Languages of Austria
Standard Austrian German is the official language of Austria and is used in education and general publications. Nevertheless, the official language of Austria is Austro-Bavarian which has several regional dialects. Next to this, other significant minority languages are:
- Turkish
- Slovene
- Serbian
Most Austrians are taught at least two other languages in school and university. Austrian schools teach English to a very high standard, and many Austrians are only too happy to practice it in the workplace or the cafes.
Here are some basic words translated into Austrian:
Hello: Hallo
Goodbye: Auf Wiedersehen
Please: Bitte
Thanks: Danke
You’re welcome: Gern geschehen
Yes: Ja
No: Nein
Language Percentage
- Italian: 5.5%
- Spanish: 2.5%
- Croatian: 2.25%
- Turkish: 1.75%
German is the official language in Austria. It is the nation’s first language and nearly all Austrians learn it and speak it. Roughly 97% to 98% of people in Austria speak German while a little over 93% call it their mother tongue. The dialect of German spoken in Austria, except in the west, is Bavarian, sometimes called Austro-Bavarian. About seven million people speak Bavarian in Austria. A Middle Bavarian subdialect is spoken chiefly in Ober- and Niederösterreich as well as in Vienna.
