German Remains Dominant, But... What Other Languages Are Spoken in German Homes?

On the eve of International Mother Language Day, Germany's Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) presented the results of a study regarding the languages used by the country's residents in their daily lives. According to 2024 microcensus data, German remains the primary medium of communication, reports Dw.com.

Statistical reports indicate that the vast majority of Germany's population - 77 percent - speak only German at home.
However, the study revealed that the country’s linguistic environment is becoming increasingly diverse.

• 17 percent of residents speak at least one additional language alongside German at home. Notably, for every fourth person in this group (26 percent), German remains the dominant language.
• In 6 percent of German households, only foreign languages are used, with German not being utilized in daily domestic life at all.

Approximately 15.5 million residents in Germany prefer to speak one or more foreign languages at home, either partially or exclusively. The most common among them are:
 

• Turkish - 14 percent
• Russian - 12 percent
• Arabic - 9 percent

Language Choices Among Residents with a Migration Background:
Today, 21.4 million people with a migration background live in Germany. Statistics show that this segment of the population also actively uses the German language:

• 22 percent speak exclusively German at home.
• 55 percent use German alongside another language.
• 23 percent do not use German in a domestic setting at all.

According to experts, these figures vividly illustrate Germany's identity as a multinational and multilingual state, while also confirming the significant integrative role of the German language.