What language is spoken in Mexico? Are there still people who do not know the answer to this question? Let’s figure it out then.
Mexico is a multicultural country that recognizes the rights of indigenous peoples to maintain their own languages and dialects. Therefore, the main official language in Mexico is not provided. True, most of the inhabitants of the country speak Spanish.
According to the latest data, the government of the state has recognized the right to existence of more than 66 national languages, which are in addition to the Spanish language. About 15% of all residents of the country believe that they are Indians.
In general, more than 6,000,000 people live in Mexico who are native speakers of indigenous languages. The largest group of indigenous speakers is considered to be the descendants of the Indians who speak Nahuatl.
For the first time, an attempt to introduce Spanish into Mexican speech was made in the 16th century. And over 150 years of state development (from the 19th to the 20th century), the number of Mexicans who prefer to communicate in the indigenous language has noticeably decreased (from 60% to 6%).
What language is used in Mexico
In addition to Spanish, English is widely used in Mexico. This is due to the fact that the country is located in close proximity to the United States, as well as the fact that many Mexicans work (legally and illegally) in America.
Even if you are fluent in Spanish, once in Mexico, you may encounter a number of problems in communicating with the local population.
The local Spanish language is undergoing major changes. Therefore, the sound of some familiar sounds only slightly resembles the Spanish language.
At the same time, the “state” Spanish language of Mexico is one of the most conservative languages, because it has preserved words that the Spaniards consider obsolete and do not use in their own speech.
When you travel to Mexico, be sure to be prepared for the fact that the staff of hotels and restaurants, who can speak English, are concentrated mainly in large tourist areas. Where there is no tourist area, people speak only indigenous languages and simply will not understand you.
