Venezuelan language
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is a country belonging to South America, whose capital is Caracas. It has a population of 32 million inhabitants (44th) and an area of 916,445 km 2 (32nd). Its human development index is high (78th) and its official currency is the sovereign bolívar. But what language is spoken in Venezuela?
What language do they speak in Venezuela?
Venezuela has an official language, Spanish.
However, the constitution recognizes more than thirty indigenous languages for official use by indigenous peoples, among which are the following:
| Idiom | Family | Speakers in Venezuela |
|---|---|---|
| Piapoco | Arawak | 1,750 |
| Kurripako | Arawak | 3,740 |
| Arawak-lokono | Arawak | 130 |
| Wayú or guajiro | Arawak | 294,000 |
| Pemon | Caribbean | 23,100 |
| Panare | Caribbean | 4,180 |
| Yekuana | Caribbean | 6,200 |
| Yukpa | Caribbean | 3,020 |
| Karina | Caribbean | 4,450 |
| Akawayo | Caribbean | 180 |
| Japreria | Caribbean | 170 |
| Mapoyo | Caribbean | 12 |
| Jabarana | Caribbean | 150 |
| hoti | Macro-makú | 770 |
| Puinave | Macro-makú | 550 |
| Jivi or guahibo | guahibana | 12,000 |
| Bari | chibcha | 1,520 |
| Uruak | Arutani-sapé | 25 |
| Sape | Arutani-sapé | 5 |
| Piaroa | Saliba-Piaroa | 13,000 |
| Yanomamo | Yanomam | 12,200 |
| Sanema | Yanomam | 3,040 |
| yanam | Yanomam | 560 |
| Yeral | Tupi-Guarani | 435 |
| Pume | (isolated) | 7,900 |
| Warao | (isolated) | 32,400 |
English is the most widely learned foreign language, and is used by many professionals, academics, and members of the middle and upper classes, as a result of oil exploration by foreign companies.
The most common immigrant languages are Chinese (400,000 speakers), Portuguese (254,000), Italian (200,000), and Arabic (110,000).
The Spanish language
Spanish is spoken by more than 98% of the Venezuelan population. The variety of Spanish spoken in the country is known as Venezuelan Spanish. It has various linguistic loanwords from indigenous languages, such as: arepa, budare, cambur and casabe (Caribbean languages); hammock and totuma (chaima); conuco (Taíno); ocumo (arawak); onoto (tamanaco).
It also has influences from other languages:
- Italian: birra, capo, bye, ¡école cuá!, malandro, bologna, nono/a, pasticho, piano piano, pigeon…
- French: slang, hello, boutique, baguette, boulevard, croissant, fondue, gourmet, mousse, musiú, petipuás, toilet paper, tour…
- British English: buseta, chamo, goat, chor, ferry, fine, flannel, guaya, macundales, panqueca, pipe, sandwich, teipe…
- American English: cachifa, goat, cotufa, frizer, diesel, guachimán, guaya, güircho/a, jean, okay, pana, pipe…
- African languages: bemba, caraota, chévere…
Venezuelan Spanish has several dialects, the central one being spoken in the country’s capital.
Share which languages are spoken in Venezuela.