Is Luxembourgish worth learning? Work, citizenship and everyday life

Luxembourgish has only a few hundred thousand speakers, and almost all of them also speak French, German or English. So why learn it? Because in Luxembourg it decides more than you'd think — nationality, some jobs, your children's school, and how your neighbours see you. An honest look at who gains most, and when it isn't the priority.

Updated · 4 min read

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The Grund and the Church of Saint John (Église Saint-Jean) in Luxembourg City
Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, resized.

In short: worth it if you live in Luxembourg or plan to — for nationality it is required, for public-sector and many customer-facing jobs it counts, and in daily life it changes how people respond to you. Less urgent if you are here for a short assignment in an English-speaking office, or if your job needs French first.

1. Nationality

Most people who apply for Luxembourg nationality must pass the Sproochentest: spoken Luxembourgish at A2 and listening at B1 (INL). Luxembourg does not ask you to give up your nationality; whether you can keep it depends on your other country's law, which Guichet.lu advises checking first (Guichet.lu). Everything about the levels and the exemptions is in the level you need for citizenship.

Bei eis am Land kann een zwou Nationalitéiten hunn.

Literally: In our country you can have two nationalities.

2. Work

  • Public sector: the three administrative languages — Luxembourgish, French and German — are expected to a certain level; some posts in contact with citizens require full command of all three, including in writing (govjobs.lu).
  • Healthcare, care, crèches, schools, shops: patients, children and customers speak Luxembourgish — see the vocabulary for health, childcare, retail and hotels.
  • Everywhere else: among residents who answered the 2021 census, about 57% use Luxembourgish at work or school — behind French (about 65%) but ahead of English (37%) and German (31%) (STATEC).
  • Your employer can pay for it: up to 200 hours of paid language leave (Guichet.lu).

Et ass net einfach, e gudden Job ze fannen.

Literally: It's not easy to find a good job.

Meaning: fannen — to find. More words in work and office and administration.

3. Daily life and belonging

Luxembourgish is the main language of 48.9% of residents and usually spoken by 61.2% of those who answered the census — more than any other language. It is the language of many neighbours, sports clubs, village festivals and parents at the school gate. The government's own portal puts it simply: it is a way of communicating with residents and of living together (luxembourg.public.lu).

Seng Famill ass viru gutt 40 Joer an eist Land komm.

Literally: His family came to our country a good 40 years ago.

4. Your children

Children growing up here meet Luxembourgish at crèche and school. Parents who understand it can follow what is going on — talk to teachers, help with homework, join in. Start with the family and school words.

When it is not the priority

How much does it take?

Less than people fear. The INL's intensive Moving Languages programme takes adult beginners to spoken A2 in eight weeks at 15 hours a week; part-time, a steady daily routine works. See is Luxembourgish hard to learn?, free ways to learn it and the best apps. For conversation practice, Edluxio has independent teachers — among them native Luxembourgish speakers — for 1-to-1 online lessons; a trial lesson is refunded in full if the first one isn't right for you.

Ech sinn an engem Cours, fir Lëtzebuergesch ze léieren.

Literally: I'm on a course to learn Luxembourgish.

Meaning: léieren — to learn.

Five minutes a day is enough to start

16Word teaches Luxembourgish 16 words and sentences at a time, with native LOD recordings, spaced review and a Blocks game between answers. Free to start.

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Questions about whether to learn Luxembourgish

Is Luxembourgish worth learning?

If you live in Luxembourg or plan to stay, yes: it is required for most nationality applications, counts in the public sector and many customer-facing jobs, and is the most widely spoken language in the country.

Is Luxembourgish useful for work?

Often. About 57% of residents who answered the 2021 census use it at work or school; public-sector posts expect it, and in care, education and retail it is a real advantage. French is used at work even more.

Is Luxembourgish useful outside Luxembourg?

Little: it is spoken mainly in Luxembourg and around Arlon in Belgium. Its value is in Luxembourg itself.

Can I keep my nationality if I become Luxembourgish?

Luxembourg does not ask you to give it up, but your other country's law decides whether you keep it — Guichet.lu advises checking with its authorities first.

Official sources

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