All DnD 5e languages, which races speak them & how to learn more

DnD 5e has plenty of different languages that fall along racial and class lines, and it’s quite helpful for both DMs and players to know what the canonical norms are.

Dungeons and Dragons has plenty of lingo and it’s very easy to get overwhelmed both in the game and in the metagame. After all, unlike real life, players can choose to instantly learn two, or potentially even more, languages during character creation. Most people will be using Common for most of their campaigns, but there will be times when another language comes in handy.

However, it’s a bit complicated figuring out which languages work best for most situations. Languages aren’t purely mechanical features. They help flesh out the world and characters, associating them with distinct cultures and realms. While there’s certainly no need to master every single language, it’s good to have an idea of which ones will get the most use in the average campaign.

All standard languages in DnD 5e

There are eight standard languages in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition, with most attached to specific races.

Common is a language assumed to be part of your character’s background unless it’s explicitly established otherwise. Those who opt to be anything besides a Human, will also know at least one of the other standard languages. Without picking up any feats or fancy backgrounds, most players will have at least two or three languages known.

However, backgrounds such as Cloistered Scholar from Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide give access to even more languages. Feats like Linguist and Prodigy also provide more opportunities to learn more languages. Players who want to roleplay as a polyglot will want to pick up those backgrounds and feats. Bards, Clerics, and Rogues are particularly nifty classes for maximizing skills and languages.

All exotic languages in DnD 5e

Exotic languages are languages that exist in DnD 5e that aren’t commonly known among player characters. These are more common among intelligent creatures but are inherent to specific races.

While not every setting or campaign will have these, at least one is bound to pop up, especially in higher tiers of play. The more exotic the language, the more alien and likely important it is to understand what the language is when encountered.

There are more languages in specific settings outside of the Forgotten Realms. However, it’s best to ask DMs about the necessity of those languages first before looking into them. Settings with specific languages include Wildemount (Exandria), Theros, Ravnica, Dragonlance, and Eberron. There are also countless languages specific to certain domains, as listed in the Dungeons and Dragons Sourcebooks. 

All class-specific languages

There are two class-specific languages in DnD 5e; Thieves Cant and Druidic.

In addition to the in-universe languages, some classes also have specific “languages”. Druidic is exclusive to Druids, while only Rogues can understand Thieves’ Cant. These are not “languages” in the traditional sense, more like a secret code between members of the same class.

Even so, they are worth knowing because Druids and Rogues often have secret orders and guilds hidden around the realm. Having someone in the party who can understand Druidic and Thieves’ Cant could give the party a heads up on anything important, such as a hidden treasure or ambush spot. 

Does knowing multiple languages benefit the player in Dungeons and Dragons?

Knowing multiple languages lets players handle situations diplomatically.

Misunderstandings can often lead to conflict in the Forgotten Realms. A high Persuasion skill mixed with the language of the NPC or enemy conversed with could result in a peaceful resolution. For example, if a party encounters a scared Underdark dweller who only speaks Undercommon, bloodshed can be avoided by simply talking to them.

How do I learn more languages in DnD 5e?

There are numerous ways to learn new languages after the character creation process.

As previously mentioned, feats such as Prodigy and Linguist allow players to learn more languages instead of an ASI. The quickest way to “learn” new languages is through magic.

Certain casters can cast spells like Comprehend Languages and Tongues to understand languages they don’t normally understand, albeit with restrictions. Comprehend Languages only convey the literal meaning of spoken and written languages and cannot crack secret messages. Tongues, a third-level divination spell, allows the caster to speak and understand any language it hears but not written words.

A more complicated but potentially permanent way to learn a new language is through Downtime. The rules state that any activity requires at least eight hours each day for a specific number of days before the player gains any benefit.

As long as the player tracks their downtime and has a realistic reason for being able to learn a particular language, they can do so. For example, if they have a half-elf friend in the party who teaches them Elvish for a year of in-game campaign time, the DM can allow a “permanent” Comprehend Languages effect.