Belize Languages

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Belize

Languages

Description

The major languages spoken in Belize include English, Spanish and Kriol or Belizean Creole and all three are spoken by more than 40% of the population according to the 2010 census. Mayan languages are also spoken in certain areas, as well as German.

English is the official language of Belize, a former British colony. It is the dominant language of public education, government and most media outlets. The majority of Belizeans, regardless of ethnicity, speak an English-based creole called Kriol or Belizean Creole during most informal, social and interethnic dialogue.

Languages spoken in Belize (2010)

Language	Speakers	Percentage
English	183,903	62.9%
Spanish	165,296	56.6%
Belizean Creole	130,467	44.6%
Q'eqchi' Maya	17,581	6.0%
Mopan Maya	10,649	3.6%
German	9,364	3.2%
Garifuna	8,442	2.9%
Other languages	7,847	2.7%
N.A.	1,537	0.5%
Total	292,263	100%

Word List(s)

Spanish

• Spanish Genealogical Word List
• Useful Spanish phrases (Omniglot)

Kriol or Belizean Creole

• Belizean Creole Grammar (Wikipedia)

Q'eqchi' Maya

• Q'eqchi' Maya Grammar (Wikipedia)
• Q'eqchi' Phrases (Quizlet)
• Book of Phrases, Compact Dictionary (Q’eqchi’) (Mayaglot)

Alphabet and Pronunciation

Spanish

• Spanish Alphabet and Pronunciation (Omniglot)
• Spanish Pronunciation Dictionary (Forvo)
• Spanish grammar (Wikipedia)

Kriol or Belizean Creole

• Belizean Creole Phonology (Wikipedia)

Q'eqchi' Maya

• Q'eqchi' Maya Phonology (Wikipedia)
• Q'eqchi' Alphabet and Pronunciation (Omniglot)

Language Aids and Dictionaries

Spanish

• Spanish Letter Writing Guide
• Spanish Handwriting Clarified
• Learn Spanish (duolingo)
• Spanish dictionary (Lexilogos)
• English to Spanish Dictionary (Glosbe)
• The Spanish Script Tutorial (byu.ed)

Kriol or Belizean Creole

• English to Belize Kriol English Dictionary (Glosbe)
• Decker, Ken. The song of Kriol : a grammar of the Kriol language of Belize. Belize City, Belize: Belize Kriol Project, National Kriol Council, 2009. Available at: WorldCat.

Q'eqchi' Maya

• English to Maya-Q'eqchi' Dictionary (Glosbe)

Additional Resources

• Belize (Britannica)
• Salmon, William Noel and Jennifer Carolina Gómez Menjívar. Tropical Tongues Language Ideologies, Endangerment, and Minority Languages in Belize. North Carolina: The University of North Carolina Press, 2018. Available at: WorldCat.