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’.
Dutch is the first language in Belgium,Netherlands and Suriname,while German is the first language in Germany and Austria.
How many official languages are spoken in Belgium?
Two bilingual signs (both in Dutch and French) on a street in Brussels. The Kingdom of Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French, and German.
What language do they speak in Brussels?
Marols, also known as Brusseleir, is a nearly extinct dialect spoken in Brussels, and used primarily in informal contexts. It is mostly a mixture of French and Dutch influences. Marols originated from the Brabantian dialect and gained greater French influences after the Kingdom of Belgium was established in 1830 following the Belgian Revolution.
What are the main Dutch dialects in Belgium?
The main Dutch dialects in Belgium are Brabantian and East Flemish. Standard Dutch, as spoken in Belgium, is mostly influenced by Brabantian. There are literary traditions in both the East Flemish and West Flemish dialects.
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 language is mostly used in Belgium?
Dutch. Dutch is the most spoken primary language of Belgium and the official language of the Flemish Community and the Flemish Region (merged to Flanders).
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.
What are Belgium’s 3 official languages?
Official Languages: French, Dutch and German. Wallon, the local variant of French, is used by 33% of population. Flemish is used by more than 60% of the population, and is spoken in the northern part of the country. The languages learned at school are officially labelled French and Dutch.
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.
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 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.
Which language is most spoken in the world?
The most spoken languages in the world
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.
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’.
What religion is in Belgium?
Catholicism has traditionally been Belgium’s majority religion, with particular strength in Flanders.
Is Brussels French or Dutch?
Brussels is bilingual: French and Dutch are the official languages there. Yet Brussels is home to only a minority of Flemish people. This may sound strange, but the reason is simple. For centuries, Brussels was a Dutch-speaking city and today it is still the capital of Flanders.
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.
What percent of Belgium speaks French?
French. Second on the list of most-spoken languages in Belgium is French. The French-speaking community lives in the southern Wallonia region and in the capital, Brussels. They make up approximately 40% (4.5 million) of the population.
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.
Is English spoken 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 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.
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 is Belgium official language?
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.