Spanish is the official language and is spoken throughout the country and taught in schools. About 100,000 people, mostly along the Caribbean coast, speak Garífuna, a creole that has elements of French, Spanish and English; English is understood along much of the coast.

Only a few thousand people routinely speak indigenous languages, the most important of them being Mískito, which is spoken more commonly in Nicaragua.

Use your international mobile phone rental to find a translation service near you.