The Languages of Luxembourg: Why Everyone Speaks Three

Luxembourg has three official languages: Luxembourgish, French and German, and it's genuinely common for a single conversation, shop sign or government form to use more than one of them. Luxembourgish is the national and everyday spoken language; French dominates administration, law and most street signage; German is common in the press and schooling.

For newcomers, the good news is that you don't need to speak any of the three to get by day to day. English is very widely spoken in business, international companies and most of the service sector, and French alone is enough for the vast majority of daily interactions.

That said, picking up basic French or Luxembourgish noticeably smooths out interactions with landlords, neighbours and local administration, and many newcomers start language classes within their first year, often subsidised or offered by employers.

If you're planning to stay long-term, some level of Luxembourgish is required for citizenship applications — but that's a much later consideration than anything you need for renting a room or settling in initially.