a temple or a temple square. People are often friendly to visitors, even strangers. Many have a joint family – two or three generations of men and women live in a family.
In Gujarat, the economy is mainly based on trade. It is an agricultural state, and major cash crops include sugarcane and peanuts. Because of its coastal climate, the area is very hot.
While most Gujaratis are vegetarian, some Gujarati dishes are spicily and sweetly flavoured. For example, srikhand is a rich curd dessert flavored with cardamom, saffron, and fruit. Other sweets are ghughra, sukhadi, keri no ras, and jalebi. These are prepared for special occasions.
Most Gujarati speakers live in the Indian state of Gujarat. But they also live in the regions of Maharashtra, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Others live in Africa, Pakistan, and Kenya.
Gujarati is a spoken language, but it also has an official written script. The script is called vaniasai or mahajani. Also known as the banker’s script, it is a syllabic alphabet. Like many other languages in India, it is written in a different way from the Latin or Roman alphabet.
Gujarati is a popular language for children, because it is easier to learn. Children play marbles and khokho (team tag). Girls in Gujarat typically hold mock wedding ceremonies. Boys also play games like field hockey.
Gujarati is not only a language, but it has a unique cultural heritage dating back about 3000 years. Artisans make wood furniture in a distinctive Gujarati style, and ancient skills of woodcarving are still practiced.
Gujaratis celebrate the New Year with a variety of festivals and ceremonies. They exchange wishes, visit temples, and eat delicious foods. The New Year celebrations are regarded as one of the most auspicious events of the year.
