View source for Languages of the Netherlands

{{Short description|none}}
{{Languages of
| country    = [[Netherlands]]
| official   = [[Dutch language|Dutch]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/erkende-talen/vraag-en-antwoord/erkende-talen-nederland|website=Rijksoverheid|access-date=26 February 2025|language=nl|quote=Nederlands is de officiële taal van Nederland |title=Welke erkende talen heeft Nederland?}}</ref>
| regional   = [[Frisian language|Frisian]] (2.50%),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0027230/geldigheidsdatum_28-10-2014|title=Regeling - Instellingsbesluit Consultatief Orgaan Fries 2010 - BWBR0027230|website=wetten.overheid.nl|access-date=23 August 2017}}</ref> [[English language|English]] ([[Caribbean Netherlands]]),<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0028063/|title=wetten.nl - Regeling - Invoeringswet openbare lichamen Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en Saba - BWBR0028063|website=Wetten.overheid.nl|access-date=23 August 2017}}</ref> [[Papiamento]] ([[Bonaire]]);<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0028142/HoofdstukIII/AfdelingVI/2/Artikel111/geldigheidsdatum_28-10-2014|title=Regeling - Wet openbare lichamen Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en Saba - BWBR0028142|website=Wetten.overheid.nl|access-date=23 August 2017}}</ref><br>[[Dutch Low Saxon]] (10.9%)<ref name="auto1">{{cite web|url=http://taal.phileon.nl/nedersaksisch.php|title=Taal in Nederland .:. Nedersaksisch|website=taal.phileon.nl|access-date=23 August 2017}}</ref> [[Limburgish]] (4.50%)
| minority   = [[Yiddish]], [[Romani language|Romani]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dutchnews.nl/features/2012/01/minority_languages_in_the_neth/|title=Minority languages in the Netherlands: Do you speak Lower Saxon?|date=30 January 2012 }}</ref>
| immigrant  = 
<small> See further: [[Demographics of the Netherlands#Migration|Immigration to the Netherlands]]</small>
| foreign    = [[English language|English]] (90%-93%) (excluding the BES Islands) <br>[[German language|German]] (71%), [[French language|French]] (29%), [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] (5%)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_386_en.pdf|title=EUROPEANS AND THEIR LANGUAGES|date=6 January 2016|access-date=23 August 2017|url-status= dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106183351/http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_386_en.pdf|archive-date=6 January 2016}}</ref>
| sign       = [[Dutch Sign Language]]
| keyboard   = US international QWERTY
| keyboard image = [[Image:KB US-International.svg|200px]]
}}
{{Dutch dialects}}
[[File:Foreign languages Netherlands, 2005.png|thumb|right|275px|Knowledge of foreign languages in the Netherlands, in percent of the population over 15, 2006. Data taken from an EU survey.<ref name="Ebs">{{cite web |title=EUROPEANS AND THEIR LANGUAGES |url=https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/f551bd64-8615-4781-9be1-c592217dad83 |access-date=2017-08-23 |website=Ec.europa.eu}}</ref>]]
[[File:Knowledge German Netherlands 2005.png|thumb|right|275px|Knowledge of the German language in the Netherlands, 2005. According to the Eurobarometer: 70% of the respondents indicated that they know German well enough to have a conversation. Of these 12% (per cent, not percentage points) reported a very good knowledge of the language whereas 22% had a good knowledge and 43% basic German skills.]]
The predominant language of the [[Netherlands]] is [[Dutch language|Dutch]], spoken and written by almost all people in the Netherlands. Dutch is also spoken and official in the [[Dutch Caribbean]] ([[Aruba]], [[Curaçao]], [[Sint Maarten]] and the [[Caribbean Netherlands]] special municipalities of [[Bonaire]], [[Sint Eustatius]], and [[Saba (island)|Saba]]) as well as the [[Flemish Community]] of [[Belgium]] and [[Suriname]]. It is a [[West Germanic languages|West Germanic]], [[Low Franconian]] language that originated in the Early Middle Ages ({{circa}} 470) and was standardised in the 16th century.

<!-- Please list the actual official regional languages first and then non-official (i.e. Limburgish and Low-Saxon) after that -->
* [[West Frisian language|West Frisian]] is a co-official language in the [[provinces of the Netherlands|province]] of [[Friesland]]. West Frisian is spoken by 453,000 speakers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://taal.phileon.nl/fries.php|title=Taal in Nederland .:. Fries|website=taal.phileon.nl|access-date=23 August 2017}}</ref>
* [[English language|English]] is an official language in the special municipalities of [[Saba (island)|Saba]] and [[Sint Eustatius]] ([[BES Islands]]), as well as the autonomous states of [[Curaçao]] and [[Sint Maarten]]. It is widely spoken on Saba and Sint Eustatius. On Saba and St. Eustatius, the majority of the education is in English only, with some bilingual English-Dutch schools. 90-93% of the Dutch people can also speak English as a foreign language. (see also: [[English language in the Netherlands]])
* [[Papiamento]] is an official language in the special municipality of [[Bonaire]]. It is also the native language in the autonomous states of [[Curaçao]] and [[Aruba]].
* [[Low Saxon dialects in the Netherlands|Several dialects]] of [[Dutch Low Saxon]] are spoken in much of the north-east of the country and are recognised as regional languages according to the [[European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages]]. Low Saxon is spoken by 1,798,000 speakers.<ref name="auto1"/>
* Another Low Franconian dialect is [[Limburgish]], which is spoken in the south-eastern province of [[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]]. [[Limburgish]] is spoken by 825,000 speakers. Though there are movements to have Limburgish recognised as an official language (meeting with varying amounts of success, having previously been recognised as a regional language)  Limburgish consists of many differing dialects that share some common aspects, but are quite different.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://taal.phileon.nl/lim_situatie.php|title=Taal in Nederland .:. Limburgs|website=taal.phileon.nl|access-date=23 August 2017}}</ref>
However, both [[West Low German|Low Saxon]] and [[Limburgish]] spread across the Dutch-German border and belong to a common Dutch-[[German language|German]] [[dialect continuum]].

The Netherlands also has its separate [[Dutch Sign Language]], called ''Nederlandse Gebarentaal'' (NGT). It has 17,500 users, and in 2021 received the status of recognised language.<ref>Rapport "Meer dan een gebaar" en "actualisatie 1997-2001</ref>

Between 90%<ref name="Ebs"/> and 93%<ref>{{cite web|url=https://alisonedwardsdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/phd-thesis_edwards.pdf|title="English in the Netherlands: Functions, forms and attitudes" p. 316 and onwards|website=Alisonedwardsdotcom.files.wordpress.com|access-date=23 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304222138/https://alisonedwardsdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/phd-thesis_edwards.pdf|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> of the total population are able to converse in [[English language|English]], 71% in [[German language|German]], 29% in [[French language|French]] and 5% in [[Spanish language|Spanish]].
{{Pie chart
|value1 = 76.2
|label1 = Dutch
|value2 = 5.4
|label2 = Dutch dialects
|value3 = 4.8
|label3 = Low Saxon
|value4 = 3.4
|label4 = Limburgish
|value5 = 2
|label5 = Frisian
|value6 = 8.2
|label6 = Other Languages
|color1=Orange|color2=orangered|color3=green|color4=yellow|color5=blue|color6=grey|caption=Most used language at home of Dutch citizens according to [[Statistics Netherlands|CBS]] in 2019}}

== Minority languages, regional languages and dialects in the Benelux ==
[[File:Map of Dutch dialects according to Heeringa.png|right|thumb|400px|
Minority languages, regional languages and dialects in the Netherlands and Belgium based on pronunciation differences using [[Levenshtein distance]].
{{legend-col
|{{legend|#D0E8F2|West Flanders}}
|{{legend|#C09F65|East Flanders}}
|{{legend|#FBE1CB|Brabant}}
|{{legend|#CACE95|Southwest Limburg}}
|{{legend|#96996B|Northeast Luik}}
|{{legend|#849FAC|Zeeland}}
|{{legend|#EAEDD6|Limburg}}
|{{legend|#F1CCCC|Central Dutch varieties}}
|{{legend|#7F5FA5|Urk}}
|{{legend|#929BF1|Frisian mixed varieties}}
|{{legend|#5A609E|Frisian}}
|{{legend|#EAE1F7|Overijssel}}
|{{legend|#B6A5D0|Groningen}}
}}
]]
The varieties in the Netherlands can be grouped into a major Low Franconian group, the one around [[Almere]] and the rest.<ref name="researchgate.net">{{Cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/240956524|title=To What Extent are Surnames Words? Comparing Geographic Patterns of Surname and Dialect Variation in the Netherlands}}</ref> Limburg is divided into a small area around Weert, a large area until Venlo and an area North of this.<ref name="researchgate.net"/> There is another major group: Low Saxon divided into three areas.<ref name="researchgate.net"/> [[Urk]] is separate.<ref name="researchgate.net"/> [[Friesland]] hosts many of the varieties obtained.<ref name="researchgate.net"/> They can be divided into 
Frisian, archaic Frisian ([[Hindeloopen]], [[Schiermonnikoog]] and [[Terschelling]] island), 
[[Friso-Franconian]] varieties  (Frisian  cities, [[Midsland]], [[Ameland]] island and [[Het Bildt]]) and [[Friso-Saxon]] (in [[Stellingwerf]] and variously also [[Westerkwartier]]).<ref name="researchgate.net"/>
Possible clustering includes the following possible categories not mentioned hitherto: 
''Zeeland'' and ''Central Gelderland''.<ref name="researchgate.net"/>  
[[Midsland]], [[Ameland]] island and [[Het Bildt]] can be grouped together.<ref name="researchgate.net"/> 
Leeuwarden and possibly [[Sneek]] can be grouped together. Dokkum, Stavoren, Kollum and possibly Heerenveen can have single varieties.<ref name="researchgate.net"/>

=== West Frisian ===
[[West Frisian language|West Frisian]] is an official language in the Dutch province of [[Friesland]] (''Fryslân'' in West Frisian). The government of the Frisian province is bilingual. Since 1996 West Frisian has been recognised as an official minority language in the [[Netherlands]] under the [[European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages]], although it had been recognised by the Dutch government as the second state language (''tweede rijkstaal''), with official status in Friesland, since the 1950s.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

The [[mutual intelligibility]] in reading between Dutch and Frisian is limited. A [[cloze test]] in 2005 revealed native Dutch speakers understood 31.9% of a West Frisian newspaper, 66.4% of an [[Afrikaans language|Afrikaans]] newspaper and 97.1% of a Dutch newspaper.<ref>{{cite journal|title=How easy is it for speakers of Dutch to understand Frisian and Afrikaans, and why?|first1=Renée van|last1= Bezooijen |first2=Charlotte |last2=Gooskens|journal=Linguistics in the Netherlands |volume=22|date=2005|url=http://www.let.rug.nl/gooskens/pdf/publ_lingneth_2005.pdf|pages=18, 21, 22}}</ref>

* [[West Frisian language|Westlauwers Frisian]]
** [[Wood Frisian]]
** [[Clay Frisian]]
** [[Noordhoeks]]
** [[Zuidwesthoeks]]
** [[Hindeloopers]]
** [[Westers]]
** [[Aasters]]
** [[Schiermonnikoogs]]

=== Low Saxon ===
* [[Northern Low Saxon]]
** [[Gronings]]-[[East Frisian Low Saxon|East Frisian]]
*** [[Kollumerpompsters]]
*** [[Westerkwartiers]]
*** [[Hoogelandsters]]
*** [[Oldambtsters]]
*** [[Westerwolds]]
*** [[Veenkoloniaals]]
*** [[Stadsgronings]]
*** [[Noordenvelds]] (Noord-Drents)
* [[Westphalian language|Westphalian]]
** [[Midden-Drents]]
** [[Zuid-Drents]]
** [[Stellingwerfs]]
** [[Gelders-Overijssels|Guelderish-Overijssels]]
*** [[Urkers|Urkish]]
*** [[Sallands]]
*** [[Achterhoeks]]
** [[Twents]]
*** Oost-Twents
*** [[Vriezenveens]] (this is actually a separate dialect because of Westfalian influences)
** [[Twents-Graafschaps]]
** [[Veluws]]
*** Oost-Veluws
*** West-Veluws

=== Low Franconian ===

* Frisian mixed dialects
** [[Stadsfries]]
** Midlands
** Amelands
** Bildts
* [[Central Dutch dialects|Central Dutch]]
** [[West Frisian (dialect)|West Frisian]]
*** Mainland West Frisian
*** Insular West Frisian
** [[Hollandic]]
*** Kennemerlandic
*** Zaans
*** Waterlandic
*** Amsterdams
*** Strand-Hollands
*** Haags
*** Rotterdams
*** Utrechts-Alblasserwaards
*** Westhoeks
** [[Kleverlandish]]
*** Rivierenlands
*** Liemers
*** Nijmeegs
*** North Limburgian
** Central north Brabantian
* [[Zeelandic]]-[[West Flemish]] (including [[French Flemish]])
** Zeelandic
** Burger-Zeeuws
** Coastal West Flemish
** Continental West Flemish
* [[East Flemish]]
* [[Brabantian dialect|Brabantian]]
** Northwest Brabantian
** East Brabantian
** Kempen Brabantian
** South Brabantian
* [[Limburgish]]
** West Limburgish
** Central Limburgish
** East Limburgish

=== Central Franconian ===
* [[Ripuarian language|Ripuarian]]
** [[Kerkrade dialect]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kerkrade.nl/de_stad_kerkrade/kerkrade_toen_en_nu/kirchroadsj_plat|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221111356/http://www.kerkrade.nl/de_stad_kerkrade/kerkrade_toen_en_nu/kirchroadsj_plat|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 February 2015|title=Gemeente Kerkrade - Kirchröadsj Plat|website=www.kerkrade.nl|access-date=23 August 2017}}</ref>
** [[Vaals dialect]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vaals.nl/voor-inwoners/cittaslow-gemeente_3683/|title=Cittaslow Vaals: verrassend, veelzijdig, veelkleurig|access-date=9 September 2015}} The PDF file can be accessed at the bottom of the page. The relevant citation is on the page 13: "De enige taal waarin Vaals echt te beschrijven en te bezingen valt is natuurlijk het Völser dialect. Dit dialect valt onder het zogenaamde Ripuarisch."</ref>

Ripuarian is not recognised as a regional language of the Netherlands.

==References==
===Footnotes===
{{Reflist}}

===Notations===
* {{cite web|url=http://taal.phileon.nl/fries.php|title=Taal in Nederland .:. Fries|website=taal.phileon.nl|access-date=23 August 2017}}
* {{cite web|url=http://taal.phileon.nl/nedersaksisch.php|title=Taal in Nederland .:. Nedersaksisch|website=taal.phileon.nl|access-date=23 August 2017}}
* {{cite web|url=http://taal.phileon.nl/lim_situatie.php|title=Taal in Nederland .:. Limburgs|website=taal.phileon.nl|access-date=23 August 2017}}
{{Refbegin}}
* {{cite web|last=Ginsburgh |first=Victor |author2=Ignacio Ortuño-Ortin |author3=Shlomo Weber |title=Why Do People Learn Foreign Languages? |publisher=Université libre de Bruxelles |date=February 2005 |url=http://bib17.ulb.ac.be:8080/dspace/bitstream/2013/1957/1/vg-0155.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025011303/http://bib17.ulb.ac.be:8080/dspace/bitstream/2013/1957/1/vg-0155.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-10-25 |access-date=2007-10-10 }} - specifically, see Table 2.
{{Refend}}

==External Links==
* {{cite web |last1=Koninkrijksrelaties |first1=Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken en |title=Erkende talen - Rijksoverheid.nl |url=https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/erkende-talen |website=www.rijksoverheid.nl |language=nl-NL |date=19 March 2010}}

{{Languages of the Netherlands}}
{{Languages of the Benelux}}
{{Netherlands topics}}
{{Languages of Europe}}
{{Minority languages of Europe}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Languages Of The Netherlands}}
[[Category:Languages of the Netherlands| ]]