At IH London we’re proud to call one of the most multilingual and multicultural cities in the world, home. As avid linguists, we love being surrounded by the many languages spoken in London both by locals and visitors alike. There are so many Londoners who use more than one language in their day-to-day lives, and who bring with them the incredible diversity found in the city. Here are a few interesting facts about our multilingual London!

 

• An estimated 300 languages are spoken by London residents. This amazing statistic offers a brilliant snapshot of the wide ranging cultures found in the city, and a gives an insight into London’s international flair.

 

• It is thought that around 22% of Londoners use a ‘main language’ other than English in their day-to-day lives with friends and family.

 

• In addition to the above, there are thousands upon thousands of London residents who are multilingual and who use various languages for socialising and work.

 

 

• An estimated 41% of state school children in London can speak another language in addition to English – now that’s impressive!

 

• One primary school in the Brent area of London reports having 42 different languages among their pupils – surely this must be one of the most multilingual playgrounds around!

 

 

• The most spoken languages in the city are thought to be:

Bengali

Polish

Turkish

Gujarati

Punjabi

Urdu

French

Arabic

Tamil

Portuguese

Spanish

Italian

Romanian

Arabic

 Chinese (all variants)

…However, these are just a few, as many many more as spoken!

 

• Although numerous languages can be heard at any one time in London, there are certain areas where some languages are more frequently used. This amazing Tube map created by Geographer Oliver O’Brien shows which languages are most typically spoken in which areas of the city. What’s the most spoken language in your area of London?

 

 

• With the above in mind, there are endless opportunities to try your hand at speaking different languages in London. You can speak Polish at a polski sklep, chat in Spanish at a Colombian café; order in Cantonese in Chinatown; converse in Italian at an osteria, practise your Arabic at a tea and shisha bar… the options are endless!

 

Staff and students at IH London are the perfect reflection of life in the city. Our multilingual and multicultural school is an exciting place to study, where diversity is celebrated and where we love learning about each other’s languages, countries and cultures. In London, everyone is welcome!