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Austria is a predominantly German-speaking country, with around 97% to 98% of the population speaking Austrian German, a variety of German that is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect. However, several other languages and dialects are spoken throughout the country, reflecting its diverse history and culture.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Official language | German, Austrian German, Austrian High German |
| Lingua franca | German |
| De facto first language | German |
| Dialects | Austro-Bavarian, Alemannic, Central Austro-Bavarian, Southern Austro-Bavarian, High Alemannic, Viennese |
| Minority languages | Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, Sign language, Serbo-Croatian, Turkish, Jenisch, Windisch, Aramaic |
| Number of languages spoken | 250 |
| Percentage of English speakers | 40% |
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What You'll Learn
The official language of Austria is Austrian German
Austrian German has a different vocabulary and grammar from the German spoken in Germany and Switzerland. It includes numerous words and idioms borrowed from languages such as Czech, Hungarian, Italian, Yiddish, and South Slavic. The dialects spoken in Austria follow a continuum, with the state's borders not representing a natural language border. This means that German dialects in Austria share characteristics with dialects in German states like Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, as well as Eastern Switzerland.
The Austro-Bavarian dialect is the main dialect outside of Vorarlberg, where Alemannic, or Swiss German, is primarily spoken. Vorarlberg uses a High Alemannic dialect, which is also spoken in northern Switzerland and parts of southern Alsace, France. This dialect is challenging for most German speakers to understand.
In addition to Austrian German, several minority languages are spoken in Austria, some of which have official status in specific regions. These include Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language. Serbo-Croatian is the largest minority language, spoken by over 4% of the population, followed by Turkish, spoken by 2.3%.
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Austrian German is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect
The official language of Austria is German, which is also the lingua franca and de facto first language. However, Austrian German is distinct from German as it is spoken in Germany and Switzerland. Austrian German is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect, which is the main dialect outside Vorarlberg. Vorarlberg is the only Austrian state that does not speak the Bavarian dialect or a variant of it.
Austro-Bavarian is a High German language and is considered a group of Upper German varieties. Upper German varieties are called "upper" because they are spoken in mountainous regions, including Austria, Switzerland, and southern Germany. Austro-Bavarian and Standard German have influenced each other, and most speakers of Austro-Bavarian also speak Standard German. The variants of Austro-Bavarian include Central Bavarian, Southern Bavarian, and Northern Bavarian.
The Austro-Bavarian dialect has its origins in the Germanic tribe known as the Bavarii, who established a tribal duchy that covered much of what is now Bavaria and parts of Austria in the early Middle Ages. The Old High German documents from the area of Bavaria are identified as Altbairisch (Old Bavarian). The dialectal separation of Upper German into East Upper German (Bavarian) and West Upper German (Alemannic) became more pronounced in the Middle High German period, from about the 12th century.
Bavarian is commonly considered a dialect of German, but some sources classify it as a separate language. The International Organization for Standardization has assigned a unique ISO 639-3 language code (bar) to Bavarian, and UNESCO lists Bavarian in the Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger. Bavarian differs significantly from Standard German, making it difficult for native speakers to adopt standard pronunciation. However, educated Bavarians and Austrians can usually read, write, and understand Standard German.
In addition to Austro-Bavarian, several other dialects and minority languages are spoken in Austria. These include Alemannic, Cimbrian, Hutterite German, and Mócheno. Immigration has also brought languages such as Turkish and various Slavic languages to the country.
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Austria has many spoken languages and dialects
Austria has several spoken languages and dialects. German is the country's official language and lingua franca, with approximately 97% of Austrians speaking it and 93% calling it their mother tongue. Austrian German, the variety of German used in Austria, is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect and differs from German as spoken in Germany in terms of vocabulary and grammar. Austrian German serves as the de facto first language, used in the media, schools, and formal announcements.
Alemannic, or Swiss German, is spoken by about 300,000 people in Vorarlberg, where a High Alemannic dialect is used, similar to that spoken in Northern Switzerland and parts of southern Alsace, France. The main native language of Austria outside Vorarlberg is Austro-Bavarian, with approximately 8.3 million speakers. The northeastern parts of Austria, including Vienna, speak Central Austro-Bavarian dialects, while the southern parts speak Southern Austro-Bavarian dialects.
In addition to German and its dialects, Austria has several minority languages. According to the European Commission, recognized minority languages include Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language. In Carinthia, Slovene is considered an official language alongside German, and in some districts of Burgenland, Hungarian and Croatian have equal status with German. Serbo-Croatian is the largest minority language, spoken by over 4% of the population, followed by Turkish, spoken by 2.3%. Immigration has further diversified the languages spoken in Austria, with guest workers from Turkey and Yugoslavia bringing their languages and cultures.
Austria's dialects follow a dialect continuum, with the state's borders not representing natural language borders. The German dialects spoken in Austria share similarities with dialects in German states like Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, as well as Eastern Switzerland. The Viennese dialect is particularly influential, blending Central and Southern Austro-Bavarian with high language features.
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Austria has several minority languages
German is the official language of Austria, and Austrian German is the lingua franca and de facto first language. However, Austria has several minority languages, some of which have official status. The recognised minority languages are Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language. In the mixed-language districts of Carinthia, Slovene is also considered an official language. In some districts of Burgenland, Hungarian and Croatian have equal status to German as an official language.
Serbo-Croatian is the largest minority language in Austria, spoken by more than 4% of the population. Turkish is the second-largest minority language, spoken by 2.3% of the population. Burgenland Croatian, an official language in Austrian Burgenland, is spoken by 2.5% of Austrians. Slovene is an official language in Austrian Carinthia and is spoken by 0.3% of Austrians.
Austria's dialects follow a dialect continuum, meaning that state borders do not represent a natural language border. The main dialect outside Vorarlberg is Austro-Bavarian, which has no official orthography. However, literary efforts exist, especially in poems, to depict the sound of the pronunciation in the spelling. Austrian German is influenced by Austro-Bavarian and differs from German as it is spoken and written in Germany and Switzerland.
In addition to the above-mentioned minority languages, there are also several other languages spoken in Austria that are not protected by the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, such as "Jenisch" and "Windisch", a German word for a number of Slavic languages. Immigration has further diversified the languages spoken in Austria, with guest workers from Turkey and Yugoslavia bringing their languages and cultures in the 1960s and 1970s.
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English is the second most spoken language in Austria
The official language of Austria is Austrian German, which is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect. Austrian German is distinct from German as it is spoken in Germany and Switzerland. It is the de facto first language of the country, with roughly 97% to 98% of people in Austria speaking it, and a little over 93% calling it their mother tongue. Austrian German is used in the media, in schools, and for official announcements.
However, English is the second most spoken language in Austria. Just above 40% of people in the country speak English, which is similar to the average in European countries. Only about 20 languages (apart from official languages) in Austria have more than 10,000 speakers, and English is one of them. While French is the third most spoken language in Austria, it is a long way behind English, with only about 7% of Austrians speaking it.
The prevalence of English in Austria is likely due in part to immigration. Guest workers from Turkey and Yugoslavia came to Austria in the 1960s and 1970s, bringing their languages and cultures with them. This diversification of languages continues today, with numerous words and idioms in Austrian German borrowed from Czech, Hungarian, Italian, Yiddish, and South Slavic languages.
In addition to Austrian German and English, there are several other languages spoken in Austria. These include various dialects of German, such as Alemannic (spoken by about 300,000 people in Vorarlberg) and numerous minority languages, some of which have official status. According to the European Commission, Austria's recognized minority languages include Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language.
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Frequently asked questions
The official language of Austria is Austrian German, which differs from German as it is spoken in Germany. Austrian German is influenced by the Austro-Bavarian dialect.
There are several minority languages spoken in Austria, including Hungarian, Slovenian, Burgenland-Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Romany, and sign language. In addition, about 250 languages are spoken throughout the country, though many have very small populations of speakers.
Yes, English is the second most spoken language in Austria after German. Approximately 40% of the population speaks English, which is similar to the average in European countries.
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