Languages of Singapore facts for kids
Singapore is a country with many different languages! This is because many different groups of people live there. The government of Singapore officially recognizes four languages: English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil. Malay is the national language because of Singapore's history. People also speak a special local language called Singlish. It's a mix of English and other languages.
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English: Singapore's Main Working Language
English came to Singapore when the British arrived in 1819. They set up a port and later made Singapore a colony. English was used for government work during that time.
When Singapore became independent in 1965, its leaders decided to keep English. It helps people from different backgrounds communicate easily. English is now the main language used for business and government.
It is not against the law to speak your home language at work. However, it should not cause problems for the business or safety.
Learning Languages in Singapore
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Singapore encourages its citizens to be bilingual. This means being able to speak two languages. In schools, students learn English. They also take a "Mother Tongue" class.
In these classes, students learn either Mandarin Chinese, Malay, or Tamil. This helps them stay connected to their cultural roots.
Most Singaporeans can speak at least two languages. They know English and their home language. Many people can even speak three or more languages!
Languages Spoken at Home
The way people speak languages at home has changed over time. Here's a quick look at how common different languages were:
| Language most frequently spoken at home (%) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Language | 1990 | 2000 |
| English | 18.8 | 23.0 |
| Mandarin | 23.7 | 35.0 |
| Other Chinese Languages | 39.6 | 23.8 |
| Malay | 14.3 | 14.1 |
| Tamil | 2.9 | 3.2 |
You can see that more people started speaking English and Mandarin at home by 2000.
Other Languages in Singapore
Singapore is home to many different cultures. Because of this, you can hear many other languages too.
Indian Languages
About 60% of Singapore's Indian population speaks Tamil. Other Indian languages you might hear include Malayalam and Hindi.
Unique Local Languages
Some special local languages are also spoken.
- Baba Malay: This is a unique dialect spoken by about 5,000 Peranakan people. It's a mix of Malay and Hokkien, a Chinese dialect.
- Papia Kristang: A small number of Portuguese Eurasians speak this language. It's a creole language based on Portuguese. The older generation often speaks it best.
Related pages
Images for kids
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All directional signs in Singapore are written in English.
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The Teochew Building houses a prominent Teochew clan association in Singapore, the Ngee Ann Kongsi.
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A warning sign in the four official languages of Singapore that is found in all Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations
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Road signs to the Burmese Buddhist Temple and the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall. The non-English languages used on the signs appear to depend upon the expected visitors to each place (only English and Chinese for the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall sign, but those two plus Japanese and Burmese for the Burmese Buddhist Temple sign).
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Different non-English languages appearing on directional road signs in Singapore
