The most widely spoken language in Singapore is English, followed by Mandarin Chinese, both of which are official languages. According to Singapore’s 2020 census, just under half (48.3%) of the population speaks English at home as their first language, and the half of the population that speaks Mandarin Chinese at home (29.9%) also speaks English.
While prioritizing English gives Singapore a leg up on the global stage, its national pride shines through how it encourages its different ethnic communities to learn the language associated with their heritage (namely Mandarin Chinese, Malay, or Tamil). This linguistic diversity speaks to the cultural diversity within one city-state. Even so, visitors to Singapore will have a relatively easy time communicating if they speak English or Mandarin Chinese (or both!).
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What is the official language of Singapore?
Singapore has four official languages (per the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore): Malay, Mandarin Chinese, Tamil, and English. Malay is also the national language and is written using Roman letters (the same as English). The breakdown of the primary languages spoken at home is as follows:
| Language | Percentage | Approximate Number of Speakers |
| English | 48.3% | 2.75 million |
| Mandarin Chinese | 29.9% | 1.7 million |
| Other Chinese dialects | 8.7% | 495,000 |
| Malay | 9.2% | 523,000 |
| Tamil | 2.5% | 142,000 |
| Other | 1.4% | 80,000 |
*Singapore Department of Statistics
Singapore also has its own sign language, referred to as Singapore Sign Language (SgSL). The history of SgSL reflects the two largest languages in Singapore, as it was influenced by Shanghainese Sign Language (SSL), American Sign Language (ASL), and Signing Exact English II (SEE-II).
How many languages are spoken in Singapore?
According to Ethnologue, 25 languages are spoken in Singapore. The four official languages—English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay, and Tamil—are the most emphasized. However, there are also other notable languages due to Singapore’s bilingual policy that values its citizens learning their cultural language, particularly those with Chinese, Malay, and Indian heritage.
- English
- Mandarin Chinese
- Chinese dialects (Hokkien, Teochew, and Cantonese)
- Malay
- Tamil
- Bengali
- Gujarati
- Hindi
- Punjabi
- Urdu
Top 3 most spoken languages in Singapore
The three languages spoken the most in Singapore are English, Mandarin Chinese, and Malay. There is significant overlap in speakers between the various dialects of Chinese in Singapore and English, resulting in a population that predominantly speaks English and some dialect of Chinese.
Understanding the role these languages play in Singapore will help you with navigation and everyday life, and you’ll get a sense of how language and society merge in such a multicultural country.
1. English
English is the most widely spoken language in Singapore with 48.3% of the population speaking it as their primary language. If you were to ask a Singaporean what language is spoken in Singapore, English would likely be their first answer.
The prevalence of English in Singapore also makes the country stand out among its Southeast Asia neighbors, and it’s one of Asia’s few official English-speaking countries). English functions as the primary language used in education, business, and government.
English has been an official language since the establishment of the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore in 1965, but it only became Singapore’s most widely spoken language in the 2010s. The percentage of primary English speakers has more than doubled since the start of the millennium, jumping from 23.0% in 2000 to 48.3% in 2020 (Singapore Department of Statistics).
Among the Singaporeans who speak English as their primary language, most also speak a second language.
| Second Language | Percentage |
| Mandarin Chinese | 56.1% |
| Other Chinese dialects | 7.2% |
| Malay | 13.5% |
| Tamil | 5.1% |
| Other | 4.9% |
| No second language | 13.2% |
*Singapore Department of Statistics
2. Mandarin Chinese
More than a quarter of the population (29.9%) in Singapore speaks Mandarin Chinese as a primary language. Until it was eclipsed by English in the 2015 census, Mandarin Chinese was the most widely spoken primary language in Singapore. Regardless of which is more dominant, English and Mandarin Chinese are the two most spoken languages in the world, making Singapore a particularly accessible location in terms of language exchange for over two billion people.
The 2025 annual report on Population Trends by the Department of Statistics showed that 73.9% of Singapore’s population is of the Chinese ethnic group. This statistic includes people who speak any Chinese dialect, but Mandarin is by far the most common in modern Singapore.
3. Malay
Malay is the only indigenous official language of Singapore, and it’s a part of the Austronesian language family. Spoken by about 9.2% of Singaporeans as a primary language, Malay is the national language of Singapore as well as one of the official languages. Even so, Malay usage as the primary language has dropped significantly in recent years, dropping from 23.8% of the population in 2000.
Despite the prevalence of English and Mandarin Chinese over Malay in terms of speakers in Singapore, maintaining the presence and usage of Malay is a matter of national pride. In fact, Article 152 of the Constitution specifically recognizes “the special position of the Malays, who are the indigenous people of Singapore,” and directs the government to take extra care to preserve the Malay culture and language.
Singlish vs. Standard English
Although English is an official language of Singapore, many in Singapore speak Singlish, an English creole also called Singapore Colloquial English. Singlish usage isn’t gauged by the official census, but most of the population uses it in some capacity. Singlish vocabulary and grammar are both heavily influenced by the other major languages in Singapore: Chinese (several dialects), Malay, and various Indian languages.
Singlish has made such an impact that dozens of Singlish terms have been added to the Oxford English Dictionary, some of which are included here.
| Singlish | Standard English |
| alamak | oh my gosh |
| ang moh | Caucasian person |
| blur | unaware, ignorant, confused |
| can | yes |
| chope | to reserve or hold |
| Ingrish | English |
| neh mine | nevermind |
| orready | already |
| shiok | exceptionally good |
| siao | crazy |
Singlish grammar largely deviates from Standard English, although it’s oftentimes similar enough to still be comprehensible by someone unfamiliar with Singlish.
- Why early don’t say? = Why didn’t you say something earlier?
- How can? = How is that possible?
- This one how much? = How much is this?
The sentence suffix lah (or sometimes leh and lor) is a staple of Singlish. It usually adds a positive feeling to the sentence, and is almost never used in a negative way.
- Okay lah. = Okay.
- Can lah. = Yes.
Some people disagree on the value of Singlish and its use. The government has historically discouraged the use of Singlish (such as through the Speak Good English Movement, or SGEM), as it has been seen as counterproductive to English in Singapore fostering international communication. However, supporters of Singlish point out that it demonstrates the cultural and linguistic diversity in Singapore and is something to be celebrated.
What is the bilingual policy in Singapore?
The Ministry of Education requires that students in primary schools learn two languages under Singapore’s bilingual policy: English and their Mother Tongue Language (MTL). The reasoning behind this is that English will best prepare students for international relations, including business, diplomacy, and technology. It also allows for intercommunication between people with different backgrounds. The requirement to study a mother tongue is intended to give students a path to access their own cultural heritage.
A student’s required mother tongue is dictated by their ethnic group:
- Chinese ethnicity: Mandarin Chinese
- Malay ethnicity: Malay
- Indian ethnicity: Tamil
Singapore’s bilingual policy does make some incorrect assumptions in its goal to connect ethnic groups with their mother tongue. For example, not all Singaporeans of Chinese descent speak Mandarin, nor do all Singaporeans of Indian descent speak Tamil. However, the policy allows for some exceptions or exemptions, including other approved languages for study like French, Japanese, and Thai. Students of Indian ethnicity can also study Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi or Urdu if they don’t speak Tamil.
FAQs about the languages of Singapore
It’s understandable to seek clarification on what language is spoken in Singapore, as Singapore has a unique relationship with its official languages. Discover what frequently asked questions other curious linguists are posing and see if they answer any of your own questions.
Is English spoken in Singapore?
Yes, English is the most widely spoken language in Singapore and it’s a Singapore official language. English is spoken as the primary language by 48.3% of the population, and schools primarily use English for education.
What language do they speak in Singapore?
Most people speak English in Singapore, which is one of the official languages. However, you’ll probably also hear or see Mandarin Chinese, Malay, or Tamil, which are the other three official languages.
How do you say ‘hello’ in Singapore?
You can say “hello!” in English as a greeting, as English is one of the official languages in Singapore and the most widely spoken. You can also say “hello” in different languages depending on who you’re talking to, like one of the other three official languages: nǐ hǎo (Mandarin Chinese), selamat sejahtera (Malay), or vanakkam (Tamil).
Do Singaporeans speak Chinese or Mandarin?
Mandarin Chinese (the dialect almost synonymous with the Chinese language as a whole) is one of the official languages of Singapore, and 29.9% of the population speaks it as a primary language. Some people also speak other Chinese dialects, like Hokkien, Teochew, and Cantonese.
Can I survive in Singapore with only English?
Yes! English is the most prevalent language in Singapore, particularly because it’s the international lingua franca. You might also want to take some time to learn Chinese greetings or simple questions, as Mandarin Chinese is the primary language of about a quarter of the population.
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