What Language Do They Speak in Taiwan?

Official language of Taiwan Chinese

Facts last checked 9 October 2026.

The official language of Taiwan is Chinese. Chinese is also an official language in 2 other countries worldwide.

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Languages of Taiwan at a glance

Official language	Chinese
Number of official languages	1
Countries on this site where Chinese is official	3
People (demonym)	Taiwanese
Capital	Taipei
Internet domain	.tw

Other countries where Chinese is official

Chinese is also an official language in 2 other countries covered here:

Taiwan in context

Taiwan covers 36,197 km², making it the 134th largest of the 196 countries on this site.
Its population density of about 644 people per km² ranks 9th of 196 (1st = most crowded).
Taiwan has no land borders with other countries on this site.
With 23,317,031 people, Taiwan holds about 1.4% of the population of Eastern Asia.
Traffic drives on the right, and calendars start the week on Monday.
Taiwan is not a United Nations member state.

Useful phrases for visitors to Taiwan

Everyday Chinese phrases you will hear and use in Taiwan:

English	Chinese
Hello	你好 (nǐ hǎo)
Thank you	谢谢 (xièxie)
Please	请 (qǐng)
Goodbye	再见 (zàijiàn)
Yes	是 (shì)
No	不是 (bú shì)

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 Taiwan — FAQ