What language do they speak in New York City?
English is the main language of New York City — it's used in business, government, schools and almost every shop and restaurant, so visitors who speak English will have no trouble. But NYC is one of the most linguistically diverse cities in the world: only about half of residents speak only English at home, Spanish is spoken by roughly a quarter, and researchers estimate that several hundred languages are spoken across the city.
Most common languages after English
- Spanish — by far the second language, heard everywhere and especially in the Bronx, Washington Heights, East Harlem and parts of Queens and Brooklyn.
- Chinese — Cantonese and Mandarin, plus Fujianese, in Manhattan's Chinatown, Flushing in Queens and Sunset Park in Brooklyn.
- Russian — notably in Brighton Beach and other parts of south Brooklyn.
- Bengali, Haitian Creole, Yiddish, Korean, Arabic, French, Polish and Italian are also widely spoken in different neighborhoods.
By borough
- Queens is often called one of the most linguistically diverse places on Earth; neighborhoods like Jackson Heights, Elmhurst and Flushing mix languages from Latin America, South Asia and East Asia.
- The Bronx has a large Spanish-speaking population, with strong Puerto Rican and Dominican communities.
- Brooklyn combines Spanish, Russian, Yiddish, Chinese, Haitian Creole and more.
- Manhattan is mostly English-speaking in tourist areas, with Spanish and Chinese in specific neighborhoods.
For visitors
You can get by in English everywhere. City services, subway signs and many official documents are also available in multiple languages, and emergency services offer interpretation.
FAQ
Are more than 800 languages spoken in New York City?
Estimates of 700 to 800 come from researchers studying endangered and minority languages. Census figures list fewer because they group languages together.
What language do they speak in the Bronx?
English and Spanish. The Bronx has the highest share of Spanish speakers among the five boroughs.
What percent of people speak English in New York?
About half of New Yorkers speak only English at home, and most of the rest also speak English, many of them well. Census surveys put those who speak English less than "very well" at roughly a fifth to a quarter of residents.
What is the most spoken language in Brooklyn?
English, followed by Spanish; Russian, Chinese, Yiddish and Haitian Creole are common in specific neighborhoods.