The official language in Belize is English, a result of many years of British rule. This is spoken in government, schools and businesses, although there are several other languages which are in daily use in the country.

The form of English used is a Creole dialect which can be a little difficult for newcomers to understand at first, although in time they will become accustomed to the sounds of the language. It is not necessary for English speaking expats to learn this dialect as they will be able to understand much of what is said to them and will be understood when they themselves speak, although there are several websites which can help you to learn a few phrases and get to grips with the basics.

The other language used on a daily basis is Spanish. English speaking expats are not obliged to learn Spanish as they will be able to get by without it, but learning a little will ensure that there are more opportunities, both socially and commercially, which are available to them. More inhabitants of the country will use Spanish as the main language at home than English even though more than 80% of the population are familiar with Standard English. Other languages used include Chinese, Hindi and some minority Mayan languages.

Many people are bi-lingual, as Spanish is taught as a second language at both primary and secondary schools and there are newspapers, radio broadcasts and television programmes in both English and Spanish. Standard English is used as the teaching medium in schools but there are several programmes in place to support more wide spread use of the Creole dialect.

Those who are moving to Belize for work should at least be able to speak a little English, but for those who don't there are several language schools and many opportunities to practise. There are several residential schools which run during holiday times and offer 2-4 weeks of intensive tuition and there are evening courses for those who are already in the country, which offer the chance to meet people and practice new skills in small groups. Similar schools also run courses in Spanish and other languages for those who just want to learn a new skill.

Neither English nor Spanish is particularly difficult to learn, particularly those coming from Europe who may have already picked up a few phrases. For those who are completely unfamiliar with both, then it may take a little time to get used to the grammar.