The Kingdom of Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French, and German. A number of non-official, minority languages and dialects are spoken as well. The Belgian Constitution guarantees, since the country’s independence, freedom of language in the private sphere.
In Belgium you can speak any language you want. For contacts with the authorities three official languages can be used: Dutch, French and German. These languages are not spoken everywhere, because Belgium is subdivided into federated states.
What Are The 3 Official Languages Of Belgium? British Broadcasting Corporation – Languages – Languages. Languages: French, Dutch, and German are official languages. More than a third of the population uses Wallon, the local variation of French. More than 60% of our population speaks Flemish at home, and Flemish is spoken in northern Germany.
Is Dutch spoken in the Netherlands different from the Belgium language?
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 from that in Belgium.
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 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.
Why does Belgium have 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 English widely spoken in Belgium?
Even though English isn’t an official language of Belgium, it is still spoken by 55% of its people. When visiting Brussels, you can see by their bilingual street signs that both Dutch and French are widely used, therefore there is no risk of offending someone when opening a conversation in either language.
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 |
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.
What are people from Belgium 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 I love you in Belgium?
Ik hou van je.
What is the most popular food in Belgium?
Top 10 Belgian foods – with recipes
What is the currency of Belgium?
The euro banknotes and coins were introduced in Belgium on 1 January 2002, after a transitional period of three years when the euro was the official currency but only existed as ‘book money’.
Is Belgium safe to visit?
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.
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 you get by speaking 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 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.
Why is there no Belgian language?
History created the divisions and the lack of national identity in Belgium. In the 5th Century, the Germanic-speaking, barbarian Franks halted their invasion of the Roman Empire’s Latinized province of Gaul along the line of what is now Belgium, and that frontier, more or less, still divides one language from another.
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.
What is the language called that Belgian people speak?
What languages are spoken in Gent Belgium?
What Language Does Ghent Belgium Speak? In Belgium, Dutch is the official language. Flemings Flemish’s use of Dutch is commonly called pejorative by French-speakers, while still being technically Dutch. There are several dialects of Dutch that are spoken in Flanders, often called Dutch lligent dialect.