The indigenous languages of Mexico
Learn more about the oldest indigenous languages of the Mexican country and which are the most widely spoken. Also learn about projects whose mission is to preserve culture beyond the near future. If you still have questions, we encourage you to research variants, language families and everything related to them.
How many languages are spoken in Mexico?
There are many languages in Mexico, all of which predate the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors and many of which are still used for communication. It is well known that Mexico has one of the most diverse cultures due to the multiple civilizations that inhabited different territories during the pre-Hispanic era.
In total, approximately 68 indigenous languages are known. Currently there are several projects, associations and institutions that promote the use of them, raising awareness so that they do not disappear over the years and to ensure the future of many young people who only communicate with them.
Some 364 linguistic variants have emerged from these indigenous languages. In fact, Mexico is on the list of countries with the most native languages in the world, specifically it is ranked 10th in the world and 2nd in Latin America, did you know that?
How many indigenous languages are spoken in Mexico?
Around 7 million Mexicans speak one of the 68 indigenous languages that survive in the country, especially in the south of the country. Do you know the different language families? Thanks to the information provided by the Mexican government’s official website, you will be able to learn about all of them:
- Belgium
- Yuto-nahua
- Cochimí-litom
- Cmiique litom
- Oto-mange
- Maya
- Totonaca
- Purépecha
- Mixe-zoque
- Chontal de oaxaca
- Ombeayüits
One of the major projects that safeguards the knowledge of indigenous languages and brings it closer to the citizens is the official indigenous language fair. This was born in 2017, coinciding with the commemoration of the International Day of Indigenous Peoples.
Native languages of Mexico
Among the more than 60 indigenous languages native to Mexico, the most common are Maya, Tzeltal, Mayan and Zapotec, among others. We encourage you to discover, in addition to the languages of the country, the ancient Mexican culture and everything related to it.
For example, did you know that one of the most widely spoken languages is Mayan? Around 800,000 people continue to communicate thanks to it, followed closely by Nahuatl. Many words that we still use today have their origin in these two previously mentioned languages, such as ”chocolate” or ”avocado”.
Due to the importance of these languages for the population in general and for the most vulnerable in some Mexican territories in particular, the aim is to raise awareness and invest in bilingual education throughout the country, both in the mother tongue and in Spanish.
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