Languages spoken in Italy - Lingue parlate in Italia

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How many languages are spoken in Italy?
Italy is a country rich in linguistic diversity, with numerous languages and dialects spoken throughout its territory. This richness reflects the country's complex cultural history. Let us have a look at how many languages are spoken in Italy and what language families they belong to.

Official language

  1.  Italian

Italian is the official and majority language of the country, used in institutions, education and the media.

Co-official languages

1. German

  •    Region: autonomous province of Bolzano-South Tyrol.
  •    Language family: Germanic.

2. Slovenian

  •    Region: some areas of Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
  •    Language family: Slavic.

3. French

  •    Region: Valle d'Aosta.
  •    Language family: Romance.

Regional Languages and Recognised Linguistic Minorities

1. Sardinian

  •    Region: Sardinia.
  •    Language family: Romance.
  •    One of the most conservative Romance languages, with archaic influences.

2. Friulian

  •    Region: Friuli Venezia Giulia.
  •    Language family: Romance.
  •    Spoken in the provinces of Udine, Gorizia and Pordenone.

3. Ladin

  •    Region: some areas of the Dolomites.
  •    Language family: Romance.
  •    Romance language spoken in Val Gardena, Val Badia and other Alpine valleys.

4. Occitan

  •    Region: some valleys in Piedmont.
  •    Language family: Romance.
  •    Spoken in the Occitan valleys of the Alps.

5. Catalan

  •     Region: Alghero, Sardinia.
  •     Language family: Romance.
  •     Derived from the Catalan spoken in the city of Alghero.

6. Griko

  •     Region: some areas of Puglia and Calabria.
  •     Language family: Greek.
  •     Language derived from Greek, spoken in historic communities in southern Italy.

7. Albanian (Arbëreshë)

  •     Region: Calabria, Sicily and other regions.
  •     Language family: Albanian.
  •     Language spoken by communities of Albanian origin.

8. Croatian

  •     Region: some areas of Molise.
  •     Language family: Slavic.
  •     Spoken by a Croatian community historically settled in Molise.

Italian Dialects, Italian languages, Co-official languages

Dialects

In addition to the languages mentioned above, there are many dialects spoken in Italy, which vary greatly from region to region. These dialects mainly belong to the Romance language family. Examples include

  • Neapolitan: spoken in Campania.
  • Sicilian: spoken in Sicily.
  • Veneto: spoken in Veneto.

Language families

The languages and dialects spoken in Italy belong mainly to the following language families:

1. Romance languages, derived from the Vulgar Latin spoken in the Roman Empire - Derived from Vulgar Latin, they include Italian, Sardinian, Friulian, Ladin, Occitan, Catalan, Neapolitan, Sicilian and Veneto.

2. Germanic languages - Includes German spoken in South Tyrol.

3. Slavic languages - Includes Slovenian spoken in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Croatian spoken in Molise.

4. Greek languages: Includes Griko, spoken in some areas of southern Italy.

5. Albanian languages: Includes Arbëreshë, spoken by communities of Albanian origin.

To conclude

Italy is a linguistically very rich and diverse country, with a variety of languages and dialects reflecting its complex cultural history. This diversity is an invaluable heritage that enriches the cultural landscape of the country. Knowing and appreciating these local languages is fundamental to keeping Italian history and traditions alive.


Learning Italian on your own requires commitment and dedication, but with the right strategies and resources, you can achieve your goal. Remember to have fun during the process and celebrate every little bit of progress. Enjoy your journey towards learning Italian!

If you would like to expand on any of the concepts or would like to speak to a native speaker teacher qualified in teaching Italian to foreigners, please contact me at info@appylanguage.com. I will be happy to meet you and guide you in a one-to-one online session. Happy learning!

If you have any questions or would like to share your learning experience, please leave a comment below. I'm curious to know how you are progressing on your language journey!

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