Pope Leo XIV speaks several languages fluently and can read others important to the Catholic Church. His native language is English, given his American upbringing. He is fluent in Spanish, Italian, French, and Portuguese as well. Additionally, he can read Latin and German, which are significant for theological and ecclesiastical purposes

. His multilingual abilities reflect his global role as the leader of the Catholic Church, his years of missionary work in Peru, and the need to communicate with a diverse worldwide Catholic population. Italian is essential for Vatican administration, while Latin remains the Church's official liturgical and historical language. His fluency in Spanish is particularly notable due to his long service in Latin America