Monaco Languages

Although several other languages are spoken in Monaco, French remains the principality’s official language. It is also the most widely spoken language in the country because of the influence of France has over the state, dating back to the occupation of Nice and Nizzardo that neigbors Monaco. The French language is composed of 17 vowels that are not all used in every tongue. It is written using 26 letters of Latin script with four letters appearing on vowels. French is spoken in all spheres of life in Monaco. It is the language of commerce, politics, media, and education in the country. French language spoken in Monaco is similar to the one spoken in France with little or no variation in accent or pronunciation.

As the official language of Monaco, French is spoken by over 90% of the country’s population. The Monegasque language which is regarded as Monaco’s traditional language is spoken by 21.6% of the country’s population while Italian is spoken by about 19% of the population as their first language. Approximately 8.5% speak English and mainly comprise of a population from the UK and the US. Other notable languages spoken in Monaco include Occitan language which is mainly popular in Southern France. Intemelio language is also spoken by a significant portion of the population.

The French language spoken in Monaco has been heavily influenced by the French spoken in France. Anyone from any of the French-speaking nations or region will definitely understand the French spoken in Monaco. There is no variation in accent. Terms such as “bonjour” and “merci” which are universally recognized by French speakers are commonly used in Monaco, even by those who do not speak French as their first language.

Apart from French, Monaco is home to some indigenous languages. The native language used by the Monegasque people is known as Monegasque. It is spoken by almost 22% of the population. Monegasque is a dialect Ligurian language and almost similar to Italian. The language was on the verge of extinct in the 1970s but the several efforts by the government of Monaco have helped to revive it. The Occitan language, another of the traditional languages of Monaco was once spoken by a considerable number of people in Monaco but the number of speakers has since reduced considerably. Intemelo language which is a Ligurian dialect is also spoken in Monaco.