What Languages Are Spoken In Angola?

Angola is a Southern African nation with a single official language and several national languages. Portuguese, introduced during the colonial era in the country, is spoken widely in the country. It is the official and most spoken language of Angola. Kikongo, Umbundu, and Kimbundu are the most popular indigenous languages of the country.

The Official Language Of Angola

Portuguese is the official language of Angola. It is also the most spoken language of Angola. The variant of Portuguese spoken here is called the Angolan Portuguese and is similar to Brazilian Portuguese in a number of aspects. According to a 2014 study, nearly 71% of the population of Angola speak Portuguese. The language is the mother tongue of 39% of the population of the country while many more speak it as a second language. Portuguese is also the most spoken and sometimes the only language that is spoken by younger Angolans. Portuguese speakers are more common in the urban areas of Angola where 85% of the population converse in Portuguese. The use of the language is relatively lower in the rural regions with about 49% of the people in these areas speaking Portuguese.

Other Major European Languages Spoken In Angola

French

French is spoken in Cabinda, an Angolan province that is bordered by two French-speaking nations of the Congo and the DRC. Naturally, the people of Cabinda speak French either as well as Portuguese or better than that. 90% of the literate population of Cabinda speak French and 10% speak Portuguese.

English

English is the most popular language that is taught in Angolan schools. In the near future, the Angolan government plans to make English a compulsory subject in the schools of the country, unlike French which is offered only as an elective.

Native Or National Languages Of Angola

All the native languages of Angola are recognized as national languages of the country. The radio of the country transmits in 14 of these national languages. The major Bantu language of Angola is Umbundu which is spoken by 23% of the Angolan population as a native language. Umbundu speaking people are most common in the south and center of Angola. Kimbundu, Kikongo, Fiote are the other popular native languages spoken in Angola. The !Kung and Khoe are two major language families whose languages are spoken by the San people of Angola.

Asian Languages Spoken In Angola

A small section of the population of Angola speaks Arabic and are mostly of Lebanese descent. The country also has a Chinese speaking community of about 300,000 individuals.