10 of the Easiest Foreign Languages for English Speakers to Learn

When it comes to learning a new language, the options can seem endless. But which language is the best option for you? Some languages are easier to learn than others. In this blog post, we will discuss the 10 easiest foreign languages to learn.

1. Spanish

Spanish is one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn. That’s because Spanish and English share a lot of common features.

For example, both languages have a subject-verb-object word order, and both use the Roman alphabet.

Spanish also has a large number of cognates—words that have the same meaning in both languages. As a result, English speakers can often guess the meaning of unfamiliar words just by looking at them.

In addition, Spanish pronunciation is relatively simple, and there are no genders or verb conjugations to worry about.

All of these factors make Spanish an ideal language for English speakers who are just starting to learn a second language.

2. French

French may be a good option, as it is relatively easy for English speakers to pick up. This is due in part to the fact that both languages share a common ancestor, making them more similar than many other language pairs.

Additionally, French has a reputation for being a ‘phonetic’ language, meaning that words are generally pronounced as they are written.

This can be a relief for English speakers, who often find that the spelling of words bears little resemblance to their pronunciation.

Of course, French also has its fair share of challenges, but overall, it remains one of the easier languages for English speakers to learn.

3. Portuguese

Portuguese is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia and northern Portugal.

It is derived from Latin, with notable influence from other Romance languages such as French, Galician-Portuguese, and Spanish.

Portuguese is a major language of Europe, Brazil, Africa, and the Iberian Peninsula. It is also one of the official languages of the United Nations.

Portuguese is considered one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn.

This is due in part to its similarity to English in terms of grammar and vocabulary.

For example, both languages use the same alphabet and have similar pronunciation rules.

In addition, many words in Portuguese are similar to their English counterparts.

As a result, English speakers can often guess the meaning of words even if they have never seen them before. With a little practice, anyone can learn to speak Portuguese fluently.

4. Italian

Many English speakers assume that learning Italian will be a difficult endeavor.

However, there are actually a number of reasons why Italian can be one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn.

For starters, Italian and English share a number of similarities in terms of grammar and vocabulary.

Both languages are based on Latin, so many words have common roots.

In addition, Italian pronunciation is relatively straightforward, and there are fewer irregularities than in some other languages.

With a little effort, English speakers can quickly become proficient in Italian. As a result, Italian can be an excellent choice for anyone looking to learn a new language.

5. German

A recent study by the Language Learning Institute has ranked German as one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn.

The study compared the difficulty of learning various languages based on a number of factors, including grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.

German ranked highly in all three categories, making it a relatively easy language to learn for English speakers.

The grammar of German is similar to that of English, with just a few key differences. For example, German has three genders (male, female, and neutral), whereas English has only two (male and female).

German also has a more complicated system of noun declensions, but fortunately, there are only a handful of exceptions to the rules.

When it comes to vocabulary, German and English share a common root, so many words are similar or identical.

Finally, German pronunciation is not as difficult as one might expect, as most sounds can be made using the same mouth positions as English. With a little effort, anyone can learn to speak German fluently.

6. Dutch

Dutch is a language that is spoken by around 23 million people in the Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname, and the Antilles.

It is also one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn.

In fact, English and Dutch are both members of the West Germanic language family, which means that they share a common ancestor.

As a result, Dutch speakers can often understand English speakers, and vice versa.

However, there are some key differences between the two languages.

For instance, Dutch has a simpler grammar than English, and its vocabulary is more closely related to English.

As a result, English speakers who want to learn Dutch can often pick up the basics fairly quickly.

7. Swedish

Just as English has influences from a variety of languages, so too is Swedish peppered with loanwords.

In fact, some of the Swedish lexicon comes from foreign sources, with the vast majority being of English origin.

As a result, many English speakers find Swedish quite easy to pick up.

What’s more, Swedish syntax is highly regular, meaning that there are few exceptions to grammatical rules.

This makes it much easier for English speakers to form correct sentences.

Additionally, Swedish shares a number of cognates with English, words which have the same meaning and derive from the same root.

This means that English speakers can often guess the meaning of unfamiliar words simply by looking at them.

Taken together, these factors make Swedish one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn.

8. Danish

Danish is a Scandinavian language, and as such, it shares many similarities with English.

Both languages are Germanic languages, and they have similar grammar rules and word order.

In addition, Danish has been heavily influences by English, so many Danish words are similar to their English counterparts.

As a result, Danish is relatively easy for English speakers to pick up.

Of course, there are some challenges-Danish pronunciation can be difficult to master, and the language has its own unique vocabulary-but overall, Danish is a fairly straightforward language for English speakers to learn.

With a little effort, you can be conversing in Danish in no time.

9. Norwegian

Norwegian is often touted as one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn.

And it’s true that there are some similarities between the two languages. Both Norwegian and English are part of the Germanic language family, and they share many cognates (words that have a common etymological origin).

However, Norwegian also has a number of features that can make it challenging for English speakers.

For instance, Norwegian has two main written standards—Bokmål and Nynorsk – which can be confusing for learners.

In addition, Norwegian has a complex system of grammatical gender, and its verbs conjugate differently depending on whether they’re used in indicative, imperative, or subjunctive moods.

Despite these challenges, Norwegian is still considered one of the easier languages for English speakers to learn. With a little effort, you should be able to pick up the basics in no time.

10. Swahili

Although there are many different languages spoken in Africa, one of the most widely-spoken is Swahili.

Also known as Kiswahili, this language is used throughout East Africa, and is even considered an official language in several countries.

For English speakers, Swahili can be relatively easy to learn. This is because it uses a similar alphabet and has many loanwords from English.

In addition, the grammar rules of Swahili are relatively straightforward, and there is no concept of gender (meaning that there is no need to worry about masculine or feminine forms of words).

As a result, English speakers who are interested in learning a new language may want to consider giving Swahili a try.

Conclusion

There are many different languages that English speakers can choose to learn. But some languages are easier to learn than others. The ten languages on this list are some of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn. So if you’re looking for a new language to learn, one of these might be a good option for you. Thanks for reading!

We hope you enjoyed this blog post. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. We’d love to hear from you!

Similar Posts