PRpod: Puerto Rico picture of the day

Discover Puerto Rico! Each day a different picture pertaining to the youth's tour of Puerto Rico is featured, along with a brief explanation and a few links for further investigation.

July 2, 2025
road signs
What language do they speak in Puerto Rico?

Puerto Rico is mostly a Spanish-speaking island (e.g. the road signs are in Spanish). However, Spanish and English are both official languages. Spanish has been the official language of Puerto Rico since the 15th century when Spanish settlers took over the island. Centuries later, after the Spanish-American War, the United States tried to establish English as the official language, but after heavy resistance from the islanders, Spanish remained.
English, however, is a required subject in schools starting in kindergarten and is often a requirement for employment in companies. As a result, most of Puerto Rico's residents are bilingual.
Puerto Ricans are also known for being very fluent in Spanglish , a mix of Spanish and English. For example, the Spanish word for 'to check' is verificar, but Puerto Ricans use the word chequear, which is a mix of check and verificar.

Tomorrow's picture: How do I use Google Translate to communicate with a Spanish speaker?