Should a region's co-official language rule it out?

Key rules

• Daily life: Spanish works everywhere in Spain, so a regional language rarely justifies ruling out a region.
• Schools: Check how teaching languages are split before choosing a town if you have children.
• Public jobs: Regional and local public posts often require or score the local language; central State posts do not.
• Private jobs: No law requires the regional language for private-sector work.

The short answer

Don't rule out a region only because it has its own language. In daily life you can get by in Spanish everywhere. The language matters most in two places: your children's schooling and public-sector work.

Which regions have a second official language

Spanish is official everywhere. These regions add a language of their own:

• Catalonia: Catalan. Aranese is also official in the Val d'Aran.
• Valencian Community: Valencian, which is Catalan under another name.
• Balearic Islands: Catalan.
• Basque Country: Basque (Euskera). It is also official in the Basque-speaking zones of Navarre.
• Galicia: Galician.

Asturian and Aragonese are protected, but they are not fully official languages.

Daily life: usually not a barrier

City life is largely bilingual. You will see signs, menus and public notices in both languages, and you can use Spanish in shops, banks, clinics and offices.

How much you hear the regional language varies a lot. These figures come from regional surveys of different dates and methods, so treat them as rough:

• Catalonia: about 94% understand Catalan and about 80% speak it. Roughly a third use it as their main language.
• Galicia: about 55–60% speak Galician habitually, so you will hear it often, especially outside the cities.
• Balearic Islands: about 70–75% can speak Catalan.
• Valencian Community: about half speak Valencian. Large areas around Alicante and the coast are mainly Spanish-speaking.
• Basque Country: about 33–35% speak Basque.
• Navarre: about 12–15% speak Basque, mostly in the north.

If you want a region where Spanish dominates daily life, the Alicante area, the Valencian coast and most of Navarre are the easiest. Rural Galicia and inland Catalonia will use the local language most.

Dealing with the authorities

You can always deal with the administration in Spanish, as a resident or a foreigner. When a State body handles your procedure, you choose the language. Some regional documents may arrive in the regional language first, or in both languages. Which language an office uses by default differs by region, so ask for the Spanish version if you need it.

Schools: the biggest factor

If you have children, this is where the language matters most. In these regions the regional language is usually taught, and often used for teaching, in public schools. Younger children usually pick it up fast. Teenagers can find it harder. Before choosing a town, ask the local schools and the regional education office how teaching languages are split, and whether a mostly Spanish-language option exists. Also ask what support exists for newly arrived pupils.

Public-sector work

Knowledge of the language is often required or scored for regional and local public jobs, but not for all of them.

• Catalonia, Galicia, the Basque Country and the Balearics: regional civil servants, teachers and often local staff must show a level of the language. The level depends on the post, for example C1 or B2 for Catalan.
• Basque Country: each post carries a required language profile, called a perfil lingüístico.
• Valencian Community: the language is usually a scored merit, though some posts require it.
• Navarre: the requirement applies in the Basque-speaking and mixed zones.
• Galicia: Galician is required for regional civil service exams.
• Health services: doctors and nurses in regional services often need the language or get points for it.

Posts in the central State administration, such as the national police or the tax agency, do not require the regional language. Private-sector jobs have no legal requirement either. Requirements change by post and by recent reforms, some of which have been challenged in court, so check the call for each post.

How to decide

• No children, private-sector work or remote work: the language should hardly affect your choice.
• Children in school: weigh it seriously and research schools first.
• Aiming for a public job or regional health service work: expect to learn the language, or choose a region where it is not needed.

The FAQ below answers common questions on this.

Frequently asked questions

Can I deal with the authorities in Spanish in a region with its own language?

Yes. You can always use Spanish with the administration, whether you are a resident or a foreigner. Some regional documents may come out bilingual or first in the regional language, but you can ask for Spanish.

Will I need the regional language for a public-sector job?

Often, yes, for regional and local posts. Civil servants, teachers and many health staff in Catalonia, Galicia, the Basque Country and the Balearics must show a set level, such as Catalan B2 or C1 depending on the post. In Valencia it is usually scored as a merit. Central State jobs, such as the Policía Nacional or the tax agency, and most private jobs do not require it.

In which regions will I hear the language most in daily life?

Catalonia, the Balearics and Galicia have the most speakers: about 80% speak Catalan in Catalonia, 70-75% in the Balearics, and 55-60% are habitual Galician speakers in Galicia.