Gothic is the oldest recorded language in the Germanic group. Only a few Old Norse inscriptions are older.

Gothic is the only language in the East Germanic group of which any substantial trace remains. The main source is the Bible of Ufilas (fourth century). Gothic has many archaic features but it differs from the reconstructed Common Germanic.

As Ostrogothic it was established briefly in southern Italy, along the Danube and more securely in the Crimea. There is some evidence that a debased form was being used in the Crimea in the 16th Century.

It was spoken as Visigothic at various times in Aquitaine, and the Iberian peninsula (where it may just have survived until the Arab conquest).
Gothic preserved many elements of the Indo-European. The numerals from 70 to 90, *septmkomt, *oktokomt, *newnkomt, in Indo-European, became *seftunhand, *ahtohand, *newunhand, in Gothic, later sibuntehund, ahtautehund, and niuntehund.
The Lord's prayer in Gothic

Attar unsar thu in himinam, Veihnai namo thein.
Kvimai thiudinassus theins.
Vairthai vilja theins, sve in himina jah ana airthai.
Hlaif unsarana thana sinteinan gif uns himma daga.
Jah ni briggais uns in fraistubnjai, ak lausei uns af thamma ubilin ;
unte theina ist thuidangardi jah mahts jah vulpus in aivins.