Learning Luxembourgish

If you made a New Year's resolution to learn Luxembourgish this year, City Savvy's Guide is here for you!

CSL Mag

13 January 2023

Learning a new language is a great way to start the new year. Luxembourg is a multilingual country so you have plenty of options to choose from. If you feel that is the time to learn Luxembourg’s own language, we prepared a list of organizations and institutions where you can start. Knowing Luxembourgish is a great advantage if you plan to live here long-term, your children are in public school, you want to make new friends and connect with the country’s culture, politics, and history. It is also going to be much easier to navigate through Government agencies and policies. 

Background

Upon the founding of the country, German was widely used in the political field to comment on the laws so that they could be understood by everyone. In 1984 Luxembourgish was made the national language by law and this law also recognized the three languages of Luxembourg (Luxembourgish, French, and German) as administrative languages. Franco-German bilingualism is a characteristic aspect of Luxembourg’s social structure and French remains the language of legislation. However, German or Luxembourgish is often the language of choice for the printed press.

Get Started

If you are new here in Luxembourg it will make a huge difference to your integration if you learn some Luxembourgish. On the other hand, if you have been living here for more than 5 consecutive years, you will be eligible to obtain Luxembourg citizenship. But, as part of the requirement, you will need to pass the Luxembourgish language test that consists of basic written and oral comprehension skills.

There is a long list of institutions that offer Luxembourgish language learning courses. The government recognised institutions and non-profit community associations offer Luxembourgish language courses for a less expensive fee. For one-on-one learning and other personalized options, you can register with one of the private language training centers.

So, there are no excuses to start greeting the Luxembourg citizens with Moien! And remember to bid Äddi when leaving. 

Government Recognised Organisations

The government recognised organisations are affiliated to the Luxembourg Ministry of Education. The Institut National des Languages offers certificate courses in Luxembourgish as a foreign language. They offer day and evening classes for a fee of around 200 euros per term. These courses are convenient for working professionals. Contact them by phone or email for information about the schedule and fee.

Non-profit Associations

Some non-profit associations like language societies, student groups, and local communes offer Luxembourgish language learning sessions for a nominal fee.  The fees for these classes start from 30 euros. This is a great option for students. For detailed information on their schedules and fees contact them by phone or email.

Private Institutions

Most of the private institutions offer small group language training. They have distinct packages designed for adults and children. Some of them also offer private home tuition. Visit their websites or contact them for more information.

City Savvy’s Extra Tips for learning Luxembourgish