Quick answer
Spanish, mostly — and English is official too. Puerto Rico’s Act No. 1 of 1993 makes Spanish and English the island’s official languages. In daily life Spanish dominates: the US Census Bureau reports that 95.5% of residents age 5 and up speak a language other than English at home.
- You can get by in English in San Juan, hotels, airports and most tourist businesses.
- Outside the metro area, a few Spanish phrases go a long way — try our Spanish phrases tool.
- Road signs, menus and government services are mainly in Spanish.
Puerto Rico is mostly a Spanish-speaking island.
Due to its small size, Puerto Rico has very few dialects and even fewer differences between them.
Being born and raised in Puerto Rico, I can tell you that we use unique words like “algarete” (crazy or disaster), “guasa” (liar or poser), and “esmalláu” (hungry), which not all Spanish-speaking countries use.
In this article, I will cover everything that you need to know about language and communicating in Puerto Rico:
– What is the official language of Puerto Rico?
– What language does Puerto Rico mostly speak?
– Is Puerto Rican Spanish different?
– Puerto Rican Spanish vs Mexican Spanish
– Do Puerto Ricans speak English?
What is the official language of Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico has two official languages: Spanish and English. Spanish is by far the dominant language in everyday life.
The legal history has gone back and forth. A law of February 21, 1902, under US rule, made English and Spanish both official. In 1991, Act No. 4 made Spanish the only official language. Two years later, Act No. 1 of January 28, 1993 repealed that law and restored Spanish and English as official languages, which is the rule today.
If you want to know more about the island’s relationship with the US, read Is Puerto Rico Part of the US?
What language does Puerto Rico mostly speak?
The majority of the residents speak Spanish first.
Puerto Ricans are also known for being very fluent in Spanglish.
“Spanglish” or “Espanglish” is the term used to combine or mix the Spanish and English languages conversationally.
Spanglish is not an official language but it is widely known and used by many hispanic communities.
Below is a video of NY Mets’ Fransico Lindor commenting on the Spanglish:
This hybrid “language” combines words and phrases from both Spanish and English in a distinctive way.
For example, the Spanish word for “to check” is verificar, but Puerto Ricans use the word chequear which is a mix of both words (check and verificar).
Also, there are some words that do not have a Spanish translation like “Blogger” or “TikToker”. By using Spanglish, Puerto Ricans have transformed those words into Bloguero and TikTokero.
Others word generally used by Puerto Ricans is “Googolealo” which means Google it, and “chateando” which means chatting.
Here is a video of how to speak Spanglish:
Census data show how dominant Spanish is at home: 95.5% of residents age 5 and older speak a language other than English at home (American Community Survey, 2020–2024). English is common in schools, business, tourism and media, and many Puerto Ricans mix both in “Spanglish.”
Is Puerto Rican Spanish different?
Yes, it definitely is!
The Spanish of Puerto Rico is quite unique.
This is due to a blend of cultural systems and the island’s history.
Despite forced attempts, the Spanish settlers failed to completely eradicate the native Taíno language from the island during their 400-year Spanish rule.
In addition, the customs and languages enslaved Africans brought over were combined with the already mixed language in Puerto Rico.
To this day Puerto Rico retains many words of Taíno and African origins. This linguistic fusion integrates African and Taíno words, idioms, and sounds into the language spoken on the island.
That combination then merges with the English language and ends up creating a singular Spanish.
Check out this video about Puerto Rican Spanish words and phrases:
You should check our article La Cara del Indio for some more historical context. It covers the story of Cacique Mabodamaca, a legendary Taíno Chief of Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rican Spanish vs Mexican Spanish
Puerto Rican Spanish is different from Mexican Spanish.
Also, there’s a difference between our indigenous ancestors. Puerto Rico’s ancestors were Taíno, while Mexican ancestors were Aztecs. The words and idioms inherited from these different cultures are what makes each of our Spanish unique.
However, Mexico and Puerto Rico share some words like Huracán (Hurricane), tomate (tomato), and hamaca (hammock).
Check out this video about some differences between Puerto Rican and Mexican Spanish:
Another country with similarities to Puerto Rico is Costa Rica, if you want to know more about it be sure to read our article about Puerto Rico vs Costa Rica.
Do Puerto Ricans speak English?
Many do, at different levels. English is an official language, and it is widely used in tourism, hotels, airports, business and government documents. In the San Juan area you can usually get by in English.
At home, though, Spanish rules: the Census Bureau reports that 95.5% of residents age 5+ speak a language other than English at home. Away from tourist areas, expect Spanish first, and a friendly “buenos días” helps.
Brush up with our Spanish phrases tool before you go.
Frequently asked questions
What language is spoken in Puerto Rico?
Spanish is the main language. Spanish and English are both official languages under Act No. 1 of 1993.
Is English an official language in Puerto Rico?
Yes. English and Spanish are both official. English was first made official alongside Spanish in 1902; a 1991 Spanish-only law was repealed in 1993.
Do I need to speak Spanish to visit Puerto Rico?
No. English works in San Juan, hotels and most tourist businesses. Basic Spanish helps outside tourist areas.
How many people in Puerto Rico speak Spanish at home?
The US Census Bureau reports that 95.5% of residents age 5+ speak a language other than English at home (ACS 2020–2024).
Is Puerto Rican Spanish hard to understand?
It is fast and full of local slang (like “wepa” and “ay bendito”), but standard Spanish speakers adjust quickly.
Final thoughts
Puerto Rico’s language is the direct result of the island’s complicated history.
The language in Puerto Rico not only shapes Puerto Ricans’ identity but also represents the success of our cultural resistance.
It is important to mention that before the Spanish invaded the island and named it Puerto Rico, the native Taíno called it Borikén which means “Land of the Valiant Lord”.
To this day, Puerto Ricans still call the island Boriken, and we proudly call ourselves Boricuas.
Only Puerto Ricans say “wepa!” and “que hay” when they greet others. Only Puerto Ricans say “Ay bendito!” to express emotion.
In no other Spanish-speaking country those words are used. That’s one of the reasons why Puerto Ricans’ Spanish is quite unique.
Learn more about Puerto Rican culture in our article 30 Travel Tips & Things To Know Before Visiting Puerto Rico.
You may also enjoy our article Is Puerto Rico Safe?.
Sources we checked
Checked in October 2026. Where a fact could not be confirmed against a primary source, we removed it or said so.
Originally published on PuertoRico.com (2023-01-04). Reviewed and updated October 2026: facts were checked against the sources above.