The Franconian language can refer to:

• the Main Franconian, a High German dialect spoken in Franconia (a region of Bavaria, though historically distinct)
• the West Middle German language family
• a number of West Germanic languages and dialects, including all of West Middle German and some Low German languages as well (such as Dutch and related languages).

When Franconian is taken in the last and broadest sense, the following Franconian sub-families should be distinguished:

• Low Franconian
  • Dutch dialects
  • Cleves dialects
  • South Low Franconian (parts of Netherlands, Belgium and North Rhine-Westphalia)
    • Pella Dutch (Iowa)
  • Afrikaans (South Africa and Namibia)

• West Middle German
  • Ripuarian Franconian (North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Belgium)
  • Moselle Franconian (North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland)
    • Luxembourgish (Luxemburg, Belgium and France)
  • Lorrainian German (France)
  • Westpalatine dialects (Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland)
  • Forepalatine dialects (Rhineland-Palatinate and France)
  • Hesse Nassauish (Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate)
  • Lower Hesse dialects (Hesse, Thuringia)

• Transition area between Middle German and Upper German
  • East Franconian (Bavaria, Thuringia, Hesse, Baden-Württemberg, Saxony and Czech Republic)
    • Main Franconian, colloquially called Franconian since dialects of this sub-family are spoken all over Franconia (Bavaria, Thuringia, Hesse)
  • Southern Franconian (Baden-Württemberg)

Pennsylvania German or Pennsylvania Dutch is also a Franconian dialect.