The primary language spoken in Portugal is Portuguese, which is the official language and the mother tongue of about 95.6% of the population. Portuguese is an Indo-European Romance language that originated in the Iberian Peninsula and is used in all spheres of life in Portugal, from daily communication to business and education

. In addition to Portuguese, Mirandese is recognized as a second official language in Portugal. It is spoken mainly in rural areas around Miranda do Douro in northern Portugal by a small population of about 15,000 people. Mirandese is a mix of Leonese and Galician-Portuguese and has three distinct dialects

. Other languages commonly spoken as second languages in Portugal include English, which is widely spoken especially among younger people and in tourist areas, Spanish, and French. English is the most common foreign language taught in schools and is spoken by a large majority of the population, making Portugal one of the countries with the highest English proficiency in the world

. Portuguese Sign Language is also officially recognized and used by the deaf community in Portugal

. In summary:

• Official and main language: Portuguese
• Second official language: Mirandese (regional)
• Common foreign languages: English (widely spoken), Spanish, French
• Sign language: Portuguese Sign Language for the deaf community

Portuguese itself is a language with rich grammar and phonology, including nasal vowels, two grammatical genders, and a flexible sentence structure