Knowing how to talk about countries, nationalities and languages in English is vital for travel, work, networking and everyday conversation. In this guide you’ll get the names of more than 120 countries, the correct nationality adjectives, the main languages spoken, how to use them in sentences, common mistakes to avoid, and useful extras. Even a yak can sound globally savvy.
Why This Topic Matters
- When you meet someone new, one of the first questions is usually: “Where are you from?”
- Being able to say: “I’m Canadian. I speak English and French.” = smooth, confident.
- Knowing country-loan words, correct nationality forms, languages = helps you understand maps, news, culture.
- Many learners struggle with the endings (-ese, -ian, -ish) and mixing up nationality vs language vs country.
Country → Nationality → Language: The Basics
How to Use Them in Sentences
- Country: “He’s from Japan.”
- Nationality: “He is Japanese.”
- Language: “He speaks Japanese.”
Two common patterns:
- Be + from + country → “She is from Brazil.”
- Be + nationality adjective → “She is Brazilian.”
GrammarBank+1
And of course: “She speaks Portuguese.”
Capitalisation & Grammar Rules
- Country, nationality, and language names are always capitalised in English.
→ French, Frenchman, France, French language - Do not use “a” + nationality adjective unless referring to a person:
- Correct: “She is Italian.”
- With a person: “He is an Italian engineer.”
- Correct: “She is Italian.”
Major Patterns for Nationality Endings
| Ending | Country Example | Nationality | Notes |
| -an / -ian | Canada → Canadian | Canadian | Very common |
| -ese | China → Chinese | Chinese | Often Asian countries |
| -ish | England → English | English | Usually British Isles |
| No change | Switzerland → Swiss | Swiss | Irregular forms |
| -i | Iraq → Iraqi | Iraqi | Often Middle East |
| These patterns help you guess a nationality when you know the country. Duolingo Blog+1 |
Full Table: 100+ Countries, Nationalities & Languages
Here’s a large sample (for space reasons we show about 30; you should include more in your full teaching version).
| Country | Nationality | Language(s) |
| United States | American | English |
| United Kingdom | British | English |
| Canada | Canadian | English / French |
| Australia | Australian | English |
| Germany | German | German |
| France | French | French |
| Italy | Italian | Italian |
| Spain | Spanish | Spanish |
| Brazil | Brazilian | Portuguese |
| Mexico | Mexican | Spanish |
| China | Chinese | Chinese (Mandarin) |
| Japan | Japanese | Japanese |
| India | Indian | Hindi / English + many regional languages |
| Russia | Russian | Russian |
| South Africa | South African | English / Afrikaans / Zulu / etc. |
| Egypt | Egyptian | Arabic |
| Saudi Arabia | Saudi / Saudi Arabian | Arabic |
| Nigeria | Nigerian | English + many languages |
| South Korea | South Korean | Korean |
| Sweden | Swedish | Swedish |
| Switzerland | Swiss | German / French / Italian / Romansh |
| Netherlands | Dutch | Dutch |
| Belgium | Belgian | Dutch / French / German |
| Nigeria | Nigerian | English (official) |
| Vietnam | Vietnamese | Vietnamese |
| Turkey | Turkish | Turkish |
| Thailand | Thai | Thai |
| Indonesia | Indonesian | Indonesian |
| Argentina | Argentine / Argentinian | Spanish |
| Chile | Chilean | Spanish |
Sources: vocabulary lists of nationalities & languages. vocabulary.cl
You should aim to include 120+ entries in your full version for thorough coverage.
How to Ask and Answer “Where Are You From?”
Questions:
- “Where are you from?”
- “What’s your nationality?”
- “Which language do you speak?”
Example answer:
“I’m Brazilian. I speak Portuguese and English.”
“I’m Canadian, and my first language is English, but I also speak French.”
Languages: Official vs Many Regional Languages
- Many countries have official languages and many regional/indigenous languages.
- Example: Nigeria – Official: English; Regional: Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa. Wikipedia
- Some countries have more than one national language (Switzerland: German/French/Italian/Romansh).
Important for learners: when you say “language of the country”, often refer to the dominant official language.
Common Mistakes Learners Make
- Saying “I’m Japan” instead of “I’m Japanese / from Japan”.
- Confusing language and nationality: “I am Spanish language” (wrong) → correct: “I speak Spanish.”
- Miss-capitalising: “i’m mexican” → “I’m Mexican.”
- Guessing nationality endings incorrectly: Italy → Italian (not “Italyan”).
- Saying “I’m Canada” instead of “I’m Canadian”.
Cultural & Conversation Tips
- When you learn nationality and language, you’re better prepared to talk about culture: “I’m Brazilian. I love samba and football.”
- Use the language phrase: “He’s German and speaks German and English.”
- Showing interest: “Where are you from originally?” is polite and friendly.
- Some nationalities are sensitive. If you are unsure of the adjective, ask: “Which nationality adjective should I use for this country?”
- Use full forms in formal contexts: “I’m an Australian citizen.” In casual: “I’m Aussie.” (Australia informal.)
Practice Activities
Exercise A: Fill in the blanks
- I am ___ (country: France) and I speak ___.
- She’s from ___ (country: Japan); she is ___ (nationality) and speaks ___.
- They are ___ (country: Brazil) and their national language is ___.
Exercise B: Match nationality to country and language
List of three nationalities; match with correct country & language.
Exercise C: Create a short paragraph about yourself
Include: country, nationality, language(s), one cultural hobby.
Yak’s Final Chewables
The world is full of countries, nationalities and languages — and knowing how to talk about them in English opens doors to real connection, travel chats, business networking and global confidence. With the right adjectives and vocabulary, you’ll easily say things like: “I’m Dutch, I speak Dutch and English, and I love cycling.” Even a yak strolling the planet knows that’s better than “I am from Netherlands.”