India GOLanguage spoken in Hyderabad
Hyderabad speaks two languages officially, Telugu and Urdu, and most Hyderabadis are bilingual in them. Hindi is widely understood, and English is enough in tourist places, hotels and business. The Urdu you hear in the street is Hyderabadi, a local variety of Deccani with words of its own, which is why a visitor who knows Hindi will follow most of it and still miss a few things.
Telugu
తెలుగు
Urdu
اردو
Hindi
हिन्दी
English
English is enough in tourist places
English
The four languages you will hear
The language list on this page gives each language in its own script; here is what each one is used for.
Telugu
The official language of Telangana and its most widely spoken, by about three quarters of the state. Telugu is a Dravidian language, the most widely spoken of that family, and one of India's classical languages. The dialect spoken in Hyderabad is called Telangana Mandalika. The main Telugu dailies printed in the city include Eenadu, Sakshi and Namasthe Telangana, and Hyderabad is home to the Telugu film industry.
Urdu
The second official language of Telangana, spoken by about 12% of the state, and the language of court and administration under the Nizams. Before 1948 it was the official language of Hyderabad State. What people speak is Hyderabadi Urdu, a variety of Deccani, natively spoken by Hyderabadi Muslims; for writing and news, standard Urdu is used. The Siasat Daily, The Munsif Daily and Etemaad are the big Urdu papers.
Hindi
Within Telangana, Hindi is spoken mainly in Hyderabad. Hyderabadi Urdu is mutually intelligible with Hindi, so a Hindi speaker can follow most of what is said, even when local words come back in the reply.
English
A secondary official language, pervasive in business and administration, in education and the press. In tourist places it is enough on its own.
Where you will hear what
The city's two official languages are visible everywhere: the Telangana Legislature website runs in Telugu and Urdu, and Hyderabad metro stations carry their names in Telugu, Urdu, English and Hindi. Muslims, whose home language is Hyderabadi Urdu, predominate in and around the Old City by Charminar; Telugu has been the language of government since 1948, and of the Telugu press and cinema.
Hyderabadi has a culture of its own: comic poetry evenings called mazahiya mushaira, and a small film industry, nicknamed Dollywood, that makes films in the local dialect.
A few words to start with
Two greetings, a thank-you in Telugu and the Hyderabadi words you will hear first.
| Namaskaram (Telugu) | Hello, said with palms pressed together; the Telugu form of namaste. |
| Dhanyavaadaalu (Telugu) | Thank you. |
| Adaab (Urdu) | A greeting with the right hand raised in front of the eyes, palm inwards, and a slight bow. It is especially popular in Hyderabad, used by people of every faith. |
| Hao (Hyderabadi) | Yes, instead of the standard haan. |
| Nakko (Hyderabadi) | No, no thanks, don't. |
| Kaiku (Hyderabadi) | Why. |
| Miyan (Hyderabadi) | Fellow, mate, as in chalo miyan, 'let's go, man'. |
| Phugat (Hyderabadi) | Free, at no cost. |
FAQ
What language is spoken in Hyderabad?
Telugu and Urdu, the city's two official languages; most Hyderabadis speak both. Hindi is widely understood and English is used in business, hotels and tourist places.
Is Hyderabad Tamil or Telugu?
Telugu. Hyderabad is the capital of Telangana, where Telugu is the official language; Tamil is spoken only by a minority community.
Is Hindi spoken in Hyderabad?
Yes. Within Telangana, Hindi is spoken mainly in Hyderabad, and the city's Hyderabadi Urdu is mutually intelligible with it.
Is English enough in Hyderabad?
In tourist places, yes. English is a secondary official language and is pervasive in business, administration and education.
How do you say hello in Hyderabad?
Namaskaram in Telugu, or Adaab in Urdu, with the right hand raised in front of the eyes, palm inwards. Adaab is especially popular in Hyderabad and is used across faiths.
Do Muslims in Hyderabad speak Telugu?
Most Hyderabadis are bilingual in Telugu and Urdu. Hyderabadi Urdu is the native language of Hyderabadi Muslims, and it has itself borrowed words from Telugu.
Sources (9)
- Hyderabad (Wikipedia): Languages — Telugu and Urdu official, most Hyderabadis bilingual, English secondary official
- Telangana (Wikipedia): Telugu official, Urdu second official; about 75% Telugu and 12% Urdu speakers; metro signs in four languages
- Telugu language (Wikipedia)
- Hyderabadi Urdu (Wikipedia): vocabulary, mutual intelligibility with Hindi/Urdu
- Deccani language (Wikipedia)
- Adaab (Wikipedia): the greeting gesture, especially popular in Hyderabad
- Namaste (Wikipedia): namaskāram, palms pressed together
- Wiktionary: నమస్కారం (namaskāraṁ)
- Wiktionary: ధన్యవాదాలు (dhanyavādālu), thank you
Facts checked: 15 October 2026. Prices and hours are approximate; check locally.
The full catalogue, hidden spots and districts on the map, plus “nearby” mode.
Open in India GO