French is spoken by around 40% of Belgians as their primary tongue, while just 1% of the population speaks German as their first language. Many Belgians also speak one or more second languages. 16% speak Flemish Dutch as a second language, 49% speak French and 22% speak German. In fact, Belgium is well ahead of many EU countries when it comes
What is the official language of Belgium?
Official Languages Of Belgium. It is the native language of 40% of the population. German is the least spoken official language; only 1% of the population speak it as their native language. It is used mainly by the German-speaking Community, which numbers 77,000.
What do you need to know about Belgium?
This guide will teach you the do’s and don’ts so you won’t get caught out. Belgium has three official languages. Flemish Dutch, French and German. Flemish Dutch is spoken by 56% of the population, French 40%, and German 1%.
What languages are spoken in Brussels?
The Brussels-Capital Region and the City of Brussels are Dutch-French bilingual. Happily for French speakers traveling to Bruxelles (Brussels), French is the predominant language in this very international city, with about 80% of its citizens native francophones.
What language does Belgium mostly speak?
The primary language in Belgium is Dutch, spoken by approximately 60% of the population. The Flemish dialect is almost identical to the Dutch spoken across the border in the Netherlands, but some differences in vocabulary have led some to refer to the language colloquially as ‘Flemish’.
Do they speak French or Flemish in Belgium?
The official language of the Flemish Region is Dutch, while the institutions in the Walloon Region (minus the German-speaking Community) speak French. Map showing the language borders in Belgium today, declared in 1962. Green denotes the Flemish region and the Dutch-speaking area.
Why are there 3 languages in Belgium?
Historically speaking, the country has had quite a wide variety of rulers, influencing how multilingual and multicultural Belgians are today. Due to their close proximity to these three countries, they have three official languages that divide Belgium into three main regions.
What 4 languages are spoken in Belgium?
What Languages Do They Speak In Belgium?
How do you say hello in Belgium?
Most people in Belgium speak French, with a small portion of the Belgian population speaking Dutch (Flemish).
Belgian Phrases.
| Hello: Salut | Pronounced: Sal oo |
|---|---|
| Good Evening: Bonsoir | Pronounced: Bon swar |
| Good Morning/Afternoon: Bonjor | Pronounced: Bon jor |
| Thank You: Merci | Pronounced: Mer see |
Is English spoken in Belgium?
Based on these three regions, Belgium has three official languages – English, Dutch, and French. English is however not the primary language of the country. But even if it is not, a large percentage of the population speaks the English language. As such, you can speak it in different situations all over Belgium.
Why is it called Flemish?
‘Flemish’ was historically a geographical term, as all inhabitants of the medieval County of Flanders in modern-day Belgium, France, and the Netherlands were referred to as ‘Flemings’, irrespective of their ethnicity or language.
Are Dutch and Flemish the same?
Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French and German. In Flanders, the northern part of Belgium, people speak Dutch. Most of the time, this variant of Dutch is called Flemish.
Is there a difference between Dutch and Flemish?
The most obvious difference when talking with or listening to speakers of Dutch and Flemish is the pronunciation. Even to the untrained ear, the two dialects sound very different. While Flemish tends towards French pronunciations, Dutch in the Netherlands has more of an English feel.
What is Belgium famous for?
Belgium is world-famous for its chocolate, waffles, beer, and its national football team, the Red Devils. Belgium is also home to NATO headquarters and to the EU Commission and European Parliament. Brussels is often referred to as the capital of the EU.
What religion is in Belgium?
Catholicism has traditionally been Belgium’s majority religion, with particular strength in Flanders.
Is Dutch hard to learn?
Dutch is probably the easiest language to learn for English speakers as it positions itself somewhere between German and English.
Which language is most spoken in the world?
The most spoken languages in the world
How much English is spoken in Belgium?
Even though English isn’t an official language of Belgium, it is still spoken by 55% of its people.
Is Belgian-Dutch different?
But what are the differences between Dutch in The Netherlands and in Belgium? Dutch is an official language in Belgium, but it’s not spoken throughout the whole country. Dutch is mainly spoken in Flanders (Vlaanderen), the Dutch speaking part of Belgium. The ‘Belgian Dutch’ is called Flemish (Vlaams).
Is Flemish same as Dutch?
Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French and German. In Flanders, the northern part of Belgium, people speak Dutch. Most of the time, this variant of Dutch is called Flemish.
Is Dutch hard to learn?
Dutch is probably the easiest language to learn for English speakers as it positions itself somewhere between German and English.
Is Dutch and German the same?
The languages: Dutch and German
Dutch is very similar to German, especially with regards to vocabulary, but the grammar is very different. It could be argued that Dutch has developed further and has become more simplified. The difference between the two languages is very clear when you look at the four cases.
Is Belgian-Dutch different?
But what are the differences between Dutch in The Netherlands and in Belgium? Dutch is an official language in Belgium, but it’s not spoken throughout the whole country. Dutch is mainly spoken in Flanders (Vlaanderen), the Dutch speaking part of Belgium. The ‘Belgian Dutch’ is called Flemish (Vlaams).
What are the best things to do in Belgium?
What language is spoken in Belgium Antwerp?
What is the most common language spoken in Antwerp, Belgium? Just like in the rest of Flanders, it’s Dutch. According to my Flemish friend, most people there today speak fairly standard Belgian Dutch, although maybe with a regional accent, but the traditional dialect belongs to the Brabantian group.
Why is German spoken in Belgium?
Belgium is not a bilingual, but a trilingual country. Our third national language is German. In the east of Wallonia, next to the German border, are nine communities that used to belong to Germany. Belgium was given them in 1919, as a compensation for the damages suffered during the First World War. The inhabitants here speak German.