Chad

Arabic, Standard

[arb] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1996, Constitution, Article 9). 615,000 in Chad (2014 SIL), all users.

French

[fra] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1996, Constitution, Article 9). 1,963,000 in Chad, all users. L1 users: 3,000 in Chad (1993). L2 users: 1,960,000 (Beck et al 2018).

3 (Wider communication)

Arabic, Chadian Spoken

[shu] 3 (Wider communication). 1,640,000 in Chad (2019), increasing. Total users in all countries: 2,061,220 (as L1: 1,991,220; as L2: 70,000).

Bagirmi

[bmi] 3 (Wider communication). Widely spoken as L2 or becoming L1 in neighboring people groups. 44,800 in Chad (1993 census).

Dazaga

[dzg] 3 (Wider communication). 606,000 in Chad (2019). Total users in all countries: 692,400.

Hausa

[hau] 3 (Wider communication). Widespread use as L2 in northern Chad. 398,000 in Chad, all users. L1 users: 100,000 in Chad (Gunnemark and Kenrick 1985). L2 users: 298,000 (2019 Joshua Project).

Kanembu

[kbl] 3 (Wider communication). 845,000 in Chad (2019). Total users in all countries: 877,200.

Maba

[mde] 3 (Wider communication). 542,000 in Chad (2019), decreasing. Very few monolinguals. Total users in all countries: 567,000.

Ngambay

[sba] 3 (Wider communication). 1,320,000 in Chad (2013 J. Leclerc). Total users in all countries: 1,377,000.

Sango

[sag] 3 (Wider communication).

Sar

[mwm] 3 (Wider communication). Lingua franca of regional capital of Sarh. 183,000 (1993 census). 74,700 Madjingay (1964), 16,300 No (1964), 32,000 Nar (1977).

5 (Developing)

Barein

[bva] 5* (Developing). 4,100 (1993 census).

Bedjond

[bjv] 5* (Developing). 36,000 (Caprile and Fedry 1969).

Bidiyo

[bid] 5* (Developing). 14,000 (Jungraithmayr 1981).

Buduma

[bdm] 5* (Developing). 51,600 in Chad (1993 census). Total users in all countries: 54,800.

Daju, Dar Daju

[djc] 5* (Developing). 60,000 (2020 A. Aviles).

Dangaléat

[daa] 5* (Developing). 60,000 (2005 SIL), increasing. 45,000 in Dangaléat Canton.

Gabri

[gab] 5* (Developing). 34,400 (2000).

Gidar

[gid] 5* (Developing). 11,700 in Chad (1993 census).

Gor

[gqr] 5* (Developing). 159,000 (2019).

Gulay

[gvl] 5* (Developing). 163,000 (1993 census). 23,500 Pen in 26 villages (1995 D. Djarangar).

Herdé

[hed] 5* (Developing). 40,000 (1999 SIL).

Kaba

[ksp] 5* (Developing). 70,000 in Chad (1993 census).

Kaba Démé, Sara

[kwg] 5* (Developing). 40,000 in Chad (1993 UBS).

Kaba Naa, Sara

[kwv] 5* (Developing). 35,000 in Chad (1993 UBS). 5,560 in Bale village, 4,940 in Koskabo, 4,550 in Kyabé. Total users in all countries: 39,000.

Kenga

[kyq] 5* (Developing). 40,000 (1997 SIL).

Kera

[ker] 5* (Developing). 44,500 in Chad (1993 census). Total users in all countries: 50,500.

Kim

[kia] 5* (Developing). 15,400 (1993 census).

Kimré

[kqp] 5* (Developing). 20,000 (2007 A. Oumounabidji).

Kuo

[xuo] 5* (Developing). 12,300 in Chad (2011 SIL). Total users in all countries: 20,250.

Laka

[lap] 5* (Developing). 55,100 in Chad (1993 census). Total users in all countries: 57,150.

Lele

[lln] 5* (Developing). 26,000 (1991 UBS).

Mango

[mge] 5* (Developing). 96,000 (2019).

Marba

[mpg] 5* (Developing). 271,000 (2019).

Masana

[mcn] 5* (Developing). 239,000 in Chad (2019). Total users in all countries: 342,000.

Mbay

[myb] 5* (Developing). 80,000 in Chad (1990 J. Keegan). Total users in all countries: 88,300.

Mesme

[zim] 5* (Developing). 20,100 (1993 census).

Migaama

[mmy] 5* (Developing). 20,000 (2000 W. Chesley). 2,000 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 23,000 (1991 census).

Mogum

[mou] 5* (Developing). 7,000 (1997 SIL).

Mundang

[mua] 5* (Developing). 351,000 in Chad (2019). Total users in all countries: 395,700.

Musey

[mse] 5* (Developing). 383,000 in Chad (2019). Total users in all countries: 433,000.

Musgu

[mug] 5* (Developing). 24,400 in Chad (1993 census).

Naba

[mne] 5* (Developing). 510,000 (2019).

Nancere

[nnc] 5* (Developing). 144,000 (2019), increasing.

Ngam

[nmc] 5* (Developing). 43,700 in Chad (1993 census). Total users in all countries: 61,400.

Niellim

[nie] 5* (Developing). 5,160 (1993 census). 1,000 in Sarh city; 400 in Niou dialect.

Nzakambay

[nzy] 5* (Developing). 18,500 in Chad (2000). Total users in all countries: 31,500.

Pévé

[lme] 5* (Developing). 30,000 in Chad (1999 SIL). Total users in all countries: 35,720.

Sokoro

[sok] 5* (Developing). 5,000 (1994 SIL).

Soumraye

[sor] 5* (Developing). 7,410 (1993 census).

Tupuri

[tui] 5* (Developing). 191,000 in Chad (2019).

Bolgo

[bvo] 5 (Developing). 1,800 (1993 census).

Fur

[fvr] 5 (Developing). 1,800 in Chad.

Masalit

[mls] 5 (Developing). 112,000 in Chad (2019), increasing.

Mukulu

[moz] 5 (Developing). 12,000 (1990 SIL).

5 (Dispersed)

Fulfulde, Adamawa

[fub] 5* (Dispersed). 271,000 in Chad (2019).

Kanuri, Yerwa

[knc] 5* (Dispersed). 191,000 in Chad (2019). 34,500 in Chari-Baguirmi and 23,300 in N’Djamena.

6a (Vigorous)

Amdang

[amj] 6a* (Vigorous). 41,100 (2000). Population lower in Wadi Fira (home region) than in Batha and Ouaddaï regions.

Assangori

[sjg] 6a* (Vigorous). 23,500 (1993 census).

Besme

[bes] 6a (Vigorous). 1,230 (1993 census).

Birgit

[btf] 6a* (Vigorous). 10,400 (2000).

Bon Gula

[glc] 6a (Vigorous). 1,200 (1997 SIL).

Boor

[bvf] 6a (Vigorous). 100 (1999 SIL). Ethnic population: 110 (2013 J. Roberts).

Bua

[bub] 6a* (Vigorous). 7,710 (1993 census).

Chadian Sign Language

[cds] 6a* (Vigorous). 80,000 (2021). Estimated 48,000–96,000 deaf signers, assuming 0.3%–0.6% of overall population. Reported 2,800 deaf signers out of 7,000 total deaf (2008 WFD).

Dagba

[dgk] 6a* (Vigorous). 10,000 in Chad (2007 S. Hossack).

Daju, Dar Sila

[dau] 6a* (Vigorous). 63,100 in Chad (2000). Total users in all countries: 70,100.

Day

[dai] 6a* (Vigorous). 49,900 (1993 census).

Fania

[fni] 6a (Vigorous). 1,100 (1997 SIL).

Fulfulde, Bagirmi

[fui] 6a* (Vigorous). 24,000 in Chad. Total users in all countries: 180,000.

Fulfulde, Nigerian

[fuv] 6a* (Vigorous).

Gula

[glu] 6a* (Vigorous). 10,300 (2000).

Gula Iro

[glj] 6a* (Vigorous). 3,500 (1991 SIL). 2,000 Pongaal, 730 Tiaala, 200 Tiitaal, 350 Patool, 170 Korintal.

Kabalai

[kvf] 6a* (Vigorous). 17,900 (1993 census).

Kajakse

[ckq] 6a* (Vigorous). 10,000 (Bender 1983a).

Kibet

[kie] 6a* (Vigorous). 18,500 (Bender 1983a).

Kulfa

[kxj] 6a* (Vigorous). 7,110 (1993 census). 4,000 Koulfa, 2,200 Kouroumi, 910 Bara (1993 census).

Kwang

[kvi] 6a* (Vigorous). 16,800 (1993 census). 10,000 or more Kwang, 2,000 Mobou, 250 Aloa.

Majera

[xmj] 6a* (Vigorous).

Mambai

[mcs] 6a (Vigorous). 2,000 in Chad (2002 SIL).

Mararit

[mgb] 6a* (Vigorous). 42,400 (1993 census). 15,400 Mararit, 27,000 Abou Charib.

Marfa

[mvu] 6a* (Vigorous). 5,000 (1999 SIL).

Masmaje

[mes] 6a* (Vigorous). Ethnic population: 45,000 (2019 IMB).

Mawa

[mcw] 6a (Vigorous). 6,560 (2000).

Morom

[bdo] 6a* (Vigorous). 4,500 (2002 SIL).

Mubi

[mub] 6a* (Vigorous). 35,300 (1993 census).

Mulgi

[mvh] 6a* (Vigorous). 5,000 (2011 SIL).

Ndam

[ndm] 6a* (Vigorous). 6,500 (1990 census).

Ngete

[nnn] 6a* (Vigorous). 10,000 (1991 UBS).

Pana

[pnz] 6a (Vigorous). 1,000 in Chad (1999 SIL).

Runga

[rou] 6a* (Vigorous). 21,500 in Chad (1993 census), decreasing. Total users in all countries: 43,000.

Sinyar

[sys] 6a* (Vigorous). 12,300 (2000).

Surbakhal

[sbj] 6a* (Vigorous). 7,890 (2000).

Tama

[tma] 6a* (Vigorous). 62,900 in Chad (1993 census). Total users in all countries: 289,900.

Tedaga

[tuq] 6a* (Vigorous). 28,500 in Chad (1993 census). Total users in all countries: 57,690.

Tobanga

[tng] 6a* (Vigorous). 30,000 (1999 SIL).

Tumak

[tmc] 6a* (Vigorous). 25,200 (1993 census).

Zaghawa

[zag] 6a* (Vigorous). 159,000 in Chad (2019).

Zan Gula

[zna] 6a* (Vigorous). 5,000 (2003 SIL).

6b (Threatened)

Disa

[dsi] 6b* (Threatened). 2,370 (2000).

Jonkor Bourmataguil

[jeu] 6b (Threatened). 1,500 (1993 SIL).

Karang

[kzr] 6b* (Threatened). 1,000 in Chad (1995 SIL).

Karanga

[kth] 6b* (Threatened). 10,000 (1999 SIL). 4,700 Karanga and 1,420 Bakha.

Lagwan

[kot] 6b* (Threatened).

Lutos

[ndy] 6b* (Threatened). 1,980 in Chad (1993 census).

Malgbe

[mxf] 6b* (Threatened).

Mpade

[mpi] 6b* (Threatened).

Saba

[saa] 6b (Threatened). 1,340 (2000).

Tamki

[tax] 6b (Threatened). 500 (1999 SIL).

Tunia

[tug] 6b* (Threatened). 2,260 (1993 census).

Ubi

[ubi] 6b (Threatened). 1,100 (1995 SIL).

Zerenkel

[zrn] 6b (Threatened). 2,240 (1993 census).

7 (Shifting)

Gadang

[gdk] 7 (Shifting). 2,500 (1997 SIL).

Jaya

[jyy] 7 (Shifting). 2,200 (1993 census).

Kendeje

[klf] 7 (Shifting). 1,860 (2000).

Koke

[kou] 7 (Shifting). 600 (1993 census).

Kujarge

[vkj] 7 (Shifting). 1,000 (Bender 1983b).

Laal

[gdm] 7 (Shifting). 750 (2000). Damtar village had its own dialect called Laabe with 3 speakers left in 1977.

Maslam

[msv] 7 (Shifting).

Mser

[kqx] 7 (Shifting).

Sarua

[swy] 7 (Shifting). 2,000 (1997 SIL).

8a (Moribund)

Goundo

[goy] 8a (Moribund). 30 (1998).

Mbara

[mpk] 8a (Moribund). 1,000 (Tourneux et al 1986).

Miltu

[mlj] 8a (Moribund). 270 (1993 census).

Toram

[trj] 8a (Moribund). 8,460 (2000).

8b (Nearly extinct)

Buso

[bso] 8b (Nearly extinct). 40 (Welmers 1971a).

Fongoro

[fgr] 8b (Nearly extinct). A few elderly speakers (Dimmendaal and Voeltz 2007). Ethnic population: 1,000 (Dimmendaal and Voeltz 2007).

Massalat

[mdg] 8b (Nearly extinct). 10 (1991 R. Blench). Ethnic population: 29,800 (1993 census).

Noy

[noy] 8b (Nearly extinct). 36 (1993 census).

10 (Extinct)

Berakou

[bxv] 10 (Extinct). No known L1 speakers. Last known speakers survived into the late 1990s (1995 D. Djarangar).

Horo

[hor] 10 (Extinct). No known L1 speakers. Probably became extinct in the early 20th century.

Mabire

[muj] 10 (Extinct). No known L1 speakers. Last fluent speaker may have survived into the early 2010s.

Muskum

[mje] 10 (Extinct). No known L1 speakers. The last speaker survived into the late 1970s.

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