by Laura Jones
Published on May 27, 2024
What languages are spoken in Luxembourg?
Did you know that one of Luxembourg’s official languages is Luxembourgish? Or that Luxembourg has three official languages, but more Luxembourgers speak English than two of them? Luxembourg’s linguistic landscape is fascinating, and its population is one of the most multilingual in Europe. Let’s find out more about the languages spoken in Luxembourg.
Luxembourg is one of the smallest countries in the world. Even if you’ve heard of it, you may struggle to point to it on a map.
The country lies in the northwest of Europe and borders France, Germany and Belgium. Luxembourg’s close proximity to these neighboring countries has influenced the languages spoken there.
The three administrative languages in Luxembourg are Luxembourgish (Lëtzebuergesch), French and German. Around 98% of the population speaks French. Smaller numbers speak German (around 78%) and Luxembourgish (around 77%).
Perhaps most surprising is that approximately 80% of the population of Luxembourg speaks English, though often as a second (or third or even fourth) language. Most of the population is bilingual or trilingual.
Boasting the largest number of speakers, French is the main language in Luxembourg for communication — especially in business and tourism. This means that learning some French is an excellent idea if you’re planning a visit to Luxembourg.
But French doesn’t dominate in all facets of life. Most newspapers and other print media in Luxembourg are written in German. And if you turn on the TV or radio, you’ll likely hear Luxembourgish.
In politics, written communications have traditionally been in French, though politicians often speak Luxembourgish among themselves and to their constituents. In recent years, campaign posters and documents in election campaigns have frequently been written in Luxembourgish, as well. Luxembourg is a truly multilingual country!
Luxembourg is home to several European institutions, including the European Commission and the Court of Justice of the European Union. Because of this, there is a large international community in Luxembourg that often uses English to communicate.
Portuguese is another widely spoken language, with around 20% of the population speaking it as a first language. Arabic and Farsi have also become more widespread in recent years, adding to Luxembourg’s linguistic diversity.
Luxembourgish has a lot in common with Dutch, French and German. If you speak any of those languages, you’ll recognize some words and phrases. Luxembourgish is mainly spoken in Luxembourg and some of the neighboring areas. A variant is even spoken in the American Midwest!
For many years, the language was purely spoken and not written. Now, though, there are official guidelines on spelling and grammar, and Luxembourgish is often used in social media posts and online messaging services.
Learning a bit of Luxembourgish is a way to honor the country’s traditions and win some brownie points with locals during your next visit. So, here are some basic words and phrases in Luxembourgish:
| Luxembourgish | English |
| Moien | Hello |
| Wéi geet et? | How are you? |
| Mir geet et gutt/schlecht | I’m fine/not fine |
| Wann ech gelift | Please |
| Merci | Thank you |
| Jo | Yes |
| Nee | No |
| Äddi | Goodbye |
If you’re planning a trip to Luxembourg, knowing which language to learn or use can be difficult. French is perhaps the most useful, though you could also get by in English or German. However, if you really want to make a good impression and show your commitment to this tiny country, learn a few basic phrases in Luxembourgish.
