About 5.6 million people speak German as their second language. The six countries that have German as their official language, in alphabetical order, are: Austria, Belgium, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Switzerland. Over 78% of the world’s total German speakers live in Germany.
People also ask, what percentage of the world speaks German?
At the moment, 15.4 million people around the world are currently learning German as a foreign language: 90 percent of them are school students and 10 per cent are adults. are represented in the PASCH network. Speak German as their mother tongue. It is the mother tongue most spoken in Europe.
Similarly, do any countries in Africa speak German? Before the first World War, Germany had colonies in German East Africa (now Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi) and German South-West Africa (now Namibia). So the only African country which ‘speaks German’ in any real sense seems to be Namibia.
People also ask, where is the best German spoken?
Hanover is said to speak the best Standard German, but actually that applies to all cities in Northern Germany. Originally Answered: Where is the best German spoken?
Where is German spoken in the US?
German speakers in the United States by states in 2000
| State | German speakers |
|---|---|
| California | 141,671 |
| New York | 92,709 |
| Florida | 89,656 |
| Texas | 82,117 |
19 Related Question Answers Found
What will be the most spoken language in 2050?
According to the Engco model of language forecasting, by 2050 the top 5 languages in the world will be: Chinese. Spanish. English. Hindi-Urdu. Arabic.
Is German hard to learn?
Many beginner level language students have the misconception that German is an almost impossible language to learn. Seemingly endless compound words and the concept of noun genders is often enough to scare people off learning German for good. However, German actually isn’t nearly as hard to learn as you might think.
What is your name in German?
If you want to say “What is your name?” in German, you would either say, “Wie heißen sie?” (formal) or “Wie heißt du?” (informal).
How many countries speak English?
Approximately 375 million people speak English around the world and there are more than 50 English speaking countries, where English is either the official or the primary language.
How many words do you need to be fluent in German?
You can begin to communicate effectively just by learning a few hundred German words. The German language also has fewer words than English, making it faster to learn. The German dictionary contains approximately 200,000 words (and the number you need to actually speak and communicate is far, far lower).
What is the most taught language in the world?
English
Is English a German dialect?
Yes, it is a German dialect (as much as any of the non-mutually intelligible languages of Germany are dialects). English is part of the West Germanic languages. Old English was a sibling to Old Frisian and Old Saxon, Old Franconian, Old High German, etc.
Can High German understand Low German?
In Germany High German (Hochdeutsch) became today’s Standard German, but Low German still survives as day to day language for many people in northern Germany. As for understanding it: As someone who is Dutch with a decent grip on German I can usually understand Low German without too much trouble.
Is Bavarian a language?
Bavarian (Boarisch) Bavarian is a West Germanic language spoken in Bavaria, Austria, Italy and the Czech Republic. In the Free State of Bavaria (Freistaat Bayern) in the southeast of Germany (Deitschland), Bavarian is spoken mainly in the districts of Upper Bavaria (Obabayern) and Lower Bavaria (Niadabayern).
What is the difference between German and High German?
There are different dialects of German. Some are more mutually intelligible than others. High German is the most common and most widely understood. High German is more elite, more sophisticated, more proper and clean.
Why is it called high German?
The Southern region of Germany tends to have hills, mountains and a higher elevation. So one of the main dialects that originate there is called High German or HochDeutsch. It is the basis for Standard German. The adjective “high” doesnt refer to higher value, higher class, high culture etc.
Who speaks High German?
Modern standard High German is descended from the Middle High German dialects and is spoken in the central and southern highlands of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is used as the language of administration, higher education, literature, and the mass media in the Low German speech area as well.
How many types of German are there?
Actually, for those people it was not a dialect but rather it was their official language. To this day one can still hear many different dialects in Germany. Some linguists say there still are as many as 250 distinct German dialects. The southern end of Germany borders the countries of Switzerland and Austria.
Who speaks Low German?
Low German or Low Saxon is a West Germanic language spoken mainly in Northern Germany and the northeastern part of the Netherlands. It is also spoken to a lesser extent in the German diaspora worldwide (e.g. Plautdietsch).
What parts of Africa did Germany colonize?
As a latecomer in the struggle for colonies, Germany had to settle for four territories, called “protectorates,” in Africa: Togo and Cameroon in the west, German Southwest Africa (today’s Namibia), and German East Africa (today’s Tanzania, Rwanda, and Burundi) in the east.
What languages are closest to German?
German is quite close to other Germanic languages such as Dutch, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian. It is not so close to English, although both languages share some common vocabulary. Amongst important languages, Dutch is the closest.
What is the longest word in Germany?
The classic longest German word is Donaudampfschiffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän, clocking in with 42 letters. In English, it becomes four words: “Danube steamship company captain.” However, it’s not the only super long word in the German language and, technically, it’s not even the longest.
How many African countries speak English?
24
What country in Africa speaks Italian?
Libya