Switzerland at a glance · The four national languages
German, French, Italian, Romansh
Topic
Switzerland has four national languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh. This is written in the Federal Constitution. English is not a national language, even though many people speak it at work. Portuguese or Spanish are not national languages either, although many immigrants speak them.
The fourth national language is Romansh. It comes from Latin and is spoken only in Graubünden. Less than one percent of the population speaks it. Romansh has been a national language since 1938. The aim was to protect this small language. Romansh has several regional forms, for example in the Engadine.
Most people speak German, almost two thirds. In everyday life in German-speaking Switzerland people speak dialect, that is Swiss German. But they write in standard German. The dialects do not count as separate national languages. Just over one fifth speak French, about 8 percent Italian. In addition, there are many other languages spoken by immigrants.
Memory aid: Four languages: G, F, I and R (German, French, Italian, Romansh).
Key terms
- Landessprache
- National language: one of the four languages that the Federal Constitution names as languages of Switzerland.
- Rätoromanisch
- Romansh: the smallest national language, spoken in Graubünden.
Exam questions on this topic
- What are the national languages of Switzerland?Correct answer: B, French, Italian, Romansh, German
- Which of these is an official national language of Switzerland?Correct answer: A, French
- How many official national languages are there in Switzerland?Correct answer: C, 4
- What is the fourth national language of Switzerland?Correct answer: B, Romansh