What Language Do They Speak in Spain?
What language do they speak in Spain?Spanish (español) serves as the official language of Spain, and many people also speak it in parts of Latin America and some former Spanish colonies in Africa. However, the history of Spanish is a complex one as Spanish didn’t always naturally develop as the language of choice for these millions of people. You may have heard the terms Castilian or Castellano used to describe the language; those are simply regional variations on the same tongue, which has several dialects depending on where you are in Spain.
Catalan Dialect
One of Spain’s official languages, Catalan is spoken by roughly 10 million people, mostly living in Catalonia, a region located on Barcelona. And while Spanish and Catalan have many similarities, there are some important differences you should know about before traveling to Spain or relocating to Catalonia. For example, if you plan on visiting Barcelona (or any other city in Catalonia), it might be helpful to learn how to say please and thank you in Catalan. Here are a few examples:
The most common greetings used when meeting someone for the first time:
Salut! – Hi! (Informal) / Hola! – Hello! (Formal)
Bona tarda – Good afternoon. (Informal) / Bon dia! – Good morning. (Formal)Bon viatge – Have a good trip! (informal) / Feliç viàtic! – Enjoy your stay! (familiar)Gracies – Thank you very much. (formal) / Moltíssimes gràcies! – Many thanks! (informal).
How To Say “Please” In Catalan
Useful Phrases for Asking in Catalan
You can use these phrases when asking for something from a shop owner, waiter, hotel staff member, etc.:
Què vols? – What do you want? (informal)Què li donaré al meu amic? – What will I give my friend? (informal, informal)Què li dono el meu amic? – What will I give my friends? (formal)Què vols que facis? – What do you wish to do? (informal formal)Què vols quan puc fer-ho? – When can I do this? (informal informal)Què vols faig? – What would you like me to do? (formal formal)Qu’està bé? – How’s it going? (informal familiar)Qu’està més bé? – How are things? (formal familiar)Què ha de ser? – What must we do? (informally familiar)Què hauria de ser? –
What would you recommend? (formally familiar)Qu’hi hagi un cop d’ull? – Would you mind looking at that again? (informal polite)Qu’hi hagin un cop d’ulls? – Would you mind having a look at that again? (polite formal)Qu’hi hagiu un cop d’ull i mirar-lo? – Would you mind just having a quick look at that? (polite formal polite)Qu’hi hagui un cop d’ull per veure-m’encarregar del teu problema? – Could you have a quick look at that so I can take care of your problem? (polite formal formal).
Castilian Language
The Castilian language serves as the official language of Spain and over 400 million people speak it worldwide. This Romance language developed from Latin and various other languages have influenced it over the centuries.
Castilian is a rich and complex language with a long history and a bright future.
Castilian is a Romance language that developed from Latin. Spanish serves as the official language of Spain and more than 400 million people speak it worldwide. Over the centuries, various languages, including Arabic, French, and Italian, have influenced the Castilian language.
The Castilian language is a rich and complex language with a long history. It is the official language of Spain and is spoken by over 400 million people worldwide. The Castilian language has a bright future. It is the official language of Spain and is spoken by over 400 million people worldwide.
Galician Language
Galicia is one of Spain’s autonomous regions and Galician language is its official language. It is a Celtic language related to Welsh and Cornish and is spoken by around 3 million people. Galician is a Celtic language related with Welsh and Cornish. It is the official and only language of Galicia, an autonomous region of Spain. Galician is the mother tongue of 2.6 million people in the autonomous community of Galicia.
Galician is a fascinating language with a rich history. In this essay, we will explore the origins of Galician, its unique features, and its current status. The origins of Galician are a matter of debate among linguists. Some believe that Galician is a descendant of Latin, while others believe it is a descendant of the Celtic language. However, the most widely accepted theory is that Galician is a Romance language that was heavily influenced by the Celtic language.
Galician is unique among Romance languages in several ways. For example, it has a large number of words of Celtic origin. It also has a number of unique grammatical features, such as the use of the pronoun “vostede” (you) instead of “tu” (you).
The Evolution of Galician Language and Its Varieties
In the 19th century, Galician was heavily influenced by Spanish. This was a result of the political and economic situation in Galicia at the time. Many Galicians emigrated to other parts of Spain and Latin America, and as a result, Galician began to adopt many features of Spanish.
Galician is currently in a situation of diglossia, with two different standard varieties: a literary variety, known as Galician-Portuguese, and a spoken variety, known as vernacular Galician.
People use the literary variety in formal situations, such as in the media and education. The vernacular variety appears in everyday speech. Speakers consider both varieties equally correct, and no one prefers one over the other.
Galician was first written in the 12th century, in the Latin alphabet. In the 18th century, a new alphabet, based on the Spanish alphabet, was introduced. However, this new alphabet was not widely accepted and the Latin alphabet remained in use.
Basque Language
The Basque language is one of the most unique languages in the world. It is spoken by the Basque people, who live in the Basque Country, which is located in the western Pyrenees mountains in Europe. The language is not related to any other known language, which makes it a mystery to linguists. The Basque language is an important part of Basque culture and identity.
One of the most interesting things about the Basque language is that it is not related to any other known language. Researchers believe the Basque people are descendants of the ancient Iberian people who lived in the region before the Romans arrived. Linguists consider the Basque language to be one of the oldest languages in Europe.
The Basque language is an important part of Basque culture and identity. The language is used in all aspects of life in the Basque Country, from everyday conversation to media and education. The Basque people are very proud of their language and culture, and they have worked hard to keep their language alive.
There is currently about 700,000 native speakers of the Basque language. The majority of Basque speakers live in the Basque Country, but there are also Basque speakers in other parts of Europe, such as France and Spain. The Basque language is an endangered language, but there are efforts being made to preserve it.
Aranese Dialects
The Aranese dialects are a group of Romance languages spoken in the Aran Valley in northwestern Spain. They are all closely related to the Occitan language, but each has its own distinctive features. There are three main Aranese dialects: Central Aranese, Western Aranese, and Eastern Aranese.
Central Aranese is the most widely spoken of the three dialects. It is the official language of the Aran Valley and is used in education and the media. Central Aranese is also the most similar to Occitan, with only minor differences in pronunciation and vocabulary.
Western Aranese is spoken in the western part of the Aran Valley. It has a number of distinctive features, such as the use of the pronoun “vos” instead of “tu” and the use of the ending “-tz” instead of “-s” in verbs. Western Aranese is also more closely related to the Gascon dialect of Occitan than the other Aranese dialects.
People speak Eastern Aranese in the eastern part of the Aran Valley. This dialect is the least widely spoken of the three and has the most differences from Occitan.
Eastern Aranese has its own unique vocabulary, and the pronunciation of some words is quite different from that of other Aranese dialects.
Spanish Dialects
Spain is home to a number of different regions and cities with their own unique dialects. Each region speaks its own version of the language, but all share certain characteristics. The dominant language in the country is Spanish (Castellano). Some of the more popular variations include:
- Valencian (València): Valencia is one of the largest provinces in Spain and is considered part of the Mediterranean region. Its capital is Valencia and it borders France, Italy, and the province of Murcia.
- Asturian (Asturies): This northern province is known as the land of gaitas and cante jondo. It shares borders with Cantabria, León, Zamora, Salamanca, Portugal, and Galicia.
- Basque (Euskadi): Euskadi is the name given to the Basque country, which includes the provinces of Guipúzcoa, Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa, and Alava.
- Catalan (Catalunya): Catalunya is a large region in northeastern Spain and is home to Barcelona, the second-largest city in Europe.
- Galician (Galego): Galego is the official language of Galicia, a northwestern province in Spain.
- Aragonese (Aragónese): Aragónese is an Aragonese dialect that was once spoken throughout the entire territory of Aragón. Today, however, only a small percentage of the population still speaks this dialect.
- Navarrese (Navarroso): Navarrese is the regional language of Navarra, a north central region in Spain.
The Basque Language
At one time, there were two official languages spoken throughout all of Spain: Castilian Spanish and Basque. But now, only about 0.4% of Spaniards still speak Basque as their native tongue. For most other Spaniards, it’s just another foreign language that a few people in their town might know how to say hello and goodbye in.
Spanish and Other Languages Spoken in Madrid
Spanish, or Castilian as it is known locally, is spoken throughout Madrid, with approximately half of the locals fluent in English. The majority of Spaniards have some basic knowledge of English (or at least have seen plenty of American and British movies), but if you don’t know a lick of Spanish, don’t fret—everyone here is willing to help you learn. In addition to Spanish and English, there are also regional dialects spoken throughout Spain.
For example, Catalonians speak Catalan, which sounds similar to French; Basques speak Euskara; Andalusians and Canarians both speak Andalusian; Galicians use Galician; Valencians use Valencian; Aragonese speakers use Aragonese; Murcianos use Murciano. Many more languages are spoken across Spain: Asturian is used in Asturias, and most parts of Cantabria speak Cantabrian. However, authorities consider these dialects rather than official languages.
Spanish and Other Languages Spoken in Barcelona
Barcelona is a cosmopolitan city and with that comes a diverse population. The majority of Barcelona’s residents are Spanish speakers. But, there are also significant populations of English, French, German and Italian speakers as well. The Chilean variant of Spanish is the primary language; indigenous languages are minority languages in the country. This can be beneficial for those whose native tongue is not Spanish because it helps them to learn more about their new city in their own time rather than having to use a translation service!
Spanish Grammar
There are two main types of verbs in Spanish: regular verbs and irregular verbs. Regular verbs follow the same pattern each time they appear in a sentence. Irregular verbs don’t always follow this pattern.
Regular Verbs
Regular verbs are the ones we tend to think of as “normal” verbs—verbs like hablar (“to talk”), leer (“to read”), and comer (“to eat”). These verbs take their endings from the stem of the verb. This means that the ending changes according to the person, number and gender of the subject.
Irregular Verb Forms
There are three different forms of an irregular verb: infinitive form, present tense, and past tense. Infinitives end in -ar, -er, and -ir. Present tense ends in -o, -as, and -e. Past tense ends in -é, -aste and -ó.
The -ar, -er, and -ir endings change depending on who does what to whom.
The infinitive form is the base of all the other forms.
The present tense is used to express actions that happen now.
The past tense is used to express things that happened in the past.
Spanish Vocabulary
Here’s a list of words that may come up in everyday conversation. Some of them will look familiar; others will sound strange at first. You’ll probably hear them more than once during your visit.
Here’s a list of words you’re likely to encounter in daily life. Some of them will sound familiar; others will sound foreign at first. You’ll likely hear them more than once throughout your visit.
- Abracadabra
- Adios
- Ahora
- Algo
- Aquí
- Así es
- Bienvenido
- Buen provecho
- Cállate
Foreign Languages Spoken in Spain
More than 6 million Spaniards were born outside of the country, accounting for just over 13% of the population. In Spain, do they speak any other languages? The majority of Spaniards are from other European countries, although they also come from Latin America, northern Africa, Asia, and Russia.
Latin American Spanish, English, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, Chinese, Russian, or Tagalog are examples of immigrant languages. The most prevalent foreign languages spoken in Spain are as follows:
- The official and common language is English, spoken by about 40 percent of the population.
- Five point eight five percent of the population speaks French, including one point three six percent who are native speakers.
- Two point seven eight percent of the population speaks Romanian, and two point six nine percent claim it as their mother tongue.
- Italian is spoken by 1.93 percent of Spaniards; however, just 0.1 percent consider it their mother tongue.
- Portuguese is spoken by 1.55 percent of the population, including 0.31 percent who are native speakers.
- German is spoken by 1.22 percent of Spaniards, with 0.11 percent who are native speakers.
- Russian is spoken by 0.3 percent of the population, with 0.1 percent being native Russian speakers.
Resources for Learning Spanish Language
There are plenty of resources for learning Spanish online, from free YouTube tutorials to paid sites such as Duolingo. If you don’t have time for a structured course, consider making flashcards or even downloading one of many language-learning apps. The most important thing is to immerse yourself in it—just like you would with your native tongue!
Frequently Asked Questions
Spanish is the official language of Spain, brought by conquerors to the Iberian Peninsula, with written records dating back to the 9th century BC.
Besides Spanish, Spain has several other languages, including Catalan, Galician, Basque, Valencian, and Judeo-Spanish (Ladino), among others.
Catalan and Spanish are widely spoken in Europe, sharing similarities but also having distinct differences worth exploring.
Catalonia became an autonomous region within Spain on 27 October 1980. This means that its government can make decisions without having to ask permission from Madrid.
There is no official language of Spain, but the main ones used for communication and education purposes are Castilian (Spanish) and Catalan. Other regional languages such as Galician or Basque are also widely spoken.
