Languages and Writing Systems of Macau

Traditional Chinese is the primary written script used in Macau for official government affairs, media, and everyday communication. Because Cantonese is the dominant spoken language among residents, the traditional Chinese characters reflect this cultural heritage. Alongside Chinese, the Latin alphabet is widely used for Portuguese, which remains a co-official language of the territory. Street signs, official documents, and public notices are legal requirements to be displayed bilingualism, featuring both traditional characters and Portuguese text. Additionally, English is increasingly common in tourism and business.