Paraguay is a bilingual nation

The majority of people in Paraguay speak two languages: Guarani and Spanish. It is also one of the few South American countries that maintain its native language as an official language. The 1992 Constitution of Paraguay declares the country to be multicultural and bilingual, with Spanish and Guaran as official languages. Spanish, an Indo-European language of the Romance branch, is understood as a first or second language by around 90% of the population. Guaran, an indigenous language of the Tupian family, is understood by 77% of the population, and its use is governed by the Guaran Language Academy.

Interestingly, Guaran is also an onomatopoeic language. The majority of its words, like music, imitate the natural noises of animals and their surroundings. Aside from Spanish and Guaran, further 19 indigenous languages are spoken by approximately 50,000 indigenous Paraguayans. Portuguese is also spoken by approximately 650,000 "Brasiguayos," the majority of whom live along the border with Brazil. Other minority languages include German, Italian, Ukrainian, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic, and others.