Antwerp is definitively more Dutch-speaking (Flemish). As the capital of the Flanders region in Belgium, Dutch is the official language, spoken by the vast majority of residents and used for all official communication, commerce, and signage. While French is spoken by some, and English is common, the city is culturally and linguistically anchored in the Dutch-speaking Flemish tradition.
🔶 Dutch dominated in the north (Flanders), with provinces like East Flanders (92.6%) and Antwerp (90.7%). 🔷 French was prevalent in the south (Wallonia), with Namur (96.1%) and Hainaut (93.1%) leading. 🔴 A small pocket of German speakers existed in the east, especially in Luxembourg (8.7%) and Liège (6.3%).
Belgium is also home to two main linguistic communities: the Dutch-speaking Flemish Community, which constitutes about 60 percent of the population, and the French-speaking French Community, which constitutes about 40 percent of the population; a small German-speaking Community, comprising around one percent of the ...
According to the most recent population figures, 20,590 Dutch people live in Antwerp out of a total population of 565,709. Twenty thousand is the entire population of many a Flemish town.
By and large, French is spoken in Brussels and in the southern region of Wallonia. In total, this represents about 40% of the total population. But Brussels is actually a special case. The capital of Belgium has two official languages: Flemish and French.
Do I need to know Dutch or French to work in Belgium?
Is Flemish more Dutch or French?
The primary language in Belgium is Dutch, spoken by approximately 60% of the population. The Flemish dialect is almost identical to the Dutch spoken across the border in the Netherlands, but some differences in vocabulary have led some to refer to the language colloquially as "Flemish".
Bruges is in the Dutch linguistic area. Dutch is therefore the spoken language here. Many Bruges residents also speak other languages such as French or English. So don't hesitate to ask the person you're talking to whether they also speak your (2nd) language.
At the end of the 1930s, Antwerp was the preferred destination for many of the Jews who chose to flee the rampant anti-Semitism in Nazi Germany. Historians estimate that there were about 35,000 Jews in the city on the eve of World War II. Many of them were foreigners, who did not have Belgian nationality.
“Hallo” is the Dutch way of saying hello and greeting someone. This allows you to initiate a conversation with someone in Belgium and the Netherlands. “Goedendag” is the most formal greeting that can be used throughout the day without any variation.
Relations between the two countries date back to the 17th and 18th centuries when a conflict led to the transformation of the Dutch Republic to the Batavian Republic and eventually the Kingdom of Holland. The two countries currently enjoy close cultural and economic relations.
Yes, Dutch speakers can generally understand Flemish, as both are varieties of the same language. However, the differences in pronunciation, vocabulary, and expressions can sometimes create challenges, especially for Dutch speakers unfamiliar with Flemish accents or regional terms.
Members of the Belgian royal family are often known by two names: a Dutch and a French one. For example, the current monarch is called 'Philippe' in French and 'Filip' in Dutch; the fifth King of the Belgians was 'Baudouin' in French and 'Boudewijn' in Dutch.
French is one of the three official languages of Belgium, along with Dutch and German. It is spoken natively by around 40% of the population, primarily in the regions of Wallonia and Brussels.
Antwerp. Antwerp (Antwerpen in Dutch, Anvers in French) is Belgium's up-and-coming "second city" — and the de facto capital of Flanders, Belgium's Dutch-speaking region.
When in doubt, though, just stick to goedemiddag and you should be fine. If you're learning German as well, note that this is the other way around from that language. Germans say guten Tag (“good day”) and leave the afternoon part out.
Both French allez and Belgian Dutch allee have been claimed to be primarily markers indicating some form of encouragement or exhortation (Sierra Soriano, 2006; Kloots, 2007). Most obviously, and most literally, the speaker encourages co-participants (not) to do something.
The prevalent religion in Antwerp is Roman Catholicism. There are also small groups of various Protestant churches and a sizable Jewish group of different tendencies. (By the 19th century Antwerp already had a great number of Jewish residents, but many Jews died in World War II German concentration camps.)
1. Bruges. This city is on top of most visitors' lists for a reason: it is without a doubt one of Europe's most picturesque towns. A medieval fairy-tale town with cobblestone lanes and charming canals, hordes of visitors from all over the world rightly come to admire its photogenic and romantic beauty.
Many believe that these two languages are one in the same, or that their only difference is their geographical location. In essence, a Dutch speaker will be able to understand a Flemish speaker and respond back, and the same goes for the opposite.
Furthermore, there is no language called 'Belgian'. Many people in the Flemish speaking part of Belgium also have a great level of English and so you can easily get around by just speaking English, though learning a little bit of French or Flemish is always appreciated.
