Rutul is a Northeast Caucasian language spoken by the Rutul people primarily in the Rutul District of Dagestan, Russia, and parts of Azerbaijan. It belongs to the Lezgic branch of the Northeast Caucasian language family and is closely related to other regional languages such as Lezgian and Tsakhur. The Rutul language is notable for its rich phonetic system and complex grammatical structure, which includes numerous noun cases and verb forms.

The writing system for Rutul has evolved over time. Initially, it used the Arabic script, later transitioning to the Latin alphabet during the early Soviet period, and eventually adopting the Cyrillic script, which is currently in use. Despite the dominance of Russian in official and educational settings, Rutul remains vital for cultural identity and everyday communication among its speakers. Efforts to preserve the language include its inclusion in local schools and the production of literature and media in Rutul.