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The official language of the Netherlands is Dutch, spoken by almost all people in the Netherlands. Dutch is also spoken and official in
Aruba Aruba ( , , ), officially the Country of Aruba ( nl, Land Aruba; pap, Pais Aruba) is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands physically located in the mid-south of the Caribbean Sea, about north of the Venezuela peninsula of ...
,
Bonaire Bonaire (; , ; pap, Boneiru, , almost pronounced ) is a Dutch island in the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. Its capital is the port of Kralendijk, on the west (leeward) coast of the island. Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao form the ABC isla ...
, Belgium, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius,
Sint Maarten Sint Maarten () is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean. With a population of 41,486 as of January 2019 on an area of , it encompasses the southern 44% of the divided island of Saint Martin, while the north ...
and Suriname. It is a
West Germanic The West Germanic languages constitute the largest of the three branches of the Germanic languages, Germanic family of languages (the others being the North Germanic languages, North Germanic and the extinct East Germanic languages, East Germanic ...
, Low Franconian language that originated in the Early Middle Ages ( 470) and was standardised in the 16th century. There are also some recognised provincial languages and regional dialects. * West Frisian is a co-official language in the province of Friesland. West Frisian is spoken by 453,000 speakers. *
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...
is an official language in the special municipalities of Saba and Sint Eustatius (
BES Islands ) , image_map = BES islands location map.svg , map_caption = Location of the Caribbean Netherlands (green and circled). From left to right: Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius , elevation_max_m = 887 , elevation_max_footnotes = , demographics ...
), as well as the autonomous states of Curaçao and
Sint Maarten Sint Maarten () is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean. With a population of 41,486 as of January 2019 on an area of , it encompasses the southern 44% of the divided island of Saint Martin, while the north ...
. It is widely spoken on Saba and Sint Eustatius. On Saba and St. Eustatius, the majority of the education is in English only, with some bilingual English-Dutch schools. 90-93% of the Dutch people can also speak English as a foreign language. (see also: English language in the Netherlands) * Papiamento is an official language in the special municipality of
Bonaire Bonaire (; , ; pap, Boneiru, , almost pronounced ) is a Dutch island in the Leeward Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. Its capital is the port of Kralendijk, on the west (leeward) coast of the island. Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao form the ABC isla ...
. It is also the native language in the autonomous states of Curaçao and
Aruba Aruba ( , , ), officially the Country of Aruba ( nl, Land Aruba; pap, Pais Aruba) is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands physically located in the mid-south of the Caribbean Sea, about north of the Venezuela peninsula of ...
. * Several dialects of Dutch Low Saxon are spoken in much of the north-east of the country and are recognised as regional languages according to the
European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML) is a European treaty (CETS 148) adopted in 1992 under the auspices of the Council of Europe to protect and promote historical regional and minority languages in Europe. However, th ...
. Low Saxon is spoken by 1,798,000 speakers. *Another Low Franconian dialect is Limburgish, which is spoken in the south-eastern province of Limburg. Limburgish is spoken by 825,000 speakers. Though there are movements to have Limburgish recognised as an official language (meeting with varying amounts of success, having previously been recognised as a regional language) Limburgish consists of many differing dialects that share some common aspects, but are quite different. However, both
Low Saxon Low Saxon, also known as West Low German ( nds, Nedersassisch, Nedersaksies; nl, Nedersaksisch) are a group of Low German dialects spoken in parts of the Netherlands, northwestern Germany and southern Denmark (in North Schleswig by parts of ...
and Limburgish spread across the Dutch-German border and belong to a common Dutch-
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
dialect continuum. The Netherlands also has its separate
Dutch Sign Language Dutch Sign Language ( nl, Nederlandse Gebarentaal or NGT; Sign Language of the Netherlands or SLN) is the predominant sign language used by deaf people in the Netherlands. Although the same spoken Dutch language is used in the Netherlands ...
, called ''Nederlandse Gebarentaal'' (NGT). It has 17,500 users, and in 2021 received the status of recognised language. Between 90% and 93% of the total population are able to converse in
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...
, 71% in
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
, 29% in
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
and 5% in
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
.


Minority languages, regional languages and dialects in the Benelux


West Frisian

West Frisian is an official language in the Dutch province of Friesland (''Fryslân'' in West Frisian). The government of the Frisian province is bilingual. Since 1996 West Frisian has been recognised as an official minority language in the Netherlands under the
European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML) is a European treaty (CETS 148) adopted in 1992 under the auspices of the Council of Europe to protect and promote historical regional and minority languages in Europe. However, th ...
, although it had been recognised by the Dutch government as the second state language (''tweede rijkstaal''), with official status in Friesland, since the 1950s. The mutual intelligibility in reading between Dutch and Frisian is limited. A
cloze test A cloze test (also cloze deletion test or occlusion test) is an exercise, test, or assessment consisting of a portion of language with certain items, words, or signs removed (cloze text), where the participant is asked to replace the missing la ...
in 2005 revealed native Dutch speakers understood 31.9% of a West Frisian newspaper, 66.4% of an
Afrikaans Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans grad ...
newspaper and 97.1% of a Dutch newspaper. * Westlauwers Frisian **
Wood Frisian West Frisian, or simply Frisian ( fy, link=no, Frysk or ; nl, Fries , also ), is a West Germanic language spoken mostly in the province of Friesland () in the north of the Netherlands, mostly by those of Frisian ancestry. It is the most wid ...
** Clay Frisian ** Noordhoeks ** Zuidwesthoeks ** Hindeloopers ** Westers ** Aasters ** Schiermonnikoogs


Low Saxon

*
Northern Low Saxon Northern Low Saxon (in High German: ', in Standard Dutch: ') is a subgroup of Low Saxon dialects of Low German. As such, it covers a great part of the West Low German-speaking areas of northern Germany, with the exception of the border re ...
** Gronings- East Frisian *** Kollumerpompsters *** Hoogelandsters *** Oldambtsters *** Westerwolds *** Veenkoloniaals *** Stadsgronings ***
Noordenvelds Noordenveld () is a municipality in the northeastern part of the Netherlands. Population centres Water Board Noordenveld Noordenveld is also the name of a former Water Board, which had its office in Roden. Water Board Noordenveld arose fro ...
(Noord-Drents) * Westphalian ** Westerkwartiers ** Midden-Drents ** Zuid-Drents **
Stellingwerfs Stellingwarfs ( nl, Stellingwerfs) is a Westphalian and Friso-Saxon dialect spoken in Ooststellingwerf and Weststellingwerf in the Dutch province of Friesland, and also in Steenwijkerland and Westerveld in the Dutch province of Overijssel an ...
** Guelderish-Overijssels ***
Urkish Urkish may mean: * Urkers dialect, the dialect spoken in Urk in the Netherlands *Urkesh Urkesh or Urkish ( Akkadian: 𒌨𒆧𒆠 UR.KIŠKI, 𒌨𒋙𒀭𒄲𒆠 UR.KEŠ3KI; modern Tell Mozan; ar, تل موزان) is a tell, or settlement mound ...
***
Sallands Sallaans ( nl, Sallands; Low Saxon: ''Sallaands'') is a collective term for the Westphalian dialects of the region Salland, in the province of Overijssel, as well as in minor parts of Gelderland and Drenthe in the Eastern Netherlands. In the Ko ...
***
Achterhoeks Achterhooks (Dutch Low Saxon: ; nl, Achterhoeks ) is a Westphalian dialect spoken in Gelderland. Geographic distribution The Achterhooks language is spoken in the Netherlands in western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Eur ...
**
Twents Tweants (Tweants pronunciation: ; nl, Twents ) is a group of non-standardised, closely related Westphalian, Dutch Low Saxon dialects, descending from Old Saxon. It is spoken daily by approximately 62% of the population of Twente, a region in t ...
***Oost-Twents *** Vriezenveens (this is actually a separate dialect because of West Frisian influences) ** Twents-Graafschaps **
Veluws Veluws is a Westphalian dialect which is spoken on the Veluwe, in the northwest of Gelderland, in central Netherlands. The language was recognized by the government of the Netherlands in 1996 (as part of Low Saxon). Dialects Veluws is usually ...
***Oost-Veluws ***West-Veluws


Low Franconian

*Frisian mixed dialects **
Stadsfries Stadsfries () or Town Frisian ( fy, Stedsk, link=no, ) is a set of dialects spoken in certain cities in the province of Friesland in the northern Netherlands, namely Leeuwarden, Sneek, Bolsward, Franeker, Dokkum, Harlingen, Stavoren, and to som ...
** Midlands ** Amelands ** Bildts * Central Dutch ** West Frisian *** Mainland West Frisian *** Insular West Frisian **
Hollandic Hollandic or Hollandish ( ) is the most widely spoken dialect of the Dutch language. Hollandic is among the Central Dutch dialects. Other important language varieties of spoken Low Franconian languages are Brabantian, Flemish (East Flemish, W ...
*** Kennemerlandic *** Zaans *** Waterlandic *** Amsterdams *** Strand-Hollands *** Haags *** Rotterdams *** Utrechts-Alblasserwaards *** Westhoeks ** South Guelderish *** Rivierenlands *** Liemers *** Nijmeegs **Central north Brabantian * Zeelandic-
West Flemish West Flemish (''West-Vlams'' or ''West-Vloams'' or ''Vlaemsch'' (in French-Flanders), nl, West-Vlaams, french: link=no, flamand occidental) is a collection of Dutch dialects spoken in western Belgium and the neighbouring areas of France and t ...
(including
French Flemish French Flemish (French Flemish: , Standard Dutch: , french: flamand français) is a West Flemish dialect spoken in the north of contemporary France. Place names attest to Flemish having been spoken since the 8th century in the part of Flan ...
) ** Zeelandic ** Burger-Zeeuws ** Coastal West Flemish ** Continental West Flemish * East Flemish * Kleverlands **North Limburgian *
Brabantian Brabantian or Brabantish, also Brabantic or Brabantine ( nl, Brabants, Standard Dutch pronunciation: , ), is a dialect group of the Dutch language. It is named after the historical Duchy of Brabant, which corresponded mainly to the Dutch prov ...
**Northwest Brabantian **East Brabantian **Kempen Brabantian **South Brabantian * Limburgish **West Limburgish **Central Limburgish **Southeast Limburgish **
Low Dietsch Low Dietsch ( nl, Platdiets, li, Platduutsj, french: francique rhéno-mosan or ) refers to a handful of transitional Limburgish– Ripuarian dialects spoken in a number of towns and villages (e.g., Gemmenich, Hombourg, Montzen, Welkenraedt). Th ...


Central Franconian

* Ripuarian **
Kerkrade dialect Kerkrade dialect (natively or or simply / , literally 'Kerkradish', li, Kirkräödsj , Standard Dutch: , Standard German: ) is a Ripuarian dialect spoken in Kerkrade and its surroundings, including Herzogenrath in Germany. It is spoken ...
**
Vaals dialect Southeast Limburgish (Dutch: ''Zuidoost-Limburgs'', Ripuarian: ''Süüdoß-Limburjesch''), also referred to as Southern Meuse-Rhenish, is a subdivision of what recently has been named Meuse-Rhenish. Both terms denote a rather compact grouping of ...
The PDF file can be accessed at the bottom of the page. The relevant citation is on the page 13: "De enige taal waarin Vaals echt te beschrijven en te bezingen valt is natuurlijk het Völser dialect. Dit dialect valt onder het zogenaamde Ripuarisch." Note that Ripuarian is not recognised as a regional language of the Netherlands.


Dialects fully outside the Netherlands

Luxembourgish Luxembourgish ( ; also ''Luxemburgish'', ''Luxembourgian'', ''Letzebu(e)rgesch''; Luxembourgish: ) is a West Germanic language that is spoken mainly in Luxembourg. About 400,000 people speak Luxembourgish worldwide. As a standard form of th ...
is divided into Moselle Luxembourgish, West Luxembourgish, East Luxembourgish, North Luxembourgish and City Luxembourgish. The Oïl dialects in the Benelux are Walloon (divided into West Walloon, Central Walloon, East Walloon and South Walloon),
Lorrain Lorrain may refer to: * Claude Lorrain (1600–82), a 17th-century French artist of the baroque style * Lorrain language, a Romance dialect spoken in Lorraine region in France and Gaume region in Belgium See also * Lorain (disambiguation) Lorai ...
(including Gaumais),
Champenois Champenois (''lou champaignat'') is a Romance language of the ''langues d'oïl'' language family spoken by a minority of people in Champagne and Île-de-France provinces in France, as well as in a handful of towns in southern Belgium (chiefly ...
and Picard (including Tournaisis).


Planned languages

The central office of the
Universal Esperanto Association The Universal Esperanto Association ( eo, Universala Esperanto-Asocio, UEA), also known as the World Esperanto Association, is the largest international organization of Esperanto speakers, with 5501 individual members in 121 countries and 9215 th ...
is in Rotterdam.


References


Footnotes


Notations

* * * * - specifically, see Table 2. {{DEFAULTSORT:Languages Of The Netherlands