language knowledge /eu publishes the latest language knowledge statistics in united kingdom using European Commission data published in 2024. Explore which languages are most spoken by the population of united kingdom, 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 (2012), the most spoken languages in United Kingdom are English (97.3%), followed by French (6.3%) and German (2.7%). 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 9.8% of the population in United Kingdom. French is spoken as a foreign language by 5.3%.
97.3% of people in United Kingdom speak English (87.6% native speakers and 9.8% as a foreign language). By age group, 96.2% of 15–34 year olds speak English, compared to 98.6% of people aged 55 and over.