Travelers thinking of going to Spain will no doubt be attracted to its cultural diversity–from small towns encountered on the Camino de Santiago to the rich architecture of Barcelona. But did you know that Spain is also rich in linguistic diversity? While 99 percent of the population speaks Spanish, there are currently about fifteen other minority languages spoken on mainland Spain, including three different kinds of sign language–and more if you count its territories.
In this post, we’ll explore Spain’s minority languages and where they’re spoken so that you’ll get a broader idea of Spanish culture. If you’re excited by the idea of traveling to Spain or even living there, you can enhance your stay by learning Spanish with Rosetta Stone. Our platform uses a uniquely immersive method that stimulates your innate language-learning abilities by offering visual and aural context. Try it out today!
What is the official language of Spain?
Spanish is the official language of Spain, and nearly every resident speaks it. Since Spanish came from Latin, it’s considered a Romance language. In the third century, when the Romans brought Latin to Iberia–comprising what is now Spain, Portugal, and a few other small regions–there were about five languages spoken there. Around the ninth century, Latin began to evolve into Spanish, but it was also influenced by other developing languages on the Peninsula, including Portuguese, Catalan, and Occitan.
Spanish was also heavily influenced by Arabic. Arabs began conquering the Iberian Peninsula, known then as Hispania, in the year 711, starting with the southern region of Andalusia. The word Andalusia itself comes from the Arabic word Al-Andalus.
Over the course of several centuries, different caliphates, empires, and small states controlled varying areas of the Peninsula until 1492. At the same time Jewish people and Christians inhabited Hispania, thus creating a complex cultural and religious situation. Christians living in Arab regions spoke Mozarabic, a Spanish dialect using both Latin and Arabic. Today, about four thousand words in Spanish originated in Arabic, and modern day science owes its origins to scientific texts brought by the Arabs and translated into Latin during the Al-Andalus period.
Spanish is also referred to as Castilian Spanish, or castellano in Spanish, because it relates to the area in Spain known as Castile in the central area of the country, as opposed to other languages that developed in the provinces. Castilian Spanish is the language of Don Quijote, considered by some to be the first modern novel.
Bear in mind that nowadays Spain also possesses several territories such as the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, and two cities in North Africa. When we use the term Peninsular Spain, we’re talking about the mainland.
How many languages are spoken in Spain?
As we mentioned, there are roughly fifteen minority languages in Spain, including sign languages unique to Spanish and Catalan! Below, the most frequently spoken languages are listed first. Note that a few of these languages are considered by some to be varieties of one another.
- Catalan*
- Valencian*
- Galician*
- Basque*
- Asturian and Leonese
- Aragonese
- Aranese*
- Gascon (Occitan)
- Aragonese
- Fala
- Silbo Gomero (a whistled language)
- Portuguese (in a small area)
- Darija Arabic
- Berber languages such as Amazigh and Riffian
- Caló
Nearly half the people in Spain live in a territory where a minority language is spoken. In fact, many territories, 17 to be exact, are considered Autonomous Communities (AC), which are territories in Spain granted some level of autonomy by the Constitution of 1978. Some of these ACs have declared their local languages as official and are even used in governmental proceedings, in some cases. This is a huge step in terms of linguistic rights, considering that during the era of Spain’s dictatorship, from 1939-1975, languages other than Spanish were repressed. The languages listed above now given co-official status in the ACs have been marked with an asterisk.
As you can see, the range of languages spoken in Spain is impressive, and that’s not counting the languages spoken by migrants and visitors! If you go to Spain, one thing’s for certain: you won’t be lacking in cultural stimulation.
Understanding the languages of Spain
To understand Spain, it’s good to have a basic sense of the languages spoken there, especially because language is always connected to culture. Outside of Central Spain, it will not be unusual to hear these languages being spoken alongside Spanish, and Spaniards in those areas may throw in a word or two of their local language, veritat? That means “right” or “true” in Catalan, the second-most spoken language of the country. All of the languages listed below are Romance languages except for Arabic.
Spanish
As we mentioned, Spanish is spoken by almost all Spaniards, and it’s the official language of Spain. Just for the record, it’s also the official language of twenty countries around the world, so if you learn Spanish you’ll be able to communicate with mucha gente…a lot of people.
>>Here’s 100+ essential Spanish words and phrases to get you started.
Catalan
Catalan is spoken by about a tenth of the population in Spain, and it’s an official language in the territory of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, which are a group of islands off the east coast. It’s also spoken in Andorra–a tiny sovereign nation between Spain and France, a small area in southern France called Catalunya Nord, the city of Alghero in Italy, and parts of the Spanish states of Valencia and Aragon. Fascinating, no? Since at least the seventeenth century, Catalonia has displayed certain autonomy from and tensions with the central government of Spain. In the last few decades there has been growing interest in a possible succession.
The language shows some similarities to Spanish, and Spanish speakers will undoubtedly recognize some words, phrases, and verb conjugations. It differs considerably from Spanish in vocabulary and pronunciation.
Some confusion (and even controversy!) exists about the difference between Catalan and Valencian, which is why you might see it listed as “Catalan/Valencian” or listed separately. Valencians may refer to Catalan as Valencian, yet some people consider Valencian to be a variety of Catalan. As an official language of the Valencian Community, which is made up of several provinces, Valencian has its own language academy that oversees linguistic matters concerning Valencian. This academy says Valencian is simply another name for Catalan, but the Royal Academy of Valencian Culture says it’s a distinct language! Most Valencian people agree. No matter what experts or layfolk think, Valencian and Catalan are mutually intelligible languages.
Galician
As its name suggests, Galician is spoken in the western province of Galicia where it’s an official language, and in some neighboring states. Galician, sometimes called Galego, is spoken by about two and a half million people. From Latin, it evolved into Galician-Portuguese in the medieval period when it enjoyed status as a literary language. The language eventually split into the two modern languages we know today. However, some linguists, called the Reintegrationists, consider these two languages to be varieties of the same tongue. As with all languages, Galician has some variety depending on geographic location. It has quite a bit of influence from Castilian Spanish.
Basque
Basque, also known as Euskara, is the only co-official language in Spain that is not a Romance language. Indeed, it’s called a language isolate, meaning it doesn’t seem to come from any other language. Basque is spoken in Basque Country and Navarre, in the northern part of Spain, but there is some controversy about its status in Navarre. Basque Country territory also spills over into France. The Basque alphabet is slightly different from the Spanish one, and it has many inflections, which is a way to change endings of a root word to mean different things.
Aranese and Occitan
Territorially speaking, Aranese is spoken in an interesting region: Val d’Aran is part of Spain and the province of Catalonia, but it’s on the north side of the Pyrenees, the large mountain range between France and Spain. This language, considered a dialect of Occitan, is also a co-official language in Catalonia, along with Catalan. Some consider Aranese to be another name for Occitan.
Occitan was the language of the troubadours–poets, writers, and musicians of the medieval period who created works focused on courtly love–in the area of southern France, northern Spain, and parts of Italy. Today, about one and a half million people in the area speak Occitan, a language close to Catalan, and also a co-official language in Catalonia.
Asturian
Asturian is spoken in a province of Asturias located in the northwestern part of Spain. Belonging to a larger language category of Asturleonese languages, only about 400,000 people in Spain speak the language. It is therefore considered to be an endangered language.
Here are a few cool things about Asturian:
- It doesn’t use the letters j, k, or w.
- Unlike Spanish, it has neuter nouns, which are used for more abstract or uncountable things like water.
- Pronouns go after the verb in affirmative statements.
Arabic
As we mentioned above, Arabic culture had a strong presence for centuries in Spain because of the Arab incursion into the Iberian Peninsula in the eighth century. Nowadays, Spain still possesses territories in what is known as Spanish North Africa: the cities of Ceuta and Melilla, exclaves of Morocco. Moroccan Arabic is known as Darija Arabic, a language that is mostly spoken not written. In general, Standard Arabic is used for written and formal material, but Spanish is still the official language of these two cities. By the way, Spain also has two territories off the west coast of Africa: the Canary Islands, whose Spanish influenced Latin American Spanish, like that of Mexico.
How does “Spain Spanish” differ from other Spanish such as Mexican Spanish?
Now that you’ve learned a little about the range of languages in Spain, you might be thinking that the Spanish spoken in Spain is pretty much the same. Some people might call it “Spain Spanish,” but as we mentioned, the correct term is Peninsular or Iberian Spanish. We’d like to clarify that just as there are different dialects of Catalan and Occitan, there are different dialects of Peninsular Spanish. These are small variations in vocabulary, pronunciation, and sometimes grammar, but all Spanish speakers can understand one another.
Likewise, there is no homogenous Mexican Spanish, which differs slightly depending on the region. It’s also a little different than Peninsular Spanish. Here are a few ways these two dialects vary:
Vocabulary
Mexicans use slightly different vocabulary for certain words. For example, they say la torta when speaking about a sandwich, but Spaniards say el bocadillo.
Pronunciation
The main difference between Spanish speakers in Mexico and Spain is how they pronounce z, ci, and ce. In Mexico, the pronunciation of z, ci, and ce is similar to the “s” sound in English. In Spain, they sound more like a breathy “th” sound. This the famous Spanish ceceo, the softer pronunciation of these letters and sounds.
Grammar
A couple of basic differences can be mentioned in terms of the difference between Peninsular and Mexican Spanish:
- The use of vosotros in Spain and ustedes in Mexico for the third person plural “you.”
- A slight difference in the use of the past tenses.
Indigenous languages in Mexico
A final note: just as Spain has many other languages other than Spanish, Mexico has many indigenous languages such as Nahuatl and Zapoteco.
Explore Spain with Rosetta Stone
As you can see, Spain is truly a melting pot of mostly Romance languages. While Spanish is the official language and spoken by almost everyone in Spain, there are about fifteen other languages spoken there. It’s a hotbed of culture, history, and diversity! One of the best ways to enjoy a trip or a business relationship is to learn the language of the country, and for that Rosetta Stone can’t be beat. You’ll start speaking from day one without a lot of tedious memorization. Why not check it out right now?
Written by Rowena Galavitz
Rowena Galavitz is a Spanish translator, bilingual copy editor, and language and literature instructor with three master’s degrees who loves Spanish and all things Mexico.
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