The Hardest Language to Learn for English Speakers, (7 Ones in Perfect Order)

Learning a new language can be a challenging yet rewarding experience. But what is the hardest language to learn for English speakers ? English speakers may find certain languages to be particularly tough due to differences in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the seven hardest language for English speakers to learn, in perfect order.

What is the hardest language to learn for English speakers:

1. Mandarin Chinese
2. Arabic
3. Russian
4. Polish
5. Turkish
6. Danish
7. Japanese

1. Mandarin Chinese

Mandarin Chinese is widely regarded as the hardest language to learn for English speakers. This is due in part to its complex writing system, which uses thousands of characters that must be memorized and recognized in order to read and write effectively.

Additionally, Mandarin Chinese has a tonal system in which the meaning of words can change depending on the tone used when speaking them. This can pose a challenge for English speakers who are not accustomed to using tones in their own language.

Despite these difficulties, however, learning Mandarin Chinese can be a rewarding experience that opens up new opportunities for communication and understanding with one of the world’s most populous nations.

Here’s an example of a Mandarin Chinese sentence along with its English translation:

Mandarin Chinese: 你好吗？(Nǐ hǎo ma?)
English: How are you?

For an English speaker, however, mastering Mandarin Chinese is a tall order: It’s a tonal language — every sound in its phonetic transcription system, pinyin, has four distinct pronunciations and meanings.

2. Arabic

Many people consider Arabic the hardest language to learn for English speakers. There are a number of reasons for this, including the fact that Arabic uses a completely different alphabet, has many sounds that do not exist in English, and is written from right to left instead of left to right.

Additionally, Arabic has complex grammar rules and a rich vocabulary that can be difficult to master.  Additionally, the Arabic language has many dialects that vary greatly in pronunciation and vocabulary, making it difficult to master the language fully.

Here’s an example of an Arabic sentence along with its English translation:

Arabic: مرحباً، كيف حالك؟ (Marḥaban, kayfa ḥāluk?)
English: Hello, how are you?

There are also characteristics of spoken Arabic that make it hard to learn. Some of the sounds used don’t exist in other languages or are simply unfamiliar to English speakers, including sounds made in the back of your throat.

3. Russian

Russian is often considered one of the hardest languages for English speakers to learn. The Russian alphabet alone can be a daunting challenge, with 33 letters compared to the 26 in the English alphabet.

Additionally, Russian grammar has complex rules regarding gender, cases, and verb conjugation that can take years to master. The pronunciation of Russian words can also be tricky, as some sounds don’t exist in English and require a lot of practice to get right.

Despite these challenges, learning Russian can be rewarding and open up new opportunities for personal and professional growth. With dedication and perseverance, anyone can learn this fascinating language.

For example: “Привет, как дела?” (Privet, kak dela?) means “Hello, how are you?” in English.

4. Polish

for English speakers, Polish is often considered the hardest language to learn for English speakers. With its complex grammar rules and unique pronunciation, mastering Polish can take time and dedication.

The language has seven cases and three genders, making it difficult to conjugate verbs correctly and form coherent sentences. In addition, the pronunciation of certain letters and sounds can be tricky for non-native speakers. However, with persistence and practice, mastering Polish can open up a whole new world of culture and opportunity.

Here’s an example of a Polish sentence along with its English translation:

Polish: Jak się masz?
English: How are you?

5. Turkish

According to many language experts, Turkish is considered the hardest language to learn for English speakers. This is because Turkish has a complex grammar system that includes challenging concepts such as vowel harmony and agglutination, where multiple suffixes are added to a root word to create new meaning.

Additionally, Turkish uses a different writing system than English, with its own unique letters and characters. However, don’t let this discourage you from learning Turkish if you are interested! With patience, practice, and dedication, anyone can learn any language they set their mind to.

Here’s an example of a Turkish sentence along with its English translation:

Turkish: Merhaba, nasılsın?
English: Hello, how are you?

One aspect of the Turkish language that can be challenging is the need to memorise the many grammar rules and learn how to apply them, as the rules for use of suffixes and word order are significantly more complicated than in English.

6. Danish

Because of a lot of reasons, Danish is considered the hardest language to learn for English speakers. With its complex grammar rules, unique pronunciation and intonation patterns, and vast vocabulary that includes many words with multiple meanings, mastering Danish can be quite challenging.

Additionally, Danish has a unique writing system that includes several letters not found in the English alphabet, such as ø, æ, and å. However, with dedication and consistent practice, it is certainly possible to learn Danish or any language for that matter.

Here’s an example of a Danish word along with its English meaning:

Danish: Hus
English: House

7. Japanese

I think that Japanese has a complex writing system with three different scripts (hiragana, katakana, and kanji), as well as a unique grammar structure that can be made it the hardest language to learn for English speakers.

Additionally, Japanese pronunciation can be difficult for English speakers due to the many subtle differences in vowel and consonant sounds. However, with dedication and practice, it is certainly possible for English speakers to become proficient in Japanese. Many people find that immersion programs or language exchanges with native speakers can be helpful in accelerating the learning process and learning the hardest language to learn for English speakers.

Here’s an example of a Japanese word along with its English meaning:

Japanese: こんにちは (Konnichiwa)
English: Hello / Good afternoon

In this example:

“こんにちは” (Konnichiwa) is a common greeting in Japanese used during the daytime, equivalent to saying “hello” or “good afternoon” in English.
So, “こんにちは” (Konnichiwa) is a Japanese greeting used to say “hello” or “good afternoon” in English.

Some FAQs:

1. What are the top 3 hardest languages to learn for English speakers?

The Hardest Language to Learn for English Speakers are:

– Mandarin Chinese is considered one of the hardest languages to learn for English speakers due to its tonal nature, complex writing system, and completely different grammatical structure.

– Arabic is also known to be challenging for English speakers due to its unique alphabet, complex grammar, and different pronunciation.

– Japanese is considered difficult for English speakers due to its complex writing systems (kanji, hiragana, and katakana), different sentence structure, and honorifics.

2. What is the hardest languages to learn in the world as an English speaker?

The hardest language to learn as an English speaker can vary depending on individual factors such as language aptitude, previous language learning experience, and exposure to different languages. However, there are a few languages that are commonly considered more challenging for English speakers.

One of the languages often cited as difficult is Mandarin Chinese. This is mainly due to its complex writing system, which consists of thousands of characters, and its tonal nature, where the meaning of words can change based on the tone used. Additionally, the grammar structure and syntax of Mandarin can be quite different from English, making it challenging to grasp.

Another challenging language for English speakers is Arabic. Arabic has a unique writing system and a complex grammar structure. The language has different dialects, which can add to the difficulty of learning, as each dialect may have variations in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar.

Japanese is also considered a difficult language for English speakers. The writing system includes three different scripts – hiragana, katakana, and kanji. The grammar structure and sentence order are different from English, and there are also various levels of politeness and formality that need to be understood.

Other languages that are often mentioned as challenging for English speakers include Korean, Russian, and Hungarian. However, it’s important to remember that with dedication, practice, and the right resources, anyone can learn any language, regardless of its perceived difficulty.

3. Is Arabic hard to learn for English speakers?

Arabic can be considered a challenging language for English speakers to learn. This is mainly due to the significant differences in the alphabet, grammar, and pronunciation compared to English. Arabic has a different writing system with a right-to-left direction, and the letters may have different forms depending on their position within a word.

Additionally, Arabic has a complex grammar structure with verb conjugations, noun declensions, and gender agreement. The pronunciation of certain sounds, such as guttural sounds, can also be difficult for English speakers to master. However, with dedication, consistent practice, and proper guidance, it is certainly possible for English speakers to learn Arabic.

5. Why is Arabic hard for English speakers?

One of the main challenges is the Arabic alphabet, which has 28 letters and can be difficult to master, the grammar, which is quite different from English grammar in terms of sentence structure and verb conjugation. Additionally, Arabic pronunciation can be tricky for English speakers due to the presence of many guttural sounds that are not present in English.

6. What is the 7 hardest language to learn?

Here is the 7 hardest language to learn for English speakers:

1. Mandarin Chinese
2. Arabic
3. Russian
4. Polish
5. Turkish
6. Danish
7. Japanese

7. What is the hardest language to be fluent in?

The difficulty of learning a language can also depend on factors such as your native language, your exposure to the language, and your motivation and dedication to learning. Some commonly cited examples of difficult languages include Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, and Hungarian.

8. What is the top 15 hardest language to learn?

Here are 15 languages and each of them is often considered the hardest language to learn for English speakers:

• 1. Mandarin Chinese
• 2. Arabic
• 3. Japanese
• 4. Hungarian
• 5. Finnish
• 6. Icelandic
• 7. Korean
• 8. Polish
• 9. Russian
• 10. Czech
• 11. Danish
• 12. Thai
• 13. Vietnamese
• 14. Navajo
• 15. Georgian

9. Which is harder Arabic or Russian?

Some may find the Arabic language harder to learn or world hardest language due to its complex grammar and writing system, while others may struggle with Russian’s extensive vocabulary and intricate pronunciation. Maybe a group of people find Russian the hardest language to learn for English speakers.

10. Is Arabic the hardest language in the world?

Arabic has a rich history and culture, and learning the language can open up new opportunities for communication, travel, and personal growth. While it may require more effort and time to learn compared to some other languages, with dedication and practice anyone can learn Arabic or any other language they set their mind to.

In brief, there is no one language that stands out as being the hardest language to learn for English speakers, and everyone has different levels of difficulty in learning new languages. It ultimately depends on a variety of factors such as your prior knowledge of the language, your own motivation and determination, and how much exposure you have had to spoken or written forms of the language.

References:

1. Unbabel Translates the 10 Hardest Languages to Learn, So You Don’t Have To. (2022, September 16). https://resources.unbabel.com/blog/japanese-finnish-or-chinese-the-10-hardest-languages-for-english-speakers-to-learn
2. Lyons, D. (2021, February 25). The 6 Hardest Languages For English Speakers To Learn. Babbel Magazine. https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/6-hardest-languages-for-english-speakers-to-learn
3. 15 of the Hardest Languages for English Speakers to Learn. (2021, November 8). Berlitz. https://www.berlitz.com/blog/hardest-languages-to-learn-english-speakers