The primary language spoken in Dortmund, Germany, is German, which serves as the official administrative, educational, and everyday tongue used by the vast majority of local residents. In addition to standard high German, many locals living in the North Rhine-Westphalia region also speak regional dialects or colloquial variations historically tied to the Ruhr area, colloquially known as Ruhrdeutsch. Furthermore, because Dortmund is a major multicultural, industrial, and university city housing a diverse international population, English is also widely understood and spoken across business, hospitality, and tourist sectors.