United Kingdom
PrintPrimary tabs
Afrikaans
[afr] Users: 11,200 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low Saxon-Low Franconian, Low Franconian.
Akan
[aka] Users: 18,400 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Central, Akan.
Amharic
[amh] Users: 8,620 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, South, Ethiopian, South, Transversal, Amharic-Argobba.
Angloromani
[rme] Scattered. Users: 90,000 in United Kingdom (Hancock 1990b). Total users in all countries: 99,200. Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Anglo-Romani, English Romani, Gypsy Jib, Para-Romani, Pogadi Chib, Posh ‘N’ Posh, Romani English, Romani Mixed Dialect, Romanichal, Romano Lavo, Romany, Rummaness. Autonym: Romanes, Romani. Classification: Mixed language, English-Romani.
Arabic, Egyptian Spoken
[arz] Users: 22,800 in United Kingdom (2011). Total Arabic speakers in the United Kingdom: 159,000 (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Arabic, Judeo-Iraqi
[yhd] Users: 3,080 in United Kingdom (2011). Total Arabic speakers in the United Kingdom: 159,000 (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Arabic, Libyan Spoken
[ayl] Users: 11,200 in United Kingdom (2011). Total Arabic speakers in the United Kingdom: 159,000 (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Arabic, Mesopotamian Spoken
[acm] Users: 19,200 in United Kingdom (2011). Total Arabic speakers in the United Kingdom: 159,000 (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Arabic, Moroccan Spoken
[ary] Users: 15,200 in United Kingdom (2011). Total Arabic speakers in the United Kingdom: 159,000 (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Arabic, Najdi Spoken
[ars] Users: 10,700 in United Kingdom (2011). Total Arabic speakers in the United Kingdom: 159,000 (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Arabic, North Levantine Spoken
[apc] Users: 51,700 in United Kingdom (2011). Total Arabic speakers in the United Kingdom: 159,000 (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Arabic, South Levantine Spoken
[ajp] Users: 8,940 in United Kingdom (2011). Total Arabic speakers in the United Kingdom: 159,000 (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Arabic, Ta’izzi-Adeni Spoken
[acq] Users: 15,200 in United Kingdom (2011). Total Arabic speakers in the United Kingdom: 159,000 (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Assyrian Neo-Aramaic
[aii] Users: 5,000 in United Kingdom. Ethnic population: 14,000. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northeastern.
Bengali
[ben] Users: 221,000 in United Kingdom (2011 census), including Sylheti [syl] and Chittagonian [ctg]. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Eastern, Bengali-Assamese.
British Sign Language
[bfi] Scattered. Users: 151,000 in United Kingdom, all users. L1 users: 87,000 in United Kingdom (2019 British Deaf Association). Approximately 0.13% of total population. Another estimate: 77,000 (2019 EUD). L2 users: 64,000 (2019 British Deaf Association). Total users in all countries: 151,090 (as L1: 87,090; as L2: 64,000). Status: 5 (Developing). Provincially recognized language in Scotland (2015, BSL (Scotland) Act 2015), requires the Scottish Executive and lesser authorities to develop plans for BSL, for the purpose of promoting its understanding and use. Alternate Names: BSL. Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language.
Bulgarian
[bul] Users: 38,500 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Eastern.
Chinese, Mandarin
[cmn] Users: 22,000 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese.
Chinese, Yue
[yue] Users: 44,400 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Ethnic population: 300,000 (2004). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese.
Cornish
[cor] Cornwall county: scattered. Users: 600, all users. L1 users: No known L1 speakers, but emerging L2 speakers. The identity of the last speaker is hotly debated by scholars. Some sources say the last L1 speaker was Dorothy ‘Dolly’ Pentreath, who died in 1777. L2 users: 600 (2011 census). Ethnic population: 73,200 (2011 census). Status: 9 (Reawakening). Recognized language (2002, ECRML, Part II, Article 7). Alternate Names: Curnoack, Kernowek. Autonym: Kernewek. Classification: Indo-European, Celtic, Insular, Brythonic.
Czech
[ces] Users: 29,400 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, West, Czech-Slovak.
Danish
[dan] Users: 10,000 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, North, East Scandinavian, Danish-Swedish, Danish-Riksmal, Danish.
Dutch
[nld] Users: 26,700 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low Saxon-Low Franconian, Low Franconian.
English
[eng] Users: 60,020,000 in United Kingdom, all users. L1 users: 56,600,000 in United Kingdom (2011 census). England and Wales 49,800,000, Scotland 5,118,000, Northern Ireland 1,681,000. L2 users: 3,420,000 (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 1,452,471,410 (as L1: 372,862,090; as L2: 1079,609,320). Status: 1 (National). De facto national language. Autonym: English. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English.
Estonian, Standard
[ekk] Users: 3,400 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Ethnic population: 14,000 (2004). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Uralic, Finnic.
Finnish
[fin] Users: 6,600 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Uralic, Finnic.
French
[fra] Scattered. Users: 12,767,000 in United Kingdom, all users. L1 users: 167,000 in United Kingdom (2011 census). L2 users: 12,600,000 (European Commission 2012). Status: 4 (Educational). Alternate Names: français. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French.
Ganda
[lug] Users: 3,450 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, J, Nyoro-Ganda (E.15).
German, Standard
[deu] Users: 4,067,200 in United Kingdom, all users. L1 users: 77,200 in United Kingdom (2011 census). L2 users: 3,990,000 (2018). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Deutsch. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, East Middle German.
Greek
[ell] Users: 50,200 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Ethnic population: 200,000 (2004). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Greek, Attic.
Gujarati
[guj] Users: 213,000 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Gujarati.
Hebrew
[heb] Users: 6,200 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Canaanite.
Hindi
[hin] Users: 45,800 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Western Hindi, Hindustani.
Hungarian
[hun] Users: 45,400 in United Kingdom (2011 census). England and Wales 44,400, Northern Ireland 1,040. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Uralic.
Igbo
[ibo] Users: 7,950 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Igboid, Igbo.
Irish
[gle] Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon district: Armagh county; Belfast; Fermanagh and Omagh county. Users: 5,730 in United Kingdom (2011 census). England and Wales 1,560, Northern Ireland 4,170. Widely used as L2 in all parts of Northern Ireland. Status: 6b (Threatened). Alternate Names: Erse, Gaeilge, Gaelic Irish, Irish Gaelic, Ulster. Classification: Indo-European, Celtic, Insular, Goidelic.
Irish Sign Language
[isg] Scattered in Northern Ireland, particularly Londonderry and other areas with stronger Catholic ties. Users: 1,500 in United Kingdom (Parks and Parks 2012). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language.
Italian
[ita] Users: 92,200 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian.
Japanese
[jpn] Users: 27,800 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Japonic.
Korean
[kor] Kingston Upon Thames county. Users: 15,200 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Ethnic population: 40,800 (2019 Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Koreanic.
Krio
[kri] Users: 1,190 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Krio.
Kurdish, Northern
[kmr] Users: 48,200 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern, Kurdish.
Latvian, Standard
[lvs] Users: 32,700 in United Kingdom (2011 census). England and Wales 31,500, Northern Ireland 1,210. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Baltic, Eastern.
Lingala
[lin] Users: 4,910 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, C, Bangi-Ntomba (C.30).
Lithuanian
[lit] Users: 91,700 in United Kingdom (2011 census). England and Wales 85,500, Northern Ireland 6,250. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Baltic, Eastern.
Malay
[zlm] Users: 12,600 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayo-Chamic, Malayic, Malay.
Malayalam
[mal] Users: 37,400 in United Kingdom (2011 census). England and Wales 36,200, Northern Ireland 1,210. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Malayalam.
Maltese
[mlt] Users: 3,110 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic.
Marathi
[mar] Users: 6,410 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Southern.
Morisyen
[mfe] Users: 1,000 in United Kingdom (2005). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Creole, French based.
Nepali
[npi] Users: 52,800 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Eastern, Eastern Pahari.
Pahari-Potwari
[phr] Users: 21,900 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Panjabi, Western Panjabi.
Pashto, Southern
[pbt] Users: 40,300 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Eastern, Southeastern, Pashto.
Persian, Iranian
[pes] Users: 76,400 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Persian.
Polari
[pld] Scattered. Users: No known L1 speakers. Ethnic population: No ethnic community. Status: 9 (Second language only). Alternate Names: Palari, Palarie, Parlare, Parlaree, Parlary, Parlyaree. Classification: Unclassified.
Polish
[pol] Users: 618,000 in United Kingdom (2011 census). England and Wales 546,000, Scotland 54,000, Northern Ireland 18,000. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, West, Lechitic.
Portuguese
[por] Users: 135,000 in United Kingdom (2011 census). England and Wales 133,000, Northern Ireland 2,260. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Portuguese-Galician.
Punjabi, Eastern
[pan] Users: 224,000 in United Kingdom (2011 census). All Punjabi speakers: 273,000 (2011 census). Ethnic population: 471,000 (2004). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Panjabi.
Punjabi, Western
[pnb] Users: 48,900 in United Kingdom (2011 census). All Punjabi speakers: 273,000 (2011 census). Ethnic population: 103,000 (2004). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Panjabi, Western Panjabi.
Romani, Welsh
[rmw] England and Wales, scattered. Users: No known L1 speakers. Last speaker, Manfri Wood, died in 1968. Status: 9 (Dormant). Alternate Names: Kååle, Roma, Romani, Voshanange Kalá, Walsenenge Kale. Autonym: Romnimus. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Romani, Northern.
Romanian
[ron] Users: 67,600 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Eastern.
Russian
[rus] Users: 300,000 in United Kingdom (Arefyev 2012), all users. L1 users: 69,000 (2011 census). England and Wales 67,400, Northern Ireland 1,210. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East.
Scots
[sco] Widespread in Scotland. Users: 1,589,200 in United Kingdom, all users. L1 users: 89,200 in United Kingdom (2011 census). 55,800 in Scotland, 33,400 in Northern Ireland. L2 users: 1,500,000 (2001 census). Total users in all countries: 1,599,200 (as L1: 99,200; as L2: 1,500,000). Status: 5 (Developing). Alternate Names: Braid Scots, Lallans, Scotch. Autonym: Scots. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English.
Scottish Gaelic
[gla] Highland county: northwest Scotland, Western Isles, islands of Colonsay, Lismore, Raasay, Skye, and Tiree; Edinburgh and Glasgow cities. Users: 57,400 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Over 87,000 people with any Gaelic language skills (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 60,130. Status: 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Scotland (2005, Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act). Alternate Names: Gaelic, Gàidhlig Albannach, Gàidhlig na h-Alba, Scots Gaelic. Autonym: Gàidhlig. Classification: Indo-European, Celtic, Insular, Goidelic.
Shelta
[sth] Scattered in Northern Ireland; major cities of England and Scotland. Users: 16,700 in United Kingdom (2008 A. Redmond). 15,000 in England and Scotland, 1,710 in Northern Ireland (2008 A. Redmond). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: De Gammon, The Cant. Classification: Mixed language, Irish-undocumented.
Shona
[sna] Users: 21,400 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, S, Shona (S.10).
Sinhala
[sin] Users: 14,700 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Southern, Sinhalese-Maldivian.
Slovak
[slk] Users: 52,700 in United Kingdom (2011 census). England and Wales 50,500, Northern Ireland 2,260. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, West, Czech-Slovak.
Slovene
[slv] Users: 1,240 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Western.
Somali
[som] Users: 85,900 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Somali.
Spanish
[spa] Users: 4,294,000 in United Kingdom, all users. L1 users: 134,000 in United Kingdom (2013 UNSD). L2 users: 4,160,000 (2018). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian.
Swahili
[swh] Users: 15,100 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, G, Swahili (G.42).
Swedish
[swe] Users: 19,200 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, North, East Scandinavian, Danish-Swedish, Swedish.
Sylheti
[syl] Users: 500,000 in United Kingdom (2020 J. Lloyd-Williams). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Eastern, Bengali-Assamese.
Tagalog
[tgl] Users: 72,200 in United Kingdom (2011 census). England and Wales 70,300, Northern Ireland 1,910. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Greater Central Philippine, Central Philippine, Tagalog.
Tamil
[tam] Users: 101,000 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Tamil.
Telugu
[tel] Users: 14,700 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Dravidian, South-Central, Telugu.
Thai
[tha] Users: 27,400 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Kra-Dai, Kam-Tai, Tai, Southwestern.
Tigrigna
[tir] Users: 12,400 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, South, Ethiopian, North.
Traveller Scottish
[trl] Major cities. Users: 460 (2011 census). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Scottish Cant, Scottish Traveller Cant. Classification: Unclassified.
Turkish
[tur] Users: 99,400 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Southern, Turkish.
Ukrainian
[ukr] Users: 6,580 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East.
Urdu
[urd] Users: 269,000 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Western Hindi, Hindustani.
Vietnamese
[vie] Users: 15,200 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Viet-Muong, Vietnamese.
Welsh
[cym] Widespread in Wales. Users: 562,000 in United Kingdom (2011 census), decreasing. 32,700 monolinguals (1971 census). Total users in all countries: 573,050. Status: 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Wales (1993, Welsh Language Act, C 38). Autonym: Cymraeg. Classification: Indo-European, Celtic, Insular, Brythonic.
Yoruba
[yor] Users: 14,900 in United Kingdom (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Defoid, Yoruboid, Edekiri.