New Zealand is home to a diverse range of cultures and languages. The most commonly spoken language in New Zealand is English, however there are also a number of other languages spoken by migrants and minorities. Here is a brief guide to some of the languages you may encounter in New Zealand:
- Māori: Māori is the indigenous language of New Zealand and is spoken by around 4% of the population. It is a member of the Polynesian family of languages, which also includes Hawaiian and Samoan.
- Mandarin: Mandarin is the most widely spoken language in the world, with over a billion speakers. In New Zealand, it is estimated that around 1% of the population speaks Mandarin.
- Samoan: As well as being spoken in Samoa, Samoan is also one of the official languages of New Zealand. It is estimated that around 1.5% of New Zealanders have Samoan as their first language.
- Hindi: Hindi is the official language of India, and is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. In New Zealand, it is estimated that around 1% of the population speaks Hindi.
- Arabic: Arabic is spoken by less than 1% of the population in New Zealand, however, it is one of the world’s major languages with over 300 million speakers worldwide.
- Others: There are also a number of other languages spoken in New Zealand, such as Japanese, French, Spanish, and German.
Which Language is Officially Used for Work in New Zealand?
English is the official language of New Zealand. All government communications and documents are in English, and English is used in all workplaces. However, this does not mean that other languages are not spoken or used in New Zealand.
In fact, many businesses and organizations have bilingual policies in place, which means that they will communicate with you in your preferred language. Additionally, there are a number of language support services available in New Zealand, such as interpreters and translation services.