If you’re trying to make your brand known in Europe, then understanding English proficiency levels across the continent is key.
A recent EU study shows that 47% of Europe’s population can converse in English, but this also means 53% will not engage with content unless it’s in their own language.
While multilingualism is prevalent in Europe, it varies greatly between countries. So, let’s take a closer look into which European audiences are likely to understand and be drawn to English marketing— and which aren’t.
This in-depth article provides real examples and expert insights to help you decide when to localize your content, when you can stick to English, and when you can use a mix of English and local languages to reach European audiences.
Here’s our recap:
Most Europeans are multilingual
With 24 official languages and around 200 spoken across the continent, Europe is a linguistic mosaic. Most Europeans are enthusiastic about learning new languages. In fact, according to Eurobarometer’s “Europeans and their languages” 2024 survey, 86% believe everyone should speak at least one language other than their mother tongue, and 69% aim for even more.
Language skills are seen as crucial, with 76% of Europeans saying improving them should be a policy priority. It’s not just about communication; multilingualism is key for personal development, employability and understanding different cultures.
Since 2012, language proficiency has improved, particularly among young people. Today, four out of five young Europeans can converse in a foreign language—a stark contrast to just 20% of adults in the US.
However, there are significant regional differences. Nordic countries lead in bilingualism, while Southern Europe lags behind. Interestingly, in countries where English is the native language, like the UK and Ireland, fewer people learn a second language.
English proficiency in Europe: Region by region
The European continent is full of linguistic diversity, with English proficiency varying significantly across different regions. Some areas have lower levels of English speakers, while others excel in multilingualism.
Let’s start by exploring the regions where English is less commonly spoken and move towards the countries with the highest proficiency.
Eastern and Southern Europe: Lower English proficiency
While 47% of Europeans can hold a conversation in English, in certain countries, English proficiency is below the continent’s average. These regions often have a stronger emphasis on their native languages or other regional languages, leading to fewer English speakers.
Here are the European countries with the lowest English proficiency:
- Romania: With only 25% of the population able to hold a conversation in English, Romania has one of the lowest English proficiency rates in Europe.
- Poland: Here, 27% of the population speaks English, reflecting a similar trend of lower English proficiency in Eastern Europe.
- Bulgaria: Only 29% of Bulgarians can converse in English, indicating limited exposure to the language.
- Hungary: English is spoken by just 30% of the population.
- Italy: In Southern Europe, Italy also has a relatively low English proficiency rate at 33%.
- Spain and Slovakia: Both countries have about 38% of their populations able to speak English, slightly below the European average.
- France: With 40% of French citizens proficient in English, France sits below the average, despite its global connections. See also: Social media marketing in France: How to reach new audiences
- Portugal, Croatia and Czechia: Each of these countries has around 41% of their population speaking English, showing a modest level of proficiency.
In these regions, language policies, cultural factors and historical context contribute to lower English usage. However, there are still pockets of higher proficiency, particularly among younger generations and in urban areas.
What does this mean for your marketing strategy?
Well, if you want to prioritize any of these markets, it’s a good idea to seriously consider localizing your content. Low English proficiency means that relying solely on English could limit your reach and effectiveness. By adapting your content to the native languages of these regions, you can connect more deeply with your audience, ensuring your messages are understood and appreciated.
Next, we’ll explore the regions where multilingualism, including English proficiency, is particularly strong.
Europe’s most multilingual countries
In contrast to regions with lower English proficiency, several European countries excel in multilingualism, with a significant portion of their populations fluent in English and other languages. These countries often emphasize language education and benefit from cultural and economic ties that promote multilingualism.
The Nordic region
The Nordic countries—Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland and Finland—are recognized for their high English proficiency, driven by early education and cultural openness. English became a key language here post-World War II, as these nations sought global engagement, despite lacking colonial ties to English-speaking countries.
Key factors include the early introduction of English in schools, usually from the first grade, and widespread exposure to English-language media, which is typically subtitled rather than dubbed.
English is deeply integrated into daily life, especially among younger generations who encounter it through gaming, social media and entertainment. However, there are concerns about English overshadowing national languages, particularly in academia and among older citizens.
- Sweden: With 90% of Swedes fluent in English, Sweden is another multilingual leader, benefiting from its high-quality education system and widespread use of English in media and business.
- Norway: Similar to its Nordic neighbors, around 90% of Norwegians are proficient in English, ranking 5th on the EF English Proficiency Index (EPI).
- Denmark: 87% of Danes speak English, reflecting their commitment to language learning and global connections.
- Iceland: According to the EF EPI, Iceland ranks “very high proficiency” in English, with some sources stating that up to 98% of the population speak English to some degree. English proficiency tends to be highest in urban areas and tourist hotspots—for example, in Reykjavík, the country’s capital.
- Finland: In Finland, 81% of the population is proficient in English, supported by a strong educational focus on languages and Finland’s bilingual nature (Finnish and Swedish).
What does this mean for your marketing strategy?
With such high English proficiency, you can likely get away with incorporating more English in your marketing for this region. But, as we always say, the more you localize, the better your chances of making a real impact.
We’ve covered this region in-depth here: Can you use English in Nordic digital marketing?
Western Europe
Western Europe has a varied range of English proficiency. The region’s history of international trade and politics has naturally spread the use of the English language, particularly in multilingual hubs like Belgium and Luxembourg.
Tourism also plays a key role in boosting English proficiency. Western Europe’s commitment to preserving linguistic diversity shows how English can coexist with native languages, balancing global communication with cultural heritage.
- The Netherlands: Topping the charts as the highest ranking on the EPI, an impressive 93% of the Dutch population can hold a conversation in English. This high proficiency is a testament to the country’s emphasis on language education and its strong international outlook.
- Luxembourg: Known for its trilingual population (Luxembourgish, French and German), Luxembourg also has a high English proficiency rate at 68%, reflecting its role as an international financial hub.
- Germany: In Germany, 65% of the population can converse in English, making it a key player in European multilingualism. Germany’s strong economy and global business ties contribute to this high level of proficiency. See also: Can you use English in German digital marketing?
“Germany is a market where it’s really common to see a mix of the two languages, particularly among the younger generation. If your product is global, and you’re talking to a global audience, you have the freedom to play with both languages.”
– Paula Uccelli, Project Manager at VeraContent
- Belgium: With 58% of the population proficient in English, Belgium benefits from its multilingual environment, especially in Brussels, the de facto capital of the European Union. Brussels hosts numerous EU institutions, making English a crucial language for international communication and diplomacy within the European Quarter.
- Austria: Austria, with 54% of its population speaking English, also stands out in Western Europe for its multilingual abilities.
- Switzerland: Ranking 30th in the EF EPI, Switzerland has seen a significant rise in English usage, especially among younger generations. Nearly three-quarters of 15- to 24-year-olds now engage with English at least once a week, up from 62% in 2014. However, among the population aged 75 and above, only 15% use English regularly, highlighting a generational divide in proficiency.
What does this mean for your marketing strategy?
While the countries mentioned have higher than average English proficiency, this doesn’t guarantee that using English in your marketing will be effective. Responses can vary significantly across each country. Some brands successfully use a mix of English and the local language, but they still make a strong effort to localize their content as much as possible.
Southern Europe
Southern Europe also presents a diverse range of English proficiency.
While countries like Malta and Cyprus have high fluency due to their colonial pasts and strategic locations, others like Spain and Portugal are seeing gradual growth, especially among younger populations. A large growth in expat communities could also start influencing English proficiency, with Portugal nearly doubling its number of foreign residents between 2017 and 2022.
- Malta: Malta has an 86% English proficiency rate, partly due to its historical ties with the British Empire and its status as a bilingual country, where both English and Maltese are official languages.
- Republic of Cyprus: With 73% of the population fluent in English, Cyprus benefits from its history and its strategic location at the crossroads of Europe and the Middle East.
- Greece: 51% of Greeks can speak English, making it an exception in the region, where English is commonly taught as a second language in schools.
- Spain and Portugal: While Spain (38%) and Portugal (41%) have lower overall proficiency, younger generations are increasingly fluent in English, particularly in urban and tourist-heavy areas.
What does this mean for your marketing strategy?
While English may be effective in markets like Malta and Cyprus, localized content is crucial to reaching and engaging your audience in countries like Spain and Portugal. Consider using a mix of English and the local language, especially in urban areas and among younger demographics, but ensure your content is tailored to each country’s cultural and linguistic nuances.
A few Central and Eastern Europe standouts
While some Central and Eastern European countries have lower English proficiency levels, a few nations are noteworthy for their multilingualism.
- Slovenia: With 61% English proficiency, Slovenia is one of the most multilingual countries in Central Europe, supported by its cultural ties with Western Europe.
- Estonia: In Estonia, 58% of the population speaks English, reflecting the country’s forward-looking policies and integration into the European Union.
- Latvia: 54% of Latvians are proficient in English, benefiting from a strong education system and the country’s strategic positioning in the Baltics.
What does this mean for your marketing strategy?
When targeting Central and Eastern Europe, it’s important to recognize the varying degrees of English proficiency across the region. Slovenia, Estonia and Latvia are the only countries where you may get away with slightly more English in your marketing.
Marketing strategies for a multilingual Europe
In Europe, where linguistic diversity is the norm, a one-size-fits-all approach rarely works. But managing content across various languages presents unique challenges and opportunities for marketers.
As Melissa Lyras, brand manager, aptly puts it:
“The biggest thing that stands out in the content industry in Europe is the complexity of managing content in different languages.”
Embracing this complexity, however, can bring impressive rewards, particularly when marketers tailor their campaigns beyond translation but truly localize the content. Multilingual content marketing allows brands to resonate with local audiences, improving relevance and effectiveness.
See also: Multilingual marketing: 5 channels to run in more than one language
Tailoring marketing campaigns based on language proficiency
Understanding the language proficiency of your target audience is crucial in developing effective marketing strategies. For example, brands might focus more on English content to maximize reach in countries with high English proficiency, like the Netherlands or Sweden.
However, in regions with lower English proficiency, such as Spain or Italy, localized content in the native language becomes essential to ensure that messages are both understood and appreciated.
At VeraContent, we’ve seen different ways to do this. The right strategy depends heavily on your brand, type of offering, key messaging and target audience. We can’t recommend a blanket approach, but rather consider each on a case-by-case basis.
See also: Localization strategy: Your guide to engaging a global audience
“Marketing in Europe means tailoring our messages. We can’t convince people to believe in what we’re doing in the same way in different countries.”
– Evgeni Hristov, Netherlands-based marketing and communications manager
Here are a few options to consider when marketing in Europe:
- Localized content creation: Develop tailored content for each market, considering local languages, cultural references and consumer behavior.
- Global social media management: Create separate social media accounts for different countries or regions, allowing for targeted communication and community engagement in the local language.
- Multilingual SEO optimization: Optimize your website content for different languages and search engines, ensuring visibility in local markets and improving organic search traffic.
- Transcreation: Go beyond simple translation by adapting marketing messages to resonate culturally and emotionally with local audiences, ensuring your brand’s message is effectively conveyed across different languages.
- Partnerships with local influencers: Collaborate with influencers and brand ambassadors in specific countries who can authentically connect with local audiences and promote your brand in their native language.
- Cross-cultural market research: Conduct market research to understand regional preferences, habits and pain points, and use these insights to inform your campaign strategies and product offerings.
- Bilingual customer support: Provide customer service in multiple languages to improve customer satisfaction and build trust with non-English-speaking customers across Europe.
See also: How to localize your content for more effective marketing in Europe
VeraContent case study: Too Good To Go’s multilingual approach
A prime example of successfully using multilingualism in marketing is the social impact company Too Good To Go. As a certified B Corp dedicated to reducing food waste, Too Good To Go operates in various European countries.
Too Good To Go’s marketing strategy is highly granular, with localized social media pages for each market. For example, they maintain separate Instagram and Facebook pages for 17 markets, allowing them to tailor content to each audience’s specific needs and preferences. This localized approach helps them connect with users on a deeper level, driving engagement and building a community committed to their mission.
In early 2023, Too Good To Go partnered with our team at VeraContent to handle community management for five key markets: the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark and Sweden.
Our community managers work closely with their in-house marketing team to produce and share content across their local account Stories—from specifically-created UGC-style videos to reshares from followers. This keeps their accounts active and encourages engagement.
Our team also localizes various marketing materials, including social media content, landing pages and user guides, to ensure cultural relevance and resonate with local audiences.
Read our Too Good To Go client story.
Make your brand known across Europe
Expanding your brand across Europe requires a strategic mix of English and local languages to truly connect with diverse audiences. At VeraContent, we specialize in helping brands navigate the complexities of multilingual marketing and localization.
With our deep knowledge of the European market and a network of locally-based experts, we can tailor your content to resonate with each region. Let us help you find the perfect balance of English and local languages to make your brand known and loved across Europe.
Book a call and find out whether you qualify for a Free Content Consultation.