So you've decided to learn a language. (Good choice! We agree.) Your next task, when you're ready: choosing from many options. Should you choose a more spoken language like Spanish or Mandarin, a politically relevant language like Russian, or a language you can use on your next vacation? These are all valid motives, but here's one more thought: what about the easiest languages to learn?
You are busy. We are all. Why not tackle a language that is relatively easy to learn? With the help of Babbel's team of language learning experts, we determined the easiest language to learn for English speakers. Let's say we narrowed the list down to nine. Hopefully this helps you narrow down your options so you canstart learning right away.
Are some languages easier to learn than others?
Let's start by dispelling the idea that some languages are objectively easier than others. Every language is fraught and complicated, and if you start from scratch (as a baby would), there is no difference between Arabic, Latin, English, Mandarin or whatever. However, when learning another language, some will be easier than others. ThatUnited States Institute of Foreign Serviceseven has an estimate of how long it will take someone to learn it (if he or she learns with an instructor every day). There are a few factors that make a language 'easy'.
First and foremost is equality. Choosing a language that has quite a bit in common with what you speak will give you a natural advantage. If you speak English, learning another language that uses the Latin alphabet will automatically be a little easier than learning a language with a completely different writing system. Languages within the same language family as English, or that share a lot of vocabulary and grammar, also become easier.
Another factor that can make a language easier to learn is accessibility. Even if a language is similar to English, it doesn't matter if it is very difficult to find resources and practice partners. While this varies from person to person, it will also be easier to learn a language if you live around others who speak the language.
Of course, there are many reasons to learn a language other than just the convenience of it. You may even prefer the challenge that comes with harsher language. However, if the idea of a lighter language appeals to you, fair enough. Without further ado, here is our list.
And the easiest language to learn is...
1. Norwegian
The Foreign Service Institute estimate:24 weeks (600 hours)
This may come as a surprise, but we are rankedNorwegianas the easiest language to learn for English speakers. Norwegian is a member ofGermanic familyof language - just like English! This means that the languages share certain vocabulary, such as the seasonswinterandsummer(we'll let you figure out these translations).
Another selling point for Norwegian: the grammar is fairly simple, with only one form of each verb per tense. And the word order closely mimics English. For example: "Can you help me?" to be translated intoCan you help me?— the words are in the same order in both languages, so mastering the sentence structure is a piece of cake!
Finally, you'll have a lot more leeway with pronunciation when you learn Norwegian. This is because in Norway there is a wide range of different accents and therefore more than one "correct way" to pronounce words. Does that sound attractive? Put on your snow boots and try Norwegian!
2. Swedish
The Foreign Service Institute estimate:24 weeks (600 hours)
Our second easiest language to learn also comes from Scandinavia and the Germanic language family. A reasonSwedishis one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn is the large number of cognates that the two languages share (cognates are words in different languages that come from the same ancestral language and look and/or sound very similar to each other). For example, is "grass".grasin Swedish – a clear cognate.
Like Norwegian, Swedish has relatively simple grammar rules and a similar word order to English. And thanks to the obsession with IKEA, Swede has something else working in his favor: exposure. English speakers around the world have been exposed to a number of Swedish words while simply buying furniture (and munching on some meatballs, I imagine). The popular, minimalist Lack tables are named after the Swedish word for 'lacquer'. And of course, Stockholm carpets take their name from the Swedish capital. Furniture lovers, perhaps Swedish is the language for you.
3. Spanish
The Foreign Service Institute estimate:24 weeks (600 hours)
This choice should come as no surprise.Spanishhas always been a popular language for English speakers to learn due to its practicality and wide reach. Well, it's also one of the easiest languages to learn for English speakers.
Spanish is one of themLanguage of love, which is derived from Latin - like many English words, so the name of the game here is cognates, cognates, cognates.Correctmeans "correct"deliciousis "delicious", andpizzais "pizza", to name a few.
Spanish pronunciationis also fairly simple. It is a phonetic language; the words are usually pronounced as they are spelled. But grammar haters should beware: Spanish has a variety of verbs and exceptions to grammar rules that can be confusing. But the tenses are pretty much the same as the tenses we use in English, so they're not as difficult to learn as you might think.
But perhaps the biggest advantage of choosing to learn Spanish is that it is part of our daily lives. According tolatest statistics, Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world with more than 485 million native speakers. You've probably heard Spanish spoken on TV, on the radio, and even by members of your community. It's everywhere, so learning it will give you a head start!
4. Dutch
The Foreign Service Institute estimate:24 weeks (600 hours)
Dutchis another Germanic language on our list. It is spoken by the majority of citizens in the Netherlands, as well as by a large part of the population of Belgium. It is the third most spoken Germanic language, after German and English, and that makes sense: the shared vocabulary makes Dutch sound like a combination of German and English.
A very interesting feature of Dutch is that many words are spelled exactly the same as in English, more so than in almost any other language. Be careful though, as they are often pronounced differently. For example, the word 'rat' has the same spelling and meaning in both languages, but in Dutch it is pronounced like the English word 'rot'. Also beware of false cognates, such as the Dutch wordnat, which actually means 'law'. If you keep your guard up, Dutch could still be the language for you.
Germanic languages win three of the top four spots on this list, but English's other cousins, German and Danish, are missing – and for good reason. German didn't make the cut, even though it shares absolutely thousands of similarities with EnglishNeewould describe the grammar as "easy". And while written Danish is very similar to Norwegian and Swedish, the pronunciation can be too intimidating for casual learners. If you're up for the challenge, give it a tryhardest language for English speakers to learn.
5. Portuguese
The Foreign Service Institute estimate:24 weeks (600 hours)
The fifth easiest language to learn on our list isPortuguese, a member of the spoken Romance language familyboth Portugal and Brazil.
Like Spanish, this translates into a large number of words in the shared vocabulary, which always makes it easier to pick up. But beware of false relatives. You may find it very exciting to become Portuguesepasta, to then get a "folder".
Portuguese (especially Brazilian Portuguese) is another language that gives students the benefit of exposure. Brazilian food, drinks, music and films have often appeared in global pop culture, providing Portuguese students with plenty of opportunities to enhance their learning.
6. Indonesian
The Foreign Service Institute estimate:36 weeks (900 hours)
This selection may also come as a surprise, butIndonesianhas several qualities that make it a logical choice for English speakers.
To start with Indonesian - native language spoken byalmost 23 million people– is one of the few Asian languages that use the Latin alphabet. Many Asian languages are incredibly difficult for English speakers to master due to the unfamiliar characters in their writing systems, but not Indonesian.
It is also a phonetic language, consisting of words pronounced exactly as they are spelled. Indonesian grammatical structures are very different from English, but don't let that put you off! The lack of rules makes learning grammar much easier. There are no verb conjugations (you read that right!), no plurals (just repeat the word twice) and no grammatical genders. If you're not a fan of grammar rules, Indonesian might be a match made in Heaven!
7. Italian
The Foreign Service Institute estimate:24 weeks (600 hours)
Next up is another oneRomantic language. Although not as widespread as Spanish or Portuguese,Italianstill has more than 63 million inhabitants. The Latin roots provide a significant number of cognates that English speakers will recognize, such asfuture("the future") andlottery("lottery"), two things we would all likecontrol("to steer").
Perhaps the best part of choosing Italian is the opportunity to do solearning with food! Italian cuisine has become a staple in many Western countries, bringing a number of Italian words into our common vocabulary.Penne pasta with rageta saucetranslates to "angry pasta" (probably because it's spicy!), andbutterflies(the paste in the shape of bows) actually means 'butterflies'. I don't learn an Italian soundlief?
8. Frans
The Foreign Service Institute estimate:30 weeks (750 hours)
There's another major Romance language on our list, and this one is often a fan favorite. Although not as easy to learn as some of its language relatives,Frans(and/or its various dialects and creoles) is spoken by almost 300 million people in many different parts of the world (France, Canada, Belgium and Madagascar - to name a few).
As with the other Romance languages, the biggest advantage of learning French is the large amount of common vocabulary. But this is not only due to its linguistic roots. During the long history of wars and conquests between France and England, significant parts of the language were transferred from one country to the other. This mainly came in the form of French vocabulary being added to the English language, such as avant-garde and à la carte, although the word distribution also moved from English to French (e.g. weekend). French pronunciation is a little tricky at first, but we often hear French accents in pop culture, making them easier to copy than you might think.
9. Swahili
The Foreign Service Institute estimate:24 weeks (600 hours)
The last language on our list is perhaps the “least easiest language to learn” of the easiest languages.Swahiliis widely distributed in eastern and southeastern Africa, including iKenya, including Uganda and Tanzania, but usually as one countrylanguage franca— a common language used by native speakers of different languages.
Swahili words often sound as if they are spelled, and the pronunciation is relatively easy for English speakers to pick up. It is said to be the easiest African language for English natives to learn, partly due to the surprising amount of loanwords from English, such aspencil("pencil") andmachine("machine").
Finally, Swahili is quite simple in terms of grammar. Verb conjugation uses prefixes in a logical way, making them less difficult to learn. If you want to try something different, see if Swahili is the language for you. But if you want to find a new language as easily as possible, we recommend starting with something at the top of the list, such as Spanish, Swedish, or Norwegian.
