What Language Do They Speak in Italy?

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Italy

Italy is a picturesque country in Southern Europe, known for its rich history, arts, and culture, evident in its renowned cities such as Rome, Florence, and Venice. The country is famous for its stunning landscapes, which range from the snowy Alps in the north to the sun-soaked Mediterranean beaches in the south. Moreover, Italy is credited with giving the world iconic culinary creations, including pasta, pizza, and gelato.

Languages Spoken

Italy, a country renowned for its rich cultural heritage and historical significance, primarily speaks Italian, which is the official language spoken by the vast majority of the population (approximately 93.02%). However, Italy is also home to a variety of minority languages due to its diverse cultural regions and historical influences. German is spoken by about 0.97% of the population, mostly in the South Tyrol region. French, spoken by 0.48% of people, is primarily used in the Aosta Valley. Similarly, some areas like Friuli Venezia Giulia have speakers of Slovene (0.23%) and Friulian (0.23%). Sardinian, spoken by 0.64% of the population, reflects Italy's island cultures in Sardinia. Other minority languages include Ladin (0.17%), Albanian (0.02%), Catalan (0.08%), Greek (0.08%), Occitan (0.02%), and Algherese (0.01%), illustrating the nation's linguistic diversity.

Different Languages Spoken in Italy

Language data last updated 2024 est. from World Population Review - Italy

LanguageUsage
Italian93.02%
German0.97%
French0.48%
Slovene0.23%
Ladin0.17%
Sardinian0.64%
Friulian0.23%
Albanian0.02%
Catalan0.08%
Greek0.08%
Occitan0.02%
Algherese0.01%
Note: The total may add up to more than 100% as people may speak multiple languages

Useful Italian Phrases

Learn these phrases if you're planning on traveling to Italy

Ciao, come stai?

Hello, how are you?

A friendly greeting to start a conversation.

Quanto costa?

How much does it cost?

Useful for shopping or dining when you want to know the price.

Dove si trova...?

Where is...?

Asking for directions or location of places.

Non capisco

I don't understand

Helpful to indicate that you need clarification or repetition.

Per favore e grazie

Please and thank you

Polite expressions to use in various situations.

Learn to speak Italian

Interested in speaking Italian in Italy? Using Lingocat you can learn the basics of the language and start speaking in no time with the help of our AI Language Tutors.

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