The primary language spoken in Spain is Spanish, also known as Castilian (Castellano). It is the official language throughout the entire country and is spoken by the vast majority of the population
. In addition to Spanish, several other languages have official status in specific regions of Spain:
- Catalan/Valencian: Co-official in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Valencian Community. Catalan is distinct from Spanish and has about 14.2% of the population speaking it, with Valencian considered a variety of Catalan in Valencia
- Galician: Co-official in Galicia and spoken by about 6.2% of the population. It is a Romance language related to Portuguese
- Basque: Co-official in the Basque Country and parts of Navarre. It is a language isolate, unrelated to Romance languages, spoken by around 3% of the population
- Aranese: A variety of Occitan spoken in the Val d'Aran in Catalonia, co-official there but with a small number of speakers (about 2,800)
Spanish is the only language that is official nationwide and understood everywhere, while the other languages have official status only in their respective autonomous communities. Spanish is the dominant language in public life, education, and official matters across Spain
. In summary, Spanish (Castilian) is the main language spoken in Spain, with Catalan, Valencian, Galician, Basque, and Aranese recognized as co-official regional languages in certain areas.
