What Languages Are Spoken In Cuba? (Revealed!)

Cuban Spanish is also known as ‘Cubano’. With 11 million speakers, Cuba has had Spanish as its primary language since 1492. However, in the 19th and 20th centuries, migrants from the Canary Islands settled in Cuba, creating their version of Spanish- ‘Cubano’.

Many will know Cuba for its political history or famous leaders such as Fidel Castro.

However, what people may need to talk about is their exciting culture.

Cuba is famous for sugar cane rum, salsa dancing, old-fashioned cars, cigars and many world heritage sites.

The nation is exciting and unique in many ways.

Despite being the largest island in the Caribbean, WI-FI in Cuba is uncommon.

Whilst the internet is hard to use, travellers should not worry- not when Cuban sandwiches are on offer!

Cuba is home to a rich and diverse culture, and its language is an integral part of it.

In This Article

What is the official language of Cuba?

The official language of Cuba is Spanish.

It became the state’s primary language due to Spanish colonization in the 19th and 20th Centuries.

Interestingly, Cuba has its version of Spanish. Cuban Spanish, or Cubano, is a Caribbean version of the language.

There are many similarities of Cubano to the accent of La Palma.

This influence on the accent comes from the Canary islands.

Additionally, migrants from the Canary Islands brought inspiration for Cubano when they arrived in Cuba.

There are many differences in grammar that makes Cubano stand out.

For example, the use of pronouns is different in Cuba than in other Spanish dialects. Cubano is a language that drops pronouns.

The Cubano word for bus, ‘Guagua’, is different from the Spanish word ‘autobus’.

The word for ‘bus’ is one example of Canarian influence. ‘guagua’ is a word used by people from the Canary Islands.

Cubano includes words from the history of communism.

You can also see an African influence on the language through the accent and vocabulary.

Surprisingly, some words are of native Indian origin.

For example, ‘Hamaca’ means hammock in Cubano- this word has become a part of other languages.

Are there any other languages in Cuba?

Yes, there are more languages spoken in Cuba!

Haitian Creole- A language used mainly by the Haitian Cuban people. There are about 300,000 people that speak the language in Cuba. The language found itself in Cuba via the migration of formerly enslaved people from Haiti.

Eventually, more Haitians migrated to Cuba to work as sugar cane farmers.

Many people speak Haitian Creole, not just people of Haitian origin. Havana even has its own Haitian Creole radio station- a big sign that the language is doing well!

Lucumi- This comes from the West African language of Yoruba. There are no native speakers of Lucumi, as people see it as more of a second language.

Like Haitian Creole, The slave trade brought the language to Cuba through slavery.

The Yoruba enslaved people made the language by mixing the words other enslaved people used and the Spanish spoken by slave traders. People call it a ‘secret’ language as only Yoruba formerly enslaved people could speak it

Lucumi is mainly spoken by people of the Santería religion.

Are There Indigenous Cuban languages?

Yes, there are indigenous Cuban languages.

They are called Taino and Guanahatabey (the language of the Guanahatabey people).

The people of the Caribbean spoke Taino, the language expanded into Cuba.

With colonization, Taino was eventually replaced by European languages. In the case of Cuba, Spanish replaced Taino.

Now, the language has been extinct for 100 years.

The people of Guanahatabey were hunter-gatherers and spoke their language up until the 16^th century.

The Guanahatabey came from Western Cuba and were an indigenous group.

Not much is known about the Guanahatabey people,. some may speculate that this group of people became extinct during Spanish colonization.

What is a Cuban accent?

The Cuban accent is distinct, and it makes Cubano stand out.

The accent is heavy; it is recognizable because of the volume of bass in the voice.

Some people compare the Cuban accent to talking with marbles in your mouth.

Cuban Spanish speakers often drop letters and sounds from words or transform the sound of words entirely.

You can hear the Caribbean influence through a Cuban accent too.

For example, in Caribbean nations, ‘-ado’ would be pronounced as ‘-a’o’.

This linguistic tendency is the same concept as the Cuban accent.

Finally, Cubano speakers often drop the ‘s’ at the end of words.

You may, instead, hear a gasp of air.

Can You Go to Cuba without speaking Spanish?

In the tourist areas, you may be alright.

But unfortunately, there are no official statistics on how many people speak English in Cuba.

However, many people within the tourist industry speak English.

As Cuba increases its tourism, the government have pushed for more English education.

Due to its political history, tourists were few and far between in the past.

A lack of tourists meant less need for locals to speak foreign languages.

As the country welcomes guests, the number of English speakers is increasing.

In places such as Havana, you will have no problem finding someone who shares your language.

Outside of major cities (for example, Havana or Santiago de Cuba), the number of English speakers could be higher.

Tourists may use body language or Spanish dictionaries to communicate with the locals.

If you want to travel to Cuba and do not speak Spanish, you will likely find an English speaker in a major city.

If not, keep a dictionary in your backpack.

Cuba is an exciting, unique, and beautiful part of the world.

Part of the attraction is that it is unlike many countries.

A country that has always been in the political spotlight is now opening itself up to the wider public.

Cuba is a hotspot of cultures and languages- influenced by a diverse collection of people.

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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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