List of Mayan languages

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The Mayan languages are a group of languages spoken by the Maya peoples. The Maya form an enormous group of approximately 7 million people who are descended from an ancient Mesoamerican civilization and spread across the modern-day countries of: Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. Speaking descendant languages from their original Proto-Mayan language, some of their languages were recorded in the form of 'glyphs' of a Mayan script.

Languages[edit]

The languages are shown along with their population estimates, as available.

Language Speakers Year Countries
Chontal 60,563 2020 census  Mexico (Tabasco)
Chʼol 254,715 2020 census  Mexico (Chiapas)
Chʼortiʼ 30,000 2000  Guatemala,  Honduras
Chʼoltiʼ 0 extinct  Guatemala,  Belize
Tzeltal 589,144 2020 census  Mexico (Chiapas)
Tzotzil 550,274 2020 census  Mexico (Chiapas)
Chicomuceltec 0 Extinct  Guatemala (Huehuetenango),  Mexico (Chiapas)
Tének 168,729 2020 census  Mexico (San Luis Potosi, Veracruz)
Chuj 61,630 2003-2011  Guatemala (Huehuetenango),  Mexico (Chiapas)
Tojol-abʼal 66,953 2010 census  Mexico (Chiapas)
Jakaltek 34,500 2000-2003  Guatemala (Huehuetenango),  Mexico (Chiapas),
Qʼanjobʼal 148,340 2003-2010  Guatemala (Huehuetenango),  Mexico (Chiapas)
Akatek 45,430 2003-2011  Guatemala (Huehuetenango),  Mexico (Chiapas)
Mochoʼ 126 2020  Mexico (Chiapas)
Awakatek 9,610 2003 census  Guatemala (Huehuetenango),  Mexico
Ixil 83,600 2003 census  Guatemala (El Quiché),  Mexico
Mam 488,500 2003-2011  Guatemala,  Mexico (Chiapas)
Tektitek 1,211 2000-2003  Guatemala (Huehuetenango),  Mexico (Chiapas)
Qʼeqchiʼ 1,371,606 2020  Guatemala,  Belize,  Mexico
Poqomam 11,300 2003 census  Guatemala
Poqomchiʼ 92,900 2003 census  Guatemala (Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, El Quiché)
Achi 82,600 2003 census  Guatemala (Baja Verapaz)
Kʼicheʼ 1,055,407 2020  Guatemala,  Mexico
Kaqchikel 445,000 2001 census  Guatemala,  Mexico (Chiapas)
Tzʼutujil 63,200 2003 census  Guatemala
Sakapultek 15,000 2006  Guatemala (El Quiché)
Sipakapense 5,690 2003 census  Guatemala (San Marcos)
Uspantek 2,000 2013  Guatemala (El Quiché)
Itzaʼ 1,090 2003 census  Guatemala (El Petén)
Mopan 13,060 2003-2014  Belize,  Guatemala (El Petén)
Lacandon 998 2015  Mexico (Chiapas)
Maya (Yucatec) 812,633 2010-2014  Mexico,  Belize

In addition, Chalchitek is considered by some to be a distinct language, while others consider it a dialect of Awakatek.

See also[edit]