Languages spoken in Switzerland
Europe · Capital: Bern · Population 8.9 million
In Switzerland, three languages have official status: French, German, and Italian. Swiss German is used as a de facto official language. Swiss German is the most widely spoken language, with an estimated 66% of the population speaking it as a first or additional language, or roughly 5.8 million people. After Swiss German, the most widely spoken are French at 39% and English at 30%. Swiss German is also spoken in three of its five neighbours: Germany, France, and Liechtenstein. In total, seven languages are recorded in Switzerland, and their shares add up to 177.5% of the population, which implies the average resident speaks about 1.8 of them.
What languages are spoken in Switzerland?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swiss German | 66% | De facto official | 5.8 million |
| FrenchIndo-European | 39% | Official | 3.5 million |
| EnglishIndo-European | 30% | Spoken | 2.7 million |
| GermanIndo-European | 20% | Official | 1.8 million |
| ItalianIndo-European | 15% | Official | 1.3 million |
| Lombard | 4.1% | Spoken | 363,283 |
| PortugueseIndo-European | 3.4% | Spoken | 301,259 |
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 Switzerland?
In Switzerland, three languages have official status: French, German, and Italian. Swiss German is also used as a de facto official language. Swiss German is spoken by an estimated 66% of the population, or roughly 5.8 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 Swiss German in Switzerland?
An estimated 66% of Switzerland's 8.9 million people speak Swiss German, which works out at roughly 5.8 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 Switzerland
- Capital
- Bern
- Population
- 8.9 million
- Continent
- Europe
- Area
- 41,284 km²
- Currency
- CHF
- Languages recorded
- 7
- Land borders
- 5
- ISO codes
- CH / CHE / 756
Which countries border Switzerland?
Switzerland shares a land border with five countries: Austria, Germany, France, Italy, and Liechtenstein. Swiss German, the most widely spoken language in Switzerland, is also spoken in Germany, France, and Liechtenstein.
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.