What is the language of mexico

Mexican Languages

While Spanish is the most widely-spoken language, the government also recognizes 68 Mexican indigenous languages.

While 68 indigenous languages may sound like a lot, in fact over 130 indigenous languages, along with their unique customs and culture, have vanished. As such, the government has placed a heavy emphasis on the preservation and promotion of the native languages. The Law of Linguistic Rights was created in 2002 to protect the native Mexican languages and encourage bilingual and intercultural education.

The 1917 constitution that was drawn up after the Revolution also had a strong focus on preserving the languages of Mexico and the country’s multicultural identity. The constitution stated that every indigenous group had the right to protect and enrich their own Mexican language. Nowadays, there are over 7 million speakers of indigenous languages in Mexico. While around 20% of the population identify themselves with an indigenous group, only about 6% speak an indigenous language of Mexico.

Some of the most widely spoken languages in Mexico, aside from Spanish, are Nahuatl, which has more than 1.7 million speakers, Maya, spoken by around 850,000 people, and Mixtec, with more than half a million speakers. Interestingly, while Spanish is the dominant language in Mexico, it is not defined as the official language in Mexican legislation.

This allows for more rights to be given to the remainder of Mexico’s languages, including the right to use indigenous languages in governmental communication and official documents.

Languages Spoken in Mexico

What Are the Main Languages Spoken in Mexico?

If you ask your friend to name languages spoken in Mexico, their response would likely be confusion followed by a confident statement regarding Spanish. Curiously, they couldn’t be more wrong! Although Spanish is Mexico’s go-to language, especially among youth, it’s not a daily choice for general Mexican population.

Most people tend to think that Spanish is a sole Mexican language, forgetting, or simply not knowing, about plentiful diverse, rich, and fascinating indigenous languages of Mexico. If you are among those who, don’t click away, as today we will be exploring Mexican dialects, delving deep into this beautiful country’s linguistic heritage.

What is a Primary Mexican language?

As expected, main Mexican lingo is Spanish. It is spoken by 92,7% of  Mexican population. You can see a chart that illustrated language distribution in Mexico below. However, it is not a single official language of Mexico. Last year Mexican Chamber of Deputies declared that Mexican Constitution will recognize both Spanish and indigenous lingos. Native languages will have same legal force as Spanish. Additionally, tongues ​​of indigenous people are legally recognized as part of nation’s cultural heritage, therefore country should contribute to their study, preservation, dissemination, development, and use, as well as promote a multilingual linguistic policy throughout all Mexican institutions.

What type of Spanish is spoken in Mexico?

Mexico is inhabited by about a third of planet’s Hispanic population. Yet, Spanish dialect in this country is still different from common modern Spanish. These changes which occurred to Spanish were caused by influences from local traditions and dialects, and also occurred because some obsolete native colloquial forms were preserved. Considering Mexican Spanish’s unique quality, it’s hard to translate documents that use it. This is where certified Spanish translation services will come in handy.

What language is spoken in Mexico the most?

Mexican Spanish began to emerge from dialects of Latin America’s indigenous tribes, which changed after conquistadors’ arrival. Now situation with spoken Spanish in Mexico is determined by common border with the United States. Many modern Spanish words and phrases have been borrowed from English.
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Information provided by Statista

Mexican Dialects

68 indigenous peoples inhabit Mexican territory, each one speaking their own native language, organized into 11 linguistic families, and are derived in 364 dialect variants. A Mexico dialect is a lingo variant that is specific to a particular community or region. There are linguistic peculiarities across Spain’s different regions, as well as Latin American countries, which are largely quite different from each other.
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As of 2020, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), 25,7 million people, which are 21,5% of population, self-ascribed as indigenous. Meanwhile, 12 million inhabitants (10,1% of population) reported living in indigenous households. Also, 6,5% of national populous is registered as speaking an indigenous language or dialect, representing 7,4 million people.
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When answering the question “what language do they speak in Mexico?”, one can not forget local dialects. Linguistic variants, a.k.a. dialects, are reliable indicators of an enormous Mexico’s linguistic and cultural diversity. Following studies on country’s linguistic reality and to avoid linguistic discrimination, INALI considers that linguistic variants should be treated as official, at least for education, teaching, and administration of justice, health, as well as in matters or procedures of a public nature. As many local dialects are commonly used, they are often needed when applying to various institutions or translating important documents. Check out these medical translation companies for ultimate high-quality translations.

How Many Indigenous Languages Are Spoken In Mexico?

According to official data, there are 69 official Mexican languages – 68 indigenous ones and Spanish. The most widely spoken indigenous Mexican dialects today are Nahuatl, Totonac, Mazatec, Mixtec, Zapotec, Otomí, Tzotzil, and Mayan. So, what language is spoken in Mexico? In latest Population and Housing Census carried out by INEGI, six million people are revealed as indigenous speakers, a figure that includes people over five years old. Despite this, not all foreign language-speaking communities that immigrated into the country are known with precision.

In Mexico City, 55 of 68 national indigenous dialects ​​are spoken. Those with greatest presence are Nahuatl, whose speakers represent almost 30% of total populous, Mixtec with 12,3%, Otomí 10,6%, Mazatec 8,6%, Zapotec 8,2% and Mazahua with 6,4%. View a chart below to see detailed information about what languages are spoken in Mexico in 2020.

Information provided by Statista

People inherit ancestral culture through Mexico languages spoken by local communities, and they should preserve dialects so that more people can learn and appreciate them. Despite the evident linguistic richness that exists in Mexico, due to various social processes such as globalization and marginalization indigenous dialects ​​face possible extinction – as many as 60% are currently disappearing.В

Mexican Languages through History

Development of modern Mexico language took a long time. Before European colonization, Mexican dialects were ​​spoken by merchants, priests, warriors, Purépecha, Otomi, Nahua, Zapotec, Mayan men and women, among others. Of all these languages, the most widespread one was Nahuatl, since it was used by numerous Nahua groups scattered from La Huasteca to Guerrero, from Valley of Mexico to Central America.
In 16th century, Mendieta, SahagГєn, and other Spaniards realized that Nahuatl was a suitable language for science or literature, as it allowed expressing oneself both accurately and abstractly. People found its similarities with Latin, confirming the former as a good choice to be used for politics, economics, jurisprudence. In colonial times it took second place of importance after Spanish.

After independence, interest in national unification grew, so Creoles, indigenous people, and mestizos were adopting Spanish. Modernist ideologies viewed native languages ​​with disdain, considering them backward and primitive. Following the Mexican Revolution respect towards indigenous languages ​​grew, however, Spanish still prevailed as main in many areas, including education.

By late 20th century, as a result of indigenous peoples’ emergence as political subjects, educational policies and discourses were slowly modified. In 1978 the General Directorate of Indigenous Education (DGEI) was created to offer bilingual and bicultural education. In 1998 its name was changed to Intercultural bilingual education.
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This lengthy process defined how many languages are spoken in Mexico nowadays. Today bilingualism is still present. Spanish continues to be used by various local communities, gradually displacing original languages. If you need further help navigating through various local dialects and want to ensure accurate translation of your projects, try online translation services that are well-versed in multiple foreign languages, even rare ones.

Most Popular Mexican Languages

You are probably curious, considering the vast amount and diversity of local dialects, what are the top 3 languages spoken in Mexico? They are Spanish, Nahuatl, and English. Below you can find a list of most commonly used ones in descending order.

Spanish

As was already noted, majority of Mexican population uses Spanish daily. It is also considered to be among the 69 official languages of Mexico and is used throughout the country.

Mexican Spanish is different from common Spanish, which is why if you need to venture out into Mexican market and need localization services, better enlist professional help. These game localization services will be a sound choice.

Nahuatl

It is spoken by over 1,65 million people, mostly throughout central region of Mexico. It is runner-up most spoken language in the country. Curiously, some Nahuatl words are used around the world to this day – they include avocado, cocoa, chili, tomato, and chocolate.

English

It is the most popular choice among not native Mexican languages. About 5% of populus speaks English, with the percentage being higher in the northern region, affected by the proximity to the United States, and in popular tourist destinations such as Cancun. Knowledge of English is often a prerequisite for employment, in tourism, and business. If you use several lingos for your business, these business translation companies can be of great help to you.

Mayan

Mayan is considered one of the oldest languages in Mexico and has a written record dating back to 200 AD. There are nearly 800,000 people who still speak it, and it is the second most important native language after Nahuatl.

Mixtec

It spread from town of Chalcatongo de Hidalgo, in Oaxaca. It is presently used by over 500,000 people in Oaxaca, Puebla, Guerrero, as well as several states of the United States, such as California, due to Mexican migration.

ZapotecВ

This tongue is used by about 490,000 people. Zapotec linguistic grouping is the largest of the Oto-Manguean family. Its historically spoken in Oaxaca, regions of Sierra Norte, Valles Centrales, Sierra Sur, Tuxtepec, and Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

OtomiВ

Otomi is also part of Oto-Manguean. It is spoken in Guanajuato, QuerГ©taro, Hidalgo, Puebla, Veracruz, MichoacГЎn, Tlaxcala and Mexico. It is presently used by nearly 300,000 Mexicans.

TotonacВ

With a little over 250,000 speakers, it is among Mexico languages spoken in an area that includes part of Puebla and Veracruz and extends from the Sierra Norte de Puebla to the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. It belongs to the Totonac-Tepehua family.

MazatecВ

This tongue is spoken by about 240,000 natives. Mazatec linguistic group is mostly spoken in Oaxaca, while only one variant is spoken in Puebla. This grouping belongs to the Oto-Manguean family.

MazahuaВ

Known by over 150,000 people. There is eastern and western Mazahua. Both are spoken in Mexico and MichoacГЎn.

TlapanecВ

It has 147,000 carriers and nine variants. Tlapaneca linguistic group belongs to the Oto-Manguean family, the closest to Tlapanec was Subtiaba, but it is now extinct.В

ChinantecВ

Chinanteco linguistic grouping belongs to the Oto-Manguean family and combines eleven variants. The historical settlements of Chinanteco are in Oaxaca. It has about 144,000 speakers.

MixeВ

Mixe is spoken by almost 140,000 speakers in Oaxaca. It belongs to the Mixe-Zoque family. The closest languages ​​to Mixe are oluteco, sayulteco and tapachulteco, the latter being sadly extinct.В

PurepechaВ

It is spoken by about 140,000 people in MichoacГЎn region of Western Mexico.

TarahumaraВ

It has over 90,000 speakers, mostly in Chihuahua. It has three self-denominations and five variants.

ZoqueВ

It has about 74,000 carriers. Historical settlements of Zoque linguistic group are found in the Chiapas and Oaxaca. It belongs to the Zoquean branch of the Mixe-Zoque family and has eight variants.

TojolabalВ

Spoken by over 66,000 people, Tojolabal is considered a language in itself, because it does not group with any other variant. It belongs to the Mayan family.В

AmuzgoВ

It is known by about 60,000 speakers. The Amuzgo live in Oaxaca and Guerrero.

HuicholВ

Huichol linguistic grouping belongs to the Yuto-Nahua family. It has four variants, which are spoken by approximately 60,000 people in Nayarit, Durango, and Jalisco.В

TepehuanВ

Tepehuan variants are spoken by about 55,000 people. Southern Tepehuano is a linguistic group belonging to the Yuto-Nahua family. The languages ​​closest to southern Tepehuan are North Tepehuan, Pima and Pápago. It is spoken in Durango, Nayarit, Sinaloa and Zacatecas.

Chatino

It has over 52,000 carriers. Chatino is spoken in Oaxaca. It is very close to the Zapotec linguistic grouping.

German and Plautdietsch

Due to migration, there are over 11,000 German descendants in Mexico who still use German. Another Germanic language that is considered native to Mexico is Plautdietsch which currently has about 40,000 speakers.

PopolocaВ

With 44,000 speakers, Popoloca is spoken in Puebla. This linguistic grouping belongs to the Oto-Mangue family of languages of Mexico.В

MayoВ

It is an endangered language spoken by about 38,000 locals in Sonora and Sinaloa.В

CoraВ

Spoken by approximately 33,000 people, it has 8 variants, 7 of them are spoken in Nayarit and one (ElcoracorapeГ±o) in Durango.

TriquiВ

Triqui is kown by about 29,000 people from San Luis PotosГ­, Pame, to Oaxaca, Zapotec. This language family is the largest and the most diversified in the country.В

YaquiВ

It has about 19,000 carriers mainly in Sonora. It is a language in itself because it does not include any other variety.

HuaveВ

It has over 18,000 speakers in Oaxaca. Long ago it was also spoken in a part of Chiapas.

PopolucaВ

With only 17,000 speakers, it belongs to Zoquean branch of the Gulf of the Mixe-Zoque linguistic family. Historically, it’s from Veracruz.

CuicatecВ

It counts almost 13,000 speakers and belongs together with Mixtec and Triqui to the Mixtec subfamily. Historical settlements of this group are from Oaxaca.

Other dialects are plentiful but less commonly spoken.В

Having Learned About Mexico Languages

All historical tongues we discussed today are a valuable part of Mexican cultural and linguistic heritage that our contemporaries should strive to keep. Sadly, people inhabiting countries that have so many local dialects tend to scarcely use many of them due to globalization and the spread of more commonly and universally spoken languages.В

However, modern Mexicans largely recognize the importance of indigenous languages and try to preserve them, making sure that their descendants would have access to these vessels of ancient wisdom and unique historical flavor.
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Not Just Spanish—A Look at the Language of Mexico

Not Just Spanish—A Look at the Language of Mexico

If you’re planning a trip to Mexico, the ability to hablar español will likely help, especially in tourist areas. But if you plan to explore the breadth of the country, you’ll find the language of Mexico divided into 287 different languages and dialects.

While many of these are only spoken by small, isolated pockets of the population, out of the indigenous languages of Mexico, 76 are commonly spoken—and 87 are considered developing.

For example, the Chontal Maya, spoken in the north-central and southern towns of Tabasco state in Eastern Central Mexico, is regularly used by over 37,000 people. Moreover, use of the Chol language, of Mayan derivation, is on the rise among better than 185,000 people.

The Language of Mexico: Its History

Many of the indigenous languages of Mexico boast linguistic data at least 5,000 years old. As early as 2,000 BC, the three major language families of Mexico were already in use: Mayan, Mixe-Zoquean, and Oto-Manguean.

Around that time, the Olmec civilization was on the rise and great migrations took place, with the people carrying their languages with them.

The Oto-Manguean language spread across central Mexico, the Mayan language speakers migrated north, and the Olmecs, primarily speaking languages from the Mixe-Zoquean family, stabilized and settled.

As other civilizations began to flourish over the Olmecs, they brought their own language families, like Uto-Aztecan. Over time, the Aztec, Zapotec, and Mixtec civilizations spread their power far and wide, influencing the spoken languages within their region of influence.

The most widely spoken indigenous language of Mexico is Nahuatl.

This language stems from the Uto-Aztecan language family, which researchers believe originated in the southwestern region of the United States. Speakers of the language migrated to Central Mexico around 500 AD.

Nearly 100 years later, Nahuatl became the most powerful language of the region, spoken fluently across the great Aztec civilization.

Today, it is spoken by only 1,376,026 people, primarily in the states of Guerrero, Puebla, Hidalgo, Veracruz, and San Luis Potosí.

The Yucatec Maya language, commonly called Maya, belongs to the Mayan language family and is principally spoken in the Yucatan Peninsula.

The speakers migrated there around 1,400 BC and, over time, developed a powerful civilization, co-existing with other major civilizations like the Olmec. Today, an estimated 759,000 people still speak the language, mainly in the states of Yucatán, Quintana Roo, and Campeche.

The third most widely spoken indigenous language of Mexico is Mixtec, which belongs to the Oto-Manguean family. This language grew in and around the region of present-day Oaxaca, Puebla, and Guerrero, also referred to as La Mixteca.

The Mixtec culture has existed since pre-Columbian times and was a main competitor of the Zapotec culture. Today, 423,216 people speak this language.

What is the Primary Language of Mexico?

While the government and more than 120 million people use Spanish almost exclusively, it is not technically the official language of Mexico. In fact, the Constitution of Mexico defines the country as multilingual and recognizes the right of indigenous people to use and preserve their languages.

Additionally, the government enacted the Law of Linguistic Rights in 2003, recognizing 62 indigenous languages as co-official national languages. It also establishes bilingual education and promotes efforts to perpetuate the differing languages and dialects found all across Mexico.

Sadly, this effort to preserve and promote the indigenous languages of Mexico is struggling. This is mainly due to the fact that younger generations are more exposed to Spanish and English through global communications.

In today’s fast-paced and modern world, many choose to discard the language of their ancestors.

The Language of Mexico: Dialects

Spanish is the main language used in Mexico, just as it is in over two dozen countries scattered across five continents. And in each of those countries, Spanish has multiple variations, called dialects, that are unique to various regions. Think of the variations in American English between Austin and Boston, and you get the picture.

Mexico is the 13th largest independent country in the world and is home to more than 120 million inhabitants. They will not all speak the same.

Those in the north, closer to the United States, speak a dialect strongly influenced by English. The gulf coast region has similarities to Caribbean languages, while further south the voseo dialect has more than a hint of Guatemalan influence.

In all, Mexico has five distinct dialects that can each be divided into several sub-dialects:

Each has their own particular ways of handling verb tenses, vowels, and articles, and even contain completely different words.

So, depending on the region in which you are speaking, to get drunk is pistear in the North, and emborracharse elsewhere. Similarly, to bathe is pasarse in one region, bañarse in another.

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What is the Official Language of Mexico? Hint: It’s Not Spanish

Mexico’s Many Languages

Originally, there 198 indigenous languages in the country. 130 of the 198 had already gone extinct. Currently, there are only 68 indigenous languages spoken by Mexicans and they are still at a threat of extinction. This is one reason why the Mexican government is making significant efforts to help the survival of the remaining languages.

The Widely Spoken Language in Mexico

Spanish is the widely spoken language in the country. However, the government had not officially proclaimed it as the country’s official language. In 2002, the country’s government had promulgated the law of linguistic rights. This law aims to protect indigenous languages in Mexico.

Revival Efforts to Mexican Native Languages

Even if Spanish is the most popularly spoken language in the country, the government still does not recognize it as Mexico’s official language. The reason behind this is that the country wants to promote its native languages over languages spoken in foreign nations.

Mexico is recognized by the constitution as a multilingual nation. Also, there are relevant efforts by the government in the promotion of indigenous language by providing support to Linguistic Rights.

Currently, the country recognizes a total of 62 indigenous languages. These are the country’s co-official languages.

The Battle between the Spanish Language and Native Dialect

There is a difficult battle between the native dialects and the Spanish language for dominance among the Mexican youth. The Mexican youth is perceived to prefer speaking the Spanish language instead of their local dialect.

Based on official statistics, there are 21 critically endangered local languages while 38 of them are labeled as definitely endangered.

The Three Major Indigenous Dialects in Mexico

The three major indigenous dialects in Mexico are the Nahuati Language, Yucatec Maya language, and the Mixtec Language.

The Nahuati language is the most popular native language among Mexico. It is part of the Uto-Aztecan family that originated in the United State’s southwestern region. Records reveal that approximately 500 speakers of the language came from central Mexico. After a century, the language transformed into a popular language among the locals of the country.

The Yucatec Maya language is the second most popular native dialect in Mexico. It is also popularly known as Maya. This is a 5,000-year-old language. Speakers of this language can be found in the Yucatan Peninsula.

Finally, the Mixtec Language is the third most spoken dialect in the country. This language originates from the Oto-Manguean family. The language was developed around the now called Guerrero, Puebla, and Oaxaca.

Foreign Languages in the Country

Foreign migrants in the country had significantly affected the spoken language in Mexico. The arrival of migrants had resulted in the import of foreign languages. These languages had resulted in natives abandoning their native languages to foreign ones. Some of the foreign languages that arrived in the country are Japanese, Greek, English, Italian, German, Portuguese, Arabic, French, and Chinese.

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How Many Native Languages Are Spoken In Mexico?

Mexico is known as a country that has a rich history and culture. It is recognized as one of the six cradles of civilization, and the tribes that lived there left an important mark on the history of our planet. The Aztecs and the Mayans are the most commonly mentioned ones, but many other smaller tribes were living in Mexico before the country was colonized. Naturally, this left a mark on the population and the lifestyles in the country that can still be felt today. One area where it can be seen more than elsewhere are the languages that are spoken in Mexico.

Spanish is the official language in the country; other languages that are somewhat common are English and German. However, even though the Spanish language is the most widespread in Mexico, there are many other indigenous (native) languages spoken in the country to this day. These languages come from eleven language families, and the Mexican government actually recognizes 68 national languages. Out of these 68, 63 are native languages.

What Is The Official Language?

Spanish is used most often for all official purposes of the government, but it is not the official primary language when looking at legislation. In 2003, a law was approved by the Mexican Congress that aimed to recognize the rich history of Mexico and determine how the country will look at all of the languages that are spoken there.

It was the General Law of Linguistic Rights of the Indigenous Peoples, and through this law, the indigenous languages spoken in Mexico were made to be national languages.

Mexico City. Image credit: Benson Truong / Shutterstock.com

It was determined that all of these languages should be valued equally, and as much as the Spanish language is. The law takes location, context, and territory into the equation, and does not give any type of official status to the Spanish language.

This means that anyone can use their native language when dealing with the government in Mexico, and the official documents they request can be in their language. This is largely because the state of Mexico aims to preserve its rich culture, and it also promotes the usage of native languages through various activities and institutes.

The Most Common Native Languages

The most commonly used indigenous language in Mexico is Nahuatl. This language is a part of the Uto-Aztecan family of languages and is spoken today by 1,376,026 people in Mexico. It is mostly spoken in Veracruz, Puebla, and Hidalgo. The second most common indigenous language is Yucatec Maya, with 759,000 speakers. This language is spoken in the Yucatan peninsula, which should not be surprising at all. Mixtec is the third most common indigenous language, and it is spoken throughout southwestern Mexico. There are currently 423,216 speakers of this language in Mexico.

Traditional Mexican crafts vendors at taxco Guerrero.

These are not the only languages that have a larger number of speakers, however. Zapotec, Tzeltal Maya, and Tzotzil Maya all have more than 300,000 speakers. Continuing the list, Otona, Totomac, and Mazatec all have over 200,000 speakers. The number of speakers for the subsequent languages on the list of the most common native languages starts to fall off, which makes sense seeing as how many of them are endangered. However, all these languages show us what a rich heritage and culture the country of Mexico has, and all of the efforts to preserve them are certainly praiseworthy.

The Number Of Native Languages

The actual number of indigenous languages spoken in Mexico is larger than 63, but the classification counts different dialects and variations as just one language. This goes to show how rich the culture of Mexico is and why it should be preserved. It is believed that there are around 350 different dialects of the 63 officially recognized languages.

Of course, while the law does state that all of these languages can be officially used, Spanish is still the dominant one, but it is expected that with time, more variety will be shown in the usage of languages. Since many of the languages are endangered, the goal should be to preserve them.

Since many people that live in Mexico are immigrants or from an immigrant descent, it comes as no surprise that other languages are being spoken in the country as well. Image credit: Marotoson / Shutterstock.com

Since many people that live in Mexico are immigrants or from an immigrant descent, it comes as no surprise that other languages are being spoken in the country as well. English and German are the most prominent ones. Naturally, given the proximity to the United States, it makes sense that English is spoken in Mexico. Some other languages that are used sometimes are Italian, Portuguese, French, and Greek, among others.