Westfries

West Frisian, commonly referred to as Westfries or Frysk, is a West Germanic language spoken primarily in the Dutch province of Friesland (Fryslân). It is one of the Frisian languages, closely related to Saterland Frisian and North Frisian, and more distantly related to Dutch, German, and English. The language is used by a substantial community in Friesland and by diaspora communities abroad; exact numbers vary, but it is spoken by hundreds of thousands of people to varying degrees of fluency.

West Frisian is recognized as a regional language of the Netherlands and is actively used in education, broadcasting, and local government within Friesland. It has a standardized form and a Latin-based orthography, developed and maintained with the involvement of Frisian language institutions. Public media in Friesland, such as Omrop Fryslân, regularly produce content in West Frisian, helping to keep the language in daily use.

Historically, West Frisian developed from Old Frisian during the Middle Ages. It underwent standardization efforts in the 19th and 20th centuries, which helped solidify its literary and educational presence. The language has a rich literary tradition, with notable writers in the 17th through 19th centuries, including Gysbert Japiks and Eeltsje Halbertsma, who contributed to its development and prestige.

Culturally, West Frisian plays a central role in Frisian identity and regional life. It appears in poetry, music, theater, and digital media, and ongoing revitalization efforts aim to increase its intergenerational transmission and everyday use in Friesland and beyond.