New Zealand

Languages

Afrikaans afr

Users: 27,400 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low Saxon-Low Franconian, Low Franconian

Angloromani rme

Users: 1,300 in New Zealand (2012 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Mixed language, English-Romani

Arabic, Egyptian Spoken arz

Users: 2,570 in New Zealand (2013). Total Arabic speakers in New Zealand: 10,700 (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic

Arabic, Mesopotamian Spoken acm

Users: 5,780 in New Zealand (2013). Total Arabic speakers in New Zealand: 10,700 (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic

Arabic, North Levantine Spoken apc

Users: 2,350 in New Zealand (2013). Total Arabic speakers in New Zealand: 10,700 (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic

Assyrian Neo-Aramaic aii

Users: 1,670 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, Aramaic, Eastern, Central, Northeastern

Bengali ben

Users: 2,420 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Eastern, Bengali-Assamese

Burmese mya

Users: 1,710 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Ngwi-Burmese, Burmish, Southern

Chinese, Mandarin cmn

Users: 52,300 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese

Chinese, Min Nan nan

Users: 6,190 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese

Chinese, Yue yue

Users: 44,600 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Sino-Tibetan, Chinese

Czech ces

Users: 1,530 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, West, Czech-Slovak

Danish dan

Users: 2,130 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, North, East Scandinavian, Danish-Swedish, Danish-Riksmal, Danish

Dutch nld

Users: 24,000 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low Saxon-Low Franconian, Low Franconian

English eng

Users: 3,970,000 in New Zealand, all users. L1 users: 3,820,000 in New Zealand (2013 census). L2 users: 150,000 (Crystal 2003a). Status: 1 (National). De facto national language. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English

Fijian fij

Users: 6,270 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, East Fijian

French fra

Users: 49,100 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French

German, Standard deu

Users: 36,600 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, East Middle German

Greek ell

Users: 2,950 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Greek, Attic

Gujarati guj

Users: 17,500 in New Zealand (2009 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Gujarati

Hebrew heb

Users: 1,350 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Canaanite

Hindi hin

Users: 66,300 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Western Hindi, Hindustani

Hindi, Fiji hif

Users: 1,670 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Eastern, East Central

Hungarian hun

Users: 1,720 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Uralic

Indonesian ind

Users: 4,880 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayo-Chamic, Malayic, Malay

Irish gle

Users: 1,020 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Celtic, Insular, Goidelic

Italian ita

Users: 8,210 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian

Japanese jpn

Users: 20,100 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Japonic

Kannada kan

Users: 1,040 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Kannada

Khmer khm

Users: 6,730 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Eastern Mon-Khmer, Khmer

Kiribati gil

Users: 1,480 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Micronesian, Micronesian Proper, Ikiribati

Korean kor

Users: 26,400 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Koreanic

Lao lao

Users: 1,280 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Kra-Dai, Kam-Tai, Tai, Southwestern

Malay zlm

Users: 6,780 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Alternate Names: Malaysian Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Malayo-Chamic, Malayic, Malay

Malayalam mal

Users: 4,370 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Malayalam

Maori mri

Far north, North Island, east coast. Users: 148,000 in New Zealand (2013 census). 100,000 understand but do not speak it (1995 Maori Language Commission); 30,000–50,000 adult speakers over 15 years old (1995). Ethnic population: 599,000 (2013 census). Total users in all countries: 159,700. Status: 6b (Threatened). Statutory language of national identity (1987, Maori Language Act, No. 176, Article 3), legal domains mostly. Alternate Names: New Zealand Maori, te reo Autonym: te reo Māori Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, East, Central, Tahitic

Marathi mar

Users: 2,900 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Southern

Nepali npi

Users: 1,880 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Eastern, Eastern Pahari

New Zealand Sign Language nzs

Scattered. Users: 3,250 (McKee and Manning 2019), decreasing. Estimated 2,500–4,000 deaf signers, less than 0.1% of total population. Other estimates: 20,200 (McKee and Manning 2015). Marked decline across all age groups since 2001 (McKee and Manning 2015, McKee and McKee 2016). Status: 6b (Threatened). Recognized language (2006, New Zealand Sign Language Act, No. 18, Article 6). Alternate Names: NZSL Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language

Niue niu

Users: 4,550 in New Zealand (2013 census). Ethnic population: 24,000 (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Alternate Names: Niuean Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Tongic

Pashto, Northern pbu

Users: 1,270 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Eastern, Southeastern, Pashto

Persian, Iranian pes

Users: 5,060 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern, Persian

Pitcairn-Norfolk pih

Scattered. Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Norf’k, Pitcairn English Classification: Creole, English based, Pacific

Polish pol

Users: 2,620 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, West, Lechitic

Portuguese por

Users: 5,620 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Portuguese-Galician

Pukapuka pkp

Primarily in Auckland, smaller communities in Hastings, Christchurch, Palmerston North, Porirua, Shannon. Users: 1,500 in New Zealand (2016 M. Salisbury). Ethnic population: 3,000 (2016 M. Salisbury). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, Samoic-Outlier, Pukapuka

Punjabi, Eastern pan

Users: 19,800 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Panjabi

Rakahanga-Manihiki rkh

Users: 2,500 in New Zealand (1981). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, East, Central, Tahitic

Rarotongan rar

Users: 8,120 in New Zealand (2013 census). Ethnic population: 61,000 (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Alternate Names: Cook Islands Māori Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, East, Central, Tahitic

Romanian ron

Users: 1,950 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Eastern

Russian rus

Users: 9,430 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East

Samoan smo

Users: 86,400 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, Samoic-Outlier, Samoan

Serbo-Croatian hbs

Users: 5,350 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished.

Sinhala sin

Users: 5,220 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Outer Languages, Southern, Sinhalese-Maldivian

Somali som

Users: 1,330 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Somali

Spanish spa

Users: 62,900 in New Zealand, all users. L1 users: 27,000 in New Zealand (2013 census). L2 users: 35,900 (Instituto Cervantes 2019). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian

Swahili swh

Users: 1,130 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, G, Swahili (G.42)

Swedish swe

Users: 2,640 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, North, East Scandinavian, Danish-Swedish, Swedish

Tagalog tgl

Users: 29,000 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Greater Central Philippine, Central Philippine, Tagalog

Tamil tam

Users: 6,840 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Dravidian, Southern, Tamil-Kannada, Tamil-Kodagu, Tamil-Malayalam, Tamil

Telugu tel

Users: 3,400 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Dravidian, South-Central, Telugu

Thai tha

Users: 7,600 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Kra-Dai, Kam-Tai, Tai, Southwestern

Tokelauan tkl

Users: 2,470 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, Samoic-Outlier, Tokelauan

Tongan ton

Users: 31,800 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Alternate Names: Faka Tonga Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Tongic

Turkish tur

Users: 1,110 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Turkic, Southern, Turkish

Tuvaluan tvl

Users: 2,350 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian, Oceanic, Central-Eastern Oceanic, Remote Oceanic, Central Pacific, East Fijian-Polynesian, Polynesian, Nuclear, Samoic-Outlier, Ellicean

Urdu urd

Users: 5,050 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Western Hindi, Hindustani

Vietnamese vie

Users: 5,380 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Viet-Muong, Vietnamese

Welsh cym

Users: 1,040 in New Zealand (2013 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Celtic, Insular, Brythonic