Language in Tenerife: Do They Speak English?

Spanish (specifically the Canarian dialect, which has its own accent and some vocabulary borrowed from Latin American Spanish due to historic migration links) is the official language. In the main resort areas — Costa Adeje, Playa de las Américas, Los Cristianos, Puerto de la Cruz — English is spoken very widely in hotels, restaurants and shops, reflecting the large British and Irish visitor numbers.

That drops off noticeably away from the resorts — in smaller inland villages, local markets, and more everyday, non-touristy restaurants, don't assume English will be spoken, though patience and a translation app go a long way.

German is also reasonably common in resort areas thanks to steady numbers of German-speaking visitors, though less universally than English. Signage in the main tourist areas is frequently multilingual, and menus in resort restaurants are commonly printed in English alongside Spanish as standard practice rather than an afterthought. Making an effort with a few basic Spanish phrases, even where English is spoken, is generally well received — it's a small gesture that goes further than it might at home given how central tourism is to the local economy.