Languages of Paraguay at a glance
- 27living languages
- 6language families
- 7.5 millionpeople (CLDR estimate)
- 3with a CLDR share
Tap the map to list every language whose area covers a spot in Paraguay. Areas are generalisations from published atlases and overlap, and a language that is mapped here is not necessarily spoken everywhere inside its area.
Languages spoken in Paraguay
Languages with a Unicode CLDR share come first, biggest first by estimated speakers; the rest follow A to Z. Estimated speakers are the share applied to CLDR’s own population figure for the country.
| Language | Family | Share of population | Estimated speakers | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paraguayan Guaraní | Tupian | 80% | 6,018,040 | Not endangered |
| Spanish | Indo-European | 3.2% | 240,722 | Not endangered |
| German | Indo-European | 2.9% | 218,154 | Not endangered |
| Aché | Tupian | Moribund | ||
| Angaité | Lengua-Mascoy | Moribund | ||
| Ayoreo | Zamucoan | Shifting | ||
| Chamacoco | Zamucoan | Shifting | ||
| Chiripá | Tupian | Shifting | ||
| Eastern Bolivian Guaraní | Tupian | Threatened | ||
| Enlhet Norte | Lengua-Mascoy | Not endangered | ||
| Enxet Sur | Lengua-Mascoy | Not endangered | ||
| Forest Chorote | Mataguayan | Shifting | ||
| Guaná (Paraguay) | Lengua-Mascoy | Nearly extinct | ||
| Güisnay | Mataguayan | Threatened | ||
| Kaiwá | Tupian | Threatened | ||
| Maká | Mataguayan | Shifting | ||
| Mbyá Guaraní | Tupian | Threatened | ||
| Nivaclé | Mataguayan | Shifting | ||
| Pai Tavytera | Tupian | Threatened | ||
| Pilagá | Guaicuruan | Shifting | ||
| Portuguese | Indo-European | Not endangered | ||
| Riverine Chorote | Mataguayan | Shifting | ||
| Sanapaná | Lengua-Mascoy | Shifting | ||
| Tapieté | Tupian | Shifting | ||
| Toba | Guaicuruan | Threatened | ||
| Toba-Enenlhet | Lengua-Mascoy | Shifting | ||
| Vejoz | Mataguayan | Threatened |
Read more: where is Paraguayan Guaraní spoken?
Language families in Paraguay
- Tupian (8 languages)
- Lengua-Mascoy (6 languages)
- Mataguayan (6 languages)
- Indo-European (3 languages)
- Zamucoan (2 languages)
- Guaicuruan (2 languages)
About these numbers
The list of languages in Paraguay comes from the overlap of Glottography and Glottolog language areas and positions with the country outline, together with the languages Glottolog assigns to the country. The shares come from Unicode CLDR release 48 and are estimates. See every source and licence.
Questions about languages in Paraguay
How many languages are spoken in Paraguay?
27 living languages are mapped in Paraguay, from 6 families. The number depends on how a catalogue decides where one language ends and another begins, so other sources give other totals.
What is the most spoken language in Paraguay?
By Unicode CLDR's estimate, Paraguayan Guaraní is spoken by 80% of the population, about 6,018,040 people, followed by Spanish (3.2%). Shares are approximate, can add up to more than 100% because many people speak several languages, and only cover languages CLDR has a figure for.
Which language families are found in Paraguay?
Tupian (8 languages), Lengua-Mascoy (6 languages), Mataguayan (6 languages), Indo-European (3 languages) and Zamucoan (2 languages), and 1 more.