View source for Sylheti language

{{Short description|Indo-Aryan language spoken in Bangladesh and India}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}} 
{{Infobox language
| name             = Sylheti
| altname          = Silôṭi
| nativename       = {{Hlist|{{Script|Sylo|ꠍꠤꠟꠐꠤ}}|{{lang|bn|সিলেটি}}}}
| pronunciation    = {{IPA|syl|silɔʈi|audio=SYL-সিলোটি.oga|}}
| states           = [[Bangladesh]] and [[India]]
| region           = [[Sylhet Division]] and [[Barak Valley]]<ref>{{cite book|author=[[Niharranjan Ray]]|title=Bangalir Itihas|date=Jan 1980|volume=2|language=bn}}</ref>
| ethnicity        = [[Sylhetis]]<ref>Shahela Hamid (2011). '' Language Use and Identity: The Sylheti Bangladeshis in Leeds''. pp.''Preface''. Verlag Peter Lang. Retrieved 4 December 2020.</ref><ref>{{harvcol|Simard|Dopierala|Thaut|2020|p=5}}</ref><ref>Tanweer Fazal (2012). ''Minority Nationalisms in South Asia: 'We are with culture but without geography': locating Sylheti identity in contemporary India, Nabanipa Bhattacharjee.'' pp. 59–67.</ref>
| speakers         = [[L1 speakers|L1]]: {{sigfig|10.020000|2}} million
| date             = 2003–2017
| ref              = e25
| speakers2        = [[L2 speakers|L2]]: {{sigfig|1.5|2}} million (no date)<ref name=e25/>
| speakers_label   = Speakers
| familycolor      = Indo-European
| fam2             = [[Indo-Iranian languages|Indo-Iranian]]
| fam3             = [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan]]
| fam4             = [[Eastern Indo-Aryan languages|Eastern]]
| fam5             = [[Bengali–Assamese languages|Bengali–Assamese]]
| ancestor         = [[Magadhi Prakrit]]
| ancestor2        = [[Eastern Indo-Aryan languages|Māgadhan]] [[Apabhraṃśa]]
| ancestor3        = [[Abahattha|Abahaṭ‌ṭha]]
| ancestor4        = Old Sylheti{{Citation needed|date=January 2025|reason=The inclusion of Old Sylheti needs scholarly material.}}
| script           = [[Sylheti Nagri script]]<br />[[Bengali–Assamese script]]<br />[[Latin script]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Sylheti language and the Syloti-Nagri alphabet |url=https://www.omniglot.com/writing/syloti.htm |access-date=8 March 2024 |website=www.omniglot.com}}</ref>
| iso3             = syl
| glotto           = sylh1242
| glottorefname    = Sylheti
| linglist         = syl
| lingua           = 59-AAF-ui
| notice           = IPA
| image            = Sylheti_in_Sylheti_Nagari_script_-_example.svg
| imagescale       = 1.2
| imagecaption     = The word "Silôṭi" in the [[Sylheti Nagri script]]
| map              = Sylheti Map.png
| mapcaption       = Map of Sylhetophone areas in South Asia
| map2             = Lang Status 80-VU.svg
| mapcaption2      = {{center|
{{small|Sylheti is classified as Vulnerable by the UNESCO ''[[Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger]]''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.wal.unesco.org/languages/sylheti|title=World Atlas of Languages: Sylheti|website=en.wal.unesco.org|access-date=13 September 2024}}</ref>}}}}
}}
{{Contains special characters|Indic}}
[[File:King and Queen of Termites by Mujahidul Islam in Sylheti language.webm|thumb|A description of the king and queen of the termites in Sylheti]]

'''Sylheti'''{{efn|{{IPAc-en|s|ɪ|l|ˈ|h|ɛ|t|i}}}} ([[Sylheti Nagri]]: {{Script|Sylo|ꠍꠤꠟꠐꠤ}}, ''síloṭi'', {{IPA|syl|sílɔʈi|pron|audio=SYL-সিলোটি.oga}}; {{langx|bn|সিলেটি}}, ''sileṭi'', {{IPA|bn|sileʈi|pron}}) is an [[Indo-Aryan languages|Indo-Aryan language]] spoken by an estimated 11 million people, primarily in the [[Sylhet Division]] of [[Bangladesh]], [[Barak Valley]] of [[Assam]], and northern parts of [[Tripura]] in India.<ref name=":0">"Sylheti is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by about 11 million people in India and Bangladesh (Hammarström et al., 2017). Sylheti is an Eastern Indo-Aryan language, primarily spoken in the Sylhet division of Bangladesh, and in Barak valley, in Assam of the India and in the northern parts of the state of Tripura in India."{{harvcol|Mahanta|Gope|2018|p=81}}</ref><ref name="eth">{{cite web |title=Sylheti |url=https://www.ethnologue.com/language/syl/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190606212859/https://www.ethnologue.com/language/syl/ |archive-date=6 June 2019 |access-date=9 January 2024 |work=Ethnologue}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=7 August 2025 |title=Why Sylheti is not a ‘Bangladeshi language’ |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-politics/why-sylheti-is-not-a-bangladeshi-language-10174546/ |access-date=17 September 2025 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> In addition, there are substantial numbers of Sylheti speakers in the Indian states of [[Meghalaya]], [[Manipur]], and [[Nagaland]],<ref name=eth/> as well as among [[diaspora]] communities across the globe—from [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland|Britain]] and [[North America]] to various parts of the [[Middle East]].

It is variously perceived as either a [[Bengali dialects|dialect of Bengali]] or a language in its own right. While most linguists consider it an independent language,<ref name="mahanta-gope-variety">"Along the linguistic continuum of eastern Indic languages, Sylheti occupies an ambiguous position, where it is considered a distinct language by many and also as a dialect of Bengali or Bangla by some others." {{harvcol|Mahanta|Gope|2018|p=81}}</ref><ref name="khan-lang">"At the geographical extremes, Chittagonian, Sylheti, Mal Paharia, and Rohingya are so unintelligible to speakers of other dialects that they are almost universally considered by linguists to be separate languages on their own." {{harvcol|Khan|2018}}</ref> for many native speakers Sylheti forms the [[diglossia|diglossic]] [[vernacular]], with [[standard Bengali]] forming the [[Codification (linguistics)|codified lect]].<ref>"In Bangladesh, Sylheti functions as a diglossic "Low" variety and Bengali, the official language of Bangladesh, as the "High" variety. Bengali is the language of official administration and education in Bangladesh, and Sylheti is normative in informal contexts in Sylhet." {{harvcol|Lawson|Sachdev|2004|p=50}}</ref> Some incorrectly consider it as a "corrupt" form of Bengali,<ref name="simmard-corrupt"/> and there is a reported [[language shift]] from Sylheti to Standard Bengali in Bangladesh, India and the diaspora;<ref name="simard-shift"/> though Sylheti has more vitality than Standard Bengali among the diaspora in the United Kingdom.<ref>"In the context of the UK, Sylheti has more vitality than Bangla on the basis of its demography." {{harvcol|Hamid|2005|p=243}}</ref>

==Name==
{{See also|Names of Sylhet}}
''Sylheti'' is eponymously named after [[Sylhet]], referring to the dialect or language spoken of that area.<ref>Anne Kershen (2004). ''Strangers, Aliens and Asians: Huguenots, Jews and Bangladeshis in Spitalfields 1666-2000''. p. 145. Routledge. Retrieved 10 September 2020.</ref> According to {{harvp|Grierson|1903}} the vernacular ''was'' called ''Sylhettia'' by the Europeans after the town of Sylhet.<ref>"Sylhet Town, which is the headquarters of the District, being within six miles of the Jaintiapur Faiganaj lies within the area in which this dialect is spoken, and hence this form of speech is called Sylhettia by Europeans. For this reason, it is often wrongly said that the language of the whole Sylhet District is uniform, and the term Sylhettia is incorrectly applied to the dialect of the west of the District, as well as to that of the North-East. The term 'Sylhettia 'properly means the language of the town, and not of the District, of Sylhet." {{harvcol|Grierson|1903|p=221}}</ref> Though the speakers at that time referred to it as ''Jaintiapuri'', ''Purba Srihattiya'', or ''Ujania'' with the latter meaning "the language of the upper country".<ref>"As already stated, the dialect spoken in Sylhet Town and in the North and North-East of the District is that which Europeans called Sylhettia. Sylheti speakers did not use this title. They called it Jaintiapuri, Purba Srihattiya, or Ujania. The latter means the language of the upper country.{{harvcol|Grierson|1903|p=224}}</ref>

Sylheti is also spelt or known as ''Sylhetti'' (or ''Sileti''), ''Sylheti Bangla'' and ''Siloti'' (also spelt in ''Syloti'' or ''Syloty'').<ref>William Farwley (2003). ''International Encyclopedia of Linguistics: 4-Volume Set''. p. 483. Oxford University Press, USA. Retrieved 9 September 2020.</ref>

==History==
Sylheti belongs to the Eastern Indo-Aryan languages that evolved from [[Magadhi Prakrit]].<ref>South Asian folklore: an encyclopedia : Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, By Peter J. Claus, Sarah Diamond, Margaret Ann Mills, Routledge, 2003, p. 203</ref> The lowlands around Sylhet were originally inhabited by ancient [[Khasi people]] (Austroasiatic);<ref>{{harvcol|Ludden|2003|p=5081}}</ref> and the earliest known [[Indo-Aryan peoples|Indo-Aryan]] settlements were made in the 6th century under [[Kamarupa]] king.<ref>"copper plate inscriptions indicate that land around the Kushiara was more densely populated, because Kamarupa kings had granted large tracts of land to immigrant Brahmans and their supporting castes, to make this region part of Assam (Khanda Kamarupa)." {{harvcol|Ludden|2003|p=5081}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title= Studies in the geography of ancient and medieval India|last=Sircar |first=Dineshchandra |year=1971 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |page= 161 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title= Indian Civilization and Culture |last=Chatterjee |first=Suhas |year=1998 |publisher=M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. |page= 432 }}</ref> The Sylheti language was known as the language of the ancient Surma Valley and the Barak Valley in the sixth century CE, so it is assumed that this language is nearly 15 centuries old.
<ref>[https://www.soas.ac.uk/sites/default/files/linguistics/events/language-documentation-and-linguistic-theory-6/file156439.pdf |SOAS]</ref>  [[Sylhet town|Sylhet]] (Srihatta) then emerged as a center of lowland territorialism after the 10th century.<ref>" Sylhet town (Srihatta) became a major centre of lowland territorialism after the 10th century CE" {{harvcol|Ludden|2003|p=5081}}</ref>  The 11th century Bhatera grants from the Srihatta kings Kesavadeva and Isanadeva were written in Sanskrit.<ref>Rakhal Das Banerji (2003). ''Origin of the Bengali Script''. p. 6.</ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.org/details/epigrahiaindicav014768mbp/page/n365/|last=Gupta|first=K M|location=[[Sylhet]]|journal=[[Epigraphia Indica]]|title=49. The Bhatera Copper-plate Inscription of Govinda-Kesavadeva (C. 1049 A.D.).|pages=277–286|volume=XIX|editor=[[H. Krishna Sastri|Hirananda Krishna Sastri]]|year=1927–1928}}</ref>  Another notable copper plate inscription was found in the village of Paschimbhag in [[Rajnagar Upazila|Rajnagar]], [[Moulvibazar District|Moulvibazar]] that was issued by King [[Srichandra]] during the 10th century.<ref>{{cite news |title=Paschimbhag Copperplate: History engraved |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/top-news/news/paschimbhag-copperplate-history-engraved-1939445 |work=The Daily Star |date=2 August 2020 |access-date=16 September 2020}}</ref>

The Muslim [[Conquest of Sylhet]] in 1303 CE extended the migratory movements of Muslims from western lands, who settled among the native population and greatly influenced the local language.<ref>{{cite book |author=Syed Hasan Imam Hussainy Chisti |editor=Sharif Uddin Ahmed |chapter=Arabic and Persian in Sylhet |title=Sylhet: History and Heritage |year=1999 |publisher=Bangladesh Itihas Samiti |isbn=984-31-0478-1 |pages=598–599}}</ref> Thus Sylheti derived a large number of words from [[Persian language|Persian]] and [[Arabic language|Arabic]],<ref>J. K. Mandal, Goutam Saha, Debatta Kandar, Arnab Kumar Maji (2018). ''Proceedings of the International Conference on Computing and Communication System: 13CS 2016, NEHU, Shillong, India''. p. 452. Springer. Retrieved 9 September 2020.</ref> indicating the Perso-Arabic influence on the vernacular.<ref name=pak>{{cite book |editor1-last=Rizvi |editor1-first=S. N. H. |title=East Pakistan District Gazetteers: Sylhet |year=1970 |publisher=East Pakistan Government Press |oclc=153480 |pages=303}}</ref> A script was developed in the region called [[Sylheti Nagri]], which primarily focused on disseminating [[Sufism|Sufi]] poetry, known as ''[[puthi]]''.<ref>Surinder Singh (2008). ''Popular Literature and Pre-modern Societies in South Asia''. p. 32. Pearson Education India. Retrieved 9 September 2020.</ref> Its earliest known work had been written during the 1600s, called ''Bhedsar'' by Syed Shah Husayn Alam.<ref>{{cite web |title=Bhédsār, 1st Edition"Bhédsār, 1st Edition" |url=https://eap.bl.uk/archive-file/EAP071-5-4 |website=[[Endangered Archives Programme]]}}</ref> The literature was transcribed in the standard form of late Middle Bengali, it was similar to the ''[[Dobhashi]]'' idiom though phonologically was strongly influenced by Sylheti.<ref name=dHubert>Thibaut d'Hubert, Alexandre Papas (2018). ''Jāmī in Regional Contexts: The Reception of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Jāmī's Works in the Islamicate World, ca. 9th/15th-14th/20th Century''. p. 667. BRILL. Retrieved 9 September 2020.</ref><ref>Thibaut d'Hubert, ed. Kate Fleet, Gudrun Krämer, Denis Matringe, John Nawas, Everett Rowson. (2014), "Dobhāshī", in: Encyclopaedia of Islam, THREE (Brill Online). Retrieved 9 September 2020.</ref> The script was read and taught culturally among households and was not institutionalised,<ref name=dHubert/> as the [[Indo-Persian culture#Bengal|Islamic dynasties]] who ruled over Bengal established Persian alongside Arabic as the official languages.<ref>Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu (2003). ''Culture and Learning in Islam''. p. 115. UNESCO. Retrieved 9 September 2020.</ref> Printed texts of the script reached its peak during the late 19th century, however its use became obsolete by around the middle of the 20th century.<ref>[https://eap.bl.uk/project/EAP071 Archiving texts in the Sylhet Nagri script (EAP071)] British Library. Retrieved 9 September 2020.</ref>

In 1903, Grierson reported that Sylheti was spoken only around Sylhet town of the then Sylhet district (now Sylhet Division and Karimganj district in Assam), and that among the Indo-Aryan speakers in the district, about 33 per cent spoke this language.<ref>"In North-East and North Sylhet, especially in Jaintiapur and Karimganj, the language is more corrupt. Sylhet Town, which is the head-quarters of the District,
being within six miles of the Jaintiapur Pargana lies within the area in which this
dialect is spoken, and hence this form of speech is called Sylhettia by Europeans. E For this reason it is often wrongly said that the language of the whole Sylhet District is uniform, and the term Sylhettia is incorrectly applied to the dialect of the west of the District, as well as to that of the North-East. The term 'Sylhettia' properly means the language of the town, and not of the District, of Sylhet. It is estimated that of the 2,033,000 speakers of Bengali in Sylhet, 1,355,000 use ordinary Eastern Bengali. The rest speak Sylhettia." {{harvcol|Grierson|1903|p=221}}</ref>

The earliest appearance of a documentation of Sylheti vocabulary was in the ''Government Report on the History and Statistics of Sylhet District'' by T. Walton, B.C.S. in 1857, which contained a list of peculiar words used in Sylhet.<ref>{{harvcol|Grierson|1903|p=224}}</ref> Many terms that were listed here differ from modern Sylheti – highlighting its evolution. In 1868, another short glossary of local terms in various districts of the Dacca Division (which included Sylhet) were written up and compared to standard Bengali to allow ease in understanding local vernaculars.<ref name=heads>{{cite book|title=Principal Heads of the History and Statistics of the Dacca Division|chapter=Sylhet District|pages=323–325|chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/principalheadsh00unkngoog/page/n336|year=1868|location=[[Calcutta]]|author=E M Lewis|publisher=Calcutta Central Press Company}}</ref> Despite being annexed to the [[Assam Province]] during colonial rule, Sylheti speakers felt a linguistic affinity with the rest of Bengal.<ref>{{cite book |author=Tanweer Fazal |year=2013 |title=Minority Nationalisms in South Asia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6bGMAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA54 |publisher=Routledge |pages=54–55 |isbn=978-1-317-96647-0}}</ref> [[Bengali literature]] had some influence from Sylheti, popular songwriters or poets such as [[Hason Raja]] or [[Shah Abdul Karim]], significantly contributed to the literature.<ref>{{cite Banglapedia|article=Hasan Raja|author=Tasiqul Islam}}</ref><ref>{{cite Banglapedia|article=Karim, Shah Abdul|author=Zakaria, Saymon}}</ref> Sylhet was reunited with Bengal following a [[1947 Sylhet referendum|referendum in 1947]].<ref>Pradip Phanjoubam (2015). ''The Northeast Question: Conflicts and frontiers''. p. 180. Routledge. Retrieved 12 September 2020.</ref>

==Status==
According to Simard, Dopierala and Thaut, Sylheti is a "[[Minoritized language|minoritised]], politically unrecognised, and understudied language."<ref name="simard91-lead">"Sylheti is a minoritised, politically unrecognised, and understudied Eastern Indo-Aryan language with approximately 11 million speakers worldwide, with high speaker concentrations in the Surma and Barak river basins in north-eastern Bangladesh and south Assam, India, and in several diasporic communities around the world (especially UK, USA, and Middle East)." {{harvcol|Simard|Dopierala|Thaut|2020|p=1}}</ref> It is currently not officially recognised as a language in either Bangladesh or India.<ref>"It is not officially recognised in Bangladesh, where it is simply referred to as a dialect of Bengali by the government (Faquire 2012); it has, equally, no legal status in India." {{harvcol|Simard|Dopierala|Thaut|2020|p=4}}</ref> Many native speakers consider it to be a ''slang'' or corrupt version of Standard Bengali and not an independent language;<ref name="simmard-corrupt">"Sylheti is often dismissed as 'slang' or as a corrupted version of Bengali, even by some of its own speakers, for whom it is not a language in its own right." {{harvcol|Simard|Dopierala|Thaut|2020|p=4}}</ref> and there is a reported [[language shift]] to Standard Bengali and a decrease in the number of native speakers since parents are not teaching it to their children.<ref name="simard-shift">"There is reported language shift in the Sylheti-speaking regions of Bangladesh and India, as well as in the diaspora with Bengali replacing Sylheti, as some parents do not speak Sylheti to their children, reducing the number of future Sylheti speakers." {{harvcol|Simard|Dopierala|Thaut|2020|p=5}}</ref> In Bangladesh, there is a [[diglossia]] where Sylheti is one among other low status [[Bengali dialects|regional dialects]] while Standard Bengali, the [[official language]], has a high status.<ref name=hamid>{{cite book |last=Hamid |first=Shahela |title=Language Use and Identity: The Sylheti Bangladeshis in Leeds |year=2011 |pages=26–28 |publisher=Peter Lang |isbn=9783039115594}}</ref>

In the Indian state of Assam where [[Assamese language|Assamese]] is the state language, Standard Bengali language serves as an additional official language in its [[Barak Valley]] districts, which host a majority Sylheti-speaking population.<ref>James N. Stanford, Dennis Richard Preston (2009). ''Variation in Indigenous Minority Languages''. Disciplines. p. 441. Retrieved 20 September 2020.</ref>

In the United Kingdom, British schools have begun enlisting Sylheti in their syllabi.<ref>{{Cite web|date=22 June 2017|title=British schools enlist Sylheti in their syllabi|url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/opinion/heritage/2017/06/22/british-schools-enlist-sylheti-syllabi|access-date=9 June 2021|website=Dhaka Tribune}}</ref> [[BBC News (British TV channel)|BBC News]] has also broadcast online videos relating to [[COVID-19]] in five major [[languages of South Asia|South Asian languages]] including Sylheti.<ref>{{Cite news|date=17 December 2020|title=Coronavirus vaccine Q&A in five South Asian languages|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55279549|access-date=9 June 2021}}</ref>

==Classification==
{{Listen|filename=Zia Uddin's Voice.ogg|title=Zia Uddin|description=[[Zia Uddin]] giving a speech in Sylheti|type=speech}}
{{harvp|Grierson|1903}} notes that the language of eastern Sylhet is not intelligible to Bengalis from the west, though he still classed it as Bengali,<ref>"The language spoken by the inhabitants of Eastern Sylhet is not intelligible to the natives of Central or Northern Bengal. It is, nevertheless, Bengali. There are some peculiarities of pronunciation which tend to render it unintelligible to strangers. The inflections also differ from those of regular Bengali, and in one or two instances assimilate to those of Assamese." {{harvcol|Grierson|1903|p=224}}</ref> grouping it under "Eastern Bengali".<ref name="grierson">"The Cachar version in p. 234 may be taken as illustrating the typical Eastern Sylhet dialect also." {{cite book|author=[[George Abraham Grierson|George Grierson]]|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.76301/page/n229/mode/2up|title=Language Survey of India – Vol. V Pt 1|year=1903 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass }}</ref> {{harvp|Chatterji|1926}} too calls it a dialect of Bengali and places it in the eastern [[Bangali (ethnic dialect)|Vangiya]] group of [[Magadhi Prakrit]] and notes that all Bengali dialects were independent of each other and did not emanate from the literary Bengali called "[[sadhu bhasha]]".<ref>"Dialects are independent of literary speech: as such East Bengali dialects, North Bengali dialects (with which Assamese is to be associated) and West Bengali dialects are not only independent of one another, but also they are not, as it is popularly believed in Bengal, derived from literary Bengali, the "sadhu-bhasha", which is a composite speech on an early West Bengali basis."{{harvcol|Chatterji|1926|p=108}}</ref> Among the different eastern dialect groups, Sylheti and [[Chittagonian language|Chittagonian]] have phonetic and morphological properties that are alien to standard Bengali and other western dialects of Bengali,{{sfn|Chatterji|1926|p=[https://archive.org/details/OriginDevelopmentOfBengali/CHATTERJI_Origin-Development-of-Bengali_Vol-1/page/n233/mode/2up?q=sylhet 138]}} and these differences are such that Sylheti is more distant to standard Bengali than is Assamese.<ref>"The Bengali dialects of the extreme east and south-east (Sylhet, Chittagong) are certainly more removed from Standard Bengali than is Assamese." {{harvcol|Chatterji|1926|p=108}}</ref>

Recent scholarship notes that these morpho-phonological and [[mutual intelligibility]] differences are significant enough that Sylheti could claim itself as a language on its own right.<ref name="sen-language">"... because of significant morpho-phonological differences and a lack of mutual intelligibility, a strong argument can be made in favour of Sylheti claiming the status of a language in its own right." {{harvcol|Sen|2020|p=43}}</ref> [[Ethnologue]] groups Sylheti in [[Bengali–Assamese languages]];<ref name=e25/> whereas Glottolog gives further subgrouping and places it in the "Eastern Bengali" group alongside [[Hajong language|Hajong]], separately from the Bengali dialects.<ref name="glot-syl">{{Cite web|url=https://glottolog.org/resource/languoid/id/sylh1242|title=Glottolog 4.4 - Sylheti|website=glottolog.org}}</ref>

===Language-dialect controversy===
While modern [[sociolinguistics]] generally talks about [[Variety (linguistics)|varieties]], rather than languages and dialects, there are still many disagreements about the status of language varieties outside the discipline.  These can be for reasons of funding or recognition,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://items.ssrc.org/sociolinguistic-frontiers/linguistics-and-the-state-how-funding-and-politics-shape-a-field/|title=Linguistics and the State: How Funding and Politics Shape a Field|first=Rodrigo|last=Ugarte}}</ref> or for reasons of identity.

The classification of Sylheti is contentious—Chalmers (1996) suggested that it was generally identified as a [[Bengali dialects|dialect]] of [[Bengali language|Bengali]] though there were efforts to recognise it as a language.<ref name="rasinger2007">{{harvcol|Rasinger|2007|pp=26, 27|ps=: "The linguistic classification of Sylheti is problematic and heavily debated. Chalmers reports that: Sylheti is generally defined as a dialect of Bengali, although attempts have been made to have it recognised as a language in its own right (Chalmers, 1996:4)"}}</ref><ref>{{harvcol|Chung|2019|p=99}}</ref> Grierson had classified Sylheti as an Eastern Bengali dialect and had noted that it "possess all the peculiar characteristics of the extreme Eastern Bengali type."<ref name="grierson"/> Anecdotal evidence suggests that Sylhetis, who could also speak in Standard Bengali, considered the two languages to be mutually intelligible.<ref>"Bengalis interviewed in the course of this study reported that the differences between Standard Bengali and Sylheti are relatively small ... We have to consider though that these statements were made by people who originate from Sylhet and who speak both the local vernacular Sylheti and Standard Bengali."{{harvcol|Rasinger|2007|pp=26–27}}</ref><ref name="mccarthy2018-mi">"Chalmers and Miah (1996) describe Sylheti as a distinct language that is 'mutually unintelligible to a Standard Bengali speaker' (p. 6), but anecdotal evidence from members of the London-Bengali community suggests that the differences are relatively small (Rasinger, 2007)" {{harvcol|McCarthy|Evans|Mahon|2013|p=346}}</ref> On the basis of the anecdotal evidence of mutual intelligibility, regionality and the fact that Sylheti is spoken by a predominantly rural community, {{harvp|Rasinger|2007}} concludes that Sylheti could be considered a dialect of Bengali.<ref>"Intelligibility of Standard Bengali by Sylhetis, the geographically clearly clearly defined use of Sylheti and its usage by a predominantly rural population indicate that Sylheti may indeed be a dialect of Bengali." {{harvcol|Rasinger|2007|p=27}}</ref> Simard, Dopierala and Thaut have pointed out that the intelligibility could be an effect of prior exposure of Sylheti speakers to Standard Bengali,<ref>"The claim of mutual intelligibility by some speakers of both Sylheti and Bengali may be more an effect of the speakers' exposure to both languages; speakers of Sylheti who have never learned Bengali often report that they do not understand it to any functional degree." {{harvcol|Simard|Dopierala|Thaut|2020|p=5}}</ref> and that the academic consensus is that mutual intelligibility ranges from "unintelligible" to "hardly intelligible".<ref>"[T]he academic consensus on mutual intelligibility between Sylheti and Bengali ranges from 'unintelligible' to 'hardly intelligible' (Chalmers 1996)."{{harvcol|Simard|Dopierala|Thaut|2020|pp=4–5}}</ref> On the basis of phonology and phonetics, lexicon, grammatical structure and a lack of mutual intelligibility, some recent linguists claim that Sylheti is not merely a dialectal variation of Bengali but a language in its own right.<ref name="sen-language"/><ref name="simard91-language">"The papers presented in this volume highlight some of the striking structural differences between Sylheti and standard Bengali, in phonetics and phonology, lexicon, and grammatical structure, and challenge the view that Sylheti is merely a dialectal variation of Bengali." {{harvcol|Simard|Dopierala|Thaut|2020|pp=8}}</ref><ref>"Considering the unique linguistic properties such as phoneme inventory, allophony, and inflectional morphology in particular and lexicon in general, Sylheti is often regarded as a separate language
(Grierson 1928, Chatterjee 1939, Gordon 2005).{{harvcol|Gope|Mahanta|2014|p=10}}</ref>

Phonologically Sylheti is distinguished from Standard Bengali and other regional Bengali dialects by significant deaspiration and spirantisation,<ref>"One of the properties that distinguish Sylheti from SCB or other regional varieties is the significant application of obstruent weakening involving de-aspiration and spirantization." {{harvcol|Gope|Mahanta|2014|p=10}}</ref> leading to major restructuring of the consonant inventory<ref>"Consequently, the consonant inventory (especially the obstruents), of Sylheti exhibit a major reduction and restructuring compared to that of (Standard Colloquial Bengali)." {{harvcol|Gope|Mahanta|2014|p=10}}</ref> and the development of tones.<ref>"Also noteworthy is the development of tones due to loss of the breathiness and aspiration contrast."{{harvcol|Mahanta|Gope|2018|p=81}}</ref>

As majority of the diaspora in the United Kingdom speak Sylheti, it created an environment that was somewhat uninfluenced by Standard Bengali, inevitably leading some to view Sylheti as a distinct language.<ref>Chalmers, R. (1996:6). ''Learning Sylheti''. London: Centre for Bangladeshi Studies, Roehampton Institute.</ref>  During the 1980s there were unsuccessful attempts to recognise Sylheti as a language in its own right by a small group in the London Borough of [[London Borough of Tower Hamlets|Tower Hamlets]], which lacked support from the Sylheti community itself.<ref>Kershen, Anne J. (2019). ''A Question of Identity''. Section: Language in Bangladesh.</ref><ref>{{cite book |author=Anne J. Kershen |year=2005 |title=Strangers, Aliens and Asians: Huguenots, Jews and Bangladeshis in Spitalfields, 1660–2000 |url=https://archive.org/details/strangersaliensa00kers |url-access=limited |publisher=Routledge |pages=[https://archive.org/details/strangersaliensa00kers/page/n161 148]–150 |isbn=978-0-7146-5525-3}}</ref>

==Literature==
{{Main|Sylheti Literature}}
[[File:Halot-un-nabi-page1.gif|right|thumb|326x326px|Cover of 19th century Halat-un-Nabi by [[Sadeq Ali]]]]
''Halat-un-Nabi'', a [[puthi]] written by [[Sadeq Ali]] is considered to be the most prominent literature in Sylheti Nagri.<ref name="syldiv" >{{cite web |url=http://www.sylhetdiv.gov.bd/site/page/4399e863-0757-11e7-a6c5-286ed488c766/%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B7%E0%A6%BE%20%E0%A6%93%20%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B7%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%83%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF |script-title=bn:ভাষা ও সংষ্কৃতি |language=bn |publisher=[[Bangladesh National Portal]] |date=13 September 2020 |access-date=23 March 2022 |archive-date=15 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115150402/http://sylhetdiv.gov.bd/site/page/4399e863-0757-11e7-a6c5-286ed488c766/%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B7%E0%A6%BE%20%E0%A6%93%20%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B7%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%83%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The presence and influence of [[Shah Jalal]] and [[Shri Chaitanya]] dev is found in the Sylheti literature.<ref>{{cite book |first1=Munayem |last1=Mayenin |title=Larakoron My Sylheti Grammar |year=2012 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_HSHAwAAQBAJ&q=Sylheti+literature&pg=PA29 |page=29 |publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=9781470963231}}</ref> According to Syed Mostafa Kamal, (approximately 1650 AD) the [[Baul]] tradition was founded based on the combination of Chaitanyavad and Jaganmohani ideologies, that mystic literature influenced and seen in the [[Vaishnava Padavali]]. As a result, Sylhet is considered as the spiritual capital of mysticism and the fertile land of Baul music.<ref name="syldiv" /> A great number of poets enriched Sylheti literature. Among them, [[Hason Raja]], [[Radharaman Dutta|Radha Raman]], Syed Shah Noor, Shitalong Shaha, Durbin Shaha are noteworthy. The main theme of the Nagri literature are mainly religious, [[Islamic history]], tradition, stories, Raga, Baul and mystic music. There have been 140 books found, including 88 printed books in Sylheti Nagri script.<ref name="sylgov">{{cite web |url=http://www.sylhet.gov.bd/site/page/2b13c62e-0757-11e7-a6c5-286ed488c766/%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B7%E0%A6%BE%20%E0%A6%93%20%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%83%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF |script-title=bn:ভাষা ও সংষ্কৃতি |language=bn |publisher=Bangladesh National Portal |date=14 September 2020 |access-date=23 March 2022 |archive-date=25 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125040729/http://sylhet.gov.bd/site/page/2b13c62e-0757-11e7-a6c5-286ed488c766/%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B7%E0%A6%BE%20%E0%A6%93%20%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%83%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Writing system==
{{Main|Sylheti Nagri}}
Sylheti currently does not have a standardised writing system.<ref name=GESIS/> Historically in the Sylhet region, the [[Sylheti Nagari script|Sylheti Nagri]] script was used alongside the Bengali script.<ref name=dHubert/> Sylheti Nagri was however mostly limited to writing religious poetry.<ref name="grierson"/> The script often avoided [[tatsama]] (Sanskrit-derived terms) and incorporated Perso-Arabic vocabulary. Additionally, Sylheti Nagri texts were traditionally paginated from right to left.<ref>{{cite Banglapedia|article=Sylheti Nagri}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RWlNDwAAQBAJ&q=sylheti+dobhashi&pg=PT254|title=In the Shade of the Golden Palace: Alaol and Middle Bengali Poetics in Arakan|last1=d'Hubert|first1 =Thibaut|date=May 2014|publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780190860356}}</ref> It is claimed by some that the orthography of the script equates with Sylheti, due to the fewer characters  compared with the Bengali script as there are fewer phonemes found in Sylheti.<ref>David Kane (2021). ''Puthi-Pora''. Blurb. p. 159. Retrieved 1 April 2021.</ref> An endangered script, it has since seen a revival mostly by academics and linguists.<ref>{{cite book|first=Anne J|last=Kershen|year=2017|title=Language, Labour and Migration|pages=23–30}}</ref>

Because [[Standard Bengali]] is the [[medium of instruction]] of state schools in Bangladesh,<ref>Robert Kirkpatrick (2015). ''English Language Education Policy in Asia''. Springer. p. 30. Retrieved 23 September 2020.</ref> some may write Sylheti using the [[Bengali–Assamese script]].<ref name=GESIS/> In United Kingdom, publishers use [[Latin script]] for Sylheti and according to the [[Sylheti Translation and Research]] (STAR), Latin (Roman) script is the most ''used'' script for writing Sylheti.<ref name="STAR">{{Cite web |title=Roman Script |url=http://www.sylheti.org.uk/roman-script |access-date=15 June 2022 |website=Sylheti Translation And Research |language=en-GB}}</ref> The [[New Testament]] in Sylheti was published in the [[Sylheti Nagri|Sylhet Nagri script]] along with versions in the Latin and in the Bengali–Assamese script, in 2014.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The New Testament in Sylheti|publisher=Bible League International (Ahle Kitab Society, Sylhet)|year=2014|isbn=978-9849119401}}</ref>  STAR is developing a (three script) transliteration system {{as of|2025}}, transliterating the language's name, for example as ''Siloṭi'' in Latin script.<ref name="STAR" />

==Geographical distribution==
[[File:Brick Lane Banglatown.jpg|thumb|280px|''Banglatown'' in Brick Lane, London, UK, which is home to one of the largest Sylheti diaspora communities in the western world]]
Sylheti is the primary language of the [[Sylhet Division]] in north-eastern Bangladesh, with its concentration  mostly in the districts of [[Sylhet District|Sylhet]], [[Moulvibazar District|Moulvibazar]], ''eastern'' [[Sunamganj District|Sunamganj]] and ''north-eastern'' [[Habiganj District|Habiganj]].<ref name="ReferenceA">{{harvcol|Simard|Dopierala|Thaut|2020|p=2}}</ref> Recent findings assert that the local dialect spoken in much of the Habiganj district differs quite significantly from Sylheti.<ref>{{cite news |script-title=bn:সিলেটের মতো নয় হবিগঞ্জের ভাষা |trans-title=Habiganj's language is not like Sylhet's |url=https://www.banglanews24.com/index.php/visit-bangladesh/news/bd/509216.details |website=[[Banglanews24.com]] |date=11 August 2016 |author=Alam, Mahbub |language=bn}}</ref>

Sylheti is also widely spoken in the southern [[Assam]] region of [[Barak Valley]], India, which includes the districts of [[Cachar district|Cachar]], [[Hailakandi district|Hailakandi]] and [[Karimganj District|Karimganj]].<ref>Ohi Uddin Ahmed (2019). ''The Mahimal Community of Sylhet-Cachar Region: A Historical Study with Special Reference to the Regional Ecology''. pp. 1–2. History Research Journal. Retrieved 19 September 2019.</ref> In addition, it is spoken in the northern parts of [[Tripura]]<ref name=":0"/><ref name=eth/> and [[Jiribam district|Jiribam]], Manipur.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> There is also a significant population of Sylheti speakers in [[Hojai district]] of Central Assam,<ref name="ReferenceA"/> [[Shillong]] in Meghalaya,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dutta |first1=Amrita |date=13 June 2018 |title=Shillong: Impossible homeland |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/shillong-clashes-tribals-khasi-sikh-xenophobia-violence-impossible-homeland-5214845/ |work=Indian Express |access-date=9 January 2024}}</ref> and the state of [[Nagaland]].<ref name=eth/> A few numbers are also located in [[Kolkata]], most of whom are migrants from Assam.

Outside the [[Indian subcontinent]], the largest grouping of Sylheti speakers reside in the United Kingdom, of which 95 per cent of [[British Bangladeshi]]s have origins from the Sylhet region.<ref>Christina Julios (2012). ''Contemporary British Identity: English Language, Migrants and Public Discourse''. Chapter 3: Ethnic Linguistic Minorities. Ashgate Publishing Limited. Retrieved on 24 August 2024.</ref> It is estimated there are around 400,000 Sylheti speakers in the UK.<ref name=GESIS>Comanaru, Ruxandra; D'Ardenne, Jo (2018). ''The Development of Research Programme to Translate and Test the Personal well-being Questions in Sylheti and Urdu''. p. 16. Köln: GESIS - Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften. Retrieved 30 June 2020.</ref> The largest concentration live in [[east London]] boroughs, such as Tower Hamlets.<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news |author=Audrey Gillan |date=21 July 2002 |title=From Bangladesh to Brick Lane |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2002/jun/21/religion.bangladesh |location=London |newspaper=The Guardian |access-date=1 July 2008}}</ref> There are also significant numbers of speakers in the United States, most are concentrated in New York City,<ref>[https://languagemap.nyc/Explore/Language/Sylheti Sylheti NYC Languages] Languages of New York City. Retrieved on 24 August 2024.</ref> and in [[Hamtramck, Michigan|Hamtramck]], Michigan where majority of [[Bangladeshi Americans]] there are of Sylheti origin.<ref>Nazli Kibria (2011). ''Muslims in Motion''. pp. 58–61. Retrieved 1 July 2020.</ref><ref>Sook Wilkinson (2015). ''Asian Americans in Michigan''. pp. 166–167. Wayne State University Press. Retrieved 14 September 2020.</ref> There are also small numbers located in [[Toronto]], Canada.<ref>Harald Bauder (2012). ''Immigration and Settlement: 7, Experiences, and Opportunities''. Canadian Scholars' Press. p. 239. Retrieved 17 September 2020.</ref><ref>Gideon Bolt, A. Sule Özüekren, Deborah Phillips (2013). ''Linking Integration and Residential Segregation''. p. 137. Routledge. Retrieved 17 September 2020.</ref> Significant Sylheti-speaking communities reside in the [[Bangladeshis in the Middle East|Middle East]] of which most are migrant workers,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2016/09/07/kuwait-restricts-imports-male-bangladeshi-workers/|title=Kuwait restricts recruitment of male Bangladeshi workers |work=Dhaka Tribune|language=en-US|access-date=4 December 2017|date=7 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170830163025/http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2016/09/07/kuwait-restricts-imports-male-bangladeshi-workers/|archive-date=30 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://gulfmigration.eu/bahrain-foreign-population-by-country-of-citizenship-sex-and-migration-status-worker-family-dependent-selected-countries-january-2015/|title=Bahrain: Foreign population by country of citizenship, sex and migration status (worker/ family dependent) (selected countries, January 2015) – GLMM|date=20 October 2015|work=GLMM|access-date=4 December 2017|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216162345/http://gulfmigration.eu/bahrain-foreign-population-by-country-of-citizenship-sex-and-migration-status-worker-family-dependent-selected-countries-january-2015/|archive-date=16 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> and in many other countries throughout the world.

==Lexicon==
Sylheti shares most linguistic properties with Standard Bengali,<ref>(Chatterjee 1939, Gordon 2005)</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=Just two authors and years. No book title, page etc. Extremely ambiguous|date=May 2020}} with a [[lexical similarity]] of 53.2%.<ref>Karim, M. A. (2013). ''Technical Challenges and Design Issues in Bangla Language Processing''. IGI Global. pp.xiv. Retrieved 19 September 2020.</ref> {{Better source needed|reason= Not measured, very ambiguous, proper linguistic study on the matter is needed|date=May 2020}}

==Phonology==
The phoneme inventory of Sylheti differs from both [[Bengali language|Standard Rarhi Bengali]] as well as the [[Eastern Bengali|typical Bangladeshi Standard]].<ref>"Its phoneme inventory differs from the inventory in the Standard dialect of Bangla or its closest varieties (Khan, 2010)." {{harvcol|Mahanta|Gope|2018|p=81}}</ref> It is characterised by a loss of breathiness and aspiration contrasts, leading to a significant reduction in its phoneme inventory and to the [[Tone (linguistics)|development of tones]]. In particular, the following developments are seen:<ref name="mg18-phoneme-inventory"/><ref>{{Cite book |last=Gope |first=Amalesh |title=The phonetics and phonology of Sylheti tonogenesis |publisher=Indian Institute of Technology |location=Guwahati |year=2016}}</ref>
* Both voiced and voiceless aspirated stops have become unaspirated ({{IPA|d̪ʱ}} → {{IPA|d̪}}; {{IPA|t̪ʰ}} → {{IPA|t̪}}).
* The voiceless labials have spirantised to homorganic fricatives ({{IPA|p}} → {{IPA|ɸ}}; {{IPA|pʰ}} → {{IPA|ɸ}}).
* The velar stops have become velar fricatives ({{IPA|k}} → {{IPA|x}}; {{IPA|kʰ}} → {{IPA|x}}), although {{IPA|[k]}} can be heard as an allophone of {{IPA|/x/}} when preceded by high vowels {{IPA|/i, u/}}.
* The post-alveolar affricates have spirantised to alveolar fricatives ({{IPA|tʃ}} → {{IPA|s}}; {{IPA|tʃʰ}} → {{IPA|s}}; {{IPA|dʒ}} → {{IPA|z}}; {{IPA|dʒʱ}} → {{IPA|z}}).
* Among the voiceless stops only the dental /{{IPA|t̪}}, {{IPA|d̪}}/ and retroflex /{{IPA|ʈ}}, {{IPA|ɖ}}/ stops have remained stops. In some analyses, the dental–retroflex distinction (/{{IPA|t̪}}, {{IPA|ʈ}}/) is replaced by highly unusual dental–alveolar one (/{{IPA|t̪}}, {{IPA|t̠}}/).<ref name="ICoSP"/>

{| style="align:center; width:100%;" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto 1em"
|- valign="top"
|
{|class="wikitable"
|+'''Vowels'''<ref name="mg18-phoneme-inventory">{{harvcol|Mahanta|Gope|2018|p=81}}</ref>
!&nbsp;||[[Front vowel|Front]]||[[Central vowel|Central]]||[[Back vowel|Back]]
|-style="text-align:center"
![[Close vowel|Close]]
|{{IPA link|i}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠁ}}||&nbsp;||{{IPA link|u}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠃ}}
|-style="text-align:center"
![[Close-mid vowel|Close-mid]]
|{{IPA link|e}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠄ}}||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|-style="text-align:center"
![[Open-mid vowel|Open-mid]]
|&nbsp;|| &nbsp; ||{{IPA link|ɔ}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠅ}}
|-style="text-align:center"
![[Open vowel|Open]]
|&nbsp;||{{IPA link|a}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠀ}}||&nbsp;
|}
|}

{| style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto 1em"
|- valign="top"
|
|
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Consonants'''<ref name="mg18-phoneme-inventory"/>
! colspan="2" |&nbsp;
![[Labial consonant|Labial]]
![[Dental consonant|Dental]]
![[Retroflex consonant|Retroflex]]/<br />[[Alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
![[Palato-alveolar consonant|Palato-<br />alveolar]]
![[Velar consonant|Velar]]
![[Glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|- align="center"
! colspan="2" |[[Nasal stop|Nasal]]
|{{IPA link|m}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠝ}}||{{IPA link|n}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠘ}}||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||{{IPA link|ŋ}} {{Script|Sylo| ꠋ}}||&nbsp;
|- align="center"
! rowspan="2" |[[Stop consonant|Plosive]]/<br />[[Affricate consonant|Affricate]]
! <small>voiceless unaspirated</small>
| ||{{IPA link|t̪}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠔ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠕ}}||{{IPA link|ʈ}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠐ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠑ}}|| || ||&nbsp;
|- align="center"
!<small>voiced unaspirated</small>
|{{IPA link|b}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠛ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠜ}}||{{IPA link|d̪}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠖ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠗ}}||{{IPA link|ɖ}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠒ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠓ}}|| || {{IPA link|ɡ}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠉ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠊ}}||&nbsp;
|- align="center"
! rowspan="2" |[[Fricative consonant|Fricative]]
! <small>voiceless fricative</small>
|{{IPA link|ɸ}}~{{IPA link|f}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠙ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠚ}}||{{IPA link|s}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠌ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠍ}}||&nbsp;||{{IPA link|ʃ}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠡ}}||{{IPA link|x}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠇ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠈ}}||&nbsp;
|- align="center"
! <small>voiced fricative</small>
|&nbsp;||{{IPA link|z}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠎ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠏ}}||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||{{IPA link|ɦ}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠢ}}
|- align="center"
! colspan="2" |[[Flap consonant|Flap]]
|&nbsp;||{{IPA link|ɾ}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠞ}}|| ||&nbsp;||&nbsp;||&nbsp;
|- align="center"
! colspan="2" |[[Approximant consonant|Approximant]]
| || {{IPA link|l}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠟ}} || || &nbsp;||&nbsp; ||
|}
|}

===Tone===
Sylheti is [[Tone (linguistics)|tonal]].{{sfn|Gope|Mahanta|2014|p=}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.internationalphoneticassociation.org/icphs-proceedings/ICPhS2015/Papers/ICPHS0630.pdf |title=An acoustic analysis of Sylheti phonemes |last1=Gope |first1=Amalesh |last2=Mahanta |first2=Shakuntala |date=2015 |work=Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Phonetic Sciences}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326537467 |title=Tonal polarity in Sylheti in the context of noun faithfulness |last1=Gope |first1=Amalesh |last2=Mahanta |first2=Shakuntala |date=20 July 2018 |journal=Language Sciences |volume=69 |pages=80–97 |doi=10.1016/j.langsci.2018.06.010 |s2cid=149759441}}</ref> This is rare among the [[Indo-Aryan languages]], but not unheard of, e.g. in [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]], [[Dogri language|Dogri]], [[Chittagonian language|Chittagonian]], [[Gawri language|Gawri]] (Kalam Kohistani), [[Torwali language|Torwali]], some [[Eastern Bengali]] varieties, etc.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Pal |first=Animesh K. |date=1965 |title=Phonemes of a Dacca Dialect of Eastern Bengali and the Importance of Tone |journal=Journal of the Asiatic Society |volume=VII |pages=44–45 |quote="The tonal element in Panjabi as well as in Eastern Bengali has been noticed in respect of various new ways of treating the voiced aspirates and 'h'."}}</ref><ref>{{citation |last=Masica |first=Colin P. |title=The Indo-Aryan Languages |year=1991 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |page=102 |quote="Glottalization is often connected with tone and in the East Bengali cases seem to be related to the evolution of tone from the voiced aspirates."}}</ref> There are two types of tonal contrasts in Sylheti: the emergence of high tone in the vowels following the loss of aspiration, and a level tone elsewhere.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! Word
! Transliteration
! Tone
! Meaning
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠔ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|at}}
| level
| 'intestine'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|'ꠀꠔ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|át}}
| high
| 'hand'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠣꠟꠤ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|xali}}
| level
| 'ink'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠈꠣꠟꠤ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|xáli}}
| high
| 'empty'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠉꠥꠠꠣ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|guṛa}}
| level
| 'powder'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠊꠥꠠꠣ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|gúṛa}}
| high
| 'horse'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠌꠥꠞꠤ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|suri}}
| level
| 'theft'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠍꠥꠞꠤ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|súri}}
| high
| 'knife'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠣꠟ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|zal}}
| level
| 'net, web'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠏꠣꠟ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|zál}}
| high
| 'spicy/pungent'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠐꠤꠇ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|ṭik}}
| level
| 'tick'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠑꠤꠇ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|ṭík}}
| high
| 'correct'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠒꠣꠟ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|ḍal}}
| level
| 'branch'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠓꠣꠟ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|ḍál}}
| high
| 'shield'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠟ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|tal}}
| level
| 'palmyra, rhythm'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠕꠣꠟ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|tál}}
| high
| 'plate'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠖꠣꠘ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|dan}}
| level
| 'donation'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠗꠣꠘ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|dán}}
| high
| 'paddy'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠙꠥꠟ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|ful}}
| level
| 'bridge'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠚꠥꠟ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|fúl}}
| high
| 'flower'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠛꠣꠟꠣ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|bala}}
| level
| 'bangle'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠜꠣꠟꠣ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|bála}}
| high
| 'good, welfare'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠛꠣꠔ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|bat}}
| level
| 'arthritis'
|-
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠜꠣꠔ}}
| {{Transliteration|syl|bát}}
| high
| 'rice'
|}

A more recent study shows that there is a three-way tonal system in Sylheti words with two syllables or more. According to this analysis, words with aspiration in the final syllable historically gain a high tone across the word, whilst those with initial aspiration have this replaced by a low tone across the word. Those with no historical aspirated consonants retain a mid tone.<ref name="ICoSP">{{cite conference |url=https://www.isca-speech.org/archive/pdfs/speechprosody_2020/raychoudhury20_speechprosody.pdf |title=The three way tonal system of Sylheti |last1=Raychoudhury |first1=Priti |last2=Mahanta |first2=Shakuntala |date=28 May 2020 |conference=10th International Conference on Speech Prosody 2020 |pages=503–507 |doi=10.21437/SpeechProsody.2020-103 |s2cid=219499647}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! No.
! Word
! IPA
! Tone
! Meaning
! Word
! IPA
! Tone
! Meaning
! Word
! IPA
! Tone
! Meaning
|-
| 1
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠙꠣꠑꠣ}}
| {{IPA|ɸáʈá}}
| High
| 'goat'
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠚꠣꠐꠣ}}
| {{IPA|ɸàʈà}}
| Low
| 'torn'
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠙꠣꠐꠣ}}
| {{IPA|ɸāʈā}}
| Mid
| 'grindstone'
|-
| 2
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠥꠑꠣ}}
| {{IPA|kúʈá}}
| High
| 'room'
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠈꠥꠐꠣ}}
| {{IPA|kùʈà}}
| Low
| 'taunting'
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠥꠐꠣ}}
| {{IPA|kūʈā}}
| Mid
| 'stick'
|-
| 3
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠙꠣꠈꠣ}}
| {{IPA|ɸáxá}}
| High
| 'fan'
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠚꠣꠇꠣ}}
| {{IPA|ɸàxà}}
| Low
| 'empty'
| bgcolor="#CCCCCC" | {{Script|Sylo|ꠙꠣꠇꠣ}}
| {{IPA|ɸāxā}}
| Mid
| 'ripe'
|}

It is considered that these tones arose when aspirated consonants lost their aspiration. Sylheti continues to have a long history of coexisting with tonal [[Tibeto-Burman languages]] including various dialects of [[Kokborok]] such as [[Reang]]. Even though there is no clear evidence of direct borrowing of lexical items from those languages into Sylheti, there is still a possibility that the emergence of Sylheti tones is due to external influence, as the indigenous speakers of Tibeto-Burman languages by and large use Sylheti as a common medium for interaction.

==Grammar==
Sylheti grammar is the study of the [[morphology (linguistics)|morphology]] and [[syntax]] of Sylheti.<ref name="Das2017">{{cite thesis |s2cid= 165942159 |doi= 10.6093/UNINA/FEDOA/11892 |year= 2017 |last1= Das |first1= Amrita Rani |title= A Comparative Study of Bangla and Sylheti Grammar |publisher= Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II}}</ref>

===Nouns===
====Case====
When a [[article (grammar)|definite article]] such as ''-gu/ţa'' (singular) or ''-guin/ţin'' (plural) is added, equivalent to using the [[measure word]] for the noun as an [[infix]], nouns are also inflected for [[Grammatical number|number]].<ref name="Das2017" /> Below is a table of the case inflections for an animate noun, {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠤꠇꠠꠣ}} {{Transliteration|syl|hikɽa}} ('student'), and an inanimate noun, {{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠥꠔꠣ}} {{Transliteration|syl|zuta}} ('shoe'), with the definite article employed.
{| class="wikitable"
|+Noun Inflection
! rowspan="2" |
! colspan="2" |Animate
! colspan="2" |Inanimate
|-
!Singular
!Plural
!Singular
!Plural
|-
!Nominative
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠤꠇꠠꠣ'''ꠉꠥ'''}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠤꠇꠠꠣ'''ꠉꠥꠔꠣ'''}}|hikɽa-'''gu'''/ hikɽa-'''guta'''|the student}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠤꠇꠠꠣ'''ꠅꠇꠟ'''}}|hikɽa-'''ôxôl'''|the students}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠥꠔꠣ'''ꠉꠥ'''}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠥꠔꠣ'''ꠉꠥꠔꠣ'''}}|zuta-'''gu'''/ zuta-'''guta'''|the shoe}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠥꠔꠣ'''ꠉꠥꠁꠘ'''}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠥꠔꠣ'''ꠉꠦꠍꠤꠘ'''}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠥꠔꠣ‌'''ꠎꠥꠠꠣ'''}} |zuta-'''guin'''/ zuta-'''gesin'''/ zuta-'''zuŗa'''|the shoes}}
|-
!Objective
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠤꠇꠠꠣꠉꠥ'''ꠞꠦ'''}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠤꠇꠠꠣꠉꠥꠔꠣ'''ꠞꠦ'''}}|hikɽa-gu-'''re'''/ hikɽa-guta-'''re'''|(to) the student}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠤꠇꠠꠣꠅꠇꠟ'''ꠞꠦ'''}}|hikɽa-ôxl-'''ôre'''|(to) the students}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠥꠔꠣꠉꠥ}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠥꠔꠣꠉꠥꠔꠣ}}|zuta-gu/ zuta-guta|(to) the shoe}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠥꠔꠣꠉꠥꠁꠘ}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠥꠔꠣꠉꠤꠍꠤꠘ}}|zuta-guin/ zuta-gesin|(to) the shoes}}
|-
!Genitive
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠤꠇꠠꠣꠉꠥ'''ꠞ'''}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠤꠇꠠꠣꠉꠥꠔꠣ'''ꠞ'''}}|hikɽa-gu-'''r'''/ hikɽa-guta-'''r'''|the student's}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠤꠇꠠꠣꠅꠇꠟ'''ꠞ'''}}|hikɽa-ôxl-'''ôr'''|the students'}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠥꠔꠣꠉꠥ'''ꠞ'''}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠥꠔꠣꠉꠥꠔꠣ'''ꠞ'''}}|zuta-gu-'''r'''/ zuta-guta-'''r'''|the shoe's}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠥꠔꠣꠉꠥꠁꠘꠔ'''ꠞ'''}}|zuta-guint-'''ôr'''|the shoes'}}
|-
!Locative
|–
|–
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠥꠔꠣꠉꠥ'''ꠔ'''}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠥꠔꠣꠉꠥꠔꠣ'''ꠔ'''}}|zuta-gu-'''t'''/ zuta-guta-'''t'''|on/in the shoe}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠥꠔꠣꠉꠥꠁꠘ'''ꠔ'''}}|zuta-guint-'''ô'''|on/ in the shoes}}
|}

Note how the case endings attach after the measure word.

For the genitive case, the ending may change depending on the last phoneme of the noun. A noun (without an article) which ends either in a consonant or in the inherent vowel, {{Script|Sylo|ꠅ}} ''ô'', is inflected by adding {{Script|Sylo|–ꠞ}} -''ôr'' to the end of the word (and deleting the inherent vowel if applicable). An example of this would be the genitive of {{Script|Sylo|ꠉꠥꠍ}} ''gus'' 'meat' being {{Script|Sylo|ꠉꠥꠍ'''ꠞ'''}} ''gus'''ôr''''' 'of meat' or '(the) meat's'. A noun which ends in any vowel apart from the inherent vowel will just have a {{Script|Sylo|-ꠞ}} -''r'' following it, as in the genitive of {{Script|Sylo|ꠙꠥꠀ}} ''fua'' being {{Script|Sylo|ꠙꠥꠀ'''ꠞ'''}} ''fua'''r''''' '(the) boy's'. The genitive ending is also applied to verbs (in their verbal noun forms), which is most commonly seen when using postpositions (for example: {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠤꠇꠘ'''ꠞ''' ꠟꠣꠉꠤ}} ''hiknôr'' ''lagi'', 'for learning').

For the locative case, only applicable to inanimate nouns, the case marker also changes in a similar fashion to the genitive case, with consonants and the inherent vowel having their own ending, {{Script|Sylo|-ꠅ}} -''ô'', and all other vowels having another ending, {{Script|Sylo|-ꠔ}} -''t''. For example, {{Script|Sylo|ꠍꠤꠟꠐ'''ꠅ'''}} ''silôţ'''ô''''' 'in Sylhet', {{Script|Sylo|ꠑꠣꠇꠣ'''ꠔ'''}} ''dáxát'' 'in Dhaka'.

=====Marked nominative / Ergative=====

The subject of a [[transitive verb]] in Sylheti is marked with the case marker -{{Script|Sylo|&nbsp; ꠦ}} ''-e'' after consonant endings, and -{{Script|Sylo|ꠄ}} ''-e'' after vowel endings and after the generic definite article ending -{{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣ}} -''ta''.<ref name="Das2017" /> Thus:

{{fs interlinear|lang=syl
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠙꠥꠘꠝꠦ}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠜꠣꠔ}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠈꠞ}}
|Punom-'''e''' bát xár
|Punom-NOM rice eat-PRES.CONT.
|Punom is eating rice.}}

On the other hand, the subject of an intransitive verb, or of the verb {{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠣꠃꠣ}} ''zaua'' 'to go', takes no case marker in its nominative case.<ref name="Das2017" />

{{fs interlinear|lang=syl
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠝꠤꠘꠣ }} {{Script|Sylo|ꠈꠥꠛ}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠌꠣꠟꠣꠇ}}
|Mina xub salax
|Mina-(NOM) very clever
|Mina is very clever.}}

This feature of Sylheti is closer to [[Assamese language|Assamese]] than to Standard Bengali. This marked nominative case has been called an [[ergative case]], and has also led to Sylheti being classified as an [[Ergative–absolutive alignment|ergative–absolutive language]]. The particular system of [[split ergativity]] that Sylheti uses appears to be a retention of the system that emerged from [[Magadhi Prakrit]].<ref name="Saikia2022">{{cite web |last1=Saikia |first1=Pori |title=Children's Acquisition of Assamese Split Ergativity (PhD Thesis) |url=https://repository.essex.ac.uk/37397/1/AcquisitionOfAssameseSplitErgativity_SaikiaPori_2022.pdf |website=University of Essex Repository |publisher=University of Essex |access-date=26 April 2025 |ref=Saikia |date=2022}}</ref> However, in Sylheti, this marked nominative is only exhibited by nouns, and not by pronouns.<ref name="Das2017" />

====Measure words====
When counted, nouns must also be accompanied by the appropriate [[measure word]]. The noun's measure word ('''MW''') must be used in between the numeral and the noun. Most nouns take the generic measure word ''gu/ţa/xán'', although there are many more specific measure words, such as ''zôn'', which is only used to count humans.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
|+Measure Words
|-
! Sylheti
|-
| {{interlinear|Nôy-'''ţa''' ghoŗi|nine-'''MW''' clock|Nine clocks}}
|-
| {{interlinear| Xôtô-'''ţa''' balish|{How many}-'''MW''' pillow|How many pillows}}
|-
| {{interlinear| Bout-'''zôn''' manush|Many-'''MW''' person|Many people}}
|-
| {{interlinear| Sair-fas-'''zôn''' fôɽauɽa|Four-five-'''MW''' teacher|Four or five teachers}}
|}

Measuring nouns in Sylheti without their corresponding measure words (e.g. ''aţ mekur'' instead of ''aţ-'''gu''' mekur'' 'eight cats') would typically be considered ungrammatical. However, omitting the noun and preserving the measure word is grammatical and not uncommon to hear. For example, ''Xáli êx-'''zôn''' táxbô.'' (lit. 'Only one-'''MW''' will remain.') would be understood to mean 'Only one '''person''' will remain.', since ''zôn'' can only be used to count humans.

===Pronouns===
====Personal pronouns====
Sylheti personal pronouns are somewhat similar to English pronouns, having different words for first, second, and third person, and also for singular and plural (unlike for verbs, below). Sylheti pronouns, like their English counterparts, do differentiate for gender. Sylheti has different third-person pronouns for proximity. The first are used for someone who is nearby, and the second are for those who are a little further away. The third are usually for those who are not present. In addition, each of the second- and third-person pronouns have different forms for the familiar and polite forms; the second person also has a "very familiar" form (sometimes called "despective"). It may be noted that the "very familiar" form is used when addressing particularly close friends or family as well as for addressing subordinates, or in abusive language. In the following tables, the abbreviations used are as follows: '''VF'''=very familiar, '''F'''=familiar, and '''P'''=polite (honor); '''H'''=here, '''T'''=there, '''E'''=elsewhere (proximity), and '''I'''=inanimate.

The '''nominative''' case is used for pronouns that are the subject of the sentence, such as "'''''I''''' already did that" or "Will '''''you''''' please stop making that noise?"
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Personal pronouns (nominative case)
! Subject !! Proximity !! Honor !! Singular !! Plural
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="2"| 1
! {{abbr|VF|very familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠝꠥꠁ}} (''mui'', I)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠝꠞꠣ}} (''môra'', we)
|-
! {{abbr|F|familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠤ}} (''ami'', I)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠞꠣ}} (''amra'', we)
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="3"| 2
! {{abbr|VF|very familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠥꠁ, ꠔꠥꠁꠘ}} (''tui, tuin'', you)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠥꠞꠣ}} (''tura'', you)
|-
! {{abbr|F|familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠥꠝꠤ}} (''tumi'', you)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠥꠝꠞꠣ}}/{{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠥꠝꠤ-ꠔꠣꠁꠘ}} (''tumra/tumi-tain'', you)
|-
! {{abbr|P|polite (honor)}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠙꠘꠦ}} (''afne'', you)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠙꠘꠣꠞꠣ/ꠀꠙꠘꠣꠁꠘ}} (''afnara'', you)
|-
! rowspan="11" | 3
! rowspan="4" | {{abbr|H|here}}
! {{abbr|F|familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄ}} (''e'', he), {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠁ}} (''ei'', she) / {{Script|Sylo|ꠁꠉꠥ}} (''igu'', he/she)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠞꠣ}} (''era'', they)
|-
! {{abbr|P|polite (honor)}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠁꠘ}} (''ein'', he/she)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠞꠣ}}/{{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠁꠘ-ꠔꠣꠁꠘ}} (''era/ein-tain'', they)
|-
! {{abbr|I|inanimate}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠁꠉꠥ}}/{{Script|Sylo|ꠁꠇꠐꠣ}} (''igu/ikţa,'' it/this)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠁꠉꠥꠁꠘ}} (''iguin'', these)
|-
! {{abbr|I|inanimate}}  {{abbr|P|polite (honor)}}
| {{Script|Sylo|}} (''ita,'' it/this)
| {{Script|Sylo|}} (''itain'', these)
|-
! rowspan="3" | {{abbr|T|there}}
! {{abbr|F|familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠦ}} (''he'', he), {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠁ}} (''tai'', she)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠞꠣ}} (''tara'', they)
|-
! {{abbr|P|polite (honor)}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠁꠘ}} (''tain'', he/she)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠞꠣ}}/{{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠁꠘ-ꠔꠣꠁꠘ}} (''tara/tain-tain'', they)
|-
! {{abbr|I|inanimate}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠅꠉꠥ}}/{{Script|Sylo|ꠅꠇꠐꠣ}} (''ôgu/ôxţa'', it/that)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠅꠉꠥꠁꠘ}} (''ôguin'', those)
|-
! rowspan="4" | {{abbr|E|elsewhere (proximity)}}
! {{abbr|F|familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠦ}} (''he'', he), {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠁ}} (''tai'', she)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠞꠣ}} (''tara'', they)
|-
! {{abbr|P|polite (honor)}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠁꠘ}} (''tain'', he/she)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠞꠣ}}/{{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠁꠘ-ꠔꠣꠁꠘ}} (''tara/tain-tain'', they)
|-
! {{abbr|I|inanimate}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠉꠥ}}/{{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠇꠐꠣ}} (''hôgu/hôxţa'', it/that)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠉꠥꠁꠘ}} (''hôguin'', those)
|-
! {{abbr|I|inanimate}}  {{abbr|P|polite (honor)}}
| {{Script|Sylo|}} (''hita,'' it/that)
| {{Script|Sylo|}} (''hitain'', those)
|-
|}

The '''objective''' case is used for pronouns serving as the direct or indirect objects, such as "I told '''''him''''' to wash the dishes" or "The teacher gave '''''me''''' the homework assignment". The inanimate pronouns remain the same in the objective case.

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Personal pronouns (objective case)
! Subject !! Proximity !! Honor !! Singular !! Plural
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="2"| 1
! {{abbr|VF|very familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠝꠞꠦ}} (''môre'', me)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠝꠞꠣꠞꠦ}} (''môrare'', us)
|-
! {{abbr|F|familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠣꠞꠦ}} (''amare'', me)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠞꠣꠞꠦ}} (''amrare'', us)
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="3"| 2
! {{abbr|VF|very familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠞꠦ}} (''tôre'', you)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠥꠞꠣꠞꠦ}} (''turare'', you)
|-
! {{abbr|F|familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠥꠝꠣꠞꠦ}} (''tumare'', you)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠥꠝꠞꠣꠞꠦ/ꠔꠥꠝꠣ-ꠔꠣꠘꠞꠦ}} (''tumrare/tuma-tanre'', you)
|-
! {{abbr|P|polite (honor)}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠙꠘꠣꠞꠦ}} (''afnare'', you)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠙꠘꠣꠞꠣꠞꠦ/ꠀꠙꠘꠣꠁꠘꠔꠞꠦ}} (''afnarare/afnaintôre'', you)
|-
! rowspan="9" | 3
! rowspan="3" | {{abbr|H|here}}
! {{abbr|F|familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠞꠦ}} (''ere'', him), {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠁꠞꠦ}} (''eire'', her)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠞꠣꠞꠦ}} (''erare'', them)
|-
! {{abbr|P|polite (honor)}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠘꠞꠦ}} (''enre'', him/her)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠞꠣꠞꠦ/ꠄꠁꠘ-ꠔꠣꠘꠞꠦ}} (''erare/ein-tanre'', them)
|-
! {{abbr|I|inanimate}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠁꠉꠥꠞꠦ/ꠁꠇꠐꠣꠞꠦ}} (''igure/ikţare,'' it)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠁꠉꠥꠁꠘꠔꠞꠦ}} (''iguintôre'', these)
|-
! rowspan="3" | {{abbr|T|there}}
! {{abbr|F|familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠞꠦ}} (''ere'', him), {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠁꠞꠦ}} (''eire'', her)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠞꠣꠞꠦ}} (''erare'', them)
|-
! {{abbr|P|polite (honor)}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠘꠞꠦ}} (''enre'', him/her)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠞꠣꠞꠦ/ꠄꠁꠘ-ꠔꠣꠘꠞꠦ}} (''erare/ein-tanre'', them)
|-
! {{abbr|I|inanimate}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠅꠉꠥꠞꠦ/ꠅꠇꠐꠣꠞꠦ}} (''ôgure/ôxţare,'' it)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠅꠉꠥꠁꠘꠔꠞꠦ}} (''ôguintôre,'' those)
|-
! rowspan="3" | {{abbr|E|elsewhere (proximity)}}
! {{abbr|F|familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠦꠞꠦ/ꠔꠣꠞꠦ}} (''here/tare'', him), {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠁꠞꠦ}} (''taire'', her)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠞꠣꠞꠦ}} (''tarare'', them)
|-
! {{abbr|P|polite (honor)}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠘꠞꠦ}} (''tanre'', him/her)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠁꠘ-ꠔꠣꠘꠞꠦ}} (''tain-tanre'', them)
|-
! {{abbr|I|inanimate}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠉꠥ/ꠢꠇꠐꠣ}} (''hôgu/hôxţa'', it)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠉꠥꠁꠘ}} (''hôguin,'' those)
|}

The '''possessive case''' is used to show possession, such as "Where is '''''your''''' coat?" or "Let's go to '''''our''''' house". In addition, sentences such as "'''''I have''''' a book" ({{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠣꠞ ꠄꠇꠐꠣ ꠛꠁ ꠀꠍꠦ}}) or "'''''I need''''' money" ({{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠣꠞ ꠐꠦꠇꠣ ꠖꠞꠇꠣꠞ}}) also use the possessive (the literal translation of the Bengali versions of these sentences would be "There is '''''my''''' book" and "There is '''''my''''' need for money" respectively).

{| class="wikitable"
|+ Personal pronouns (possessive case)
! Subject !! Proximity !! Honor !! Singular !! Plural
|-
! ! colspan="2" rowspan="2"| 1
! {{abbr|VF|very familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠝꠞ}} (''môr'', my)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠝꠞꠣꠞ}} (''môrar'', our)
|-
! {{abbr|F|familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠣꠞ}} (''amar'', my)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠞꠣꠞ}} (''amrar'', our)
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="3"| 2
! {{abbr|VF|very familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠞ}} ''(tôr'', your)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠥꠞꠣꠞ}} (''turar'', your)
|-
! {{abbr|F|familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠥꠝꠣꠞ}} (''tomar'', your)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠥꠝꠞꠣꠞ/ꠔꠥꠝꠣ-ꠔꠣꠘ/ꠔꠥꠝꠣ-ꠔꠣꠘꠞ}} (''tumar/tuma-tan/tuma-tanôr'', your)
|-
! {{abbr|P|polite (honor)}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠙꠘꠣꠞ}} (''afnar'', your)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠙꠘꠣꠞꠣꠞ/ꠀꠙꠘꠣꠁꠘꠔꠞ}} (''afnarar/afnaintôr'', your)
|-
! rowspan="9" | 3
! rowspan="3" | {{abbr|H|here}}
! {{abbr|F|familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠞ}} (''er'', his), {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠁꠞ}} (''eir'', her)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠞꠣꠞ}} (''erar'', their)
|-
! {{abbr|P|polite (honor)}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠘ/ꠄꠁꠘꠞ}} (''en/einôr'', his/her)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠁꠘ-ꠔꠣꠘꠞ}} (''ein-tanôr'', their)
|-
! {{abbr|I|inanimate}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠁꠉꠥꠞ/ꠁꠇꠐꠣꠞ}} (''igur/ikţar'', its)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠁꠉꠥꠁꠘꠔꠞ}}  (''iguintôr'', of these)
|-
! rowspan="3" | {{abbr|T|there}}
! {{abbr|F|familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠞ}} (''er'', his), {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠁꠞ}} (''eir'', her)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠞꠣꠞ}} (''erar'', their)
|-
! {{abbr|P|polite (honor)}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠘ/ꠄꠁꠘꠞ}} (''en/einôr'', his/her)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠁꠘ-ꠔꠣꠘꠞ}} (''ein-tanôr'', their)
|-
! {{abbr|I|inanimate}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠅꠉꠥꠞ/ꠅꠇꠐꠣꠞ}} (''ogur/oxţar'', its)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠅꠉꠥꠁꠘꠔꠞ}} (''oguintôr'', of those)
|-
! rowspan="3" | {{abbr|E|elsewhere (proximity)}}
! {{abbr|F|familiar}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠞ}} (''tar'', his/her)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠞꠣꠞ}} (''tader'', their)
|-
! {{abbr|P|polite (honor)}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠘ/ꠔꠣꠘꠞ}} (''tan/tanôr'', his/her)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠁꠘ-ꠔꠣꠘꠞ}} (''tain-tanôr'', their)
|-
! {{abbr|I|inanimate}}
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠉꠥꠞ/ꠢꠇꠐꠣꠞ}} (''hôgur/hôxţar'', its)
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠉꠥꠁꠘꠔꠞ}}  (''hôguintôr'', of those)
|}

====Indefinite and negative pronouns====
Bengali has no negative pronouns (such as ''no one, nothing, none''). These are typically represented by adding the negative particle {{Script|Sylo|ꠘꠣꠄ}} (''nae'') to [[indefinite pronoun]]s, which are themselves derived from their corresponding question words. Common indefinite pronouns are listed below.
{| class="wikitable"
!Question word
!Indefinite pronoun
!Indefinite negative pronoun
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠦ}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠦꠉꠥ}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠤꠉꠥ}}|xe/ xegu/ kigu|who}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠦꠃ}}|xeu|someone}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠦꠃ}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠘꠣꠄ}}|xeu nae|no one}}
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠣꠞ}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠦꠉꠥꠞ}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠤꠉꠞꠥ}}|xar/ xegur/ kigur|whose}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠦꠃꠞ}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠦꠃꠞꠞ}}|xeur/ xeurôr|someone's}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠦꠃꠞ}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠦꠃꠞꠞ}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠘꠣꠄ}}|xeur/ xeurôr nae|no one's}}
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠣꠞꠦ}}|kare|to whom}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠦꠃꠞꠦ}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠦꠃꠞꠞꠦ}}|xeure/ xeurôre|to someone}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠦꠃꠞꠦ}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠦꠃꠞꠞ}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠘꠣꠄ}}|xeure/ xeurôre nae|to someone}}
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠥꠘ}}|kun|which}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠥꠘꠥ}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠥꠘꠅ}}|kunu/ kunô|any}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠥꠘꠥꠉꠥ}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠘꠣꠄ}}|kunugu nae|none}}
|-
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠤꠔꠣ}}|kita|what}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠤꠍꠥ}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠥꠘꠔꠣ}}|kisu/ kunta|some/ something}}
| {{fs interlinear|lang=syl|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠤꠌ꠆ꠍꠥ}}/ {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠥꠘꠔꠣ}} {{Script|Sylo|ꠘꠣꠄ}}|kichchu/ kunta nae|nothing}}
|}

====Relative pronouns====
The relative pronoun {{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠦ}} (''ze'') and its different variants, as shown below, are commonly employed in complex sentences. The relative pronouns for animate objects change for number and honour, but those for inanimate objects stay the same.
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Animate relative pronouns
!
!Nominative (''who'')
!Genitive (''whose'')
!Objective (''to whom'')
|-
|Singular ({{abbr|VF|very familiar}}/{{abbr|F|familiar}})
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠦ}} ''ze''
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠣꠞ}} ''zar''
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠣꠞꠦ}} ''zare''
|-
|Singular ({{abbr|P|polite (honor)}})
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠦꠁꠘ}} ''zein''
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠦꠘ}} ''zen''
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠦꠘꠞꠦ}} ''zenore''
|-
|Plural ({{abbr|VF|very familiar}}/{{abbr|F|familiar}})
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠣꠞꠣ}} ''zara''
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠣꠞꠣꠞ}} ''zarar''
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠣꠞꠣꠞꠦ}} ''zarare''
|-
|Plural ({{abbr|P|polite (honor)}})
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠦꠁꠘ-ꠔꠣꠁꠘ}} ''zein-tain''
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠦꠁꠘ-ꠔꠣꠘ}} ''zein-tan''
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠦꠁꠘ-ꠔꠣꠘꠞꠦ}} ''zein-tanore''
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Inanimate relative pronouns
!Nominative/Objective (''which'')
!Genitive (''of which'')
!Locative (''in which'')
|-
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠦꠔꠣ}} ''zeta''
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠦꠔꠣꠞ}} ''zetar''
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠦꠔꠣꠔ}} ''zetat''
|}

===Adjectives===
Adjectives do not inflect for case, gender, or number in Sylheti and are placed before the noun they modify.

Some adjectives form their opposites by prefixing {{Script|Sylo|ꠛꠦ-}} ''be-'', or sometimes {{Script|Sylo|ꠘꠤ-}} ''ni-''; for example, the opposite of {{Script|Sylo|ꠞꠥꠎꠉꠣꠞ}} (''ruzgar'', 'earning') is {{Script|Sylo|ꠛꠦꠞꠥꠎꠉꠣꠞ}} (''beruzgar'', 'not earning, idle, mendicant'), the opposite of {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠣꠝꠣ}} (''xama'', 'of use') is {{Script|Sylo|ꠘꠤꠇꠣꠝꠣ}} (''nixama'', 'useless, of no use').

Demonstrative adjectives – 'this' and 'that' – correspond to {{Script|Sylo|ꠁ, ꠅ/ꠅꠃ}} ''i, ô/ôu'' and {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠤ, ꠢ/ꠢꠃ}} ''hi, hô/hou'', with the definite article attached to the following noun. Thus, 'this book' would translate to {{Script|Sylo|ꠁ/ꠅꠃ ꠛꠁꠈꠣꠘ}} ''i boi-xan'', while 'those books' would translate to {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠃ ꠛꠁ-ꠉꠤꠍꠤꠘ/ꠛꠁ-ꠉꠥꠘ/ꠛꠁ-ꠀꠁꠘ}} ''hi boi-gisin/boi-gun/boi-ain''.

====Comparatives and superlatives====
Sylheti adjectives form their comparative forms with {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠞꠅ}} (''arô'', 'more'), and their superlative forms with {{Script|Sylo|ꠡꠛ ꠕꠣꠇꠤ}} (''shôb táki'', 'than all'). Comparisons are formed by using genitive form of the object of comparison, followed by the postposition {{Script|Sylo|ꠕꠣꠇꠤ/ꠕꠘꠤ}} (''táki/tóni'', 'than') or the postposition {{Script|Sylo|ꠟꠣꠇꠣꠘ}} (''laxan'', 'like') and then by {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠞꠅ}} (''arô'', 'more') or {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠝ}} (''xôm'', 'less'). The word for 'more' is optional, but the word for 'less' is required, so in its absence 'more' is inferred. Adjectives can be additionally modified by using {{Script|Sylo|ꠛꠟꠘ/ꠛꠣꠇ꠆ꠇꠣ/ꠛꠃꠔ}} (''bolon/bakka/bout'', 'much') or {{Script|Sylo|ꠛꠃꠔ}} (''bout'', 'much'), which are especially useful for comparing quantities.
{| class="wikitable"
!Sylheti
!Literal Translation
!Meaning
|-
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠞꠤꠝ ꠞꠢꠤꠝꠞ ꠕꠘꠤ ꠟꠣꠝ꠆ꠙꠣ}} <br /> ''Xorim Rohimor tóni lampa''
|Karim of Rahim than tall
|Karim is taller than Rahim
|-
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠞꠤꠝ ꠞꠢꠤꠝꠞ ꠕꠘꠤ ꠀꠞꠅ ꠟꠣꠝ꠆ꠙꠣ}} <br /> ''Xorim Rohimor tóni aroo lampa''
|Karim of Rahim than more tall
|Karim is taller than Rahim
|-
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠞꠤꠝ ꠞꠢꠤꠝꠞ ꠕꠘꠦ ꠇꠝ ꠟꠣꠝ꠆ꠙꠣ}} <br /> ''Xorim Rohimor tóni xom lampa''
|Karim of Rahim than less tall
|Karim is shorter than Rahim
|-
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠞꠤꠝ ꠞꠢꠤꠝꠞ ꠟꠣꠇꠣꠘ ꠟꠣꠝ꠆ꠙꠣ}} <br /> ''Xorim Rohimor laxan lampa''
|Karim of Rahim like tall
|Karim is as tall as Rahim
|-
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠞꠤꠝ ꠞꠢꠤꠝꠞ ꠕꠘꠤ ꠛꠃꠔ ꠟꠣꠝ꠆ꠙꠣ}} <br /> ''Xorim Rohimor tóni bout lampa''
|Karim of Rahim than much tall
|Karim is much taller than Rahim
|}

===Verbs===
Sylheti verbs are highly [[inflected]] and are regular with only few exceptions. They consist of a stem and an ending; they are traditionally listed in Sylheti dictionaries in their "verbal noun" form, which is usually formed by adding ''-a, - ni, -na'' to the stem: for instance, {{Script|Sylo|ꠈꠣꠘꠤ}} (''xani, to eat'') is formed from the stem {{Script|Sylo|ꠈꠣ}} and similarly {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠞꠣ/ ꠇꠞꠘꠣ}} (''xôra/ xôrna, to do'') is formed from the stem {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠞ}}. The stem can end in either a vowel or a consonant. Verbs are conjugated for [[grammatical tense|tense]] and [[grammatical person|person]] by changing the endings, which are largely the same for all verbs. However, the stem vowel can often change as part of the phenomenon known as [[vowel harmony]], whereby one vowel can be influenced by other vowels in the word to sound more harmonious. An example would be the verb ''to write'', with stem ''lex-'': {{Script|Sylo|ꠟꠦꠈꠅ}} (''l'''e'''xô,'' 'you all write') but also {{Script|Sylo|ꠟꠦꠈꠤ}} (''l'''e'''kí,'' 'we write'). If verbs are classified by stem vowel and if the stem ends in a consonant or vowel, there are nine basic classes in which most verbs can be placed; all verbs in a class will follow the same pattern. A prototype verb from each of these classes will be used to demonstrate conjugation for that class; '''bold''' will be used to indicate mutation of the stem vowel. Additionally, there are irregular verbs, such as {{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠣꠘꠤ}} (''zani'', to go) that change the first consonant in their stem in certain conjugations.

Like many other [[Indo-Aryan languages]] (such as [[Bengali language|Standard Bengali]] or [[Assamese language|Assamese]]), nouns can be turned into verbs by combining them with select auxiliary verbs. In Sylheti, the most common such auxiliary verb is {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠞꠣ}} (''xôra, '''to do'); thus, verbs such as ''joke'' are formed by combining the noun form of ''joke'' ({{Script|Sylo|ꠓꠋ}}) with ''to do'' ({{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠞꠣ}}) to create {{Script|Sylo|ꠓꠋ ꠇꠞꠣ}}. When conjugating such verbs the noun part of such a verb is left untouched, so in the previous example, only {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠞꠣ}} would be inflected or conjugated (e.g.: ''I will make a joke'' becomes {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠤ ꠓꠋ ꠇꠞꠝꠥ}}; see more on tenses below). Other auxiliary verbs include {{Script|Sylo|ꠖꠦꠘꠤ}} and {{Script|Sylo|ꠘꠦꠘꠤ}}, but the verb {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠞꠘꠣ}} enjoys significant usage because it can be combined with foreign verbs to form a native version of the verb, even if a direct translation exists. Most often this is done with English verbs: for example, ''to vote'' is often referred to as {{Script|Sylo|ꠜꠥꠐ ꠖꠦꠘꠤ}} ({{Transliteration|syl|búţ deni}}, where {{Transliteration|syl|búţ}} is the transliteration of ''vote'').

====Copula====
Sylheti is considered a [[zero copula]] language in some aspects.
* In the simple present tense there is no verb connecting the subject to the predicative (the "zero verb" copula). There is one notable exception, however, which is when the predicative takes on the existential, locative, or possessive aspects; for such purposes, the incomplete verb {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠍ-}} (''as'') is used, which is conjugated according to the rules given below.
* In the past tense, the incomplete verb {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠍ-}} is always used as the copula, regardless of the nature of the predicative.
* For the future tense and non-finite structures, the copula is supplied by the verb {{Script|Sylo|'ꠅꠅꠀ}} (''ówa''), with the only exception being the possessive predicative for which the verb {{Script|Sylo|ꠕꠣꠇꠣ}} (''táxa'', 'to remain') is utilised.

The following table demonstrates the rules above with some examples.
{| class="wikitable"
!English
!Sylheti
!Notes
|-
|I am happy
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠤ ꠈꠥꠡꠤ}}
|No verb used to denote the copula
|-
|There is time
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠛꠦꠁꠟ ꠀꠍꠦ}}
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠍ-}} used to connect to an existential predicative
|-
|I am at home
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠤ ꠛꠣꠠꠤꠔ ꠀꠍꠤ}}
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠍ-}} used to connect to a locative predicative
|-
|We were happy
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠞꠣ ꠛꠦꠎꠣꠞ ꠀꠍꠟꠣꠝ}}
|In the past tense, {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠍ-}} is used as the copula
|-
|I will be at home
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠤ ꠛꠣꠠꠤꠔ ꠕꠣꠇꠝꠥ}}
|In the future tense, {{Script|Sylo|ꠕꠣꠇꠣ}} is used as the copula
|-
|He will have a car
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠞ ꠄꠈꠣꠘ ꠉꠣꠠꠤ ꠕꠣꠇꠛ}}
|In the future tense, {{Script|Sylo|ꠕꠣꠇꠣ}} is used to connect to a possessive predicative
|}

====Negation====
There are three sentence negators employed in Sylheti:
* The zero verb copula is negated using the incomplete negator {{Script|Sylo|ꠘ-}}, which is conjugated as {{Script|Sylo|ꠘꠣꠄ}} (1), {{Script|Sylo|ꠘꠣꠁ}} (2), {{Script|Sylo|ꠘꠣ}} (3).
* Existential sentences that use the verb {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠍ-}} are negated with {{Script|Sylo|ꠘꠣꠁ}} (''nai''), which does not need to be conjugated.
* All other verbs (with the exceptions of the ones listed above) are negated using the universal negative particle {{Script|Sylo|ꠘꠣꠄ}} (''nae''). {{Script|Sylo|ꠘꠣꠄ}} is typically placed after the finite verb (see examples below), but can also be placed at the end of the sentence, which negates the whole sentence. {{Script|Sylo|ꠘꠣꠄ}} can be used in all tenses except two: the present perfect and the past perfect.
* Verbs in the present perfect and the past perfect tenses are negated using the suffix {{Script|Sylo|-ꠘꠣ}} (''na'') which can also refer to "no" in yes–no questions.

{| class="wikitable"
|+
Negating verbs
!English
!Sylheti
!Notes
|-
|I am not happy
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠤ ꠈꠥꠡꠤ ꠘꠣꠄ}}
|Incomplete negator {{Script|Sylo|ꠘ-}} conjugated for first-person
|-
|We don't have a car
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠞꠣꠞ ꠉꠣꠠꠤ ꠘꠣꠁ}}
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠘꠣꠁ}} used to negate {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠍ-}}, which is completely replaced
|-
|I don't work
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠤ ꠇꠣꠝ ꠇꠞꠤ ꠘꠣ}}
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠘꠣ}} is used to negate all other finite verbs
|-
|I didn't help him
|{{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠤ ꠔꠣꠞꠦ ꠡꠣꠁꠎ꠆ꠏ ꠇꠞꠍꠤꠟꠣꠝ ꠘꠣ}}
|
|}

====Person====
Verbs are inflected for person and [[honorific|honour]], but not for number. There are five forms: first person, second person (very familiar), second person (familiar), third person (familiar), and second/third person (polite). The same sample subject pronouns will be used for all the example conjugation paradigms: {{Transliteration|syl|mui}} ({{Script|Sylo|ꠝꠥꠁ}}), {{Transliteration|syl|ami}} ({{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠤ}}), {{Transliteration|syl|tui}} ({{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠥꠁ}}), {{Transliteration|syl|tumi}} ({{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠥꠝꠤ}}), {{Transliteration|syl|he}} ({{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠦ}}), {{Transliteration|syl|tai}} ({{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠁ}}) and {{Transliteration|syl|afne}} ({{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠙꠘꠦ}}). These have the following plurals respectively: {{Transliteration|syl|môra}} ({{Script|Sylo|ꠝꠞꠣ}}), {{Transliteration|syl|amra}} ({{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠞꠣ}}), {{Transliteration|syl|tura}} ({{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠥꠞꠣ}}), {{Transliteration|syl|tumra}} ({{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠥꠝꠞꠣ}})/{{Transliteration|syl|tumi-tain}} ({{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠥꠝꠤ-ꠔꠣꠁꠘ}}), {{Transliteration|syl|tara}} ({{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠞꠣ}})/{{Transliteration|syl|tain-tain}} ({{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠁꠘ-ꠔꠣꠁꠘ}}) and {{Transliteration|syl|afnara}} ({{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠙꠘꠣꠞꠣ}}).

==Comparison==
{{Unreferenced section|date=May 2020}}
A notable characteristic of spoken Sylheti is the correspondence of the {{IPA|/x/}} and {{IPA|/ɦ/}}, pronounced as a [[voiceless velar fricative]] to the {{IPA|/k/}} or {{IPA link|/kʰ/}} of Bengali and [[voiceless glottal fricative]] to the /x/ of Assamese respectively.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! [[Bengali language|Standard Bengali]]
![[Eastern Bengali|Typical East Bengali]]
! [[Assamese language|Assamese]]
! Sylheti
! IPA
! Meaning
|-
| ঢাকা<br />''Dhaka''
| ঢাহা, ঢাকা <br />''Ḍáha, Dáka''
| ঢাকা<br />''Dhaka''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠓꠣꠇꠣ}}<br />''Daxa''
| /ɖáxa/
| [[Dhaka]]
|-
| একজন মানুষ<br />''Êkjôn manush''
|একজন মানুষ<br />''Êkzôn manush''
| এজন লোক<br />''Ezôn lük''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠇꠎꠘ ꠝꠣꠘꠥꠡ
}}<br />''Êxzôn manu''
| /exzɔn manu/
| A person
|-
| একজন লোক, একজন পুরুষ<br />''Êkjon lok, Êkjôn purush''
|একজন লুক, একজন বেডা<br />''Êkzôn luk, Êkzôn bêḍa''
| এজন মানুহ<br />''Ezôn manuh''
| ‌{{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠇꠎꠘ ꠛꠦꠐꠣ}}<br />''Êxzôn beṭa''
| /exʈa beʈa/
| A man
|-
| কীসের<br />''Kisher''
|কীয়ের<br />''Kiyer''
| কিহৰ<br />''Kihôr''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠇꠤꠅꠞ}}<br />''Kior''
| /kiɔ́ɾ/
| Informal of Whereof
|-
| কন্যা, ঝি, মেয়ে, পুত্রী<br />''Kônna, Jhi, Meye, Putri''
|কইন্যা, ঝি, মাইয়া, পুড়ি<br />''Kôinna, Zí, Maiya, Puri''
| জী, ছোৱালী<br />''Zi, Süali''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠏꠤ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠙꠥꠠꠤ}}<br />''Zí, Furi''
| /zí/, /ɸuɽi/
| Daughter
|-
| মানবজাতি<br />''Manôbjati''
|মাইনষের জাত<br />''Mainsher zat''
| মানৱজাতি, মানুহৰ জাতি<br />''Manôwzati, Manuhôr zati''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠝꠣꠘꠥꠎꠣꠔ}}<br />''Manuzat''
| /manuzat̪/
| Mankind
|-
| অসমীয়া, অহমীয়া<br />''Ôshômiya, Ôhômiya''
|অহমীয়া<br />''Ôhômiya''
| অসমীয়া <br />''Ôxômiya''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠅꠢꠝꠤꠀ}}<br />''Ôhômia''
| /ɔɦɔmia/
| [[Assamese people]]
|-
| আঙুল<br />''Angul''
|আঙ্গুল<br />''Angul''
| আঙুলি<br />''Anguli''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠋꠉꠥꠁꠟ}}<br />''Anguil''
| /aŋguil/
| Finger, toe
|-
| আংটি<br />''Angṭi''
|আংটি, আঙ্গুইট <br />''Angti'', ''Anguiṭ''
| আঙুঠি <br />''Anguṭhi''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠋꠐꠤ}}<br />''Angṭí''
| /aŋʈi/
| Ring
|-
| আগুনপোড়া<br />''Agunpora''
|আগুনপুড়া<br />''Agunpura''
| জুইত পোৰা, জুইত সেকা<br />''Zuit püra, Zuit xeka''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠉꠥꠁꠘꠙꠥꠠꠣ}}<br />''Aguinfura''
| /aguinfuɽa/
| Baked, grilled
|-
| পাখি, চিড়িয়া<br />''Pakhi, Chiriya''
|পাখি, পাহি, পাইখ্যা<br />'' Pakhi, Pahi, Paikhya''
| চৰাই, পখী<br />''Sorai, Pokhi''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠌꠥꠀ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠙꠣꠇꠤꠀ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠙꠞꠤꠘ꠆ꠖꠣ}}<br />''Sua, Fakia, Forinda''
| /sua/, /ɸakia/, /ɸɔrinda/
| Bird
|-
| পরে<br />''Pôre''
|পরে<br />''Pôre''
| পাছত, পৰত<br />''Pasot, Porot''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠛꠣꠖꠦ}}<br />''Bade''
| /bad̪e/
| Later
|-
| সকল, সমস্ত, সব, তামাম<br />''Shôkôl, Shômôsto, Shômôsto, Shôb, Tamam''
|হগল, হক্কল, সমস্ত, সব, তামাম, ব্যাক<br />''Hôgôl, Hôkkôl, Shômôsto, Shôb, Tamam, Bêk''
| সকলো, সৱ, চব<br />''Xôkôlü; Xôb; Sôb''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠇꠟ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠡꠛ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠔꠣꠝꠣꠝ}}<br />''Hôxôl, Shôb, Tamam''
| /ɦɔxɔl/, /ʃɔb/, /t̪amam/
| All
|-
| পুরা, গোটা, আস্ত<br /> ''Pura, Goṭa, Astô''
|পুরা, গুটা/গোডা, আস্তা
''Pura, Guta/Goda, Asta''
| গোটেই<br />''Güṭei''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠍ꠆ꠔꠣ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠙꠥꠞꠣ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠉꠥꠐꠣ}}<br />''Asta, Fura, Guṭa''
| /ast̪a/, /ɸura/, /guʈa/
| Whole
|-
| সাত বিল<br />''Shat bil''
|সাত বিল, হাত বিল<br />''Shat bil, Hat bil''
| সাত বিল<br />''Xat bil''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠣꠔ ꠛꠤꠟ}}<br />''Hat bil''
| /ɦat̪ bil/
| Seven wetlands
|-
| সাতকড়া<br />''Shatkôra''
|সাতকড়া, হাতকড়া<br />''Shatkôra, Hatkôra''
| সাতকৰা<br />''Xatkôra''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠣꠔꠇꠠꠣ}}<br />''Hatxôra''
| /ɦat̪xɔɽa/
| [[Citrus macroptera]] fruit
|-
| সিলেটি<br />''Sileṭi''
|সিলডি, সিলেইট্যা<br />''Silôḍi, Sileiṭṭa''
| ছিলঠীয়া<br />''Silôṭhiya''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠍꠤꠟꠐꠤ}}<br />''Silôṭi''
| /silɔʈi/
| Sylheti
|-
| ভালো করে খান।<br />''Bhalo kôre khan.''
|ভালা/ভালো কইরা খান।<br />''Bála/Bálo kôira khan.''
| ভালকৈ খাওক।<br />''Bhalkoi khaük.''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠜꠣꠟꠣ ꠇꠞꠤ/ꠑꠤꠇꠦ ꠈꠣꠃꠇ꠆ꠇꠣ।}}<br />''Bala xôri/tike xaukka.''
| /bála xɔɾi xaukka/, /bála ʈike xaukka/
| Bon appetit
|-
| স্ত্রী, পত্নী, বউ<br />''Stri, Pôtni, Bôu''
|বউ<br />''Bôu''
| স্ত্রী, ঘৈণী, পত্নী<br />''Stri, Ghôini, Pôtni''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠝꠣꠃꠉ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠛꠃ}}<br />''Maug, Bôu''
| /maug/, /bɔu/
| Wife
|-
| স্বামী, বর<br />''Shami, Bôr''
|স্বামী, হাই, হাইন, জামাই<br />''Shami, Hai, Hain, Zamai''
| গিৰিয়েক, পতি, স্বামী<br />''Giriyêk, Pôti, Swami''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠣꠁ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠎꠣꠝꠣꠁ}}<br />''Hai, Zamai''
| /zamai/
| Husband
|-
| জামাই<br />''Jamai''
|জামাই<br />''Zamai''
| জোঁৱাই <br />''Züai''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠖꠣꠝꠣꠘ꠆ꠖ}} <br />''Damand''
| /damand/
| Son-in-law
|-
| শ্বশুর<br />''Shôshur''
|হউর, হশুর<br />''Hôur'', ''Hôshur''
| শহুৰ <br />''Xôhur''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠃꠞ}}<br />''Hôur''
| /ɦɔúɾ/
| Father-in-law
|-
| শাশুড়ি<br />''Shashuṛi''
|হউরী, হাশুরি, হাউরি<br />''Hôuri, Hashuri, Hauri''
| শাহু<br />''Xahu''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠠꠤ}}<br />''Hoṛi''
| /ɦɔɽi/
| Mother-in-law
|-
| শ্যালক<br />''Shyalok''
|শালা, হালা<br />''Shala, Hala''
| খুলশালা<br />''Khulxala''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠣꠟꠣ}}<br />''Hala''
| /ɦala/
| Brother-in-law
|-
| শ্যালিকা<br />''Shyalika''
|শালী, হালী<br />''Shali, Hali''
| খুলশালী<br />''Khulxali''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠣꠟꠤ}}<br />''Hali''
| /ɦali/
| Sister-in-law
|-
| শেখা, শিখা<br />''Shekha, Shikha''
| শিখা, শিহা, হিকা, হিহা, হিয়া<br />''Shikha, Shiha, Hika, Hiha, Hiya''
| শিকা<br />''Xika''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠤꠇꠣ}}<br />''Hika''
| /ɦika/
| Learn
|-
| সরিষা<br />''Shôrisha''
|হইরা, সইষ্যা, হউরা<br />''Hôira, Shôishya, Hôura''
| সৰিয়হ<br />''Xôriôh''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠁꠞꠢ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠟꠣꠁ}}<br />''Hôirô, Lai''
| /ɦɔiɾɔ/, /lai/
| Mustard
|-
| শেয়াল, শিয়াল<br />''Sheyal, Shiyal''
|শিয়াল, হিয়াল<br />''Shiyal, Hial''
| শিয়াল<br />''Xiyal''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠤꠀꠟ}}<br />''Hial''
| /ɦial/
| Fox, Jackal
|-
| বিড়াল<br />''Biṛal''
|বিলাই, মেহুর<br />''Bilai, Mehur''
| মেকুৰী, বিৰালী<br />''Mekuri, Birali''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠝꠦꠇꠥꠞ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠛꠤꠟꠣꠁ}}<br />''Mekur, Bilai''
| /mekuɾ/, /bilai/
| Cat
|-
| শুঁটকি<br />''Shuṭki''
|হুটকি, হুনি<br />''Huṭki, Huni''
| শুকটি, শুকান মাছ<br />''Xukôti, Xukan mas''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠥꠐꠇꠤ}}, {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠥꠇꠂꠘ}}<br />''Huṭki, Hukôin''
| /ɦuʈki/, /ɦukoin/
| [[Sundried Fish]]
|-
| আপনার নাম কী?<br />''Apnar nam ki?''
|আপনের নাম কী(তা)?<br />''Apner nam ki(ta)?''
| আপোনাৰ নাম কি?<br />''Apünar nam ki?''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠙꠘꠞ ꠘꠣꠝ ꠇꠤꠔꠣ?}}<br />''Afnor nam kita?''
| /aɸnôɾ nam kit̪a/
| What's your name?
|-
| ডাক্তার আসার আগেই রোগী মারা/মরে গেল।<br />''Daktar ashar agei rogi mara/more gelô''
|ডাক্তর আহার/আওয়ার আগেই রোগী মইরা গেল।<br />''Daktôr ahar/awar agei rügi môira gelô''
| ডাক্তৰ অহাৰ আগতেই ৰোগী মৰি গ'ল।
''Daktor ohar agotei rügi mori gól''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠒꠣꠇ꠆ꠔꠞ ꠀꠘꠤꠞ ꠀꠉꠦꠅ ꠛꠦꠝꠣꠞꠤ ꠝꠞꠤ ꠉꠦꠟ।}}<br />''Daxtôr aanir ageu bemari môri gelô.''
| /ɖaxt̪ɔɾ aanir age bemaɾi mɔɾi gelo/
| Before the doctor came, the patient had died.
|-
| বহু দিন দেখিনি।<br />''Bôhú din dekhini.''
|বহুত দিন দেহিনাই/দেখছি না।<br />''Bôhút din dehinai/dekhsi na.''
| বহুদিন দেখা নাই।<br />''Bôhudin dekha nai.''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠛꠣꠇ꠆ꠇꠣ ꠖꠤꠘ ꠖꠦꠈꠍꠤ ꠘꠣ।}}<br />''Bakka din dexsi na.''
| /bakka d̪in d̪exsi na/
| Long time, no see.
|-
| আপনি ভালো আছেন নাকি?<br />''Apni bhalo achhen naki?''
|আপনে ভালা আছইন/আছেন নি?, আপনে ভালো আছেন নিকি?<br />''Apne bála asôin/asen ni?, Apne bálo asen niki?''
| আপুনি ভালে আছেনে?<br />''Apuni bhale asênê?''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠙꠘꠦ ꠜꠣꠟꠣ ꠀꠍꠁꠘ ꠘꠤ?}}<br />''Afne bala asôin ni?''
| /aɸne bála asoin ni/
| Are you fine/good?
|-
| আমি তোমাকে ভালোবাসি।<br />''Ami tomake bhalobashi.''
|আমি তুমারে ভালোবাসি।<br />''Ami tumare bálobashi.''
| মই তোমাক ভাল পাওঁ।<br />''Moi tümak bhal paü.''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠤ ꠔꠥꠝꠣꠞꠦ ꠜꠣꠟꠣ ꠙꠣꠁ।}}<br />''Ami tumare bala fai.''
| /ami t̪umare bála ɸai/
| I love you.
|-
| আমি ভুলে গেছি/গিয়েছি।<br />''Ami bhule gechhi/giyechhi.''
|আমি ভুইলা/ভুইল্যা গেছি, আমি পাউরি গেছি।<br />''Ami búila/búilla gesi, Ami pauri gesi.''
| মই পাহৰি গৈছোঁ।<br />''Môi pahôri goisü.''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠝꠤ ꠙꠣꠃꠞꠤꠟꠤꠍꠤ।}}<br />''Ami faûri lisi.''
| /ami ɸaʊɾi lisi/
| I have forgotten.
|-
| আলু গোস্তের/মাংসের ঝোলটা আমার ভালো লাগল।<br />''Alu goster/mangsher jholṭa amar bhalo laglo.''
|আলু গুস্তের/মাংসের ঝুলটা/ছালনডা আমার ভালা লাগলো।<br />''Alu guster/mangsher jhulta/salônḍa amar bála laglo.''
| ‍মাংসৰ তৰকাৰীখন মোৰ খুব ভাল লাগিছে।<br />''Mangxôr tôrkarikhôn mür khub bhal lagise.''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠀꠟꠥ ꠉꠥꠍ꠆ꠞ ꠍꠣꠟꠝꠉꠥꠔꠣ ꠀꠝꠣꠞ ꠛꠣꠇ꠆ꠇꠣ ꠜꠣꠟꠣ ꠟꠣꠉꠍꠦ}}<br />''Alu gusôr salômguta amar bakka bala lagse.''
| /gust̪ɔɾ salɔmguʈa amaɾ bakka bála lagse/
| I liked the [[Alu gosht|potato meat]] curry.
|-
| শিলচর কোনদিকে?<br />''Shilcôr kondike?''
|শিলচর কোনদিকে/কোন ফাইল/কোন মুহি?<br />''Shilcôr kündike/kün phail/kün muhi?''
| শিলচৰ কোনফালে?<br />''Xilsôr künphale?''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠤꠟꠌꠞ ꠇꠥꠘꠛꠣꠄ/ꠇꠥꠘꠛꠣꠁꠖꠤ/ꠇꠥꠘꠝꠥꠈꠣ?}}<br />''Hilcôr kunbae/kunbaidi/kunmuka?''
| /ɦil͡tʃɔɾ kunbae, kunbaed̪i, kunmuká/
| Which way to [[Silchar]]?
|-
| এটা কী?
''Eṭa ki?''
|এইটা/এইডা কী(তা)?
''Eita/(E)iḍa ki(ta)?''
| এইটো কি?
''Eitü ki?''
|  {{Script|Sylo|ꠁꠉꠥ/ꠁꠇꠐꠣ ꠇꠤꠔꠣ?}}<br />''Igu/Ikṭa kita?''
| /igu, ikʈa kit̪a/
| What is this?
|-
| সেটা কী?
''Sheṭa ki?''
|হেইটা/হেইডা কী(তা)?
''Heita/H(e)iḍa ki(ta)?''
| সেইটো কি?
''Xeitü ki?''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠤꠉꠥ/ꠢꠤꠇꠐꠣ ꠇꠤꠔꠣ? }}<br />''Higu/Hikṭa/Hiṭa kita?''
| /ɦigu, ɦikʈa kit̪a/
| What is that?
|-
| শেষ<br />''Shesh''
|হেষ<br />''Hêsh''
| শেষ<br />''Xex''
| {{Script|Sylo|ꠢꠦꠡ}}<br />''Hesh''
| /ɦeʃ/
| End, finish
|}

===Comparison with Standard Bengali===
A phrase in:
* Standard Bengali: {{lang|bn|এক দেশের গালি আরেক দেশের বুলি}} {{Transliteration|bn|æk desher gali arek desher buli}}.
* Sylheti: {{Script|Sylo|ꠄꠇ ꠖꠦꠡꠞ ꠉꠣꠁꠟ ꠀꠞꠇ ꠖꠦꠡꠞ ꠝꠣꠔ}} ''ex deshôr gail arôx deshôr mát''.

which literally means 'one land's obscenity is another land's language', and can be roughly translated to convey that a similar word in one language can mean something very different in another.

Another example:
* {{Lang|bn|মেঘ}} {{Transliteration|bn|megh}} in Standard Bengali means 'cloud'.
* {{Lang|bn|মেঘ}} {{Transliteration|bn|mêg(h)}} in Eastern Bengali means 'rain' or 'cloud'.
* {{Script|Sylo|ꠝꠦꠊ}}/মেঘ ''megh'' in Sylheti means 'rain'.
* In Pali, मेघ ''megha'' means both 'rain' and 'cloud'.

==See also==
* [[Bengali–Assamese languages]]
* [[Languages of India]]
* [[Languages of Bangladesh]]
* [[Tibeto-Burman languages]]
* [[Barman language]]
* [[Meitei language]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last=Chatterji |first=Suniti Kumar |title=The Origin and Development of the Bengali Language |year=1926 |url=https://archive.org/details/OriginDevelopmentOfBengali/CHATTERJI_Origin-Development-of-Bengali_Vol-1 |publisher=Calcutta University Press}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Chung |first1=Chin-Wan |title=An alternative account of English consonant cluster adaptations in Bengali dialects |journal=The Linguistic Association of Korea Journal |date=2019 |volume=27 |issue=3 |pages=99–123 |doi=10.24303/lakdoi.2019.27.3.99 |doi-access=free |publisher=Calcutta University Press}}
* {{cite thesis |url=https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/14086/1/437597.pdf |title=A Study of Language Maintenance and Shift in the Sylheti Community in Leeds |first=Shahela |last=Hamid |type=PhD |publisher=University of York |date=June 2005 |access-date=17 July 2021}}
* {{cite conference |last2=Mahanta |first2=Sakuntala |last1=Gope |first1=Amalesh |year=2014 |title=Lexical Tones in Sylheti |url=https://www.isca-speech.org/archive/tal_2014/papers/tl14_010.pdf |conference=4th International Symposium on Tonal Aspects of Languages (TAL-2014) |access-date=27 June 2020 |archive-date=15 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815121216/https://www.isca-speech.org/archive/tal_2014/papers/tl14_010.pdf |url-status=dead}}
* {{cite book |editor-last=Grierson |editor-first=G A |year=1903 |title=Linguistic Survey of India: Indo-Aryan Family Eastern Group |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/books/lsi/lsi.php?volume=5-1&pages=463#page/1/mode/1up |volume=V |access-date=27 June 2020}}
* {{cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/supplements/amar-ekushey-2018/amago-bhasha-1537534 |title=Amago Bhasha: In celebration of our ethnic and linguistic diversity |website=[[Dhaka Tribune]] |first=Sameer Ud Dowla |last=Khan |date=21 February 2018 |access-date=19 October 2020}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Lawson |first1=Sarah |last2=Sachdev |first2=Itesh |s2cid=144496795 |year=2004 |title=Identity, Language Use and Attitudes: Some Sylheti-Bangladeshi Data from London, UK |journal=Journal of Language and Social Psychology |volume=23 |issue=1 |pages=49–60 |doi=10.1177/0261927X03261223}}
* {{cite journal |last=Ludden |first=David |title=Investing in Nature around Sylhet: An Excursion into Geographical History |journal=Economic and Political Weekly |volume=38 |number=48 |year=2003 |pages=5080–5088 |jstor=4414346}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Mahanta |first1=Sakuntala |last2=Gope |first2=Amalesh |year=2018 |title=Tonal polarity in Sylheti in the context of noun faithfulness |journal=Language Sciences |volume=69 |pages=80–97 |doi=10.1016/j.langsci.2018.06.010 |s2cid=149759441}}
* {{cite journal |last1=McCarthy |first1=K. M. |last2=Evans |first2=B. G. |last3=Mahon |first3=M. |year=2013 |title=Acquiring a second language in an immigrant community: The production of Sylheti and English stops and vowels by London-Bengali speakers |journal=Journal of Phonetics |volume=41 |issue=5 |pages=344–358 |doi=10.1016/j.wocn.2013.03.006}}
* {{cite book |last=Rasinger |first=Sebastian M. |year=2007 |title=Bengali-English in East London: A Study in Urban Multilingualism |publisher=Peter Lang |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4ieH2nBSbjkC |isbn=978-3-03-911036-0}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Sen |first1=Satarupa |year=2020 |title=Mapping of spirantization and deaspiration in Sylheti: An Optimality Theory analysis |url=http://www.elpublishing.org/docs/1/18/ldd18_03.pdf |journal=Language Documentation and Description |volume=18 |pages=42–55 |access-date=16 October 2020}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Simard |first1=Candide |last2=Dopierala |first2=Sarah M |last3=Thaut |first3=E Marie |year=2020 |title=Introducing the Sylheti language and its speakers, and the SOAS Sylheti project |url=http://www.elpublishing.org/docs/1/18/ldd18_01.pdf |journal=Language Documentation and Description |volume=18 |pages=1–22 |access-date=16 October 2020}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{InterWiki|code=syl|Sylheti}}
{{wikivoyage|Sylheti phrasebook}}

{{Indo-Aryan languages}}
{{Languages of India}}
{{Languages of Bangladesh}}
{{Sylhet}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Bengali dialects]]
[[Category:Eastern Indo-Aryan languages]]
[[Category:Languages of Bangladesh]]
[[Category:Languages of Assam]]
[[Category:Sylheti language]]
[[Category:Tonal languages in non-tonal families]]