Learning another language is both exciting and gratifying; it opens doors both professionally and travel-wise. (what is the easiest language to learn)
Languages that share similarities in grammar rules, pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary with your native tongue can be easier to learn quickly; examples include Dutch, Spanish, French and Romance languages.
Spanish
Spanish is one of the most sought-after foreign languages to learn for English speakers, thanks to its Romance roots that parallel those found in English, as well as its many cognates (words that share similar meaning) that make learning Spanish simpler for novice learners.
Finding resources online for learning Spanish can also be straightforward, and with services such as LanguaTalk you can take direct lessons taught by native Spanish speakers.
Immersion can also be an excellent way to master Spanish. Immersion programs can be found around the world and even within the US; Middlebury’s Spanish Language School in Vermont for example requires its students to pledge only speaking Spanish during their program. You could also watch or listen to TV shows or movies with subtitles and listen to reggaeton, rap and pop songs (songs in Spanish tend to feature more romantic lyrics than their English equivalents) so as to immerse yourself completely. Keep a language journal or flashcards handy so as to review new words later on!
French
Your motivations for learning a language may differ: travel abroad, increase cultural understanding or enhance business opportunities are just some of the many possible drivers. Whatever they may be, finding the ideal language should always be your top priority.
As native English speakers, the easiest languages for native English speakers to learn are those which share many similarities with English, such as sharing an alphabet and grammar rules with it, or possessing similar pronunciation and vocabulary. Germanic languages like Dutch, French and German top the list, along with Latin-based ones such as Spanish and Italian as well as Romance languages like Portuguese and Romanian.
Other simple languages to learn include Afrikaans, which is part of the Germanic family but spoken by only 9 million people in South Africa and Namibia; Danish, which shares similarities with Norwegian and Swedish and has simple grammar rules; and Romanian which uses the Latin alphabet but features more straightforward grammatical structures than most Romance languages.
Italian
Italian may seem daunting for new language learners, but it can actually be one of the easier Romance languages for English speakers to master. Many words share common roots with English; for instance “correcto” = correct, “delicioso” = delicious and pizza = pizza.
Students typically find Italian grammar challenging; with its vast number of verb conjugations, tenses, and irregularities to master! With practice though, these areas become easier to comprehend. (What is the Easiest Language to Learn?)
Rocket Italian is an excellent program that does a wonderful job at explaining how Italian works from a grammatical standpoint, without overburdening you with details. Furthermore, its lessons are interactive and teach plenty of practical language from day one - perfect for people who struggle with long textbook-style explanations but prefer learning through listening, speaking and visuals. Duolingo is another popular way of studying Italian; free, fun and interactive as it offers lots of practical language knowledge paired with cute animations and gamification features (points lingots streaks etc!)!
Portuguese
Although Portuguese grammar shares many commonalities with English, its intricacies may prove more challenging. Pronouns change depending on whether the noun is masculine or feminine; verb endings vary depending on their subjects; yet once familiarized, mastering Portuguese shouldn’t prove too challenging.
One of the easiest and best ways to develop your Portuguese skills is through watching Brazilian TV shows and movies, where you’ll become exposed to everyday idioms and expressions; plus, subtitles can always be switched on if needed! (What is the Easiest Language to Learn?)
Learn Portuguese online through podcasts and blogs; these free resources provide an effective introduction to the language. Reading your target language is one of the best ways to build vocabulary and reinforce grammar rules, so choose reading materials from different genres and try reading at least 15-30 minutes every day!
German
German uses the Latin alphabet, making pronunciation and spelling relatively simple for English speakers. Furthermore, German grammar is relatively undemanding while its vocabulary features familiar words.
Afrikaans is another West Germanic language similar to Dutch that’s on this list and is often touted as one of the easiest for English speakers to learn. It draws its vocabulary from both Dutch and English and features an easy grammar without complex conjugations rules or distinction between gendered nouns.
Danish is on this list because it is difficult to pronounce and pronunciation can differ dramatically between written text and what’s spoken out loud. Still, with its similar vocabulary to English it makes learning it worthwhile! Begin learning it today with Babbel.
Malay
Malay is widely considered one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn due to its simple grammar, straightforward pronunciation and Latin alphabet. Furthermore, Malay contains many words familiar to English speakers so learning it quickly is possible. Furthermore, unlike Vietnamese, Malay does not contain tonal tones that change meaning; so no need for memorizing an array of pitches changing meaning when speaking it! (What is the Easiest Language to Learn?)
Malay follows an SVO word order structure similar to English, making it easier for English speakers to comprehend and form sentences correctly. Furthermore, Malay lacks verb conjugations as well as no plural forms or gender distinctions, simplifying its usage for English learners.
Contrast Chinese with English for its more complex grammar system of tones and characters which requires memorization rotely; yet its value as an international business language with rich cultural traditions makes learning it worth extra effort for many learners.
Swahili
No matter if your goal is safari in Tanzania, reconnecting with an exchange student, or making new business partners more influential – Swahili may be just what’s necessary! With its wide audience and relatively simple pronunciation (using Latin alphabet phonetic script and one letter typically representing one sound), learning this ancient African tongue offers numerous opportunities. Furthermore, its vocabulary contains numerous borrowings from English, Arabic, Portuguese and German which may come in handy!
Swahili, as the unifying language of East Africa, unites diverse communities across a vast region. With Bantu roots and loanwords from Arabic, Portuguese, German and English as its base lexicon; Swahili grammar is intuitive: verb conjugations follow an easy pattern and noun cases do not exist – making this language one of East Africa’s lingua francas. (What is the Easiest Language to Learn?)
Norwegian
Norwegian is part of the Germanic family of languages, sharing many similarities with English. For English speakers it may be easier to pick up since word order and verb conjugation are similar, while cognates (words from different languages that appear similar) make learning vocabulary simpler.
One effective strategy to make Norwegian easier is reading some every day. Listening to Norwegian podcasts or NRK radio while doing other activities may also help, and reading newspapers written in “lettnorsk” (easy Norwegian) could also prove helpful.
Language learning should become part of your everyday routine to ensure success. A diary or journal may also prove invaluable in tracking progress if language acquisition seems slow; keeping one can also serve as an incentive to continue studying!
Swedish
Swedish is an easily learned Germanic-rooted language with similar grammar structure to English; English speakers will find learning it relatively easy due to its many cognates (for instance “jag alskar dig,” “han ger hem,” and “de dricker kaffe”). Furthermore, Latin letters (albeit with three special characters) and verb conjugation is similar across both tongues. There are numerous reasons to learn Swedish; be it travel or career related – there are numerous advantages in learning Swedish!
Attaining fluency takes time. Depending on your goals, motivation and background it could take up to 600 hours of study in Swedish before reaching working proficiency. Make the most out of those hours by using music media and other tools such as Clozemaster that offer contextual practice.
