What Languages Are Spoken In Belgium? (Revealed!)

Flemish or Belgian-Dutch is the most spoken language in Belgium. Around 60% of the population speaks the dialect. French is the second most spoken language; approximately 4.5 million French speakers live in the country.

Belgium is one of the smallest countries in Europe and one of the most densely populated. The population of the country is around 11.5 million.

The country is divided into languages. The northern part of Belgium speaks Flemish, and southern areas have French-speaking residents.

Although small, Belgium plays a big part in Europe- both in history and today. The Smurfs were created in Belgium, along with the famous character ‘Tintin’.

Belgium is also known for its delicious confectionery.

Have you ever heard of Belgian chocolate? If you have, you may know that chocolate from Belgium is more decadent, silkier, and more delicious than anywhere else.

The most popular food in Belgium, however, is sweet waffles. Unlike the USA, Belgian waffles are thicker and made with yeast and crunchy sugar.

You can rest assured that a pairing of Belgian chocolate on top waffles is a delight.

The languages spoken in Belgium tell a story of a little country that holds significance in Europe.

This article looks at the languages that are spoken in Belgium.

In This Article

What are the Official Languages in Belgium?

Conveniently, the official languages of Belgium are easy to remember.

In the northern areas, the population speaks Belgian Dutch (Flemish).

This language is spoken by around 60% of Belgians.

Flemish is the language of the Flemings, the dominant ethnic group.

Flemings speak Flemish in Flanders- to make it easy.

The second official language of Belgium is French.

However, this language is spoken by under 40% of the population.

French is spoken in southern areas but also in the capital Brussels.

In Brussels, nearly all inhabitants speak French. 50% of the people in Brussels have French as their primary language, and 45% have it as their lingua franca.

Many Flemish people speak French as their second language.

The third and the least spoken official language is German.

Again, spoken by less than 14% of the population.

German speakers stick together; you can find 77,000 in Liege province in Wallonia.

Is Flemish the Same as Dutch?

Flemish is also known as Belgian-Dutch.

The language is native to the historical area of Flanders.

You may have heard of Flanders due to its relevance in the World Wars.

Whilst Flemish is a form of Dutch, the two are not identical.

The most obvious difference is the pronunciation of words.

Despite sharing many similarities, to the untrained ear, the dialects sound very different.

Flemish has an almost French-sounding pronunciation.

Dutch, on the other hand, has a more English feel to their words.

The vocabulary also differs.

The list of linguistic differences is enormous.

So much so that some words are not interchangeable.

For example, English in the UK and the USA are different, yet most differences can be avoided by changing one or two words.

On the other hand, Dutch and Flemish have a vocabulary that cannot be used in different dialects.

Grammatically, there are differences too.

For example, the formal way of saying ‘you’ (U) is almost extinct for Dutch speakers; they prefer the informal ‘Je’.

Flemish speakers use the standard version, which can sound old-fashioned to Dutch ears.

What Foreign Languages are Spoken in Belgium?

Migration in the 20th Century meant that some foreign languages had made their way to Belgium.

English- 60%. English is the most common foreign language in Belgium. Brussels is home to many international diplomats. The result of this is that English is widely understood. The capital is already bilingual with French and Dutch street signs. There have been calls to add English to the city’s official signs, as most people are English speakers.
Luxembourgish- 0.5%. Only a tiny minority of people speak Luxembourgish. Luxembourg itself is an independent country, but they speak the same language as people in lower Belgium. The language is a mix between French and German, but altogether it is separate. People in lower Belgium often speak French, German and Luxembourgish fluently.
Yiddish- 0.3%. Only around 20,000 people in Belgium speak Yiddish. This language is native to the Ashkenazi Jews. In Antwerp, the Ashkenazi Jewish community is one of the strongest in Europe. This is also one of the last communities in the world to have Yiddish as their primary language.

Should I Speak French or English in Belgium?

Politically, language could be a controversial topic.

Language is often the most significant distinguishing factor between communities.

As a result, talking about languages is a sensitive topic.

For Belgium, it is especially controversial at times.

In the country’s north, Flanders has its own parliament, government and political parties.

They are also the most enormous Flemish-speaking population.

Some people may class themselves as being from ‘Flanders’ and not Belgium.

To avoid doubt, steer away from one of the three official languages if you are still deciding what language to use in Belgium.

As we have spoken, most people speak English to a conversational level in Belgium.

If you need to know what language to communicate in Belgium, stick to English to avoid political drama.

Belgium is a small yet significant country.

The politics of the nation mean there has been a lot of foreign influence.

The diverse city is a pleasure to visit.

What is better than roaming around looking for the best waffles and chocolate?

If you would like to learn more about countries and their languages, click here.

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Founder - @PollyWebster

Polly Webster is the founder of Foreign Lingo and a seasoned traveler with a decade of exploration under her belt.

Over the past 10 years, she has journeyed to numerous countries around the globe, immersing herself in diverse cultures, traditions, and languages.

Drawing from her rich experiences, Polly now writes insightful articles about travel, languages, traditions, and cultures, sharing her unique perspectives and invaluable tips with her readers.

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