Mother tongues and foreign language skills

Data on mother tongues, languages spoken at home and foreign language skills provide insight into the linguistic diversity of the population of Latvia, showing the prevalence of different languages across population groups. Regional breakdowns are also available for selected indicators. 

Mother tongues

Statistics on mother tongues, defined as languages learned in childhood and still understood, show how common different languages are among the population of Latvia. A person may have more than one mother tongue. 

Languages spoken most often at home

The language spoken most often at home may differ from a person's mother tongue. Statistics on languages used at home show which languages are most commonly spoken within households in Latvia and provide insight into everyday language use. 

Foreign language skills 

Foreign language skills refer to the ability to understand and use languages other than the mother tongue, whether learned through formal education or elsewhere. Foreign language skills expand educational and career opportunities, improve access to information and make it easier to connect with people around the world. 

In Latvia, almost everyone knows at least one foreign language. 

Higher educational attainment is often associated with stronger foreign language skills, although the relationship may be more complex.  

Some foreign languages are more widely known in Latvia than others. Data on individual languages complement information on the number of languages known, providing a more detailed picture of foreign language skills.