A small country in Western Europe, Luxembourg, also known as the Grand Duchy, is a highly cosmopolitan and multilingual nation. How many languages are spoken in Luxembourg and when should you use each of these languages?
Multilingual Luxembourg
Luxembourg has three official languages: French, German, and Luxembourgish. Luxembourgish, the national language of Luxembourg, was first recognized as such in 1984.
Other languages such as Italian, English, Portuguese, Nordic, and Slavic are also widely spoken in the country. The reason for this is the large number of foreign residents, who make up about half of the total population.
The country's geographical location in the heart of Europe, bordering Belgium, France and Germany, contributes to its multilingualism.
Different languages are used in Luxembourg at different times
In Luxembourg, the choice of language to use depends on the situation (personal, professional, media, tourist, etc.). Here is an overview of languages used in different situations:
Languages spoken in daily life in Luxembourg
In Luxembourg, the most frequently used language in daily life is French, the country's lingua franca, followed by English, German and Luxembourgish. French is mainly used in retail stores, supermarkets, restaurants and cafes, but at home Luxembourgish is the most popular (spoken by 57% of the population), followed by French (22%) and Portuguese (22%), followed by German. (5%), English (5%). – Source: Statista.
languages spoken at work
In the workplace, French remains the most popular language for communication. However, English is more widely used in certain fields and international organizations. The term is widely spoken in banking, industry and the financial sector, as well as within international trade and European institutions. Portuguese is also widely used in the construction, hotel, maintenance and cleaning industries. Luxembourg has a very large Portuguese community (14.5% of the country's total population is Portuguese, according to the government website Luxembourg-public.lu). Finally, in political circles, Luxembourgish is the preferred spoken language and French is the preferred written language.
Administrative language of Luxembourg
In Luxembourg, administrative proceedings may be conducted in French, German or Luxembourgish, in accordance with the provisions of the 1984 Law on the Language System. However, legislation must be drafted only in French. From a legal perspective, French is considered the only real language.
Law enforcement and emergency services (police, fire, etc.) must be fluent in at least French, Luxembourgish, and German. In court, people are free to choose the language they want.
Language in tourism and culture
Any language can be used in Luxembourg's tourism industry. In museums and other tourist destinations, tourists will be able to understand in English, German, French and other languages.
In movie theaters, movies are shown in their original versions with German or French subtitles, or dubbed into one of these two languages. The plays are performed in different languages (Luxembourgish, German, English, French, Portuguese, etc.).
Language teaching in Luxembourg schools
Luxembourg students learn to speak at least three languages throughout their schooling (choose from Luxembourgish, French, German, English, Spanish, Italian, etc.). The most widely spoken language is Luxembourgish, followed by French, English and German.
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Luxembourg's television and radio stations broadcast in Luxembourgish. However, there are also some programs written in other languages, such as French, English, Portuguese, and Italian. Newspapers prefer to use German and sometimes French. Luxembourgish is not widely used.
Professional translation services in a wide range of languages including Luxembourgish, French, English, German, Portuguese and Italian to help you navigate between the different languages spoken in Luxembourg (legal, medical, commercial, marketing, etc.) We offer etc. Please contact us for details.
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Frequently asked questions about languages spoken in Luxembourg
The Grand Duchy has three official languages: French, German, and Luxembourgish. These are the main languages of Luxembourg. French is primarily used in the workplace and for administrative purposes. German is used in the media. Luxembourgish is mainly used at home.
When you want to thank someone in Luxembourg, you say “Villmols Merci”. The person you are talking to will respond with “Keng Kääsä” (= “There is no reason”) or “Gär sähää”. Luxembourgish is a Franconian language and is very close to German and Dutch. It also includes some French words.
