Lëtzebuergesch

Lëtzebuergesch, or Luxembourgish, is a West Germanic language spoken primarily in Luxembourg. It belongs to the Moselle Franconian group of dialects within the broader Germanic family. In Luxembourg it functions as the national language and is one of the country’s three official languages, alongside French and German. Since 1984, Luxembourgish has been formally recognized in the national framework and is widely used in daily life, education, media, and culture.

Lëtzebuergesch has several regional varieties and dialects, though a standardized written form exists and is used in schools, publishing, and official media. The standard orthography was developed in the 20th century to unify spelling across dialects, while speakers often switch between Luxembourgish and the other official languages in different contexts. The language shows influences from German and French, reflecting Luxembourg’s multilingual environment, and it uses the Latin alphabet with some unique digraphs and phonetic features.

In practice, Luxembourgish is the everyday language of many residents of Luxembourg, particularly in informal speech and in local media. It is taught in primary education and increasingly used in official and administrative settings alongside German and French. The language enjoys a growing presence in publishing, radio, and television, and it serves as a symbol of national identity for Luxembourgers. Luxembourgish speakers are also part of a broader diaspora in neighboring regions and abroad, contributing to ongoing efforts to promote and standardize the language internationally.