Learn French in Luxembourg

French in Luxembourg

Luxembourg's 1984 language law recognises Luxembourgish as the national language and makes French, German and Luxembourgish the three administrative languages. Laws themselves must be drafted in French. In the 2021 census, Luxembourgish was the main language of about 49% of residents, with French at about 15%, but French plays a much bigger role in public life than that figure suggests. In a STATEC survey of residents, French was the most used language at work, at 78%, ahead of English and Luxembourgish. About 233,000 salaried cross-border workers were counted in early 2026, more than half of them living in France. The EU Court of Justice in Kirchberg also deliberates in French.

Why people in Luxembourg learn French

French is the everyday working language in many Luxembourg offices, shops, hospitals and building sites, so it opens far more jobs than English alone. In the city you will use it with colleagues from Metz or Arlon, at the doctor's, on official letters and in restaurants. Lawyers, translators and staff at the EU institutions in Kirchberg find French especially useful. One point to be clear on: Luxembourgish nationality requires a Luxembourgish oral test, not French, so French is about work and daily life rather than citizenship.

The French you'll hear

The French you hear in Luxembourg is mostly standard French, spoken by people from France, Belgium and Luxembourg itself, with a range of accents. Luxembourgers often switch languages mid-conversation, and greetings may start in Luxembourgish with Moien before moving into French. At work, expect clear professional French in emails and meetings. Belgian and Lorraine accents are common because of the many cross-border workers, so practising with varied voices helps.

• 🔊Je suis frontalier, j'habite à Thionville.I'm a cross-border worker, I live in Thionville.
• 🔊Pouvez-vous m'envoyer le contrat en français ?Could you send me the contract in French?
• 🔊Je travaille au Kirchberg.I work in Kirchberg.
• 🔊La réunion se fera en français ou en anglais ?Will the meeting be in French or in English?
• 🔊Je prends le tram jusqu'à la gare.I'm taking the tram to the station.

French exams in Luxembourg

The Institut national des langues Luxembourg (INLL) is the national certification centre for language exams. For French, it offers the DELF at A2, B1 and B2, the DALF at C1, and the TCF, which reports levels from A1 to C2. A DELF or DALF diploma is a useful asset for job applications in Luxembourg. The INLL also runs the Sproochentest, the Luxembourgish oral test required for nationality.

Check dates and fees with the exam centre directly; they change every session.

Where to start in the course

French Ultimate is an online course, so you can follow it from Luxembourg or anywhere else. These topics are the most useful here:

• B2Business French: meetings and formal letters
• A2Jobs and work in French
• B1How to give your opinion in French

Questions about learning French in Luxembourg