Pope Francis's native language is Spanish, as he was born and raised in Argentina. He is most comfortable speaking Spanish and Italian, the latter being the official working language of the Vatican and the language he uses for many official duties and communications
. Beyond Spanish and Italian, Pope Francis is also fluent in several other languages, including Portuguese, French, German, and Ukrainian. He has some knowledge of Piedmontese (a regional language in northern Italy) and English, though he admits his German is somewhat rusty. Additionally, he has studied Latin-the official language of the Holy See-as well as Biblical Hebrew and Biblical Greek, mainly for scholarly and liturgical purposes
. Compared to his predecessors, Pope Francis is less linguistically prolific; for example, Pope John Paul II was fluent in about 12 languages, and Pope Benedict XVI in seven. Pope Francis tends to rely on interpreters to ensure clarity and accuracy in his speeches, preferring to communicate primarily in Spanish and Italian
. In summary, the languages Pope Francis speaks include:
- Spanish (native language)
- Italian (primary language for Vatican affairs)
- Portuguese
- French
- German (rusty)
- Ukrainian
- Piedmontese (regional Italian language)
- Latin (for official and liturgical use)
- Biblical Hebrew and Greek (scholarly use)
- English (basic proficiency)
This multilingual ability helps him connect with diverse Catholic communities worldwide while maintaining clarity in his messages
