More Frisians read and write the language well, survey finds

Reading and writing proficiency in Frisian has risen sharply over the past two decades, despite fewer people speaking the language at home, according to a new survey from Friesland’s provincial government.

The fifth edition of the provincial Taalatlas (language atlas), found that 58% of residents now say they can read Frisian well or very well, up from 46% in 2007. Self-reported writing proficiency nearly doubled over the same period, from 9.6% to 18.9%.

Spoken proficiency has barely changed. Two-thirds of residents say they can speak the language well, and more than 85% can understand it well – both figures roughly unchanged since 2007.

The amount of people using Frisian as the main language with a partner has slipped from 47% in 2007 to 42% last year, with Dutch widening its lead in every survey since.

Researchers credit social media for a notable rise in reading among people aged 18 to 29, though they describe the link as an untested assumption. The figures come from a survey of more than 12,000 residents and rely on self-assessment rather than formal testing.

Proficiency varies sharply between councils, with Dantumadiel, Achtkarspelen and Tytsjerksteradiel in the north-east scoring highest, and Harlingen, Leeuwarden and the Stellingwerven the lowest.

The atlas follows a provincial decision earlier this year requiring schools in Friesland to actively use Frisian beyond dedicated language lessons. A record 200 secondary pupils sat the Frisian final exam this year, up from fewer than 150 in 2025.