The Main Language in Ottawa, Canada is English. But Canada does have a Second official Language which is French.
Ottawa is closely situated on the border of Quebec (another province in Canada) which makes French an important language in the region.
But you don’t need to worry as both English and French are quite popular in Ottawa.
Most of the signboards and parking signs are available in both languages but as an employee (working somewhere) you need to know the basics of both languages English and French.
Ottawa is home to many different language communities which include Chinese, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, Punjabi, and a lot more. But here’s an interesting fact Anishinaabemowin (also known as Ojibwe or Odawa) is the most common language spoken by Indigenous peoples in Ottawa.
According to the 2016, Census of Population, people in Ottawa reported that Anishinaabemowin was their mother tongue. This is followed by Algonquin and Cree.
If you want to work or study in Ottawa then you definitely need to know both languages (French and English) very well.
What is the Primary Language Spoken in Ottawa, Canada?
The Primary language spoken in Ottawa, Canada is English. As per the 2016, Census of Population, 45.5% of Ottawa residents speak English as their main language.
English is the official language of the government in Canada. However, French is also an official language of Canada and is spoken by a significant number of residents in Ottawa.
Most of the people in the region speak both French and English Fluently, which makes it a Bilingual city in Canada.
According to the recent, Census of Population, the following were the languages spoken at home in Ottawa:
- English: 625,800 (45.5%)
- French: 252,570 (18.1%)
- Other languages: 59,225 (4.2%)
If you are traveling to Ottawa then you need to know some basics of French. As this will make communication with locals a lot easier for you.
Even if you are planning to work in Ottawa, then you definitely need to know some French (basic will work fine) as most jobs require you to know both languages well.
All in all, Ottawa is a Bilingual and language-friendly city which means you will have no problem as long as you know the basics of both languages properly.
Is Ottawa a Bilingual City?
Ottawa is officially a bilingual city in Canada. It is a bilingual city under the Canadian Constitution which makes the federal government responsible for providing services in both English and French language in Ottawa.
A significant portion of the population in Ottawa speaks both English and French languages and the recent census of population shows that 36.7% of Ottawa citizens were bilingual which officially makes Ottawa a bilingual city.
Let me remind you that most of the provinces/cities in Canada are not officially bilingual but Ottawa is an exception.
If you want to work in Ottawa, then I highly recommend you learn the basics of both languages and be fluent in any one of them.
Is Ottawa more English or French City?
Ottawa is more of an English-speaking city with French as its second official language. As the city shares its border with Quebec (another province in Canada), many residents in Ottawa are bilingual which means they can speak both English and French very well.
If you are moving to Ottawa for Work(job) purposes then you should know the basics of both languages and must be fluent in any one of the langauge.
Is Ottawa a French Speaking Province?
No, Ottawa is not a French-speaking province it’s the capital of Canada, and also a bilingual city in the country. Both English and French are the official languages in Ottawa. However, English is the primary language spoken in Ottawa.
The latest Census of Population, shows 45.5% of Ottawa residents spoke only English at home, while 23.1% reported that they spoke only French at home. The remaining 31.4% reported that they spoke both English and French at home, or another language.
So, it’s safe to say that Ottawa is not a french speaking province.
Is Ottawa an English City?
Ottawa is a bilingual city, but English is the primary language spoken in the Region. About 45.5% of Ottawa residents spoke English as a primary language at home and workplaces. This is followed by French (23.1%), English and French (Both) (19.8%), and other languages (11.6%).
All in all, Ottawa is an English-speaking city, but French is also an important language in the city. Both languages are widely spoken and respected. Even if you know any one of these languages it will work perfectly fine for you.
Most Common Languages Spoken in Ottawa
Following are the most common languages spoken in Ottawa, Canada, based on the 2016 Census of Population:
- English (45.5%)
- French (23.1%)
- English and French (19.8%)
- Mandarin Chinese (2.1%)
- Spanish (0.8%)
- Arabic (0.8%)
- Punjabi (0.7%)
- German (0.6%)
- Italian (0.3%)
- Cantonese (0.3%)
- Vietnamese (0.3%)
Other languages are also spoken in Ottawa which includes Algonquin, Anishinaabemowin, Cree, Somali, Amharic, Tagalog, Punjabi, Romanian, Portuguese, Polish, and Urdu.
However, Ottawa is a bilingual city, with English and French being the official languages.
Can You Live In Ottawa Without Knowing French?
Yes, you can live in Ottawa without knowing French. Ottawa is a bilingual city with English as its most spoken language. The city is located in the Ontario province of Canada and is closely situated on the border of Quebec.
Most of the government services in Ottawa are available in both English and French, but in case if you know only one language then it’s absolutely fine. They will make the suitable arrangements for you. As per the Census, about 45.5% of Ottawa citizens speak English as their main(primary) language.
If you know the French language, it only will give you an advantage in the job market as many employers in Ottawa specifically look for people who know the French language fluently.
Can You Get a Job in Ottawa Without Speaking French?
Yes, it is possible to get a job in Ottawa without speaking French. However, it is not as easy as it seems to be. You may find yourself with limited opportunities compared to the one who knows both languages.
Ottawa is a bilingual city in Canada with English and French as its official languages. It means you will find a suitable job for yourself but you might have to wait for a bit longer.
All in all, it is possible to get a job in Ottawa without speaking French, but it is more difficult. On the safer side try to learn the basics of French so that you can mention it in your resume or cover letter.
Can I Speak Only English In Ottawa?
Yeah! it’s totally fine if you are only speaking English in Ottawa. Most of the people will understand what you are trying to say. English is the primary language spoken in Ottawa and you will be surprised to know that more than 65% of the residents in the city know English very well in the city.
So, even if you are only communicating in English in Ottawa most of the locals will easily understand and help you with your query.
It is possible to live and work in Ottawa without speaking French. However, knowing some basic French phrases can be helpful in certain situations.
Do I Need To Speak French In Ottawa?
Not Specifically, even if you don’t know French you can still live and work in Ottawa. Ottawa is officially a bilingual city which means all the government services will be available to you both in English and French.
While knowing some basic French phrases will help you a lot when you try to interact with any locals.
How many People In Ottawa are Bilingual?
There are a lot of people in Ottawa who are bilingual. According to the Census of 2016, about 36.74% of Ottawa residents speak both English and French fluently which means more than 369,000 people are bilingual in Ottawa.
The main reason why the city is bilingual is because of its close proximity to Quebec which is another French-speaking province in Canada.
Does Ottawa have a French Speaking majority?
No Ottawa is not a French Speaking majority. Only 29% of Ottawa’s population is Francophone (people whose first official language is French) while the majority of Ottawa’s population is Anglophone (people whose first official language is English).
How much percentage of people in Ontario speak French?
As per the latest Census of Canada(2021), about 4.2% of the population of Ontario spoke French as their primary language. The majority of French speakers in Ontario live in the eastern part of the province, near the border with Quebec.
However, the percentage of people who speak French in Ontario is comparatively less as compared to the Quebec province which is the only French-speaking province in Canada.
Not to mention, there are also significant French-speaking communities in other parts of Ontario, such as Toronto and Ottawa.
What is the bilingualism rate in Ontario?
The bilingualism rate in Ontario is 18.0% which means 18.0% of citizens in Ontario can speak both English and French very well.
Plus, the bilingualism rate in Ontario has been increasing steadily over time. In 2011, it was about 16.7% which increased up to 17.3% in 2016.
The increasing rate of bilingualism in Ontario is because of a number of factors, which include the growing immigrant population in the region and its proximity to the province of Quebec.
What other languages are spoken in Ottawa?
Besides English and French, the following are the other languages spoken in Ottawa:
- Mandarin Chinese
- Spanish
- Arabic
- Punjabi
- German
- Italian
- Cantonese
- Vietnamese
- Algonquin
- Anishinaabemowin
- Cree
A few other languages spoken in Ottawa include Somali, Amharic, Tagalog, Romanian, Portuguese, Polish, and Urdu.
What indigenous language is spoken in Ottawa?
Algonquin, Anishinaabemowin, and Cree are the common indigenous languages that are widely spoken in Ottawa.
Algonquin is the language of the Algonquin people, who have been living in the Ottawa Valley for centuries. It is the language of the Anishinaabe people, who are the First Nations people who live in North America.
Cree is the language of the Cree people, who used to live in large areas of Canada, including the Northwest Territories, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Quebec.
Ottawa Dialect
Ottawa Dialect or Odawa(Ojibwe) is basically a type of English that is spoken in many regions of Ottawa. The dialect is quite similar to the other dialects spoken in Ottawa but has some unique features of its own. You will be surprised to know that it is heavily influenced by French languages.
For example, “Hello” in the Ottawa dialect is “Boozhoo” which is similar to how it is pronounced in French.
Besides that Ottawa dialect is also a bit influenced by the Algonquin language which is quite popular in some regions of southern Ontario in Canada, and northern Michigan in the United States.
Final Thought: The Language in Ottawa
What is the main language in Ottawa? The primary language in Ottawa is English which is spoken by a majority of the population. However, the city does have a second official language which is French.
Most of the people in Ottawa(about 36.7%) are bilingual. This is because of the city’s close proximity to Quebec, a French-speaking province.
You absolutely don’t need to worry, If you are moving to Ottawa either for work or for studies and don’t know a single word of French. A few of my friends have been to Ottawa and they didn’t know anything about the French language still they are working absolutely fine there.
However, knowing a bit of phrase will help you a lot while communicating with others.
