Cameroon Language: What Do They Speak in Cameroon?
The official languages of Cameroon are French / English. In French, the country is called Cameroun. Cameroon is officially multilingual, with 2 recognised languages reflecting its diverse cultural and ethnic heritage.
🗣️ Language at a Glance
About the French Language
French grew out of the Vulgar Latin spoken in Roman Gaul, coloured by the Celtic Gaulish spoken before and the Germanic Frankish spoken by the conquerors who gave France its name. It became the language of royal administration in 1539, was standardised under the Académie française from 1635, and served for centuries as Europe's language of diplomacy. Colonial expansion carried it to Africa, the Americas and the Pacific; today it is official in 29 countries, an official language of the United Nations and the European Union, and one of the world's fastest growing languages thanks to population growth in francophone Africa. French is a Romance language descended from Latin, closely related to Italian, Spanish, Portuguese and Catalan. It also left a permanent mark on English: after the Norman Conquest of 1066, French supplied roughly a third of the English vocabulary, which is why English speakers already recognise thousands of French words.
The Latin alphabet: How French is Written
French uses the Latin alphabet with five diacritics: the acute (é), grave (è, à, ù), circumflex (ê), diaeresis (ë) and cedilla (ç), plus the ligature œ as in cœur. Written French is full of silent letters, especially final consonants, and neighbouring words are linked together in speech through liaison, which is why the written and spoken forms of a sentence can look surprisingly different.
Is French a Tonal Language?
No, French is not a tonal language. Stress is light and falls predictably at the end of a phrase; meaning is carried entirely by vowels and consonants, never by pitch.
🗨️ Useful French Phrases
A few everyday phrases in French, written in a simple romanized pronunciation so you can read them aloud. Tones and exact sounds vary by region, so treat these as a starting point.
How Hard is French to Learn?
French sits in the US Foreign Service Institute's easiest category, around 600 to 750 class hours for English speakers, helped enormously by shared vocabulary. The main hurdles are the gap between spelling and pronunciation, nasal vowels, the French r, and grammatical gender that simply has to be memorised word by word.
Multilingual Heritage of Cameroon
Cameroon officially recognises 2 languages: French, English. This multilingual status is a reflection of the country's history, ethnic diversity and cultural complexity. Different regions or communities may predominantly use one language over another, and all official languages are typically represented in government, education and public services. Multilingual countries often have rich cultural traditions that draw from each language community.
Language Tips for Visitors to Cameroon
English is an official language of Cameroon, making it easy for international visitors to communicate. You will find English widely spoken in cities, tourist areas, hotels and most businesses. Airport signage, menus and official documents are commonly available in English. The country is officially known as Cameroun in French, and the international dialling code is +237.
🌍 Other Countries Where French is Spoken
French is not exclusive to Cameroon; it is also spoken in these countries:
Frequently Asked Questions about Language in Cameroon
What language do they speak in Cameroon?
The official languages of Cameroon are French / English.
Is English spoken in Cameroon?
Yes, English is one of the official languages of Cameroon.
What is Cameroon called in its own language?
Cameroon is called "Cameroun" in French.
What writing system does French use?
French is written in the Latin alphabet. French uses the Latin alphabet with five diacritics: the acute (é), grave (è, à, ù), circumflex (ê), diaeresis (ë) and cedilla (ç), plus the ligature œ as in cœur. Written French is full of silent letters, especially final consonants, and neighbouring words are linked together in speech through liaison, which is why the written and spoken forms of a sentence can look surprisingly different.
Is French a tonal language?
No, French is not a tonal language. Stress is light and falls predictably at the end of a phrase; meaning is carried entirely by vowels and consonants, never by pitch.
How do you say hello in French?
"Hello" in French is "bonjour (bohn-ZHOOR)".
Is French hard to learn?
French sits in the US Foreign Service Institute's easiest category, around 600 to 750 class hours for English speakers, helped enormously by shared vocabulary. The main hurdles are the gap between spelling and pronunciation, nasal vowels, the French r, and grammatical gender that simply has to be memorised word by word.
How many official languages does Cameroon have?
Cameroon has 2 official languages: French, English.
Do I need to speak French to visit Cameroon?
No: English is official in Cameroon so communication is easy for English speakers.
What is the calling code for Cameroon?
The international dialling code for Cameroon is +237.
What is the population of Cameroon?
Cameroon has a population of approximately 27.9M, all of whom use French / English as the official languages.