Spanish in Germany: Numbers and Attitudes

Abstract

The status of Spanish in Germany can be seen, on the one hand, in the number of speakers and learners and, on the other hand, in how the language is evaluated. Historically, Spanish played only a minor role in Germany; larger-scale migration to Germany by people with Spanish as a language began only in the 1960s. Today, Spanish in Germany is primarily a foreign language and only rarely a family language. According to the 2024 microcensus, around 354,000 people (0.4% of the population) speak Spanish at home. Although the absolute number is still small, it has grown significantly in recent years. Overall, Spanish is viewed positively in Germany. It is among the most frequently mentioned “likeable” languages and is rarely described as unlikeable. In addition, around 60% of respondents in the Germany Survey 2017 support offering Spanish in schools—almost on a par with French. Overall, Spanish has a positive image in Germany and so far a rather limited actual presence, which, however, seems to be increasing.