Poland
PrintPrimary tabs
Arabic
[ara] A macrolanguage. 2,380 in Poland (2013 UNSD). Non-indigenous.
Armenian, Western
[hyw] Major cities. Users: 2,210 in Poland (2013 UNSD). Status: 5* (Developing). Recognized language (2005, Minorities Act of 2 January, Article 2(2)). Classification: Indo-European, Armenian.
Belarusian
[bel] Podlaskie voivodship. Users: 26,700 in Poland (2013 UNSD). Status: 5* (Developing). Recognized language (2005, Minorities Act of 2 January, Article 2(2)). Alternate Names: Belarusan, Byelorussian, White Russian. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East.
Bulgarian
[bul] Users: 1,700 in Poland (2013 UNSD). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Eastern.
Czech
[ces] Łódź voivodship: Bełchatów county, Zelów; Lower Silesia voivodship: Kłodzko county; Masovia voivodship: Warsaw; Silesia voivodship: Cieszyn county. Users: 1,430 in Poland (2013 UNSD). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2005, Minorities Act of 2 January, Article 2(2)). Alternate Names: Čeština, Český jazyk. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, West, Czech-Slovak.
English
[eng] Users: 12,511,300 in Poland, all users. L1 users: 11,300 in Poland (2020 J. Leclerc). L2 users: 12,500,000 (European Commission 2012). Status: 4 (Educational). Alternate Names: Język angielski. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English.
Esperanto
[epo] Scattered internationally. Most widely represented in Japan, China, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, United States, Brazil, Belgium, and United Kingdom (in order of number of members in the World Esperanto Association). Users: 101,000, all users. L1 users: 1,000 (Corsetti et al 2004), increasing. L2 users: 100,000 (2017 S.V. Nielsen). Status: 3 (Wider communication). LWC on an international level. Esperanto was developed for intercommunication among L1 users of other languages. It is currently used by speakers in over 100 countries of the world. Autonym: Esperanto, Lingvo Internacia. Classification: Constructed language.
French
[fra] Users: 948,890 in Poland, all users. L1 users: 8,890 in Poland (2013 UNSD). L2 users: 940,000 (2018). Status: 4 (Educational). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French.
German, Standard
[deu] Lower Silesia, Opole, and Silesia voivodships. Users: 7,263,600 in Poland, all users. L1 users: 63,600 in Poland (2013 UNSD). L2 users: 7,200,000 (2019). Status: 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Opolskie and Silesian provinces (2005, Minorities Act of 2 January, Articles 2(2), 9). Alternate Names: Deutsch, Niemiec. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, East Middle German.
Italian
[ita] Users: 7,730 in Poland (2013 UNSD). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian.
Kashubian
[csb] Pomerania voivodship: near Baltic coast, lower Vistula left bank; west of Gdansk bay; narrow strip inland, southwest from Gdynia. Users: 107,000 in Poland (2013 UNSD). Ethnic population: 233,000 (2011). Total users in all countries: 117,000 (as L1: 107,000; as L2: 10,000). Status: 6b (Threatened). Recognized language (2005, Minorities Act of 2 January, Article 19). Alternate Names: Cashubian, Cassubian, Kaszubski. Autonym: Kaszëbsczi jãzëk. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, West, Lechitic.
Lithuanian
[lit] Podlaskie voivodship: scattered. Users: 5,050 in Poland (2013 UNSD). Status: 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Podlaskie Province (2005, Minorities Act of 2 January, Article 2(2)). Alternate Names: Lietuviškai, Lietuvių kalba, Litewski. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Baltic, Eastern.
Polish
[pol] Widespread. Users: 36,711,000 in Poland, all users. L1 users: 36,500,000 in Poland (European Commission 2012). L2 users: 211,000 (European Commission 2012). Total users in all countries: 40,629,030 (as L1: 39,964,030; as L2: 665,000). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1997, Constitution, Article 27). Alternate Names: Polnisch. Autonym: język polski. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, West, Lechitic.
Polish Sign Language
[pso] Scattered. Users: 38,000 (2014 IMB). About 0.1% of total population. Another estimate: 50,000 signers (2021 EUD). Status: 5 (Developing). Alternate Names: PJM, Polski Język Migowy. Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language.
Prussian
[prg] Warmia-Masuria voivodship. Users: 50, all users. L1 users: No known L1 speakers. The last L1 speaker died in the early 18th century. L2 users: 50. Status: 9 (Dormant). Alternate Names: Old Prussian. Autonym: Prūsiskai. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Baltic, Western.
Romani, Baltic
[rml] Łódź, Lubusz, and Warmia-Masuria voivodships. Users: 13,600 in Poland (2013 UNSD). Total users in all countries: 34,010. Status: 5* (Developing). Recognized language (2005, Minorities Act of 2 January, Article 2(4)). Alternate Names: Balt Romani, Balt Slavic Romani, Baltic Slavic Romani, Roma. Autonym: Romani. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Romani, Northern.
Romani, Carpathian
[rmc] Scattered, Lesser Poland, Silesian, and Subcarpathian voivodships: border with Ukraine (historical Galicia); one dialect in south Poland border region with Hungary. Users: Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: Romanes, South Polish Romani. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Romani, Northern.
Romani, Sinte
[rmo] Scattered. Users: Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Romanes, Sinte, Sinti, Tsigane. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Romani, Northern.
Romani, Vlax
[rmy] Scattered. Users: 5,000 in Poland. Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Rom. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Romani, Vlax.
Russian
[rus] Scattered. Users: 6,941,900 in Poland, all users. L1 users: 21,900 in Poland (2013 UNSD). L2 users: 6,920,000 (European Commission 2012). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2005, Minorities Act of 2 January, Article 2(2)). Alternate Names: Rosyjski. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East.
Rusyn
[rue] Subcarpathia voivodship: Lemko area, scattered along Slovak border. Users: 6,180 in Poland (2013 UNSD). Ethnic population: 11,000 (2011 census). Status: 6b (Threatened). Recognized language (2005, Minorities Act of 2 January, Article 2(4)). Alternate Names: Lemko. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East.
Silesian
[szl] Silesia voivodship: scattered. Users: 522,000 (2013 UNSD). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Slonska Godka, Szlonzokian, ślōnskŏ gŏdka. Autonym: ślůnsko godka. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, West, Lechitic.
Silesian, Lower
[sli] Lower Silesia voivodship: scattered. Users: 12,000 in Poland. Total users in all countries: 22,900. Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Schlesisch, Schlesische Sprache, Schläsche Sproache, Silesian German. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, East Middle German.
Spanish
[spa] Users: 315,640 in Poland, all users. L1 users: 4,640 in Poland (2013 UNSD). L2 users: 311,000 (2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian.
Ukrainian
[ukr] Major cities. Users: 26,400 in Poland (2013 UNSD). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2005, Minorities Act of 2 January, Article 2(2)). Alternate Names: Ukraiński. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East.
Vietnamese
[vie] Users: 3,970 in Poland (2013 UNSD). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Viet-Muong, Vietnamese.
Wymysorys
[wym] Silesia voivodship: Bielsko county, Wilamowice village. Users: 20 (Wicherkiewicz et al 2018). Status: 8b (Nearly extinct). Alternate Names: Vilamovian, Vilamovician, Wilamowicean. Autonym: Wymysiöeryś. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, East Middle German.
Yiddish, Eastern
[ydd] Major cities. Users: 37 in Poland (2002 census). Status: 8b (Nearly extinct). Recognized language (2005, Minorities Act of 2 January, Article 2(2)). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, Yiddish.

