To learn Luxembourgish, start by listening, because its spelling even shows when a speaker drops a final n. About 400,000 people spoke Luxembourgish as their first language in 2024. A 1984 law made it Luxembourg's national language, and it entered the constitution on 1 July 2023.

How to Learn Luxembourgish, Step by Step

Try steps 1 to 3 during your first few weeks. Bring in steps 4 to 6 once a few words feel familiar.

Expect French and German WordsLuxembourgish is close to German, and it also uses French and Italian words. People say Salut (hi) from French and Ciao from Italian.
Learn ë and éSay ë like the a at the start of “about,” as in Mëllech (milk), and é often pairs with i, as in Schnéi (snow). Play each word's audio in LOD.
Watch the Final nA final n often drops before a consonant. People say wann ech ginn (when I go) but wa mer ginn (when we go).
Learn Each Noun's GenderLuxembourgish has three genders, and eng (a) goes with feminine nouns, as in eng Fënster (a window). Learn every new noun with its word for “a.”
Listen More Than You ReadStart with podcasts and conversations, and ask a friend to slow down when you need to: Schwätz méi lues (speak more slowly).
Check Words in LODThe official dictionary, LOD, shows each word's gender, plural and audio, and translates it into English, French, German and Portuguese.

LLO.LU lets you study Luxembourgish online for free, whenever you like, and INLL's Poterkëscht is a weekly podcast for beginners. italki lists just eight Luxembourgish tutors. To match your study to a goal, read the best way to learn Luxembourgish, and to find out whether Luxembourgish is easy to learn, read the easiest way to learn Luxembourgish.

Find Where You Are

Bubblegum is a language app with Luxembourgish lessons, and you can hear each line and read it in English. Poppy, your AI tutor, sets every lesson at one of the six levels below. Pick the line that describes you, and try that row.

Level 1
I'm just starting out or know only a few words.
Read a very short lesson, and notice each word that drops its final n before the next word.
A Level 1 lesson about going home after a café
Level 2
I can read simple sentences.
Listen to Poterkëscht, and look up two new words in LOD after each episode.
Level 3
I can read short stories and messages.
Work through LLO.LU's online exercises, and try a few sentences with a tutor or partner.
Level 4
I can read longer texts about everyday life.
Listen to Luxembourgish with Anne's conversations, and say back the lines you liked.
Level 5
I can follow complex topics, but miss some details.
Read the news on RTL.lu, and note the French and German words in each story.
Level 6
I can read almost anything.
Play long programs from Radio 100,7's online archive, and write a few lines in Luxembourgish about one of them.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Does It Take to Learn Luxembourgish?

The U.S. Foreign Service Institute's list doesn't include Luxembourgish. Luxembourg's language institute, INLL, runs an intensive course of 120 hours over eight weeks, and the guide to learning Luxembourgish fast shows how many hours of study you get in 12 weeks at a few hours a week.

How Many People Speak Luxembourgish?

About 400,000 people spoke it as a first language in 2024. In Luxembourg's 2021 census, 275,361 people said it was their main language.

Which Luxembourgish App Should a Beginner Choose?

If you are serious about learning Luxembourgish, start with Bubblegum. Poppy writes lessons at your level about things you like. The Luxembourgish app comparison also looks at dictionaries and tutor sites.

Is Bubblegum Free?

Yes. The lesson library is free for everyone, because we believe everyone should be able to learn. It holds lessons that other learners asked Poppy for. A new custom lesson costs us real money to make, so your first one is free, and Bubblegum Pro gives you unlimited custom lessons.

How to Learn Luxembourgish, Step by Step