The Mayan languages are a group of languages spoken by the Maya peoples . The Maya form an enormous group of approximately 7 million people who are descended from an ancient Mesoamerican civilization and spread across the modern-day countries of: Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. Speaking descendant languages from their original Proto-Mayan language , some of their languages were recorded in the form of 'glyphs ' of a Mayan script .
The languages are shown along with their population estimates, as available.
Language Speakers Year Countries Chontal 60,563 2020 census Mexico (Tabasco ) Chʼol 254,715 2020 census Mexico (Chiapas ) Chʼortiʼ 30,000 2000 Guatemala , Honduras Chʼoltiʼ 0 extinct Guatemala , Belize Tzeltal 589,144 2020 census Mexico (Chiapas ) Tzotzil 550,274 2020 census Mexico (Chiapas ) Chicomuceltec 0 Extinct Guatemala (Huehuetenango ), Mexico (Chiapas ) Tének 168,729 2020 census Mexico (San Luis Potosi , Veracruz ) Chuj 61,630 2003-2011 Guatemala (Huehuetenango ), Mexico (Chiapas ) Tojol-abʼal 66,953 2010 census Mexico (Chiapas ) Jakaltek 34,500 2000-2003 Guatemala (Huehuetenango ), Mexico (Chiapas ), Qʼanjobʼal 148,340 2003-2010 Guatemala (Huehuetenango ), Mexico (Chiapas ) Akatek 45,430 2003-2011 Guatemala (Huehuetenango ), Mexico (Chiapas ) Mochoʼ 126 2020 Mexico (Chiapas ) Awakatek 9,610 2003 census Guatemala (Huehuetenango ), Mexico Ixil 83,600 2003 census Guatemala (El Quiché ), Mexico Mam 488,500 2003-2011 Guatemala , Mexico (Chiapas ) Tektitek 1,211 2000-2003 Guatemala (Huehuetenango ), Mexico (Chiapas ) Qʼeqchiʼ 1,371,606 2020 Guatemala , Belize , Mexico Poqomam 11,300 2003 census Guatemala Poqomchiʼ 92,900 2003 census Guatemala (Alta Verapaz , Baja Verapaz , El Quiché ) Achi 82,600 2003 census Guatemala (Baja Verapaz ) Kʼicheʼ 1,055,407 2020 Guatemala , Mexico Kaqchikel 445,000 2001 census Guatemala , Mexico (Chiapas ) Tzʼutujil 63,200 2003 census Guatemala Sakapultek 15,000 2006 Guatemala (El Quiché ) Sipakapense 5,690 2003 census Guatemala (San Marcos ) Uspantek 2,000 2013 Guatemala (El Quiché ) Itzaʼ 1,090 2003 census Guatemala (El Petén ) Mopan 13,060 2003-2014 Belize , Guatemala (El Petén ) Lacandon 998 2015 Mexico (Chiapas ) Maya (Yucatec) 812,633 2010-2014 Mexico , Belize
In addition, Chalchitek is considered by some to be a distinct language, while others consider it a dialect of Awakatek .