Though we seldom think of it, the tiny South American state of Paraguay has literally thousands spoken within its borders. Indeed, the languages of Paraguay are some of the most diverse in not only South America, but also the world!
Some of the languages of Paraguay are spoken by literally billions of people across the world, whilst others are native to Paraguay and are only spoken within its borders… many of which are sadly endangered.
Official Languages of Paraguay
According to the Paraguayan Constitution, there are two official languages of Paraguay, these are:
Spanish (6.34 Million)
Guarani (5.42 Million)
Indigenous Languages of Paraguay
Whilst Guarani is native to Paraguay, Spanish (alongside most other languages spoken in the country) are not. yet Paraguay is home to dozens of indigenous languages whose oral history goes back generations!
Toba Qom (25,000)
Nivaclé (10,000)
Ayoreo (3,000)
Iyo’wujwa Chorote (2,000)
Chamacoco (2,000)
Maksoy (1,700)
Maka (1,500)
Sanapana (900)
Guana (24)
Immigrant Languages of Paraguay
Since the discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492, immigrants have flocked to the continent in the hopes of a better life for themselves and their families.
With them, they have also brought their languages and cultures, which remain a vital part of Paraguayan society to this day. Though not an exhaustive list, by far the most spoken immigrants languages in Paraguay are:
Portuguese (650,000)
German (250,000)
Arabic (100,000)
Ukrainian (40,000)
Korean (35,000)
Chinese (30,000)
Italian (25,000)
Japanese (15,000)
What do you think about the languages of Paraguay? Do you speak any? Tell me in the comments!