The primary language spoken in Colombia is Spanish, which is the official language and is spoken by more than 99% of the population. Colombian Spanish is distinct from the Spanish spoken in Spain, characterized by clear pronunciation and a musical intonation, with regional dialects across the country
. Besides Spanish, Colombia is linguistically diverse with around 90 to 101 languages listed, including 65 indigenous Amerindian languages grouped into 12 language families such as Chibchan, Arawakan, Cariban, Tupian, and Quechuan
. Approximately 850,000 people speak these native languages, though the actual number may be higher
. Two Creole languages are also spoken:
- San Andrés Creole , an English-based Creole spoken in the San Andrés, Providencia, and Santa Catalina islands, where English also has official status alongside Spanish
- Palenquero , a Spanish-African Creole spoken in San Basilio de Palenque, a historic free town founded by escaped African slaves
Other minority languages include Portuguese (in border areas), Romani (spoken by a small community), and Colombian Sign Language
. In summary:
- Official and dominant language: Spanish (Colombian Spanish)
- Indigenous languages: 65+ languages from various families
- Creole languages: San Andrés Creole (English-based) and Palenquero (Spanish-African)
- Other languages: Portuguese, Romani, English (official in some islands), and sign language
