- Official Language
- English (official language of California since 1986)
Good to know
Good to Know
- About half of Los Angeles residents speak a non-English language at home, with Spanish being the dominant second language—expect Spanish signage and bilingual services throughout the city
- English dominance in business and professional services makes day-to-day operations straightforward for English speakers in central commercial areas
- Certain neighborhoods are predominantly non-English speaking (e.g., parts of East Los Angeles, San Gabriel Valley for Mandarin); consider this when choosing accommodation or exploring different areas
- Spanish language ability is increasingly valuable in Los Angeles due to the large Hispanic/Latino population and prevalence of Spanish in public services, healthcare, and retail
- The city's extreme linguistic diversity means translation and interpretation services are widely available but quality and responsiveness vary by provider
Official Language
English (official language of California since 1986)
English Proficiency
- Fluent English Speakers
- About 75% of Angelenos speak English 'very well'
- Limited English Proficiency
- About 25% of Angelenos speak English less than 'very well'
- Note By Language
- Among Spanish speakers in Los Angeles, 47% speak English less than 'very well'; among speakers of Korean, Thai, Lao, and other Tai-Kadai languages, more than 50% speak English less than 'very well'
Total Languages Spoken
Over 224 distinct languages spoken throughout the city; 154 languages spoken by Los Angeles Unified School District students
English As Lingua Franca
English is the primary language of business, education, and media; serves as lingua franca facilitating communication across different language groups despite city's linguistic diversity
English Speaker Percentage
48% of population speaks only English at home; 52% speak a language other than English at home
Nomad Friendliness Summary
English is widely understood and used in business, professional services, restaurants, and tourist areas. However, significant portions of the city have strong non-English speaking communities, particularly Spanish-speaking neighborhoods. English proficiency varies by neighborhood and service type.
Most Common Non English Languages
Spanish
- Percentage Of Population
- 36-42%
- Rank
- 1
- Notes
- Second most widely spoken language overall; approximately 3.6 million speakers in Los Angeles County
Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese)
- Percentage Of Population
- ~2-3%
- Rank
- 2
- Notes
- About 400,000 speakers; concentrated in areas like San Gabriel Valley
Korean
- Percentage Of Population
- ~2.4%
- Rank
- 3
- Notes
- Approximately 300,000 speakers; strong presence in Koreatown
Tagalog (Filipino)
- Percentage Of Population
- ~2.3%
- Rank
- 4
- Notes
- Approximately 227,000-230,000 speakers in the area
Armenian
- Percentage Of Population
- <2%
- Rank
- 5
- Notes
- Significant presence in Little Armenia and Glendale; largest Armenian population outside Armenia
Farsi (Persian)
- Percentage Of Population
- <2%
- Rank
- 6
- Notes
- Significant Iranian community; presence in West Los Angeles and areas known as 'Tehrangeles'
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this language & english friendliness research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Los Angeles
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.