New Zealand has five common languages. English, Maori, and Samoan are common. The other two languages are Northern Chinese (as well as Mandarin) and Hindi. English is the most dominant language in New Zealand. It is also the de facto official language of the country. When coming to New Zealand, you would find that almost everyone in the country speaks English. About 94.5% of the country’s total population speaks English. It is also the language that has been dominant for the longest time. You will notice that they speak similar to the Australians with a few slight differences. Maori The indigenous Maori people also use the Maori language. Despite being less spoken than English, the language is also used in legal settings. However, when used in court, the proceedings are still recorded in English. The Maori language is somehow related to the Tahitian and Cook Islands Maori. After the Second World War, Maori was a language discouraged from being used in schools and work. As such, it only existed in a few minor communities in remote areas. Because of such, people at the time viewed Maori as a language without so much purpose. This led to the decline of its use as people decided not to teach their children the language. It was only in the 1970s when there was a revitalization of the language. It was only then that more and more people started to use Maori. Immigrant Languages New Zealand is a melting pot of many other cultures. There are immigrants from Europe as well as from other parts of Asia and the Pacific. With the migration, the cultures, as well as the language, have also diversified. The numbers point out that aside from English and Maori, there are other languages in New Zealand. Hindi and Mandarin Chinese are two of the most common immigrant languages in the country. French is also another widely spoken immigrant language here. Most of the immigrant languages are in major cities like Auckland. In a city like Auckland, you can easily find immigration groups that have long ago settled. The diverse culture you can find in Auckland adds a subtle charm to the city. Here, immigrants flock, settle and bring with them a piece of their country’s culture and flavors. In Auckland, you not only explore a city. You are exploring the beauty of the diverse cultures of the world.