The official language of Taiwan is Standard Mandarin (Gouyu), but many people in Taiwan belong to the Hoklo ethnic group and speak both Standard Mandarin (officially recognized by the ROC as the National Dialect) and Taiwanese (a variant of the Min Nan dialect spoken in Fujian province; also known as Taiyu in Taiwan).

Standard Mandarin is the primary language of instruction in schools; however, most spoken media is split between Standard Mandarin and Taiwanese. The Hakka (Chinese: 客家; pinyin: Kèjiā), about 15% of the population, have a distinct Hakka dialect. Aboriginal minority groups still speak their native languages, although most also speak Standard Mandarin.

Many elderly people can also speak some Japanese, as they were subjected to Japanese education before Taiwan was returned to R.O.C. rule in 1945 after the Japanese occupation which lasted for half a century.

The most popular foreign language in Taiwan is English, which is part of the regular school curriculum; however, to be on the safe side, when taking a taxi in Taiwan it is advisable to prepare a note with your place of destination written in Chinese to show the taxi driver.

Taiwan is also the most ideal place to learn Chinese. There are numerous language schools that offer Chinese classes, ranging from hourly-based classes to recognized university programs. Many foreigners from Europe and the United States, as well as other areas, come to Taiwan to spend their holidays, or one or two years, studying Chinese.