East Frisians (German: Ostfriesen, Saterland Frisian: Aastefräisen, East Frisian Oostfräisen) are, in the wider sense, the inhabitants of East Frisia in the northwest of the German state of Lower Saxony.

In the narrower sense the East Frisians are the eastern branch of the Frisians, a distinct Germanic ethnic group, and are one of the nationally recognized ethnic minorities in Germany, along with the Danes, Sorbs, Sinti and Romanies.

[3] They are closely related to the Saterland Frisians, who come from East Frisia and moved from the coastal region to the interior.

In the eastern Frisian regions, in contrast to North and West Frisia, the Frisian language was gradually replaced by Low Saxon dialects very early.

The local dialect is now East Frisian Low Saxon.