Georgian, the official language of Georgia, belongs to the Kartvelian language family and is very unique in many ways. It has its own script, grammar, and phonetic systems, which set it apart from the Indo-European, Turkic, and other language families that surround it. According to the eLinguistics.net analysis using specific software modules to assess linguistic relationships, the five languages most similar to Georgian are Marathi, Bhojpuri, Marwari, Hindi, and Dogri.
- Marathi (34.1)
Interesting enough, Marathi, primarily spoken in Maharashtra, India, shows notable parallels with Georgian. Historical trade and cultural exchanges have led to some shared vocabulary. Both languages feature a rich system of consonants, including aspirated and non-aspirated sounds. - Bhojpuri (29.1)
Another Indo-European language, Bhojpuri, spoken in northern India and Nepal, has several words that show similarities with Georgian. Both languages exhibit complex verb conjugation systems that reflect tense, mood, and aspect. - Marwari (28.6)
Marwari is primarily spoken in Rajasthan, India, on the border with Pakistan. The language displays some interesting phonetic and syntactic similarities with Georgian, but ultimately is still far different from Georgian. - Hindi (28.2)
Hindi, widely spoken across India, has several words that align with Georgian vocabulary that could be due to historical and cultural exchanges. In fact, the use of compound verbs is common in both languages. - Dogri (27.8)
In the Jammu region of India, Dogri is a commonly spoken language. While it is far different from Georgian, it aligns with the language in a few aspects. Common terms for nature and basic needs often have parallels.
(to be considered for the list, the language must be spoken by at least one million people)