Romania
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Albanian, Gheg
[aln] Bucharest and Constanta counties; Dolj county: Craiova city. Users: Status: 5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2005, National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2)). Alternate Names: Gegnisht, Shqyp. Classification: Indo-European, Albanian, Gheg.
Armenian, Western
[hyw] Scattered. Users: 740 in Romania (2011 census). Ethnic population: 1,360 (2011 census). Status: 5* (Developing). Recognized language (2005, National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2)). Classification: Indo-European, Armenian.
Aromanian
[rup] Constanta and Tulcea counties; Dobrudja region; major cities like Bucharest. Users: 50,000 in Romania (2018 N. Balamaci). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2007, National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2)). Alternate Names: Armani, Macedo Romanian. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Eastern.
Bulgarian
[bul] Arad and Timis counties: Banat region. Users: 6,520 in Romania (2011 census). Ethnic population: 7,340 (2011 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2007, Law No. 282, Ratification, European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages). Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Eastern.
Chinese
[zho] A macrolanguage. 2,040 in Romania (2011 census). Ethnic population: 2,020 (2011 census). Non-indigenous.
Crimean Tatar
[crh] Constanta county: Dobruja region. Users: 22,000 in Romania (2006 A. Goriainov). Status: 5* (Developing). Recognized language (2007, National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2)). Alternate Names: Crimean Turkish, Qırım Türkçesi, Qirim, Qirimtatar. Classification: Turkic, Southern.
Croatian
[hrv] Caras-Severin and Timis counties: dispersed. Users: 5,170 in Romania (2011 census). Ethnic population: 5,410 (2011 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2007, Law No. 282, Ratification, European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages). Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Western.
Czech
[ces] Caras-Severin county: Bigar, Eibenthal, Gernic, Ravensca, and Sumita settlements; Mehedinti county. Users: 2,170 in Romania (2011 census). Ethnic population: 2,480 (2011 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2005, National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2)). Alternate Names: Cehă, Čeština, Český jazyk. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, West, Czech-Slovak.
English
[eng] Users: 6,243,900 in Romania, all users. L1 users: 3,900 in Romania (2021 Joshua Project). L2 users: 6,240,000 (European Commission 2012). Status: 4 (Educational). Alternate Names: Engleză. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English.
French
[fra] Scattered. Users: 2,340,000 in Romania (Beck et al 2018), L2 users. Status: 4 (Educational). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French.
Gagauz
[gag] Constanta and Tulcea counties. Users: Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: Gagauz dili, Gagauzi, Gagauzça. Classification: Turkic, Southern, Turkish.
German, Standard
[deu] Caras-Severin and Satu Mare counties: Transylvania area. Users: 618,600 in Romania, all users. L1 users: 26,600 in Romania (2011 census). L2 users: 592,000 (2018 Eurostat). Ethnic population: 36,000 (2011 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Statutory language of national identity (2001, Local Public Administration Law No. 215, Article 40(7), others). Alternate Names: Deutsch, Germană. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, East Middle German.
Greek
[ell] Bucharest, Constanta, Prahova, Tulcea, and other urban areas. Users: 2,560 in Romania (2011 census). Ethnic population: 3,670 (2011 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2007, National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2)). Alternate Names: Greacă. Classification: Indo-European, Greek, Attic.
Hungarian
[hun] Alba, Arad, Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud, Brasov, Cluj, Covasna, Harghita, Maramures, Mures, Salaj, Satu Mare, Sibiu, and Timis counties. Users: 1,260,000 in Romania (2011 census). Ethnic population: 1,230,000 (2011 census). Status: 2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Harghita and Covasna departments (outright majoities); also in Mures, Sate Mare, Bihor and Salay departments (over 20% total county population) (2001, Local Public Administration Law No. 215, Article 40(7), others). Alternate Names: Maghiar, Magyar. Classification: Uralic.
Hungarian Sign Language
[hsh] Scattered. Transylvania region, especially in counties where a high percentage of the population is Hungarian. Users: 1,200 in Romania (2021). Estimated 1,200 deaf signers, based on 0.1% of approximately 1,200,000 ethnic Hungarians in Romania (2011 census). Status: 5 (Developing). Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language.
Italian
[ita] Timis county: historically in Transylvania region. Users: 1,412,950 in Romania, all users. L1 users: 2,950 in Romania (2011 census). L2 users: 1,410,000 (European Commission 2012). Ethnic population: 3,200 (2011 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2005, National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2)). Alternate Names: Italiană, Italiano. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian.
Macedonian
[mkd] Users: 770 in Romania (2011 census). Ethnic population: 1,260 (2011 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Macedoneana. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Eastern.
Polish
[pol] Suceava county. Users: 2,080 in Romania (2011 census). Ethnic population: 2,540 (2011 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2007, National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2)). Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, West, Lechitic.
Romani, Balkan
[rmn] Scattered. Black Sea region. Users: Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Romani ćhib. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Romani, Balkan.
Romani, Carpathian
[rmc] Cluj county; Mures county: Bahnea, Glodeni, and Targu Mures. Users: Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: Romanes, Romungro. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Romani, Northern.
Romani, Vlax
[rmy] Caras-Severin and Dolj counties: largest concentrations; scattered elsewhere south and southeast. Users: 246,000 in Romania (2011 census). 6,000,000 to 11,000,000 Roma worldwide (1987 I. Hancock). Ethnic population: 622,000 (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 566,980. Status: 6b (Threatened). Recognized language (2001, Local Public Administration Law No. 215, Article 40(7), others). Alternate Names: Danubian, Gypsy, Roma, Romanese, Tsigene, Vlax Romany. Autonym: Romani. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Romani, Vlax.
Romanian
[ron] Widespread. Users: 18,100,000 in Romania (2018). Total users in all countries: 24,054,420. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (2003, Constitution, Article 13). Alternate Names: Daco-Rumanian, Moldavian, Roumanian, Rumanian. Autonym: Limba română, româneşte. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Eastern.
Romanian Sign Language
[rms] Scattered. Users: 24,600 in Romania (2021 EUD). About 0.12% of total population. Other estimates: at least 20,000 deaf signers (Eberle et al 2015); 93,500 (2014 IMB). Status: 5 (Developing). Recognized language (2006, Legea nr. 448/2006), in the context of general disability legislation. Recognized language (2020, Decret nr. 213/2020, 2020-03-27), as the mother-tongue of Romanian deaf, from a linguistic/cultural perspective. Alternate Names: LMGR, LSR, Limba semnelor române, Limbajul mimico-gestual romanesc, Limbajul semenelor romanesc. Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language.
Romany
[rom] A macrolanguage. Population total all languages (L1 only): 1,581,890. Includes: Balkan Romani [rmn] (Serbia), Baltic Romani [rml] (Poland), Carpathian Romani [rmc] (Slovakia), Kalo Finnish Romani [rmf] (Finland), Sinte Romani [rmo] (Germany), Vlax Romani [rmy], Welsh Romani [rmw] (United Kingdom).
Russian
[rus] Constanta, Suceava, and Tulcea counties. Users: 150,000 in Romania (Arefyev 2012), all users. L1 users: 18,900 (2011 census). Ethnic population: 23,500 (2011 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2007, National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2)). Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East.
Serbian
[srp] Arad, Caras-Severin, Mehedinti, and Timis counties. Users: 16,800 in Romania (2014 UNSD). Ethnic population: 18,000 (2011 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2007, National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2)). Alternate Names: Serbo-Croatian. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Western.
Slovak
[slk] Arad, Bihor, Salaj, and Timis counties. Users: 12,800 in Romania (2011 census). Ethnic population: 13,700 (2011 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2001, Local Public Administration Law No. 215, Article 40(7), others). Alternate Names: Slovenčina, Slovenský Jazyk. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, West, Czech-Slovak.
Spanish
[spa] Users: 476,000 in Romania (2018), L2 users. Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian.
Tatar
[tat] Users: 17,700 in Romania (2011 census). Ethnic population: 20,300 (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Western, Uralian.
Transylvanian Saxon
[ltz] Bistrita-Nasaud, Brasov, Hunedoara, Mures, and Sibiu counties: scattered. Users: 19,000 in Romania (2020 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity. Status: 7 (Shifting). Alternate Names: Limba săsească, Siweberjesch Såksesch. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, West Middle German, Moselle Franconian.
Turkish
[tur] Constanta and Tulcea counties: Dobruja region, southeast along the Danube. Users: 25,300 in Romania (2011 census). Ethnic population: 27,700 (2011 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2007, National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2)). Alternate Names: Osmanli, Türkçe. Classification: Turkic, Southern, Turkish.
Ukrainian
[ukr] Arad, Botosani, Caras-Severin, Maramures, Satu Mare, Suceava, and Timis counties; Tulcea county in southeast (Danube delta). Users: 48,900 in Romania (2011 census). Ethnic population: 50,900 (2011 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2001, Local Public Administration Law No. 215, Article 40(7), others). Alternate Names: Ucrainean. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East.
Yiddish, Eastern
[ydd] Bucharest county. Users: 640 in Romania (2011 census). Status: 7 (Shifting). Recognized language (2005, National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2)). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, Yiddish.