Languages Spoken in New Zealand: The Complete List

New Zealand mixes wide-open landscapes with vibrant communities from Māori and Pākehā roots to Pacific and recent immigrant cultures, so language is part of daily life from town halls to family kitchens. You’ll hear te reo Māori, New Zealand English, sign language, Pacific tongues and many others across cities and regions.

There are 59 Languages Spoken in New Zealand, ranging from Afrikaans to Yue (incl. Cantonese). For each entry you’ll find below the data organized as Speakers (count), Percent (%), Main regions, so you can quickly see how common a language is and where it’s used — you’ll find below.

Which languages are official in New Zealand and what does that mean?

English, Māori (te reo), and New Zealand Sign Language are the three official languages; English is dominant in public life, te reo has growing legal and educational recognition, and NZSL has legal status for Deaf users — the list below shows speaker counts and regional distribution.

How prevalent are immigrant languages such as Afrikaans or Yue (Cantonese)?

Immigrant languages vary from small community counts (e.g., Afrikaans speakers) to larger groups like Yue (incl. Cantonese) in urban centers; consult the Speakers (count) and Percent (%) columns below to see exact numbers and where each language is concentrated.

Languages Spoken in New Zealand

Images and Descriptions

English

New Zealand’s de facto official language and the primary language for government, business, and daily life. Spoken by the vast majority of the population, as per the 2018 Census.

Te Reo Māori

The indigenous language of Aotearoa New Zealand and an official language since 1987. A treasured language undergoing significant nationwide revitalisation efforts, based on 2018 Census data.

Samoan

The most widely spoken Pacific language in New Zealand and a cornerstone of the vibrant Samoan community. Its use is strong in family, church, and community life (2018 Census).

Northern Chinese (incl. Mandarin)

The most common Sinitic language in NZ, its growth reflects immigration from mainland China and Taiwan. It is a major language in business and community settings (2018 Census).

Hindi

A key language for the large Indian and Indo-Fijian communities. It is prominent in cultural events, media, and family life throughout New Zealand’s main urban centres (2018 Census).

French

One of the most widely taught foreign languages in NZ schools. Spoken by migrants, expatriates, and New Zealanders with European heritage, according to the 2018 Census.

Yue (incl. Cantonese)

A major Sinitic language spoken by many early Chinese migrants from Southern China and Hong Kong. It remains an important community and heritage language, as per the 2018 Census.

New Zealand Sign Language

An official language of New Zealand since 2006. It is the primary language of the Deaf community, with its own unique grammar and vocabulary distinct from spoken English (2018 Census).

Tagalog (incl. Filipino)

The national language of the Philippines, spoken by one of NZ’s fastest-growing migrant communities. It is a vital language for connection and community identity (2018 Census).

German

Spoken by German migrants and their descendants, as well as being a popular language in the education system. It reflects historical and modern ties to Germany (2018 Census).

Tongan

A prominent Pacific language reflecting the large Tongan diaspora in New Zealand. It is central to family, church, and cultural life for Tongan New Zealanders, per the 2018 Census.

Punjabi

A major language of the Indian subcontinent, spoken by the rapidly growing Sikh and Punjabi communities in New Zealand. Predominantly heard in Auckland and Waikato regions (2018 Census).

Spanish

Spoken by a growing number of migrants from Spain and Latin America, and widely taught in schools. Its presence is increasing in urban and tourist centres (2018 Census).

Afrikaans

A key language for the significant South African migrant community in New Zealand. It is widely used in homes and social networks among South African expatriates (2018 Census).

Korean

Spoken by the Korean migrant community, which has established a strong presence in business and education sectors, particularly in Auckland’s North Shore area (2018 Census).

Dutch

Represents one of the larger non-English European languages, spoken by post-war Dutch migrants and their descendants. Its community use has declined but remains significant (2018 Census).

Japanese

Spoken by Japanese expatriates and taught widely as a foreign language. Its prominence is linked to business, tourism, and education, according to the 2018 Census.

Cook Islands Māori

The indigenous language of the Cook Islands, a realm country of New Zealand. It is an important heritage language for one of NZ’s largest Pacific communities (2018 Census).

Gujarati

A major language for the Indian community, particularly for migrants from the state of Gujarat. It is maintained through community organisations and family networks (2018 Census).

Malayalam

A language from the state of Kerala in Southern India, spoken by a fast-growing professional migrant community. Its speaker count grew dramatically between censuses (2018 Census).

Fijian

The indigenous language of Fiji, spoken by both Indigenous Fijians and some Indo-Fijians in New Zealand. A vital language for maintaining cultural ties and identity (2018 Census).

Russian

Spoken by migrants from Russia and former Soviet states. The community has grown since the 1990s, with the language used in homes and cultural groups (2018 Census).

Tamil

A classical language spoken by migrants from Southern India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Malaysia. It has a strong presence in cultural and religious community life (2018 Census).

Italian

Spoken by Italian migrants and their descendants. While community use has declined among younger generations, it retains cultural significance and is taught in schools (2018 Census).

Arabic

Spoken by diverse communities from the Middle East and North Africa. It serves as a liturgical language for the wider Muslim community in New Zealand (2018 Census).

Min Nan (incl. Hokkien, Taiwanese)

A Sinitic language spoken by migrants from Southern Fujian in China, Taiwan, and parts of Southeast Asia. An important heritage language for these communities (2018 Census).

Niuean

The indigenous language of Niue, a realm country of New Zealand. Classified by UNESCO as endangered, with more speakers in NZ than in Niue, making its preservation here critical (2018 Census).

Urdu

The national language of Pakistan, also spoken by Muslim communities from India. It is an important language for cultural and religious identity in these groups (2018 Census).

Thai

Spoken by the Thai migrant community and a popular language for New Zealanders interested in Thai culture and travel. Maintained through community and religious networks (2018 Census).

Portuguese

Spoken by migrants from Brazil, Portugal, and other Portuguese-speaking countries. Its growth is tied to recent migration from Latin America and Europe (2018 Census).

Vietnamese

Mainly spoken by refugees who arrived in the 1970s and 1980s and their descendants. It remains a strong heritage language within the Vietnamese community (2018 Census).

Sinhala

The main language of Sri Lanka, spoken by the growing Sri Lankan community in New Zealand. It is central to cultural identity and community connection (2018 Census).

Malaysian

Reflects migration from Malaysia and is often spoken by those of Malay ethnicity. It shares high mutual intelligibility with the Indonesian language, as recorded in the 2018 Census.

Persian (incl. Farsi, Dari)

Spoken by communities from Iran (Farsi) and Afghanistan (Dari). An important language for refugees and migrants, particularly in the main urban centres of New Zealand (2018 Census).

Tokelauan

The indigenous language of Tokelau, a New Zealand territory. It is severely endangered, with the majority of its speakers living in NZ. Revitalisation efforts are crucial (2018 Census).

Serbo-Croatian

A South Slavic language spoken by migrants from former Yugoslavian countries like Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia. Used in community circles to maintain cultural heritage (2018 Census).

Hindi-Fijian (Fiji-Hindi)

A distinct dialect of Hindi developed by Indo-Fijians. It is a primary language for many in the Indo-Fijian community in New Zealand, differing from standard Hindi (2018 Census).

Khmer

The language of Cambodia, spoken mainly by former refugees and their families who settled in New Zealand from the 1980s onwards. A significant heritage language (2018 Census).

Indonesian

Spoken by migrants from Indonesia. While the community is relatively small, the language is significant for its cultural and regional ties to Southeast Asia (2018 Census).

Polish

Spoken by descendants of post-WWII refugees (including the “Pahiatua children”) and more recent migrants. The language is maintained through community organisations (2018 Census).

Greek

A heritage language for the Greek community, many of whom are descendants of early 20th-century migrants. Community organisations and churches help maintain the language (2018 Census).

Hungarian

Spoken by descendants of refugees from the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and subsequent migrants. It is maintained within families and small community groups (2018 Census).

Czech

Spoken by a small community, many of whom trace their heritage to historic migration from the Bohemia region and more recent arrivals from the Czech Republic (2018 Census).

Swedish

Spoken by a small Scandinavian community in New Zealand. It reflects both historical migration and the presence of modern expatriates from Sweden (2018 Census).

Marathi

An Indian language spoken by migrants from the state of Maharashtra. While a smaller community, its numbers are growing with recent skilled migration to New Zealand (2018 Census).

Danish

Spoken by the Danish community, with historical roots in settlements like Dannevirke in the 19th century. Still spoken by modern migrants and older generations (2018 Census).

Nepali

The national language of Nepal, spoken by a growing community of migrants and former refugees in New Zealand, particularly in the main urban areas (2018 Census).

Tuvaluan

The Polynesian language of Tuvalu. Like other Pacific languages, it is considered endangered, with a significant proportion of its speakers residing in New Zealand (2018 Census).

Hebrew

Spoken by the Jewish community in New Zealand, both as a modern language by Israeli migrants and as a liturgical language in religious practice (2018 Census).

Burmese

The language of Myanmar, spoken primarily by a community of former refugees who have settled in New Zealand, with a notable community presence in Nelson (2018 Census).

Kiribati

The Micronesian language of Kiribati. The community in New Zealand is growing, and the language is vital for maintaining cultural identity, especially for younger generations (2018 Census).

American Sign Language

Used by some Deaf New Zealanders, often those with connections to the US or who have learned it as a second sign language. It is distinct from NZSL (2018 Census).

Welsh

A Celtic language spoken by a small community of Welsh migrants and their descendants. Its use is supported by cultural societies that celebrate Welsh heritage (2018 Census).

Latvian

Spoken by a small community of migrants from Latvia, many of whom arrived as displaced persons after World War II, and their descendants (2018 Census).

Rotuman

An endangered language from the Fijian dependency of Rotuma. The New Zealand-based community plays a crucial role in its preservation and maintenance (2018 Census).

British Sign Language

Used by some Deaf people in New Zealand, particularly older individuals or recent migrants from the UK. It is a distinct language from NZSL, though part of the same language family (2018 Census).

Turkish

Spoken by a small community of migrants from Turkey and Cyprus. Its presence in New Zealand reflects modern, skilled migration trends (2018 Census).

Lithuanian

A Baltic language spoken by a small community of Lithuanian migrants and their descendants, who maintain their cultural identity through community networks (2018 Census).

Norwegian

Spoken by a very small community of Norwegian expatriates and those with Norwegian heritage, reflecting historical and modern links to Scandinavia (2018 Census).

Languages Spoken in Other Countries