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.
