Look at a map of world languages

Useful phrases for talking about languages on a map

When you want to tell someone which language is spoken in a particular country, or ask about a language on a map, you need a few useful phrases. The good news is that the same patterns work for almost every language and country, so once you learn them, you can use them again and again.

The most useful verb here is speak, and the most useful preposition is in. We use these together in two main patterns:

• Language + is spoken + in + place. Portuguese is spoken in Brazil.
• Subject + speak(s) + language + in + place. They speak Arabic in Egypt.

Both forms are correct, but the passive form (is spoken) is more common when we focus on the language itself, rather than the people who speak it. The active form (they speak) is more natural when you want to talk about a group of people.

Here are some other useful phrases for talking about languages on a map:

• The official language of … is … The official language of Egypt is Arabic.
• … is the main language in … Japanese is the main language in Japan.
• … is widely spoken in … Spanish is widely spoken in Mexico.
• What languages are spoken in …? What languages are spoken in Switzerland?
• How many people speak …? How many people speak Mandarin?

Notice the word order: language first, then the country or region. In English, we say Arabic in Egypt, not Egypt Arabic. This is the normal word order for talking about where something exists.

You can also talk about the people who speak a language. Nationality words in English (Chinese, Brazilian, Egyptian, German) are usually connected to a country, but the language spoken there often has a similar — but not always the same — name. For example:

• People from Brazil are Brazilian, and they speak Portuguese.
• People from Japan are Japanese, and they speak Japanese.
• People from China are Chinese, and they speak Mandarin.
• People from Germany are German, and they speak German.

Sometimes the names are the same (Japanese / Japanese, German / German), but sometimes they are different (Brazilian / Portuguese, Chinese / Mandarin). This is a small but important point to remember when you read a map.

When you describe a language on a map, try to use adverbs of place like mainly, widely, officially, and mostly to make your answer more complete: French is mainly spoken in France, but it is also widely spoken in Canada and several African countries.

Now, look at a world map in your mind and try to describe two or three languages using the phrases above. In the speaking practice that follows, you'll have a short conversation about world languages with another speaker.

Two classmates are looking at a world languages map in their geography lesson. Listen to their short conversation.

Read this sentence aloud. Focus on saying 'Portuguese' and 'Brazil' clearly and at a natural speed.

Read this question aloud. Remember to use rising intonation at the end — the pitch of your voice should go up because it is a yes/no question.

World languages you can see on a map

When you look at a map of the world, you don't just see countries, borders, and capital cities — you also see the languages people speak in each part of the planet. Every country has at least one main language, and many countries have two, three, or even more. In this lesson, you'll learn the names of common world languages and how to talk about where each one is spoken.

Here are eight languages you will find on most world maps. They are among the most widely spoken languages in the world, in terms of native speakers and official use.

Notice that all the language names start with a capital letter in English, even in the middle of a sentence. This is because they are proper nouns — the name of a specific language. We say I study English, not I study english. The same rule applies to country names, nationalities, and days of the week.

Most of these languages are not only spoken in one country. For example, Spanish is the official language of Spain, but it is also spoken in Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and most countries in Central and South America. French is spoken in France, but also in Canada (especially the province of Quebec), Belgium, Switzerland, and in many African countries such as Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire. English is special because it is spoken as a first or second language in countries on every continent.

When we talk about a language, we usually say it is spoken somewhere, not "said" or "used". The verb to speak is very common with languages: Arabic is spoken in Egypt. Mandarin is spoken in China. You can also use it as a verb on its own: I speak English. She speaks French. Try to make a personal connection — which of these languages do you speak, and which would you like to learn?

Try to imagine a world map in your head as you read each name. Which continent is the language from? Is it in Europe, Asia, Africa, or the Americas? This mental map will help you remember where each language belongs.

Look at these eight common world languages. You will see them on any world map of languages.

Which language has the most native speakers in the world?