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Languages · Asia

Flag of MyanmarWhat Language Do They Speak in Myanmar?

The official language of Myanmar is Burmese. In total about 105 living languages are spoken there, the most common being Burmese (64%), Shan (6%) and Mobwa Karen (4%).

1
Official language
105
Living languages · #20
0
Regional official languages
27
Endangered languages

Official languages of Myanmar

Official

Burmese

မြန်မာ

64% of the population · Sino-Tibetan

Most spoken languages in Myanmar

Burmese Official
64%
6%
4%
3%
2%
2%
2%
2%
Kachin
2%
Wa
2%
Mon
2%
Parauk
1%
Share of the population who speak the language (first or second language).

Languages commonly listed for Myanmar

BurmeseChinKachinKarenKayahMonRakhineShan

Languages of neighbouring countries

Flag of ThailandThai
Flag of ChinaChinese
Flag of IndiaEnglish
Flag of BangladeshBengali
Flag of LaosLao

All languages of Myanmar (105)

LanguageSpeakers hereFamilyStatus
Burmese36,817,344 · 64%Sino-TibetanOfficial
Shan3,681,734 · 6%Tai-KadaiSafe
Mobwa Karen2,200,000 · 4%Sino-TibetanThreatened
S'gaw Karen1,500,000 · 3%Sino-TibetanSafe
Marma1,000,000 · 2%Sino-TibetanSafe
Pwo Eastern Karen1,000,000 · 2%Sino-TibetanSafe
Rakhine1,000,000 · 2%Sino-TibetanSafe
Rohingya977,960 · 2%Indo-EuropeanSafe
Kachin977,960 · 2%Sino-TibetanSafe
Wa900,000 · 2%AustroasiaticSafe
Mon862,906 · 2%AustroasiaticThreatened
Parauk800,000 · 1%AustroasiaticSafe
Akha600,000 · 1%Sino-TibetanSafe
Pa'o Karen500,000 · 0.87%Sino-TibetanSafe
Taungyo440,000 · 0.76%Sino-TibetanSafe
Tavoyan400,000 · 0.7%Sino-TibetanSafe
Tedim Chin340,000 · 0.59%Sino-TibetanSafe
Ruching Palaung260,000 · 0.45%AustroasiaticMoribund
Pwo Western Karen210,000 · 0.37%Sino-TibetanThreatened
Intha200,000 · 0.35%Sino-TibetanSafe
Western Kayah150,000 · 0.26%Sino-TibetanSafe
Shwe Palaung150,000 · 0.26%AustroasiaticSafe
Rumai Palaung140,000 · 0.24%AustroasiaticMoribund
Kayan130,000 · 0.23%Sino-TibetanSafe
Hakha Chin120,000 · 0.21%Sino-TibetanVulnerable
Khün110,000 · 0.19%Tai-KadaiSafe
Falam Chin110,000 · 0.19%Sino-TibetanThreatened
Lao Naga110,000 · 0.19%Sino-TibetanThreatened
Danu100,000 · 0.17%——
Maru100,000 · 0.17%Sino-TibetanSafe
Tai Laing100,000 · 0.17%Tai-KadaiThreatened
Zou82,000 · 0.14%Sino-TibetanThreatened
Mro-Khimi Chin75,000 · 0.13%Sino-TibetanThreatened
Khumi Chin70,000 · 0.12%Sino-TibetanSafe
Rawang63,000 · 0.11%Sino-TibetanSafe
Zotung Chin52,000 · 0.09%Sino-TibetanSafe
Bualkhaw Chin50,000 · 0.09%Sino-TibetanSafe
Chinbon Chin50,000 · 0.09%Sino-TibetanSafe
Matu Chin40,000 · 0.07%Sino-TibetanSafe
Geba Karen40,000 · 0.07%Sino-TibetanSafe
Tase Naga40,000 · 0.07%Sino-TibetanThreatened
Laitu Chin37,000 · 0.06%BookkeepingSafe
Daai Chin37,000 · 0.06%Sino-TibetanSafe
Siyin Chin35,000 · 0.06%Sino-TibetanSafe
Senthang Chin33,000 · 0.06%Sino-TibetanSafe
Asho Chin30,000 · 0.05%Sino-TibetanSafe
Lashi30,000 · 0.05%Sino-TibetanSafe
Kadu30,000 · 0.05%——
Riang Lai28,000 · 0.05%AustroasiaticMoribund
Eastern Kayah26,000 · 0.05%Sino-TibetanSafe
Ngawn Chin24,000 · 0.04%Sino-TibetanSafe
Leinong Naga22,617 · 0.04%Sino-TibetanSafe
Mara Chin20,709 · 0.04%Sino-TibetanThreatened
Lahta Karen20,000 · 0.03%BookkeepingSafe
Zyphe Chin20,000 · 0.03%Sino-TibetanSafe
Lautu Chin18,000 · 0.03%Sino-TibetanSafe
Bwe Karen17,000 · 0.03%Sino-TibetanSafe
Yinbaw Karen17,000 · 0.03%Sino-TibetanSafe
Kayaw16,000 · 0.03%Sino-TibetanSafe
Geko Karen15,000 · 0.03%Sino-TibetanSafe
Mün Chin15,000 · 0.03%Sino-TibetanSafe
Sumtu Chin14,000 · 0.02%Sino-TibetanSafe
Zayein Karen14,000 · 0.02%Sino-TibetanSafe
Hmong Njua12,655 · 0.02%Hmong-MienSafe
Riang Lang12,000 · 0.02%AustroasiaticThreatened
Manumanaw Karen10,000 · 0.02%Sino-TibetanSafe
Samtao9,779 · 0.02%AustroasiaticSafe
Laopang9,600 · 0.02%BookkeepingSafe
Kanan9,000 · 0.02%——
Kyan-Karyaw Naga9,000 · 0.02%Sino-TibetanSafe
Drung8,500 · 0.01%Sino-TibetanThreatened
Ekai Chin6,000 · 0.01%Sino-TibetanSafe
Ponyo-Gongwang Naga5,200 · 0.01%Sino-TibetanSafe
Rawngtu Chin5,000 · 0.01%BookkeepingSafe
Muak Sa-aak4,500 · 0.01%——
Khamti4,257 · 0.01%Tai-KadaiThreatened
Tai Loi4,000 · 0.01%AustroasiaticThreatened
Eastern Khumi Chin4,000 · 0.01%Sino-TibetanSafe
Tangkhul Naga (Myanmar)4,000 · 0.01%BookkeepingSafe
Rungtu Chin4,000 · 0.01%BookkeepingThreatened
Makyan Naga4,000 · 0.01%Sino-TibetanSafe
Anu-Hkongso Chin3,700 · 0.01%Sino-TibetanThreatened
Danau3,000 · 0.01%AustroasiaticVulnerable
Lama Bai3,000 · 0.01%BookkeepingSafe
Moken2,000 · 0%AustronesianVulnerable
Koki Naga2,000 · 0%BookkeepingSafe
Jejara Naga1,600 · 0%Sino-TibetanThreatened
Chak1,000 · 0%Sino-TibetanThreatened
Thaiphum Chin1,000 · 0%BookkeepingSafe
Yintale Karen1,000 · 0%Sino-TibetanThreatened
Long Phuri Naga1,000 · 0%Sino-TibetanSafe
Akyaung Ari Naga1,000 · 0%BookkeepingSafe
Pyen600 · 0%Sino-TibetanSafe
Tawr Chin580 · 0%Sino-TibetanSafe
Purum500 · 0%Sino-TibetanNearly extinct
Anong450 · 0%Sino-TibetanNearly extinct
Pankhu230 · 0%Sino-TibetanThreatened
Anal50 · 0%Sino-TibetanVulnerable
Kaang Chin—Sino-TibetanSafe
Songlai Chin—BookkeepingSafe
Paku Karen—Sino-TibetanSafe
Lopi—BookkeepingSafe
Ralte—Sino-TibetanMoribund
Usui—Sino-TibetanSafe
Kiorr—BookkeepingThreatened

Frequently asked questions

What language do they speak in Myanmar?

The official language of Myanmar is Burmese. In total about 105 living languages are spoken there, the most common being Burmese (64%), Shan (6%) and Mobwa Karen (4%).

What is the official language of Myanmar?

Burmese.

Is English spoken in Myanmar?

English is not widely spoken in Myanmar — learn a few words of Burmese before you go.

How many languages are spoken in Myanmar?

About 105 living languages — #20 in the world for linguistic diversity. 27 of them are endangered.

Data: Languages of the World dataset (MIT) — ISO 639-3, Glottolog (CC BY 4.0), Unicode CLDR, Google LinguaMeta (CC BY 4.0) and Wikidata; country lists: samayo/country-json (MIT).

Myanmar country profileLanguages by country