What Language Do They Speak in Papua New Guinea?

Official languages of Papua New Guinea Tok Pisin, English, Hiri Motu

Facts last checked 9 October 2026.

Papua New Guinea has 3 official languages: Tok Pisin, English, Hiri Motu.

Learn some Tok Pisin before you go

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Languages of Papua New Guinea at a glance

Official languages	Tok Pisin, English, Hiri Motu
Number of official languages	3
Countries on this site where Tok Pisin is official	1
People (demonym)	Papua New Guinean
Capital	Port Moresby
Internet domain	.pg

Languages of neighbouring countries

Indonesia	Indonesian

Papua New Guinea in context

Papua New Guinea covers 462,840 km², making it the 54th largest of the 196 countries on this site.
Its population density of about 25 people per km² ranks 163rd of 196 (1st = most crowded).
It shares a land border with 1 country: Indonesia.
With 11,781,559 people, Papua New Guinea holds about 85.7% of the population of Melanesia.
With 3 official languages, Papua New Guinea has more than most countries on this site.
Traffic drives on the left, and calendars start the week on Monday.
Papua New Guinea is a member state of the United Nations.

Compare Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea vs Fiji

Useful phrases for visitors to Papua New Guinea

Everyday Tok Pisin phrases you will hear and use in Papua New Guinea:

English	Tok Pisin
Hello	Halo
Thank you	Tenkyu
Please	Plis
Goodbye	Gutbai
Yes	Yes
No	No

Spellings can vary by region, and some languages use different forms for formal or informal speech. Even a simple greeting in the local language is usually appreciated.

Languages in Papua New Guinea — FAQ