What Language Do They Speak in Luxembourg?

What Language Do They Speak in Luxembourg?

Divider

When people think of Luxembourg, they often picture banking, European institutions, or fairytale castles. But did you know that this small country has three official languages—and that all three are actively used? If your business operates internationally or sends documents to Luxembourg, it’s worth taking a moment to consider which language to use, and when.

Luxembourg: One Country, Three Official Languages

Luxembourg is a multilingual country with a unique language system. The three official languages are:

  • Luxembourgish (Lëtzebuergesch) – the national language and mother tongue of most residents
  • French – the dominant language in legislation and official government communication
  • German – widely used in media, education, and business correspondence

But this doesn’t mean you can simply pick one at random. Depending on the context, one language is often preferred over the others, and in some cases, the choice is even regulated by law.

Which language should you use?

Luxembourg’s language system works like a kind of “linguistic rotation”:

  • French is used in government communication, legal texts, road signs, and formal correspondence
  • German is commonly found in newspapers, news websites, technical manuals, and administrative documents
  • Luxembourgish is the spoken everyday language and used in schools, but it appears less often in
    written formal communication

Need to email a government department? French is usually your best bet. Reading the local paper? It’s probably in German. Having a casual chat with a local? Luxembourgish will get you furthest.

Are you looking for a reliable partner for your Luxembourgish translation project?

Do you want to get off to a flying start? At Scriptware our specialists will work with you to determine a step-by-step plan. Contact us now for more information or get an instant online quote now.

Why does this matter for businesses?

Say you're sending an HR policy, a legal agreement, or a marketing brochure to Luxembourg. Choosing the wrong language isn’t just a stylistic slip—it can seem unprofessional, confusing, or even be legally non-compliant.
Even AI tools often struggle with this multilingual setup. A generic command like “Translate this into Luxembourgish” won’t always yield the right result—especially if what you actually need is “Translate this legal document into French” or “Translate this technical guide into German.”

AI Doesn’t Quite Get Luxembourg (Yet)

Tools like ChatGPT and DeepL often have trouble with Luxembourgish—not just because it’s a smaller language, but because of the country’s unique language system. AI might confuse Luxembourgish with German or completely miss the intended tone. And we haven’t even mentioned the importance of proper terminology, formality, or context.
That’s why human expertise is essential, especially for formal or customer-facing content.

What can you do?
  • Always define the context of your document first—legal, marketing, internal?
  • Choose a language professional who understands Luxembourg’s linguistic hierarchy
  • Have AI-generated translations checked or rewritten by a native speaker or editor
  • Work with a translation partner who can guide you on which language to use for which type of document

At Scriptware Translations, we don’t just deliver accurate translations—we help you make the strategic language choices that show you know your audience and respect local expectations.

Conclusion: In Luxembourg, choosing the right language isn't optional

Luxembourg may be small, but its language landscape is anything but simple. A one-size-fits-all approach won’t work here. Choosing French, German, or Luxembourgish—based on your audience and context—shows that you’ve done your homework and care about clear, effective communication.

Curious which language is best for your Luxembourg-based project?

Request a non binding quote today. Our team is happy to help!

Rated With a 9.3 Based on 849 Reviews