If you’re an English speaker looking to expand your linguistic horizons, there are plenty of languages out there that are easier to learn than others. In this simple guide, we’ll explore what are the easiest languages to learn for English speakers. We’ll cover factors like grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation to help you make an informed decision about which language to pursue.
Learning a new language can open up a whole world of exciting new experiences and opportunities, from connecting with a variety of people and cultures to advancing your career to studying and working abroad.
What are the easiest languages to learn for English speakers?
Let’s tell you what are the easiest languages to learn for English speakers:
1. Frisian
The first language on the list (what are the easiest languages to learn for English speakers) to appear in 2010 is Frisian. This is a Germanic language spoken by about 16,900 people throughout the province of Friesland in the northern Netherlands and some villages around North Holland. There are also close speakers of Frisian who live near Germany’s border with The Netherlands, along Dutch borders and Denmark’s border to Finland as well as Sweden into Norway.
2. Dutch
Dutch isn’t spoken by the same number of people as Frisian, but it’s still considered a very popular language. 24 different dialects together make up what we know today as Dutch (Dutch was once called Low German). It has been closely related to English with all three languages thriving nearby and producing some third-party international works alongside their regionalisms and code-switching.
3. Swahili
Of the five cultures listed in this article alone, Swahili offers one of the most compelling and interesting groupings. Because of its obvious Eastern African ties (it was used by traders from all those places too), many people assume that it’s a straightforward language for English speakers to pick up for free. That isn’t quite accurate Swahili is highly technical even though there are common words based on other local languages as well; anyone who wants to learn it will have to work hard at it.
4. Malay
This is another language people normally think of as a very easy thing to pick up. Malay, the official language for Malaysia, is actually used by over 20 million people in Indonesia and parts of Thailand but most famously among the Javanese from Java island which still has a strong presence there even today; it’s said that Indonesian children learn it first before learning their native tongue.
In regards to its English influence, this seems pretty obvious the biggest reason Javanese speakers came together to form one language is that they need a common tongue sooner or later something that has been called “the Javan-Indonesian effect” (a previously mentioned term in regards to all the other five languages that I’ve covered here).
5. Indonesian
The most commonly used Indonesian-based languages are Bengali, Malay, Javanese, and Madurese (the first four are part of Indonesia while Deya was given that name because it’s spoken on some islands in North Maluku province) Indonesian is a mix of those five tongues plus additional influences such as Dutch.
Considering there are several dozen smaller west Java-speaking ethnic groups around which to form various dialects and still end up with one language as the national tongue of Indonesia, it’s no wonder that what was originally called Malayalam until 1929 is named for its major city Madura instead now (to be fair, this doesn’t change how beautiful and elegant it still sounds).
6. Filipino Tagalog
Number 6 on the list of what are the easiest languages to learn for English speakers is Filipino Tagalog which is one of the official languages of the Philippines and another Austronesian language. On one hand, it’s not an overly complicated language to learn, as the pronunciation isn’t difficult, and much of its vocabulary is borrowed from other languages, including English, Spanish, and Malay.
On the other hand, despite its near-total overlap with similar Filipino Visayan and Bicolano neighbours based on linguistic analysis in some way, one can tell which is your actual home tongue by certain key differences across those languages.
Some words look bizarre while others don’t; you’ll have to memorize each of them separately like any unfamiliar language due to a lack of significant Austronesian influences there as well which makes it challenging to be well understood outside of your area.
7. Danish
The Nordic language is also called North Germanic and its people are known as the Danes. In Denmark, it’s a spoken tongue only while in other parts of Scandinavia and Germany you will find their native Swedes, Norwegians, and so on speaking the same but not Danish right? What would happen if we crossed those two cultures by giving them both some time to assimilate themselves first with each other?
You get Ehsaas ( East Swedish-Austronesian Danish), a hybrid of the two popular languages in Norway and Sweden, which is spoken by about some 80 thousand people. Danish is a Germanic language spoken by around 6 million people, most of whom live in Denmark. Like Norwegian and Swedish, it has fairly straightforward grammar rules and a lot of vocabulary that will be familiar to English speakers.
8. Romanian
Known to speakers as Rumânii or Romani (this name is used in Bulgaria), Romania has a significant continental Slavic population, the largest of any European country apart from Russia. Although they often speak Bulgarian or Russian at home, many non-Romani Romanians are fluent in their native tongue and some participate actively in shaping Romanian society Of course, there are a few trickier aspects to this language, including grammatical differences and letters with “diacritics.”
But, overall, Romanian, which is spoken by around 30 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova, is a surprisingly easy language to learn.
9. Swedish
Swedes are a super-achiever in their native language: In 1945, it was part of Norway and could be considered as in line with other Scandinavian languages, but two years later entered the EU together with Finns. When Sweden applied for membership in 1974, Canada objected (Canada felt that Swedish would not fit into Europe) and only let Sweden join when Sweden agreed to make English one official co-trade language alongside Swedish itself.
Swedish is on the easier side for English speakers to learn because again, it’s a Germanic language. Although the pronunciation may take some time to master, Swedish grammar rules and sentence structure are not overly complicated.
10. French
The last one on the list of what are the easiest languages to learn for English speakers is French that is much easier than any other Romance language in the roadmap because it’s so closely related to English.
Although French and Italian have many similarities, they are essentially 3rd-person languages that do not use a lot of verb tenses (especially compared to Spanish), which gives you a “head start” on learning most aspects of grammar before you ever touch more foreign vocab.
All the above mentioned are on the list of what are the easiest languages to learn for English speakers.
Learning a second language opens up opportunities, allowing individuals to connect with different cultures, enhance their cognitive abilities, and broaden their career prospects.
FAQ:
1. What are the easiest languages for English speakers to learn?
Some languages are generally considered easier for English speakers to learn than others due to similarities in grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure. So, what are the easiest languages to learn for English speakers? We can consider Romance languages such as Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese share many similarities with English and may be easier for English speakers to pick up.
2. What is the most useful language to learn after English?
Some of the most popular languages to learn include Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, French, Arabic, German, and Japanese. The choice of language really depends on your personal interests and goals.
For example, if you plan to travel to a particular country or region frequently for business or personal reasons, it may be useful to learn the local language. If you want to improve your job prospects or work in a global company, learning a widely spoken language such as Mandarin or Spanish may be beneficial.
3. What are the three easiest languages to learn for English speakers?
Let’s tell you what are the easiest languages to learn for English speakers:
- Spanish: With similar grammar rules and numerous cognates with English, Spanish is often considered one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn.
- French: Despite its reputation for being difficult, French actually shares many similarities with English and has a relatively straightforward pronunciation system.
- Italian: Known for its musicality and simplicity, Italian has a phonetic spelling system and straightforward grammar rules that make it easier to pick up than some other Romance languages.
4. What is the closest language to English?
The closest language to English is generally considered to be Scots, which is spoken primarily in Scotland and has many similarities to English in terms of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.
5. What is the best language to learn after English?
The best language to learn after English largely depends on an individual’s personal and professional goals. However, one language that is often recommended is Spanish. With over 460 million native speakers worldwide, Spanish is the second most widely spoken language globally.
It is also the official language of 21 countries, providing ample opportunities for cultural immersion and travel. Additionally, learning Spanish can be beneficial for business and career prospects, especially in industries such as tourism, international relations, and healthcare.
Spanish is also considered one of the easier languages for English speakers to learn due to its shared Latin roots and similar grammar structures. Ultimately, the best language to learn after English will vary based on personal interests, career aspirations, and cultural connections.
In conclusion, do you want to know what are the easiest languages to learn for English speakers? it really depends on your goals and interests when it comes to choosing a language to learn. However, Spanish, French, Italian, Scots and Mandarin Chinese are all commonly considered to be relatively easy languages for English speakers to pick up.
Hope you got all your answers about what are the easiest languages to learn for English speakers.
References:
- 15 of the Easiest Languages for English Speakers to Learn. (2021c, October 25). Berlitz. https://www.berlitz.com/blog/easiest-languages-to-learn-for-english-speakers
- Yahoo is part of the Yahoo family of brands. (n.d.). https://finance.yahoo.com/news/16-easiest-second-languages-learn-181224967.html