Flemish (Dutch)
What languages are spoken in Belgium Besides Dutch?
Double Dutch. French is the second most popular language in Belgium, spoken by just over 30% of the population. Many Flemish people can also speak French as a second language. Like the Dutch spoken in Flanders, Belgian French is mostly similar to that spoken in France but there are some small differences in vocabulary and pronunciation.
How did the French language become so popular in Belgium?
Napoleonic rule in the 18th and 19th centuries further strengthened the prominence of the French language in Belgium. Centuries after the first French expeditions into present-day Belgium, the French language—and several variations thereof—is still spoken in the southern half of Belgium, as well as a few other areas of the country.
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 language do the Flemish people speak in the Netherlands?
Flemish people speak Belgian Dutch in Flanders, which is the Flemish part of Belgium. Just as the English language spoken in Australia, Canada, UK, USA, South-Africa; and French spoken in Belgium, Canada, France, and Switzerland, Belgian differ, so too does Dutch spoken in The Netherlands differ
What language is spoken in Belgium mainly?
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’.
Is Belgium more French or Dutch?
Belgium’s Linguistic Makeup
Technically, they speak Belgian-Dutch, which is usually referred to as Flemish. Flemish is pretty close to the Dutch spoken in the Netherlands. In Brussels and the south — what’s called the Wallonia region — you’ll mostly hear French.
What 3 language are spoken in Belgium?
There isn’t just one official language of Belgium, but three: Flemish Dutch, French and German. That’s despite fewer than 1% of Belgians speaking German as their primary tongue. Belgians are, as a nation, extremely committed to language learning.
Is English language 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.
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 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 Belgium a rich country?
The average Belgian has the third highest net financial assets in the world. According to the ‘Global Wealth Report’, released by German insurance company Allianz, only Switzerland and the United States score higher. The Netherlands ended up fourth.
How safe is Belgium?
OVERALL RISK : MEDIUM. Overall, Belgium is a safe country to travel to. Crime rates are low and anything happening to you on the streets of Belgium is unlikely. The only issue to keep an eye on, apart from being vigilant for terrorist attacks, is petty theft and pickpocketing.
What are Belgium people called?
Belgians (Dutch: Belgen, French: Belges, German: Belgier) are people identified with the Kingdom of Belgium, a federal state in Western Europe. As Belgium is a multinational state, this connection may be residential, legal, historical, or cultural rather than ethnic.
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.
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.
How do I say thank you in Belgium?
An all-purpose expression of thanks is dank je, which translated directly as ‘thank you,’ at a neutral level of politeness. It’s not impolite, but not formal either, and is the most widely used Dutch phrase by far. Dank is pronounced as written, but je sounds like ‘ya.’
Is Belgium a good place to live?
Belgium is a very family-friendly country to live in. It has good educational, healthcare, and cultural facilities in all the main cities. Belgium is generally quite a safe place to live. Brussels has many municipalities popular with young families and the city has some of the best international schools.
Can I speak English in Brussels?
Brussels is officially bilingual (Dutch-French), but in reality French is the dominant language. It is also an international city, so English (and a lot of other languages) are common. In parts of the town where you encounter a lot of tourists both languages should be equally fine.
Is Flemish and Dutch the same?
Although speakers of English usually call the language of the Netherlands “Dutch” and the language of Belgium “Flemish,” they are actually the same language.
Why does Belgium speak 3 languages?
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.
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 language do people in Belgium speak?
What is the native language of Belgium?
There isn’t just one official language of Belgium, but three: Flemish Dutch, French and German. That’s despite fewer than 1% of Belgians speaking German as their primary tongue. Belgians are, as a nation, extremely committed to language learning.
Do they speak English in Belgium?
The capital region of Brussels is bilingual, so Belgians normally speak French and Flemish fluently. Normally locals also speak English. Belgium has three official languages: French, Dutch and German. In Belgian schools the official two languages taught are French and Dutch, so the majority of Belgians are bilingual.