French is one of the three official languages of Belgium alongside Dutch and German. It is spoken natively by around 45% of the population, primarily in the southern region of Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region.
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.
Where are Belgium’s French speakers located?
Most of Belgium’s French speakers are located in the southern Wallonia region, as well as in the capital, Brussels. This is despite Brussels being in the Flemish-speaking Flanders region (we look more at the languages spoken in different regions of Belgium below).
What is the accent like in Belgium?
And above all, the accent is nothing to fret over. In Belgium, there are three major languages spoken: French, Dutch (aka Flemish) and German. Wallonia, in the south (the bit closest to France), is where French is spoken. In the north (closer to the Netherlands), they speak Dutch.
Is French widely spoken in Belgium?
The French-speaking community makes up about 40 percent of the overall Belgian population. Belgian French differs from Standard French in terms of pronunciation and vocabulary, but the two are mutually intelligible.
Does North Belgium speak French?
The Linguistic Lowdown
Generally speaking, the southern half of the country speaks French, the northern half speaks Dutch, and a small southeastern chunk uses German.
Do they speak French in Bruges?
Re: what language to speak? They do not speak French in Brugge, except to tourists. The local language is Dutch (Flemish if you prefer, but it’s the same thing). After that they would prefer to speak English to foreigners.
Do they speak French in Antwerp?
Belgium has three official languages: Dutch (Flemish), French and German. Antwerp is located in the Flemish part of Belgium, where Dutch is the lingua franca. To really appreciate and enjoy your stay in Antwerp, we recommend taking a Dutch language course; it will make your life a lot easier!
Do they speak French in Brussels?
Brussels is bilingual: French and Dutch are the official languages there.
What language is spoken in Bruges?
The Bruges dialect (Standard Dutch and West Flemish: Brugs) is a West Flemish dialect used in Bruges.
| Bruges dialect | |
|---|---|
| Brugs | |
| Pronunciation | Standard Dutch: Bruges dialect: |
| Region | Bruges |
| Language family | Indo-European Germanic West Germanic Istvaeonic Low Franconian Dutch West Flemish Bruges dialect |
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 language is spoken in Ghent?
In Ghent, people speak “flemish” which is basically dutch but with a bit different pronunciation and some other words here and there.
Is Bruges Dutch or French?
Bruges
| Bruges Brugge (Dutch) | |
|---|---|
| Country | Belgium |
| Community | Flemish Community |
| Region | Flemish Region |
| Province | West Flanders |
Is Bruges the same as Brussels?
Brussels and Bruges are two popular city break destinations in Belgium. Brussels, the capital, is famous for being the seat of the EU and home to Tintin. Bruges on the other hand is famous for its canals, bridges and picturesque old town.
Is Antwerp English friendly?
Practically everybody in Flanders speaks English to some degree. A lot of Flemish people will be insulted if you speak French to them straight away, always ask them first if they speak English or French.
What is the French part of Belgium called?
Wallonia, French Wallonie, formally Walloon Region, French Région Wallonne, region that constitutes the southern half of Belgium. The self-governing Walloon Region was created during the federalization of Belgium, largely along ethnolinguistic lines, in the 1980s and ’90s.
What language is spoken in Leuven?
Leuven lies in the northern, Dutch-speaking part of Belgium called ‘Flanders’. Most people in Leuven also speak French and English relatively well.
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.
Which language is dominantly spoken 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).
What languages are spoken in Belgium?
What is the official language of Belgium?
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.
Do Belgians speak English?
In fact, Belgium doesn’t have a single ‘Belgian’ language, but rather three official languages: Flemish Dutch, French and German. Almost all of Belgium’s 12 million residents speak one or more of these languages, while some 38-55% of the population (estimates vary) also speak English as a second language (or in some cases, third or fourth).
Do Bulgarians speak French?
Bulgarians speak a South Slavic language which is mutually intelligible with Macedonian and to Bulgarian has borrowed many words from German, French and English. The Bulgarian language is spoken by the majority of the Bulgarian diaspora, but less so by the Oriental dishes do exist in Bulgarian cuisine with most common being