Spain official language

The languages of Spain: which languages are spoken in Spain?

What language is spoken in Spain?

How many Languages are spoken in Spain?

Most Spoken languages in Spain?

You will get to know about all the above Questions. Keep reading full article.

If you’re surprised to know that Spanish is not the only language that is spoken in Spain, you are not the only one that is surprised to know that.  Throughout the country Spanish (or Castilian) is the only language that is the official language. In short Spanish is the official language of Spain. Read on the following article and to see what the bilingual people in Spain speak along with Spanish.

What is the main language of Spain?

What is the official language of Spain?

Spain official language

Spanish, which is also known as Castilian,  that is a Romance language and that has its roots in Latin and that was developed in the medieval kingdom of Castile. Spanish language has also been greatly influenced by Arabic because of the early era of Al-Andalus when much of Spain and Portugal was occupied by Muslims. It takes influence and vocabulary from the surrounding Western European Romance languages and Ibero-Romance languages as well. People in the country of Spain more often refer to “Spanish” as Castilian because español term can refer to any of the other Spanish languages. In some countries in south and Central America, it is called Spanish since the country of Spain is its country of origin. You can read more in details about differences between the Latin America and Spanish of Spain here.

Castilian (Spanish) is the only official language shared by all regions of Spain. There are also five Co-official languages in certain territories as well as a few unofficial, yet recognized, dialects and languages.

 

What are the other languages of Spain?

Other languages of Spain

Many first-time visitors from abroad to Barcelona are confused when they see while driving the main signs for roads, shops and directions in a language that is not in Spanish. That is because the more common spoken language is Catalan, which is the co-official language, alongside the Castilian, in the region.

Català (Catalan) and valenciano (Valencian)

Catalan language has a total of ten million speakers of which (4.1 million native speakers in the country), that making it the second most spoken language in Spain. This language is completely different language from Spanish language with its own unique vocabulary and grammar and some say it is like a mix of French and Spanish with some influence from the Italian language as well.

Some time It was developed in the Middle Ages from Vulgar Latin and continues to be a source of pride for Catalan speakers who are dedicated to conserving it as part of their cultural heritage. Outside the Catalan capital If you visit some towns, you may even encounter people that do not speak Castilian language at all.

Catalan langugae is spoken and used as a co official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of the Catalonia, the Balearic Islands as well as Valencia (where it is called valencian, or Valenciano, and is the another co official language in the Valencian community). It is also a recognized less spoken language in the regions of Aragon(Spain) ,Alghero (Sardinia, Italy) and the Pyrénées-Orientales (France).

Fun fact: Andorra’s only official language is Catalan.

Galego (Galician)

Galician is spoken by about three million people and 58 percent of the population in the community of Galicia. Because of its proximity to Portugal, both Portuguese and Galician were developed from what modern linguists call the Galician-Portuguese language. Today Galician is split into 3 dialects according to geographical divisions – eastern Galician, central and western Galician.

In Galicia Galician language is spoken and used as the official language – alongside Castilian – and Galician language is also used in some parts of Castile,Asturias, and León, as well as in migrant communities in other parts of the whole world. Portuguese and Galicians can easily understand each other as the languages are very similar.

Euskara (Basque)

Euskara (Basque) language is a truly unique language in that it has no any kind of relation with any of the Romance languages, or even with the any other European language, for that matter. In Western Europe It is said to be the oldest pre-Indo-European language. A person who speaks any of the other Spanish languages that would not be able to understand someone speaking Basque language. Approximately Basque language has around 750,000 native speakers.

In Catalonia Aranese is another co-official language. In the Aran Valley (Val d’Aran) It is spoken in northwestern Catalonia. It comes from the Occitan language that is spoken in France. There are also some other recognized, however unofficial, languages that are in Spain. They are Asturian from the Asturias region, Aragonese (spoken in the region of Aragon), and Leones which is spoken in the provinces of Zamora and León.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by all this new information that we provdede here for you?  Hope you got best information about Spain langauges and this will help you when you will go there in Spain, if you want to know more about Spain click here on Spanish Culture and Traditions.