language knowledge /eu publishes the latest language knowledge statistics in european union using European Commission data published in 2024. Explore which languages are most spoken by the population of european union, compare native speakers with foreign speakers, and compare age groups to see which languages are gaining or losing popularity.
According to European Commission Eurobarometer survey data (2024), the most spoken languages in European Union are English (35.5%), followed by German (25.0%) and French (20.3%). These figures include both native speakers and residents speaking each language as a foreign language with good or very good competence.
English is spoken as a foreign language by 33.0% of the population in European Union. German is spoken as a foreign language by 6.2%.
35.5% of people in European Union speak English (2.5% native speakers and 33.0% as a foreign language). By age group, 55.8% of 15–34 year olds speak English, compared to 20.2% of people aged 55 and over.