Languages in Spain

Spain is a country with a rich linguistic diversity.


One of the reasons why Spain is so well known is because of the Spanish language that is spoken here. Spanish, or Castilian, is one of the languages with the largest number of speakers in the world. The Spanish language from Spain has a rich heritage and a long history of evolution that over centuries has developed into the many variations of Spanish that exist today throughout the world. Castilian Spanish is the official national language of Spain.

However, there are other co-official languages spoken in Spain´s many culturally diverse regions that form an important part of the Spanish cultural patrimony. The Basque language (Euskera), Galician, and Catalan are clear examples of regional languages that exist in Spain which contribute to the rich cultural diversity that the country celebrates. Although Castilian Spanish is the official language of Spain, it is not the only language used in Spain.

During the dictatorship of Franco many of these languages in Spain were repressed. However, with the arrival of democracy these regional languages in Spain have been able to flourish again. Today, these languages are legitimate and accepted means of communication respected by the entire Spanish community.