Which Languages are Spoken in Portugal
Portugal is a small country. It is situated in the western part of Europe. Portugal is one of the European countries that initiated the voyages around the world. Around 10 million people reside in this country. The majority of its population is of Portuguese ancestry. Moreover, many minority communities are living there. This ethnic group includes Italians, Spaniards, and Iberians. The official language of Portugal is Portuguese. Thus the majority of the population living in Portugal speaks the Portuguese language. If you are planning to visit Portugal then you should take assistance from Portuguese translation services.
Portuguese: The Official Language of Portugal
Do you know that Portuguese is a Romance language? This language spread around the world when Portugal came up with one of the modern-world colonial and commercial empires. Because of this, Portuguese is not only the language of Portugal. However, it is also the official language of different other countries and regions such as Brazil, Cape Verde, Angola, East Timor, Mozambique, Macau, Guinea Bissau, and Principe. Portuguese ranked fifth concerning native speakers. In addition, it is also a widely spoken and studied language in most countries. The community of Portuguese Language Countries is a global organization consisting of eight independent countries. These countries have given Portuguese the status of an official language.
To your surprise, Portuguese is also the official language of the European language, African Union and Mercosul. If you want to deal with these international organizations then professional Portuguese translation services can be of great help.
Different Languages Spoken in Portugal
Let’s have a look at the different languages that people of Portuguese speakers.
English
About 2.9 million Portuguese people English. This shows the English competency of Portuguese people is high. Tourists from all around the world visit Portuguese every year and they don’t find difficulty in speaking with the local people because they can speak and understand English. Therefore, they do need to go for professional translation agency any case they need assistance. This is the second most spoken language in Portugal. English proficiency among Portuguese people is due to its close relationship with England and its openness towards foreign languages. Moreover, Portuguese people are greatly influenced by English and American languages. English is taught as a second language in schools and this language has become very papular among youth.
French
Along with English, French is also taught in schools in Portugal. You will be surprised to know that this is a francophile country. Because the people of Portugal have a great love for French music, literature, and cinema. It will be of no surprise to you if you find any person older than 50 speaking the French language. The French language is given priority in schools. The people of Portugal feel comfortable with the French language. Therefore, they don’t go for French translation services. Famous politicians, prime minister Antonia Costa and presidents like Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, José Manuel Durão Barroso, and Antonio Guterres are more proficient in the French language than Portuguese.
If you want to do business in Portugal then French language proficiency is an additional advantage for you. If you don’t know French then no worries, you can take the assistance of professional French translation services.
Mirandese
Approximately, 15,000 people in Portugal speak the Mirandese language. It is an Indo-European and Astur-Leonese language. People living in three municipalities in the Northeast part of the country speak this language. Mirandese has many different dialects such as border, central and Sendinesse Mirandese. To understand this language and its different dialects translation services can be of great help.
Spanish
The other important language that the people of Portugal speak is Spanish. 10% of the Portugal population speaks this language. The important thing to note about Spanish is that it is quite similar to the Portuguese language. Both languages share 89% of the vocabulary. Therefore, Portuguese people don’t find any difficulty in understanding the Spanish language.
Barranquenho
People living at the border between Spain and Portugal speak this language. Barranquenho is a dialect of the Portuguese language and this dialect is greatly influenced by Spanish. People that speak Spanish or Portuguese easily understand this language. The interesting thing about this language is that its history is dated back some 200 years ago as compared to other minority languages.
Mindoro
This language is on the verge of extinction. Minderico is not used in schools and other social gatherings. Instead, people speak this language at home. This language originated from textile workers that worked at the Alancena, a part of Portugal that is called Minde. People started speaking this language in the 18th century which resulted in an increasing vocabulary. It is not a secret language and is not associated with a single group. The freedom of expression and its freedom to evolve has made this language survive.
Portuguese Sign Language
The Portugals Consitution also gives importance to the Portuguese Sign Language. 60,000 persons in Portugal are deaf. Thus the Portuguese sign language made these people communicate. This sign language is a member of the Swedish sign language and it is native to Portugal.
Wrapping Up
Are you planning to visit Portugal? You can enjoy your trip to Portugal if you know the languages that the people of Portugal speak. It can help you in mitigating communication barriers.
