What are the effects of minority language recognition on trust in democracies? This essay argues that people are more likely to trust strangers and members of out-groups when governments recognize minority languages. How this effect manifests depends on the type of recognition afforded to the minority language in the education system and whether the individual speaks a majority or minority language at home. First, when the recognition afforded is of low cost, this has a positive effect on trust levels for those in the majority via the contact mechanism, but such superficial overtures are not sufficient to make a difference for those in the minority. Second, when the recognition afforded is one of high cost, the benefits of contact for the majority are now muted by tensions over funding priorities. However, for minority language speakers, such substantive policies acknowledge their cultural importance. These arguments are evaluated using data from Wave 6 of the World Values Survey (2010-2014).