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Exploring Language Knowledge in Brussels

The Brussels Council for Multilingualism provides this data hub to help citizens and researchers understand the linguistic landscape of Brussels. The hub brings together two complementary sources of data: the VUB/BRIO Taalbarometer, a representative scientific survey conducted five times since 2001, and a language exposure map drawn from aggregated social media data across the 19 communes. Together, they tell a story of a city in deep linguistic transition — where French remains dominant but declining, English has surged to second place, and Dutch has recovered after a historic low. Alongside these three languages, Brussels is home to large communities of Arabic, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish and Romanian speakers — and over 100 languages in total are spoken across the city.

Explore the data

Taalbarometer survey data

Examine the latest survey data from the VUB/BRIO Taalbarometer. Track how knowledge of French, Dutch, and English has evolved over five editions since 2001, and explore findings on home languages, generational shifts, and language in public life.

View Survey Summary

Use of languages on social media

Explore language prevalence across the 19 municipalities of Brussels. Filter by commune, inspect minor language communities, and compare localized exposure rates.

View Interactive Map

Understanding the Data Sources

Each source tells a different part of the story. The Taalbarometer captures what people say they know; the social media map captures where and how much languages appear in daily digital life.

Feature Taalbarometer (VUB/BRIO) Languages on Social Media
Data Type Scientific Survey Research Language exposure on social media
Methodology A representative, sample-based survey conducted five times since 2001, with the latest fieldwork in 2024 and published in 2025 (Taalbarometer 5). It measures self-reported language skills (speaking 'good to excellent') and tracks language use in different social spheres (home, work, neighborhood). An analysis of aggregated and anonymized active user profile data from social media platforms across Brussels. It maps estimated language exposure and interface settings across all 19 communes.
Core Strengths Representative sample (2,500+ adults), tracks long-term historical trends since 2001, provides rich demographic profiles by birth region and education. Very large active digital sample size, highly localized metrics for all 19 municipalities, excellent at capturing minor language communities and their geographic distribution.
Limitations Self-reported (subjective assessment of proficiency); smaller sample sizes in recent editions make very rare languages harder to capture. Social media user base bias, reflects active accounts and algorithmic indicators rather than verified oral/written proficiency, no official census status.