English in Brussels can get you started, particularly in international workplaces and social circles. It cannot guarantee that every service, document or conversation will be available in English. The practical approach is to use it to settle in while learning the language you encounter most in your own neighbourhood and work.

At a glance: English can help you begin; it is not an official Belgian language. French and Dutch are the official languages of Brussels. Choose learning around the situations you actually encounter.

Know what is official

Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French and German. Brussels is officially bilingual in French and Dutch; English is not an official language. An English-speaking office therefore tells you little about the language of a council letter or an appointment elsewhere. Ask about language before an important meeting rather than finding out on arrival.

Find culture you can enjoy now

You do not have to postpone going out until you are fluent. Visit.brussels lists English-language cultural options, including literary and performance events. Check the language of the individual event. For films, read both the original language and subtitle details: “original version” does not automatically mean English.

Prepare one useful set of phrases

Start with the situations you repeat: ordering lunch, collecting a parcel and explaining why you have come to an appointment. Keep the original wording of important messages beside any translation. Translation software can help you understand the outline; ask the relevant service to confirm anything that affects an important decision.

Choose a language with a purpose

List the conversations you found difficult this week. If most are in French, that gives your learning an immediate focus. If Dutch matters at work or in your community, build around that. The useful first goal is not sounding fluent. It is being able to handle one recurring situation without handing the whole conversation to someone else.

Read more

More about living in Belgium · More travel inspiration

Make more of life in Belgium. Subscribe to the Together newsletter.

The post Is English Enough in Brussels? appeared first on Together Magazine.

​