Belarus
PrintPrimary tabs
Belarusian
[bel] Users: 3,510,000 in Belarus, all users. L1 users: 1,120,000 in Belarus (2009 census), decreasing. The majority of Belarusans speak Russian [rus] as their L1. L2 users: 2,390,000 (2020). Ethnic population: 7,960,000 (2009 census). Total users in all countries: 3,923,450 (as L1: 1,533,450; as L2: 2,390,000). Status: 7 (Shifting). Statutory language of national identity (1994, Constitution, Article 17(1)), largely symbolic use. Alternate Names: Belarusan, Belorussian, Bielorussian, Byelorussian, White Russian, White Ruthenian. Autonym: беларуская мова (Biełaruskaja mova). Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East.
English
[eng] Users: 1,000,000 in Belarus (2020), L2 users. Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English.
Erzya
[myv] Users: 2,600 in Belarus. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Uralic, Mordvin.
German, Standard
[deu] Users: 300,000 in Belarus (2020), L2 users. Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, East Middle German.
Korean
[kor] Users: 1,000 in Belarus (2012 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Koreanic.
Latvian, Standard
[lvs] Users: 1,000 in Belarus. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Baltic, Eastern.
Polish
[pol] Users: 4,220 in Belarus (2011 census). Most Poles in Belarus speak Belarusan [bel] or Russian [rus] as their L1. Ethnic population: 295,000 (2009 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, West, Lechitic.
Romani, Baltic
[rml] Gomel and Vitebsk regions; Minsk City. Users: 12,000 in Belarus (2015 L. Jouve). Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: Balt Romani, Balt Slavic Romani, Baltic Slavic Romani. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Romani, Northern.
Russian
[rus] Users: 6,978,000 in Belarus, all users. L1 users: 6,670,000 in Belarus (2011 census). Russian [rus] is spoken by most of the population in Belarus as their L1. L2 users: 308,000 (Arefyev 2012). Ethnic population: 785,000 (2009 census). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national working language (1998, Languages Act, Article 2(1)). Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East.
Russian Sign Language
[rsl] Scattered. Users: 28,000 in Belarus (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated 19,000–38,000 deaf signers, assuming 0.2%–0.4% of total population. Status: 6a (Vigorous). Alternate Names: RSL. Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language.
Tatar
[tat] Users: 12,000 in Belarus. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Western, Uralian.
Ukrainian
[ukr] Users: 6,300 in Belarus (2011 census). Most Ukrainians in Belarus speak Russian [rus] as their L1. Ethnic population: 159,000 (2009 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East.
Yiddish, Eastern
[ydd] Widespread. Users: 7,000 in Belarus (2017). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, Yiddish.

