Tirana - Post Report Question and Answers
How much of the local language do you need for daily living? Are local language classes/tutors available and affordable?
None. It's very easy to get by here. Most people speak English. - Apr 2018
Not much. - Aug 2016
I had four months of language, which helps me get by. Everyone 40 and younger is pretty fluent in English. Language is a great thing to have but not entirely necessary. - Aug 2015
It depends on how much you want to converse with the locals, but you can definitely get by with only knowing a few phrases and greetings. Speaking more Albanian makes life easier, but is not absolutely necessary in Tirana. It is necessary in the villages. - Aug 2014
Inside Tirana, very little. Cashiers at grocery stores and waiters at restaurants all tend to speak a little English or can find somebody that does. The local language can come in handy in some situations, but not generally on a daily basis. If you leave Tirana, though, it becomes a little more necessary. - May 2013
Not much. Most of the people at the stores know enough English to get by. Hand gestures work for those who don't. Learn a couple basic phrases, and you should be fine. - Dec 2012
Older people generally do not speak English, but some young do. Knowing basic niceties, phrases to ask directions and grocery store vocabulary will get you by. - Oct 2011
Most Albanians speak English. You can get by with pointing and speaking English slowly. - Mar 2008
