Language and audio guide
There are over 100 languages and dialects used in Myanmar. Burmese is the official and most widely-spoken language, being native to the largest ethnic group (the Bamar); it is the primary language in many areas accessible to foreigners and is understood by the majority of the population.
A tonal language that is part of the Tibeto-Burman language group, Burmese is in fact officially referred to as ‘the Myanmar language’ by the government; you will often here locals describe it as such, or simply ‘Myanmar’. It is also sometimes referred to as Bamar.