Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French, and German.
- Dutch (Flemish) is the most widely spoken language, used by about 59-60% of the population, primarily in the northern region called Flanders. The Dutch spoken in Belgium is often called Flemish, which includes several dialects such as Brabantian, West Flemish, East Flemish, and Limburgish. Flemish is largely similar to the Dutch spoken in the Netherlands but has some differences in pronunciation, vocabulary, and idioms
- French is spoken by roughly 40% of Belgians, mainly in the southern region called Wallonia and in the Brussels-Capital Region, which is officially bilingual (French and Dutch). Belgian French is very similar to the French spoken in France, with minor differences in vocabulary and pronunciation
- German is the least common official language, spoken by less than 1% of the population in a small eastern region near the German border. This area was historically part of Germany but was ceded to Belgium after World War I
Additionally, Luxembourgish is spoken by a very small minority but has no official status
. English is widely understood, especially in tourist areas and among younger people, but it is not an official language
. In summary, the language you encounter in Belgium depends on the region: Dutch in Flanders, French in Wallonia and Brussels, and German in a small eastern community
