You remember the last time you saw those mysterious eyes of a Gypsy? You probably questioned not once if Gypsies have migrated from Indian subcontinent. You’ll be surprised how close they are…
Romani, also known as “gypsy” language, is a language of Indo-Aryan origin, and therefore it shares many similarities with other Indo-Aryan languages, including Sanskrit. Here are some similar words in Romani and Sanskrit:

Comparison of count to ten in Romani, Sanskrit and Russian:
Romani (Gypsy) | Sanskrit | Russian (transliteration) |
---|---|---|
yek | ekam | один (odin) |
duy | dve | два (dva) |
trin | trini | три (tri) |
star | chatvari | четыре (chetyre) |
pansh | panca | пять (pyat’) |
shov | shat | шесть (shest’) |
efta | sapta | семь (sem’) |
ochto | ashta | восемь (vosem’) |
enja | nava | девять (devyat’) |
desh | dasa | десять (desyat’) |
Romani | Devanagari Sanskrit | Transliterated Sanskrit | English Translation |
---|---|---|---|
Aj | अज | aja | goat |
Aman | अमन् | aman | peace |
Ando | अन्तः | antaḥ | inside |
Ari | अरि | ari | enemy |
Baro | वार | vāra | day |
Baxt | भक्ति | bhakti | devotion |
Bhoj | भोजन | bhojana | food |
Bokt | भक्त | bhakta | devotee |
Buki | बुक्क | bukka | book |
Chor | चोर | chor | thief |
Chov | चव | chava | taste |
Cik | छिद्र | chidra | hole |
Dand | दंड | daṇḍa | punishment |
Devla | देवालय | devālaya | temple |
Dik | दिशा | diśā | direction |
Dikh | दिखाना | dikhānā | to show |
Divano | दीवान | dīvān | crazy |
Drom | ध्रुम | dhuma | road |
Fakir | फकीर | fakīr | ascetic |
Gadjo/Gadji | गज | gaja | elephant |
Ghar | घर | ghara | house |
Gypsy | ग्यानी | gyānī | knowledgeable |
Hal | हल | hala | plow |
Jiv | जीव | jīva | life |
Jivdo | जीवन | jīvana | life |
Jor | जोड़ | jora | pair |
Kala | काल | kāla | time |
Kali | काली | kālī | black |
Kan | कण | kaṇa | particle |
Kard | कार्य | kārya | work |
Kav | कवि | kavi | poet |
Khel | खेल | khela | game |
Khushi | खुशी | khuśī | happiness |
Khyal | ख्याल | khyāla | thought |
Krodh | क्रोध | krodha | anger |
Kushto | कुशल | kuśala | skillful |
Lakh | लाख | lākha | one hundred thousand |
Lasha | लश्य | laśya | dance |
Lekh | लेख | lekha | writing |
Mahal | महल | mahala | palace |
Manush | मनुष्य | manuṣya | human |
Maa | मां | mā | mother |
Mande | मंदिर | maṇdira | temple |

Mori | मृत्यु | mṛtyu | death |
Mullo | मूल्य | mūlya | value |
Pala | पल | pala | moment |
Rikno | रिक्त | rikta | empty |
Roshni | रौशनी | raushanī | light |
Sasto | सस्ता | sasta | cheap |
Sev | सेव | seva | service |
Soor | सूर | sūra | brave |
Tabla | तबला | tablā | drum |
Tano | तन | tana | body |
Wuzho | विशेष | viśeṣa | special |
Yek | एक | eka | one |
Zor | ज़ोर | zora | strength |
Please note that the spelling of some words in Romani may vary depending on the dialect and geographic region.
