Language Information

Luxembourgian, more properly Lelzeburgesh, is spoken in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is basically a dialect of German, but since Luxembourg is an independent country, its language is generally thought of as a separate language. There are about 350,000 speakers.

Family: Indo-European
Subgroup: Germanic
Branch: Western

Writing Sample

Translation

Where you see the slow Alzetta flow,
The Sura play wild pranks,
Where lovely vineyards amply grow
On the Moselle's banks,
There lies the land for which our thanks
Are owed to God above,
Our own, our native land which ranks
Well foremost in our love.

Our Father in Heaven whose powerful hand
Makes states or lays them low,
Protect Thy Luxembourger Land
From foreign foe or woe.
God's golden liberty bestow
On us now as of yore.
Let Freedom's sun in glory glow
For now and evermore.

—Our Homeland (Luxembourg National Anthem)