Most Spoken Languages in Florida (and Which One to Learn Next)

Order a café con leche in Miami, hear Haitian Creole in a Little Haiti bakery, then switch to Portuguese with a neighbor in Orlando. Florida sounds like the world. Roughly three in ten residents speak a language other than English at home, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. Here's who speaks what, and what it means for you.

The Top Languages Spoken in Florida

• English: Florida's official language since a 1988 constitutional amendment. It's the language of schools, jobs, and government offices.

• Spanish: The most common language after English, spoken at home by roughly one in five Floridians. You'll hear it everywhere, from Miami-Dade, where about three in four residents speak a language other than English at home, to Orlando's large Puerto Rican community. Tampa has Spanish roots too: Ybor City was built by Cuban, Spanish, and Italian immigrants. Want in on it? Check out our Spanish classes.

• Haitian Creole: Usually the next most spoken non-English language. Florida has more Haitian Creole speakers than any other state.

• French and Portuguese: French is spoken by Haitian, Canadian, and European communities, and we teach it in our French classes. Portuguese is strong in South Florida and Central Florida, thanks to a large Brazilian population. You can learn it in our Portuguese classes.

• Everyone else: Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Russian, Arabic, Tagalog, Vietnamese, German, and Italian each have sizable communities here, and the exact ranking shifts slightly with every Census release. Tarpon Springs still holds onto its Greek heritage too.

Why English Still Matters Most

With this many languages in one state, English is the common thread. It's what you need to land the job, sign the lease, talk to the doctor, and get into college.

That's where we come in. Since 1988, we've helped students from around the world learn English in Tampa and Sarasota, with TEFL-certified teachers and group, semi-private, and private classes, on-site or online. Each level takes 20 weeks (two 10-week sessions), and there are 6 levels in total.

Finish Level 6 and you can be admitted to Hillsborough Community College, St. Leo University, Schiller International University, or Full Sail University without taking the IELTS or TOEFL. Reserve your spot today.

Coming from abroad? We help with visa status changes too, including guidance from our DSOs and PDSOs, even under the current immigration rules.

Ready to Add a Second (or Third) Language?

Florida is a great place to practice. Use Spanish at the grocery store, French at a festival, or Italian at dinner in Ybor City. Not sure where to start? Take our quick quiz to find out what language you should learn, then browse the full list of foreign language classes, including Mandarin and Japanese.

FAQs

Does Florida have an official language?

Yes. English is the official language of Florida. Voters made it official through the 1988 constitutional amendment.

Is Spanish an official language in Florida?

No. English is Florida's only official language. That said, Spanish is the most widely spoken language after English, roughly one in five residents speak it at home, and some counties offer services and election materials in Spanish. Want to be part of the conversation? Our Spanish classes can help.

Can I live in Florida without speaking English?

In some areas, yes. But better English means better jobs, easier paperwork, and more independence. Our English classes start at beginner level.