10 Countries With the Biggest Spanish-Speaking Populations

Spanish is the primary language in more than twenty nations, and it’s the second most popular language in the world. The United States is among the top ten countries with the most Spanish speakers. Where on the list do you think it lands?

Gathering the Numbers

We based this list on Statista data for the number of native Spanish speakers worldwide in 2022. Bilingual speakers are included in the count. 

1: Mexico

Almost 126 million people in Mexico have a native command of the Spanish language. Spanish was not spoken in Mexico until the 16th century when Spaniards began colonizing the area.  

2: Colombia

Colombia is home to 51.2 million native Spanish speakers. Many Colombians also speak English, and in certain areas, indigenous languages are spoken.

3: Argentina

In Argentina, there are 45.36 million native Spanish speakers, but the Spanish they speak is unlike anything you’ll hear in the rest of Latin America or Spain. Significant Italian influence has created unique dialects and regional idioms. 

4: Spain

There are 43.27 million Spanish speakers in the language’s origin country. Spain is also home to several similar but distinct languages, including Catalan and Galician. 

5: United States

In the U.S., there are 41.76 million people with a native grasp of the Spanish language. Spanish has a long history in the U.S., and Spanish speakers are found in most regions of the country. 

6: Venezuela

There are 32.46 million native Spanish speakers in Venezuela. Though there are many accents and regional dialects, the “true” Venezuelan Spanish, spoken by the media, stems from Caracas.  

7: Peru

About 29 million (28.99, to be exact) Spanish speakers live in Peru. Even though Spanish is the national language, about 26% of the population first grew up speaking a different language, like Quechua or Aymara. 

8: Chile

Chile has just over 19 million native Spanish speakers. Chilean Spanish is unique from other Spanish variants, though, and some Spanish speakers from other countries say they have a tough time understanding Chileans. 

9: Ecuador

There are 13.59 million Spanish speakers in Ecuador, and it’s considered the main language. However, a significant portion of the population also speaks Quechua, which came from the Inca Empire. 

10: Guatemala

Thirteen and a half million Spanish speakers reside in Guatemala. While Spanish is the tongue you’ll hear most frequently in the “Land of Eternal Spring,” there are over twenty-two Mayan dialects spoken in certain areas of the country. 

An American Statistic

Some Americans find it surprising that the U.S. ranks fifth for the number of Spanish speakers in the world. Most people in the U.S. speak English, and few think of it as a Spanish-speaking country. 

The Original Language

However, Spanish has been in North America far longer than English has. The Spanish first arrived in the Florida Peninsula in 1513, and by 1565, they’d established their first Spanish-speaking colony. 

Vast Variations

Spanish has been evolving in the U.S. for a long time, which helps explain why different regions of the country have slightly different dialects. The Spanish you hear in Colorado is slightly different from what the trained Spanish speaker’s ear picks up in Texas or New Mexico. 

New Introductions

Spanish in America is also subject to regular change as new immigrants enter the States. Puerto Rican Spanish, Mexican Spanish, and Cuban Spanish all merge and combine in certain areas, creating unique dialects found nowhere else in the world.  

Conversational

Despite regional variations, most Latinx Americans (75%) say they can carry a conversation with other Spanish speakers. A significant portion (24%) of Hispanics in the U.S. admit they speak no Spanish at all. 

Language Shaming 

Hispanics who don’t speak Spanish in the U.S. are usually second or third-generation Americans. And about half of them say other Hispanics have shamed them because of it.  

Holding Onto Tradition

Language is crucial to the culture, and most Spanish-speaking Americans (85%) say it’s at least somewhat important for their children and grandchildren to learn Spanish as well as English. 

Spanglish

As Spanish speakers in the U.S. mix with the majority English-speaking population, a new language has come to exist. Spanglish is a mix of Spanish and English that 63% of Spanish speakers report using.  

The Dominant Language

Though English is the main language in the U.S. overall, certain cities are home to more Spanish speakers than others. In some places, like Miami, residents may greet you in Spanish before switching to English. 

Growing Population

The number of Spanish speakers immigrating to the U.S. is on the rise. From 2020 to 2022, the Hispanic population, the majority of whom speak Spanish, increased by 26%.

Surpassing English

Knowing that Spanish is already the language of choice in some cities and that the number of Spanish speakers is increasing makes some Americans question whether Spanish could overtake English as the main language. 

Not Likely 

Experts say despite the growing number of Spanish speakers, Spanish is unlikely to surpass English as the dominant language in the U.S. Their reasoning? Children of immigrants tend to distance themselves from their native tongue as they adopt American culture.

Generational Loss

The statistics bear this idea out. Of third-generation and later American Hispanics, only 34% feel comfortable holding a conversation in their family’s native language.  

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