I spent many years living and working in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is a beautiful city to live, work, and be an ex-pat, but I do not speak fluent Chinese like many ex-pats who live in Hong Kong.

You can live in Hong Kong and speak only English. Many Hong Kong people speak English. Hong Kong is a former British Colony, so English is one of the official languages. In Hong Kong, people will usually speak English at police stations, courts, restaurants, banks, and shops; many schools are English-speaking schools.

Table of Contents

• Our Top Ten Reasons You Can Live In Hong Kong And Only Speak English
  • 1 – English is the official Language in Hong Kong
  • 2. – Many People In Hong Kong Speak English
  • 3. -Several Spoken Languages in Hong Kong
  • 4. – Hong Kong Was a British Colony
  • 5. – Even the Police and Government In Hong Kong Use English
  • 6. – In Hong Kong, Banking Is Conducted in English
  • 7. – In Hong Kong, Many Restaurants and Shops Speak English
  • 8. – Hong Kong Has Many English Speaking Schools and Universities
  • 9. – Hong Kong People Expect Foreigners To Speak English
  • 10. Many Expats Have Lived in Hong Kong For Decades Speaking Only English
    • Listen to our podcast about Anita’s ex-pat insights on English immersion in Hong Kong below or by clicking here.
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Related Questions
  • Is It Safe To Walk At Night In Hong Kong?
  • What Is The Difference Between Manchu, Mongols, And Han Chinese People?

Our Top Ten Reasons You Can Live In Hong Kong And Only Speak English

Living in a megacity like Hong Kong is a fantastic adventure, not only for the breathtaking skyline and vibrant culture – but also for the incredible opportunity it presents to experience first-hand how various cultures live. But what might surprise many non-locals is a thriving English language community here, successfully navigating life without speaking Cantonese or any of the other local languages.

After living, working, and traveling to Hong Kong for many years, here are my 10 top reasons why you can easily live in Hong Kong and speak only English:

1 – English is the official Language in Hong Kong

English is one of the official languages in Hong Kong. English is used widely in government, academic circles, business, and most aspects of life in Hong Kong. Signs on the street are in Engish, also signs in places such as the MTR (Mass Transit Railway or the subway system) plus other trains, buses, and local transport.

2. – Many People In Hong Kong Speak English

The streets in Hong Kong all have English and Chinese names. All the government offices also use English and Chinese, so working with the Government offices is very easy; everything from filling out immigration forms to other government forms accepts English and Chinese.

Over 65% of the Chinese Hong Kong population can speak, write, and read English. This means that many people you meet in Hong Kong will be able to speak, write, and read English fluently.

Even though many people are fluent in English, you may find that the English is a bit different than the English you are used to hearing. Hong Kong uses a lot of British English and not American English. For example, an apartment is “a flat,” the trunk of a car is “a boot,” and when you are getting off the bus or subway, they will tell you to “please alight here.”

In Hong Kong, you also use the British spelling versus the American spelling of a word. In fact, British English will be taught in most Hong Kong schools.

So, even if English is spoken in Hong Kong, it can be very different English with a hefty Hong Kong accent. I have found it relatively easy to understand Hong Kong English, but some other countries may find it difficult to understand.

3. -Several Spoken Languages in Hong Kong

The official languages of Hong Kong are English and Cantonese Chinese. In recent years another language that has gained a lot of popularity and which many Hong Kong is learning is Mandarin Chinese. This is because a lot of business today in Hong Kong is being conducted in Mandarin Chinese. Cantonese Chinese is only spoken in Hong Kong and Southern China.

Mainland China also uses simplified Chinese characters, whereas many in Hong Kong read the more traditional Chinese characters, which are also used in Taiwan. You can see many simplified Chinese characters on posters, leaflets, and signs in tourist areas in Hong Kong. This is because many mainland Chinese are coming to visit Hong Kong.

4. – Hong Kong Was a British Colony

In 1997, Britain handed Hong Kong back to the Chinese. I was there during that time, and I remember one of the main things that changed immediately was the mailboxes were painted purple from the British red color mailboxes. The flag also changed, and we no longer saw the photos of the Queen of England in all of the public buildings in Hong Kong.

Since the handover in 1997, things in Hong Kong have changed, but one part of the legacy that the British left was the English language. As Hong Kong was once a British colony, British English continues to be so widely spoken.

In fact, under British rule, English was the official language of the courts and government. English was also compulsory for all Hong Kong students, and English-language television or radio stations and movies were all around Hong Kong.

Today in Hong Kong, you will find many Hong Kongers who fluently speak, read, and write three languages: Cantonese Chinese, Mandarin Chinese, and English.

I once asked a Hong Kong friend why so many Hong Kong Chinese were learning Mandarin Chinese, and they said it would help them get a better job. This is because even though Mandarin Chinese is not one of the official languages in Hong Kong, it is one of the important languages for business, government, and commerce.

5. – Even the Police and Government In Hong Kong Use English

The police and the government in Hong Kong use English. Any time I have needed to do anything for the Hong Kong government or police I have very easily been able to use English. Almost all police and government officials I have met speak English and Chinese.

6. – In Hong Kong, Banking Is Conducted in English

For my company Mondoro, all of our banking is in Hong Kong. Whether on paper, in person, or online, our banking is in English and Chinese. This makes it very easy for you to do any banking in English. Almost all the bankers I know will speak both Cantonese Chinese and English; many also speak Mandarin Chinese.

7. – In Hong Kong, Many Restaurants and Shops Speak English

When you go out in Hong Kong, you will find many restaurants and shops where all the waiters and waitresses speak English. The menu is usually in English and Chinese.

If you go out into some small village in Hong Kong, you may encounter somebody who doesn’t speak much English. Even when I lived out on one of the islands in Hong Kong and all the shops and restaurants I went to, there was some English spoken, and the menu was always also in English.

8. – Hong Kong Has Many English Speaking Schools and Universities

Hong Kong has many English-speaking schools and Universities. I studied for a Master’s degree at the Open University in Hong Kong for a degree in Chinese law. Our coursework, reading, tests, and lectures were conducted in 100% English.

In Hong Kong, you can go to an English preschool, kindergarten, and grade school up to the high school and university levels, with 100% of all classroom instruction in the English language. In reality, you could be educated in Hong Kong from preschool to the university level without speaking Chinese or English at all.

9. – Hong Kong People Expect Foreigners To Speak English

When I was living or traveling in Hong Kong, I found that the people there expected me to speak English. If you spoke Cantonese Chinese to them, they might be quite surprised.

They expect foreigners to speak to them in English, and so they will speak English back to you. If you’re living, working, or traveling to Hong Kong and only speak English, it would not be unusual for everyone to speak English to you.

10. Many Expats Have Lived in Hong Kong For Decades Speaking Only English

I have known many ex-pats who lived and worked in Hong Kong for decades and do not speak Chinese. This shows you that you can live, work, and even thrive in Hong Kong without speaking any other language except English.

Even though you can easily live in Hong Kong speaking only English, trying to learn a bit of Chinese will make your time richer and more rewarding. It will also help you understand more about Hong Kong culture and people.

Listen to our podcast about Anita’s ex-pat insights on English immersion in Hong Kong below or by clicking here.

At A Bus On A Dusty Road, we talk about travel, life, and ex-pat living. We are all about “Living Life As A Global Citizen.” We explore social, cultural, and economic issues and travel.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Related Questions

Is It Safe To Walk At Night In Hong Kong?

Hong Kong is still a relatively safe city, and Hong Kong is usually safe to walk at night. But with any place you are traveling, there are some precautions you should take when walking around a city you do not know. In recent years, Hong Kong has had some violent protests, which has increased crime. Crime in Hong Kong is considered a crime of opportunity and is not as violent as in other parts of the world.

You can learn more by reading Is It Safe To Walk At Night In Hong Kong? Tips to Stay Safe In Hong Kong by clicking here.

What Is The Difference Between Manchu, Mongols, And Han Chinese People?

The Manchu people are traditionally from Northeastern China and traditionally speak a language called Manchurian. The Mongol people mainly live in Mongolia and in Inner Mongolia in China. They speak the Mongolian language. On the other hand, the Han Chinese are the major ethnic group in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. There are many dialects of Chinese spoken, but the major dialects are Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese.

You can discover more by reading What Is The Difference Between Manchu, Mongols, And Han Chinese People? by clicking here.