As early as the mid-1980s the English language was already considered a significant language in Macau, since the territory was then experiencing rapid modernization. This chapter provides a description of the sociolinguistic context of Macau with an overview of the place of English in Macau society through official government censuses. It briefly describes the historical significance of the role that Macau played in the first contact between English traders seeking to trade with China in the early seventeenth century. The chapter presents an overview of the current status and functions of English in Macau society. The major functions of English in contemporary Macau include the uses of English within the domains of education, the media, international business, and tourism. The chapter also discusses the multilingual contexts of English use before considering the future prospects for the language in Macau.