The official language spoken in Salalah, as across the rest of Oman, is Modern Standard Arabic, which is utilized in all government administration, formal education, legal documentation, and media broadcasts. However, Salalah and the broader Dhofar region possess a unique linguistic identity, with a significant portion of the local population natively speaking Jibbali (also known as Shehri or Shahri), which is an ancient South Semitic modern language distinct from Gulf Arabic. Additionally, English is widely spoken and understood across business sectors, hotels, and retail stores.