The Languages of Spain

Believe it or not, 28% of Spain’s locals don’t actually speak Spanish! That’s why you should be prepared for a number of different languages you might encounter in this gorgeous country that’s rich in history, tradition and culture!

But now you’re thinking: If they don’t speak Spanish, what DO they speak?

Join us now for a quick trip through the many languages of Spain!

72% of Spain’s Residents Do Speak Spanish

If you’ve been brushing up on your basics for conversation in the Spanish language, don’t panic! Odds are you’ll be able to put your skills to the test. It is, after all, the official national language of Spain. Also referred to as Castilian Spanish, or simply Castilian, or Castellano by the locals, Spanish is spoken worldwide outside of just Spain. Its origins, however, lie in the ancient Castilla Kingdom.

Since its birth many thousands of years ago brought about from a mixture of heritage and evolutionary history, Castellano has developed into the many variations that are spoken and recognized throughout Spain today. These variations include the following well-known regional languages.

1. Catalan

Aside from Spanish, the next most recommended language would be Catalan. Catalan is relatively widely spoken, with more than 11 million native speakers sprinkled throughout four different countries. So if you ever plan to travel anywhere else after your Spain vacation, learning the basics of this language is a little something you can keep stored in your back pocket for future use! One note for the not-native speaker though: Catalan is pretty much undistinguishable from its ancestor, Castilian Spanish, so an untrained ear isn’t going to have an easy time differentiating the two. If you’re not sure which one is being spoken, it’s actually best to just go with English, because a native Catalan speaker might not take kindly to you speaking Castilian to them, no matter how well-intentioned your efforts may be!

2. Galician

Galician shares roots with romance languages right alongside Castilian and Catalan, so you’ll find that speakers of the three languages use some similar terminologies and dialects. This makes it another variation an untrained ear is going to have a difficult time differentiating, so the same applies if you can’t figure out what language is being spoken: Speak to them in English! Just like native Catalan speakers, Galician speakers would rather have you speak English than mess up and address them using Castilian. They won’t necessarily turn hostile, but you’ll be more likely to get the cold shoulder for sure, which can really ruin your night if you end up sitting at the bar alone! But don’t worry about this either, there are only 3 million native speakers in the whole of Spain and they can usually only be found in Asturias, Castilla, Galicia and Leon, so you aren’t likely to hear this regional language unless your travels take you there.

3. Basque

Out in the Basque country you’ll find a third regional language of Spain, Basque. Basque is an isolated language, which means it actually isn’t related to any other living language! History buffs and linguists alike will be fascinated by this one. With fewer than 700,000 Basque region natives that still speak the language today, it’s truly unique! While that also means it isn’t one that necessarily needs to be added to your list of languages to learn before you go to Spain, it’s still one worth mentioning for the sake of curiosity. If you find yourself venturing near Basque at all, it’s worth taking your trip a little further for a once in a lifetime experience with a language you literally cannot hear anywhere else in the entire world!

Break Down Communication Barriers

While Castilian Spanish and its variations tend to be the languages predominantly spoken by Spain’s locals, there are smaller communities that speak languages such as Asturian, Leonese, Aragonese, Extremaduran, Fala, Arabic and English. In fact, there are some estimations that as many as one million native English speakers live in Spain, so if learning a second language isn’t quite your strong suit, no worries! You’ll be able to get around just fine in most areas of Spain, especially since they expect a fair amount of tourism in most of the country anyways.