Lao is the official language of Laos, however, many tribal languages are also spoken. French, Vietnamese and some English are spoken.
Lao belongs to the Tai family of languages, which includes Thai; Shan (Tai Yai), spoken in Myanmar (Burma); Phuan, spoken in Laos and parts of Thailand; and Tai Leu, spoken by the Dai minority of southern China's Yunnan province. Besides Lao and its "cousin" languages, such as Tai Leu and Phuan, sundry other languages are spoken within the borders of Laos. These include tongues belonging to the Mon- Khmer and Tibeto- Burman families of languages which are spoken by upland tribal peoples, as well as Vietnamese and Chinese spoken by immigrants from Laos's neighbouring countries.