Konkani is an Indo-Aryan language spoken predominantly along the western coast of India, especially in the Konkan region. While it is the official language of Goa, Konkani is also widely spoken in parts of Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Kerala.

According to the 2011 Census of India, around 2.2 million people (approximately 0.19% of the population) speak Konkani as their native language, with about 1.5 million speakers residing in Goa.

Konkani Script

Konkani does not have a single, unified script of its own. Instead, it is written in different scripts based on regional and religious backgrounds:

  • In Goa, Konkani is officially written in the Devanagari script.

  • Goan Catholics commonly use the Roman script.

  • In Karnataka, Konkani is typically written in the Kannada script.

  • In Kerala, the Malayalam script is also used.

For the purposes of these lessons, we are using the Roman script, as the author is most familiar with it and it offers ease of understanding for a broader audience.

Konkani Dialect

Konkani features a variety of dialects, shaped by regional, religious, and community differences. Some prominent ones include:

  • Goan Konkani

  • Mangalorean Christian Konkani

  • Karwari Konkani

  • Kochi Konkani

Among these, one important dialect is GSB Konkani, spoken by the Gaud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) community.

Gaud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB)

Traditionally, Brahmins were considered scholars and priests, with deep knowledge of the sacred texts and spiritual practices. The Gaud Saraswat Brahmins are a group of Brahmins believed to have originated near the Saraswati River (north western India)—a river named after Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge and the arts.

Over time, the GSB community migrated to the Konkan coast in search of better opportunities and a more peaceful life. They carried with them a rich linguistic and cultural heritage, including their own distinct dialect of Konkani.

In our lessons, we focus only on GSB Konkani, helping preserve and promote the language and traditions of the Gaud Saraswat Brahmin Community