The Bari language is a Central Sudanic language spoken by the Bari people, an ethnic group primarily residing in South Sudan and the border regions of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Bari is a member of the larger Nilo-Saharan language family, which encompasses various languages spoken across parts of East and North Central Africa. Within the Nilo-Saharan family, Bari specifically falls under the Central Sudanic subgroup.

The Bari language is characterised by its complex verbal system, noun classes, and distinctive phonological features. It utilises a subject-verb-object (SVO) word order, where the subject typically precedes the verb and the object follows.

Historically, the Bari language was primarily an oral language, passed down through generations via spoken communication. However, in recent years, there has been a growing effort to document and study the language in a written form.

Bari speakers are often multilingual, with proficiency in neighboring languages such as Arabic, English, and other local languages. This multilingualism is important for communication and trade in the diverse linguistic landscape of the region.