Languages spoken in Paraguay
South America · Capital: Asunción · Population 6.1 million
In Paraguay, two languages have official status: Guarani and Spanish. Guarani is the most widely spoken language, with an estimated 80% of the population speaking it as a first or additional language, or roughly 4.9 million people. After Guarani, the most widely spoken are Spanish at 3.2% and German at 2.9%. Guarani is not recorded in any of Paraguay's three neighbours. In total, three languages are recorded in Paraguay, and their shares add up to 86.1% of the population, which implies the average resident speaks about 0.9 of them.
What languages are spoken in Paraguay?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guarani | 80% | Official | 4.9 million |
| SpanishIndo-European | 3.2% | Official | 195,509 |
| GermanIndo-European | 2.9% | Spoken | 177,180 |
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 Paraguay?
In Paraguay, two languages have official status: Guarani and Spanish. Guarani is spoken by an estimated 80% of the population, or roughly 4.9 million people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
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 Guarani in Paraguay?
An estimated 80% of Paraguay's 6.1 million people speak Guarani, which works out at roughly 4.9 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 Paraguay
- Capital
- Asunción
- Population
- 6.1 million
- Continent
- South America
- Area
- 406,752 km²
- Currency
- PYG
- Languages recorded
- 3
- Land borders
- 3
- ISO codes
- PY / PRY / 600
Which countries border Paraguay?
Paraguay shares a land border with three countries: Argentina, Bolivia, and Brazil. None of them records Guarani, the most widely spoken language in Paraguay, so the land borders here are also language borders.
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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.