Languages Guide for DnD 5e - Dungeon Mister (2024)

All the languages you can learn and how to learn them

All languages in DnD 5e

Standard languages

Some languages are standard languages spoken frequently throughout the worlds and planes of D&D. These are:

The above languages are the most common in the game so it’s worth having characters with a mix of these languages to enable the party to speak to lots of creatures. Of course, many of these creatures will also speak common, perhaps making the need for knowing languages like Dwarvish and Elvish less necessary.

It’s worth bearing in mind though, that much like the real world, a native speaker of Elvish is more likely to view your character more favourably if you speak their language. Their may also be instances where you must read in a certain language (imagine the Fellowship of the Ring at the doorway into Moria having to read the clue in Dwarvish) and can’t rely on your knowledge of Common.

While some languages share a common script (the alphabet and symbols used to write the language), that doesn’t mean creatures speaking a language with the same script can read that script. It’s similar to an English speaker having the same alphabet as a French or Spanish speakers. They might have a decent guess at pronouncing a word, but they won’t understand what they’re reading.

Exotic languages

Some languages are much less commonly spoken and within civilisation and represent exotic languages. These include:

When choosing whether you want your character to know an exotic language, it’s worth considering whether that language fits with their background. A character that’s spent time in the Abyss is likely to know Abyssal for instance.

You may also want to consider the worth of knowing that language in your campaign. A campaign set in the Underdark is likely to require knowledge of Undercommon while one set in the Nine Hells will likely require the use of Infernal. You may want to avoid languages like Hadozee or Thri-Kreen unless playing in the Spelljammer setting or Elemental languages unless you’ll be on one of the elemental planes.

Setting specific languages

Some languages are specific to certain settings as they are only spoken in certain regions. These include:

Dragonlance Languages

Eberron languages

Forgotten Realms Languages

Ravnica Languages

Theros Languages

Wildemont (Exandria) Languages

Favoured enemy languages

Rangers have a class feature that allows them to learn the language of their favoured enemy. Many of the language options are already listed above, but because Rangers can have monsters as their favoured enemy, there are some languages Rangers can learn that other classes can’t.

I’d still recommend learning one of the previously mentioned languages as you’ll get more use out of them, but the below languages are also available if you choose any of these monsters as a favoured enemy:

• Blink Dog
• Bothii
• Bullywug
• Giant Eagle
• Giant Elk
• Giant Owl
• Gnoll
• Grell
• Hook Horror
• Ixitxachitl
• Kruthik
• Modron
• Olman
• Otyugh
• Primal
• Sahuagin
• Skitterwidget
• Slaad
• Tasloi
• Tlincalli
• Troglodyte
• Umber Hulk
• Vegepygmy
• Winter Wolf
• Worg
• Yeti
• Yikaria

How to learn languages in DnD 5e

There are a few ways to learn languages in DnD 5e. These are:

1. Racial feature – The race you choose will determine to some extent, what languages you can speak.
2. Background feature – Different backgrounds will give you options to learn additional languages.
3. Class features – Some classes might grant you access to class specific languages (like thieves can’t or druidic) or additional, standard languages.
4. Feats – Some feats will also grant you extra known languages
5. Learning during gameplay – Xanathar’s Guide provides some rules detailing how you can go about learning a new language.
6. Use magic – Some spells will temporarily allow you to understand another language.

Racial feature languages

Different races know different languages. Elves know Elvish, Dwarves know Dwarvish and Gnomes know Gnomish. Thankfully, all playable races come with knowledge of a single language (Common) allowing easy communication between the party.

The one exception is the very niche playable race of Grung, who only know how to speak Grung, which could make communication within the party difficult. I’d suggest if you desperately want to play as a Grung, to find a way with your DM to allow easy communication within the party (perhaps having them know Common). A background or feat can easily solve this problem too.

More recently released racial rules (like those included in Monsters of the Multiverse) tend to steer away from prescribing the languages characters know, including racial specific languages. Instead, most newer races will know Common and one more language of the player’s choice. This can of course be their racial language, but it provides the flexibility for that character to sit outside the norm. Just as a person with Chinese heritage may not speak Chinese if raised in another country for instance, a Dwarf may not know Dwarvish if he was raised by Humans for instance.

Below, I’ve provided a breakdown of the different languages available for different races (I’ve excluded Common as every race knows Common, other then the Grung):

Background languages

When you create your character, you can choose a background. Many of these will grant you knowledge of additional languages. These backgrounds include:

Class feature languages

Some classes grant characters access to additional languages. A couple of these are class specific like Thieves Can’t and Druidic. Both of these languages are closely guarded secrets that are only taught to members of these classes.

It should be noted that Thieves Can’t isn’t a fully fleshed out language, but rather a series of cyphers, symbols and shorthand for certain messages, but can very much be used to communicate with other rogues.

On top of these class specific languages, there are also some subclasses that grant characters a selection of additional languages. I’ve detailed all these below:

Language feats

Instead of taking an ability score improvement, you can choose to take a feat. 2 feats will grant you extra known languages. They are:

• Linguist – Learn 3 languages
• Prodigy – You gain a skill proficiency, expertise in a skill, a tool proficiency and a new language

Learning languages

Xanathar’s Guide introduced rules for learning a new language. All you need is:

• A suitable instructor (someone that knows the language you want to learn)
• 10 weeks minus 1 week per intelligence ability score modifier
• 25gp per week
• Downtime each day to learn the language from your instructor

Language spells

You can temporarily grant language abilities using spells. These include:

• Comprehend languages – Understand the meaning of any language you read or hear.
• Tongues – Grant a creature the ability to understand any spoken language they hear and allows any creature that knows a language to understand what they say.

Published by Ben Lawrance

Ben is the creator of Dungeon Mister and is an experienced dungeon master who's been immersed in the D&D universe for over 20 years.View more posts