What Language Do They Speak in Luxembourg? The Three Official Languages Explained

Luxembourg is one of only a handful of countries in the world with three official languages: Luxembourgish, French and German. Add the fact that roughly half the resident population is foreign-born, and you get a country where it is common to switch between four or five languages in a single day. For visitors and new arrivals, the most-Googled question is simple: which language do I actually need?

The three official languages

Luxembourg's 1984 Language Law sets out a clear division of roles:

Luxembourgish (Lëtzebuergesch) is the national language. It is what Luxembourgers speak among themselves at home, in everyday conversation, and increasingly in politics. It is a West Germanic language related to Moselle Franconian dialects.

French is the language of legislation. All laws are drafted in French, and it dominates administration, hospitality, retail and large parts of the service economy. Most cross-border commuters from France and Belgium work in French.

German is the dominant language of print media (most national newspapers publish primarily in German) and traditionally of primary education, where children learned to read and write in German first.

Where you will actually hear each language

In practice, the language you encounter depends on where you are:

Restaurants, hotels and shops in Luxembourg City: mostly French, often English.

Government offices and official paperwork: French (legal) and Luxembourgish (spoken).

Local bakeries, village pubs and small towns in the north: Luxembourgish first.

Newspapers and broadcast news: mostly German for print, Luxembourgish and French for radio and television.

The financial sector and EU institutions: overwhelmingly English.

What about English?

English is not an official language, but it is the working language of Luxembourg's financial sector and of the EU institutions based in the Kirchberg district — the Court of Justice of the European Union, the European Court of Auditors, the European Investment Bank and the Secretariat of the European Parliament. According to European Commission Eurobarometer surveys, around 56% of Luxembourg residents speak English well enough to hold a conversation — one of the highest rates among non-native-English-speaking EU countries.

If you are visiting for a few days, English will get you everywhere you need to go. If you are moving for work in finance or the EU institutions, you can function professionally in English alone — though learning some French quickly raises your quality of life, and learning Luxembourgish dramatically improves your ability to integrate socially.

The language of literacy is changing

From the 2026/2027 school year, parents in Luxembourg will be able to choose whether their children learn to read and write in French or German in the lower grades — a major shift from the historic German-first model. This reflects how the country's demographics have changed: a growing share of children come from Romance-language-speaking households (Portuguese, French, Italian) where German-first literacy created early academic disadvantage.

Practical tips for visitors

A simple 'Moien' (good morning/hello) in Luxembourgish goes a long way.

French is the safest single-language default in Luxembourg City.

You can read most menus, signs and websites in your choice of French, German or English.

Sources: Languages of Luxembourg — Wikipedia; Luxembourg's 1984 Language Law; Luxtoday — what changes in Luxembourg in 2026; European Commission Special Eurobarometer 386 on languages.