Languages of Guatemala
is the official language of Guatemala, and is spoken by 93% of the population. Guatemalan Spanish is the local variant of the Spanish language.
Twenty-two Mayan languages are spoken, especially in rural areas, as well as two non-Mayan Amerindian languages: Xinca, an indigenous language, and Garifuna, an Arawakan language spoken on the Caribbean coast. According to the Language Law of 2003, the languages of Mayas, Xincas, and Garifunas are recognized as national languages.
German is spoken by more than 5,000 Germans citizens living permanently in Guatemala, as well as several thousand [German Guatemalan|Guatemalans of German descent].
| Language | Family | Branch | Native speakers | % of total population | Notes |
| Spanish | Indo-European | Romance | 9,481,907 | 69.9 | Although 93% of Guatemalans can speak Spanish and it is the sole official language of the country, it is not spoken by the entire population, or even used as a second language. There are twenty-four distinct indigenous languages spoken in Guatemala. |
| Kʼicheʼ | Mayan | Kʼicheʼ | 1,000,000 | 5.79 | Language spoken in six departments: Sololá, Totonicapán, Quetzaltenango, El Quiché, Suchitepéquez and Retalhuleu. |
| Q'eqchi' | Mayan | Kʼicheʼ | 555,461 | 3.22 | Spoken in Alta Verapaz, El Petén, Izabal and in El Quiché. |
| Kaqchikel | Mayan | Kʼicheʼ | 500,000 | 2.9 | Guatemala City, Chimaltenango, Escuintla, Suchitepéquez, Baja Verapaz and Sololá. |
| Mam | Mayan | Mam | 480,000 | 2.78 | Quetzaltenango, San Marcos, and Huehuetenango. |
| Poqomchiʼ | Mayan | Kʼicheʼ | 92,000 | 0.53 | Baja Verapaz and in Alta Verapaz. |
| Tz’utujil | Mayan | Kʼicheʼ | 88,300 | 0.51 | Sololá, Suchitepéquez. |
| Achí | Mayan | Kʼicheʼ | 85,552 | 0.5 | Spoken mainly in five municipalities of Baja Verapaz: Cubulco, Rabinal, San Miguel Chicaj, Salamá and San Jerónimo, and partially at El Chol and Granados, Baja Verapaz. |
| Q’anjob’al | Mayan | Q'anjob'al | 77,700 | 0.45 | Spoken in four municipalities of the Huehuetenango department: San Juan Ixcoy, San Pedro Soloma, Santa Eulalia, Santa Cruz Barillas. |
| Ixil | Mayan | Mam | 70,000 | 0.41 | Spoken in three municipalities of the El Quiché department, also known as the Ixil Triangle: Santa María Nebaj, San Gaspar Chajul, and San Juan Cotzal. |
| Akatek | Mayan | Q'anjob'al | 48,500 | 0.28 | Spoken in two municipalities in Huehuetenango: San Miguel Acatán y San Rafael La Independencia. |
| Jakaltek | Mayan | Q'anjob'al | 40,000 | 0.23 | Spoken in Jacaltenango and the surrounding Huista region in Huehuetenango. |
| Chuj | Mayan | Q'anjob'al | 40,000 | 0.23 | Spoken in San Mateo Ixtatán, San Sebastián Coatán and Nentón, all in the Huehuetenango Department. |
| Poqomam | Mayan | Kʼicheʼ | 30,000 | 0.17 | Spoken in Guatemala City, Jalapa, and Escuintla. |
| Ch'orti' | Mayan | Chol | 30,000 | 0.17 | Jocotán and Camotán, La Unión, Zacapa |
| Chalchitek | Mayan | Mam | 21 550 | 0.10 | Chalchitán, a neighborhood in Aguacatán, Huehuetenango. |
| Awakatek | Mayan | Mam | 18,000 | 0.10 | Primarily in Aguacatán, Huehuetenango. |
| Sakapultek | Mayan | Kʼicheʼ | 9,763 | 0.06 | Sacapulas in El Quiché. |
| Sipakapa | Mayan | Kʼicheʼ | 8,000 | 0.06 | Sipacapa, San Marcos. |
| Garífuna | Arawakan | Caribeña | 5,860 | 0.03 | Izabal. Garifuna is one of the languages brought to Guatemala by slaves Spanish colonists brought from other places. |
| Uspantek | Mayan | Kʼicheʼ | 3,000 | 0.02 | Uspantán and Chicamán, El Quiché. |
| Tektitek | Mayan | Mam | 2,265 | 0.01 | Tectitán and Cuilco, Huehuetenango. |
| Mopan | Mayan | Yucateca | 2,000 | 0.01 | San Luis, Poptún, Melchor de Mencos, and Dolores, El Petén . |
| Xincan languages | Xincan languages | at least four languages | 16 | 0.0001 | Spoken by about two hundred people in Santa Rosa and Jutiapa. An endangered language with unclear origins.The Xincan languages may have arrived from the South. |
| Itza | Mayan | Yucateca | 12 | 0.0001 | Spoken in six municipalities, mainly in San José, of the El Petén department. |