Languages spoken in Mexico
North America · Capital: Mexico City · Population 130.7 million
Spanish is the de facto official language of Mexico, which names no official language in law. An estimated 83% of the population speaks it as a first or additional language, or roughly 108.5 million people. The only other recorded language is English, at 13% of the population. Spanish belongs to the Indo-European language family. Spanish is also spoken in all three of its neighbours. In total, two languages are recorded in Mexico, and their shares add up to 96% of the population, which implies the average resident speaks about 1.0 of them.
What languages are spoken in Mexico?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| SpanishIndo-European | 83% | De facto official | 108.5 million |
| EnglishIndo-European | 13% | Spoken | 17 million |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of Mexico?
Mexico names no official language in law. Spanish is the de facto official language. Spanish is spoken by an estimated 83% of the population, or roughly 108.5 million people, counting both first-language and additional speakers. A de facto official language is one used throughout government and public life without being named as official in law.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak Spanish in Mexico?
An estimated 83% of Mexico's 130.7 million people speak Spanish, which works out at roughly 108.5 million speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about Mexico
- Capital
- Mexico City
- Population
- 130.7 million
- Continent
- North America
- Area
- 1,964,375 km²
- Currency
- MXN
- Languages recorded
- 2
- Land borders
- 3
- ISO codes
- MX / MEX / 484
Which countries border Mexico?
Mexico shares a land border with three countries: Belize, Guatemala, and the United States. Spanish, the most widely spoken language in Mexico, is also spoken in Belize, Guatemala, and the United States.
Explore more
Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.