You’re determined to learn a new language.
Good for you! Then you probably already know the benefits of learning a second language.
But you don’t know which language to choose?
Well, yes, that’s a tough decision.
Among more than 7.000 languages in the world, it isn’t easy to choose one, indeed.
Searching for the language you’ll start learning is a full-time job.
And, in the end, you get stuck in research and don’t even know why you started this in the first place.
To save your time and nerves, we’ve been searching for the 11 easiest languages to learn for English speakers.
So, take a look at the following lines, and find out which are the easiest languages to learn in the world because some of them will surprise you.
And now, get ready and go!
Why Learn a Second Language At All?
The benefits of learning a foreign language are numerous.
It makes you smarter. Your mind gets sharper. Your memory is more improved.
You will live longer and be healthier.
The whole new world of opportunities is open for you.
Speaking more than one language gives you the possibility to find better jobs.
Your perspective on the world and life changes for the better.
When you learn a second language, you will learn third, fourth, or fifth much easier.
We can continue writing about the benefits of learning a language, but we think that you've got it.
What’s the Best Way to Learn a Second Language?
Today, there are many various methods and techniques that can help you learn a language successfully.
From various YouTube channels and podcasts, you can learn and improve your listening skills, boost your vocabulary, and even learn about some of the fun facts about your second language.
You don’t need to sit in a classroom and learn from boring textbooks. There are fun ways to learn the language, such as watching movies in another language or learning vocabulary with flashcard apps.
11 Easiest Languages to Learn for English Speakers
It isn’t easy to list some languages as hard or easy to learn. Whether some languages are easy or not depends on many things, among others, our capabilities and interests.
In the following lines, we’ve listed the 11 easiest languages to learn for English speakers.
So, let’s see which ones they are.
Spanish
Spanish is easy for English speakers; it is also one of those languages that any student can learn easily.
Spanish is the descendant of Vulgar Latin, like French and Italian. It belongs to the same language family as English, which makes these two distant language siblings.
Spanish shares the alphabet, syntax, and many words with English, so native speakers already have some basic vocabulary when starting to learn.
With more than 415 million speakers, Spanish is the second most popular language worldwide.
French
The language of romance and love, French, is one of the favorites. Even though it isn’t as easy as Spanish, French and English share many words. Those are mainly French words in English that interacted throughout the mutual history, so naturally, the vocabulary is a significant advance.
What makes it a little tricky is the pronunciation. Specific French pronunciation, however, can be improved with French tongue twisters.
So, if you have second thoughts about whether to learn French or Spanish, why don’t you try them both?
Italian
This language isn’t as widely spoken as its language siblings, but its Latin roots allow English speakers to overcome any difficulty.
However, Italian culture is worldwide-known and famous, so if you are a fan of spaghetti (which you indeed are), music, or history, here is one of the ways to learn Italian.
Portuguese
As you’ve already noticed, Romance languages are perfect for English speakers (or the other way around).
Portuguese shares many words and phrases with Spanish, and like its language cousin, the large number of speakers gives you the possibility to practice in Portugal or Brazil.
Thanks to Brazilian food and culture, nowadays, Portuguese has become quite popular.
Norwegian
It may seem like a surprise, but the Norwegian language is one of the easiest languages English speakers can learn in no time.
Even though Norwegian and English share the same language branch, both of them belong to the Germanic language family, its grammar is straightforward, without a lot of exceptions.
At first sight, you can’t recognize the similarity in pronunciation. Still, if you pay attention, you will see that the sentence, for example, ‘Can you help me?’ in English is pronounced in Norwegian as ‘Kan du hjelpe meg?’
Swedish
Here is one more Scandinavian language that is ideal for English speakers.
Like Norwegian, Swedish is also one of the easiest languages to learn, and its grammar has relatively simple rules.
Cognates are one of the things that Swedish and English share. For example, the word ‘grass’ is in Swedish ‘gräs.’
Thanks to IKEA, Swedish has become quite popular, so English speakers are already familiar with some Swedish words.
One more great thing about Swedish is that the natives speak English well, so if you start struggling with Swedish, they’ll change and speak English with you. However, don’t use this opportunity too often. Your goal is to improve your Swedish.
Dutch
Dutch is another language cousin, and just like other Germanic languages, this one is easy to learn.
Besides the fact that it is spoken in the Netherlands, you can also hear Dutch in Belgium.
Compared to other Indo-European languages, Dutch is not so easy to learn, but many words are spelled exactly the same as they are in English. Because of many similar words, Dutch sounds like a combination of German and English.
What more could English speakers possibly imagine?
Danish
There are around 6 million Danish speakers. It’s an official language in Denmark, and the minority language in Germany, though some can be found in Norway.
Like Norwegian and Swedish, there are not many Danish speakers. Nonetheless, simple grammar rules, similar pronunciation, and many mutual words with English sound tempting for English speakers to learn this language.
Indonesian
You are surprised, aren’t you?
As strange as it might seem, Indonesian is one of the few Asian languages that use the Latina alphabet, which sounds logical for English speakers.
Words are pronounced exactly as they’re spelled.
For those who aren’t fond of grammar, Indonesian is the best language to learn. Grammar is very simple because there are no verb conjugations and plurals and grammatical genders.
Swahili
More surprises!
Who would say that English speakers can easily learn Swahili?
Swahili is spoken in eastern, southeastern Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
It is the least easy language from this list for English speakers, but it is the easiest one out of all African languages.
Its straightforward grammar, relatively easy pronunciation, and many English loanwords, such as penseli (pencil), are only some of the reasons you should consider learning Swahili.
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language that is spoken in Namibia and South Africa.
For a long time, this language was considered as Dutch dialect.
Experts say that Afrikaans is even easier to learn than Dutch because it has cut some difficult parts from Dutch grammar.
With three tenses, past, present, and future, and no genders and verb conjugations, Afrikaans really seems like a piece of cake.
If you add many similar words with English, and the Latin alphabet, you would’ve thought that you are in heaven.
The countries where Afrikaans is spoken are a true paradise, and a favorite travel destination, so you will not only enjoy but you can practice the language, as well.
Final Thoughts
Now, when you have 11 easiest languages you can learn, it’s time for you to jump into a new adventure and choose a language (or two, or three).
Change your world for the better and embrace all the benefits of learning a foreign language.
If you’re interested in becoming fluent in a new language, check out these top online learning resources: Kick off your learning with Babbel, where interactive, enjoyable lessons are designed to blend smoothly into your routine, fostering fast and effective language learning. For those aiming for an in-depth understanding, Udemy provides a broad spectrum of courses from basic to advanced levels. To enhance your speaking skills, Preply connects you with native speakers for personalized coaching, ensuring significant improvement. Take advantage of a 50% discount on your first lesson at Preply with this link.
What are the easiest languages for English speakers to learn?
Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Norwegian, Swedish, Dutch, Danish, Indonesian, Swahili and Afrikaans.
What’s the Best Way to Learn a Second Language?
Today, there are many various methods and techniques that can help you learn a language successfully. From various YouTube channels and podcasts, you can learn and improve your listening skills, boost your vocabulary, and even learn about some of the fun facts about your second language. You don’t need to sit in a classroom and learn from boring textbooks. There are fun ways to learn the language, such as watching movies in another language or learning vocabulary with flashcard apps.
Why Learn a Second Language At All?
The benefits of learning a foreign language are numerous. It makes you smarter. Your mind gets sharper. Your memory is improved. You will live longer and be healthier. The whole new world of opportunities is open for you. Speaking more than one language gives you the possibility to find better jobs. Your perspective on the world and life changes for the better. When you learn a second language, you will learn third, fourth, or fifth much easier. We can continue writing about the benefits of learning a language, but we think that you've got it.
