Pope Francis speaks and understands around 8 to 9 languages, with varying degrees of fluency and comfort:

• His native language is Spanish.
• He is fluent in Italian and Piedmontese (a northern Italian dialect).
• He speaks Portuguese, French, German, and Ukrainian.
• He has knowledge of Latin, the official language of the Holy See.
• He has studied Biblical Hebrew and Koine Greek.
• He struggles with English but has worked on improving it and can speak it to some extent.

Overall, Pope Francis is most comfortable in Spanish and Italian but can communicate in several other languages without a translator, though he prefers interpreters to ensure clarity and accuracy in his messages