In this article, we will look at 18 of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn. We will also analyze the online language-learning market and key players in the language-learning industry. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can directly go to 5 of the Easiest Languages for English Speakers to Learn.
Online Language Learning Market
According to a report by Kings Research, the global online language-learning market was valued at $15.26 billion in 2022. The market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 13.74% to reach $41.63 by 2030. Some factors driving growth in the online language-learning industry include increased demand for cross-border communications, globalization trends, and an expanding e-learning industry. Moreover, regarding employability, language learning has emerged as an in-demand skill. Potential employers, especially multinational companies, prefer multilingual employees as it benefits the organization and increases the prospects of a diverse customer base. According to a survey conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs for the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, 9 out of 10 employers in the US seek employees proficient in multiple languages. In addition, this trend toward multilingualism is expected to rise in the coming years. The survey also found that Spanish, Chinese, and French languages are particularly in demand. You can also look at the Top 20 Languages with the Hardest Grammar for English Speakers and the 16 Easiest Languages for Spanish Speakers to Learn.
Market Dynamics and Segmentation
Regarding market dynamics, Generation Z is interested in language learning, particularly Ukrainian. According to a report by Duolingo (NASDAQ:DUOL), more than half of the people learning the Ukrainian language at Duolingo (NASDAQ:DUOL) are Generation Z. Similarly, they also drive popularity for Asian languages, comprising 86% of the total people learning Japanese and 76% of those learning Chinese. Some factors leading younger generations towards language learning include increased social media consumption, high familiarity with ongoing language learning trends, growing cultural exchange programs, and easy accessibility of online language learning through various platforms.
The global online language-learning market is mainly segmented based on the different languages available for learning and the geography of their learners. Regarding the language segment, English is one of the leading languages, holding 52.3% market share and one of the fastest-growing segments within the market. Moreover, regarding the geographical segment, the Asia Pacific region dominated the market. It generated a revenue of $7.37 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 15.96% from the projected period till 2030. Increased government spending on education and a rising trend of international employment opportunities are driving the growth of this segment.
Leading Online Language Learning Platforms
Players leading the online language-learning market include Duolingo (NASDAQ:DUOL), Pearson PLC (LON:PSO), Speexx, and 2U Inc (NASDAQ:TWOU).
Duolingo (NASDAQ:DUOL) is one of the top players in the language learning space. The company offers courses in over 40 languages and also provides digital language proficiency tests. On February 28, the company reported earnings for the fiscal third quarter of 2023. The company reported earnings per share of $0.06 and outperformed expectations by $0.18. The company’s revenue for the quarter amounted to $137.62 million, up 43.26% year over year and ahead of revenue expectations by $5.49 million. As of February 28, Duolingo (NASDAQ:DUOL) has gained more than 75% over the past 12 months.
Pearson PLC (LON:PSO) is a multinational education and media company. Pearson PLC (LON:PSO) is based in the United Kingdom and operates in the United States, Canada, Asia Pacific, and other European Companies. Pearson PLC (LON:PSO) not only provides a range of learning materials, including curriculums, textbooks, assessment material, and other education technologies but also operates an online language learning platform called Mondly. Mondly provides language learning courses for self-learners, businesses, and employees. On December 11, 2023, Pearson PLC (LON:PSO) announced joining the White House National Cyber Security Workforce and Education System. The partnership will address the immediate need for cybersecurity professionals in the US workforce. Pearson PLC (LON:PSO) will help fill thousands of cybersecurity job vacancies by providing IT specialists, training programs, and certifications to interested candidates.
Speexx is one of the leading digital platforms that provides people and workforce development to international organizations. It is specifically renowned for its corporate language learning and training programs that help organizations bring out the best in their workforce. International organizations, including Volkswagon (ETR:VOW3), Adecco (SWX:ADEN), and Bosch Limited (NSE:BOSCHLTD), use Speexx to improve inclusivity and train their employees in multiple languages. On February 19, Speexx announced its support of Mallorca Preservation, the European Environmental Bureau, and The Ocean Cleanup as part of its “Make a Difference Program.” Mallorca is a local environmental initiative to conserve islands and their natural beauty. The European Environment Bureau is one of the largest networks of citizens and organizations standing together for sustainability. The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit engineering organization dedicated to clean ocean waste.
2U Inc (NASDAQ:TWOU) is a leading Software as a Service (SaaS) platform that provides education technologies to schools and universities. 2U Inc (NASDAQ:TWOU) enables universities and education institutes to provide online degrees and programs in various fields, including language learning courses. On February 1, 2U Inc (NASDAQ:TWOU) announced its partnership with the University of Surrey to launch 15 online master’s degree programs. Under this partnership, the University of Surrey will launch 5 master’s degree programs in 2024, with more than 15 more programs and professional certifications to be delivered by 2026. The partnership is expected to expand the reach of University of Surrey programs to students worldwide.
With this context, let’s look at 18 of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn.
Our Methodology
To compile the list of 18 of the Easiest Languages for English Speakers to Learn, we used the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) data on Foreign Language Training. FSI categorizes languages into 4 broad categories based on the number of class hours required to learn a language. For this article, we used Category 1, Category 2, and Category 3 languages, which require 600 to 1,100 class hours for English speakers to learn.
The FSI does not give individual rankings for the languages. Therefore, we employed a consensus methodology to rank our languages. We shifted through 8 similar rankings to get a list of 40 easiest languages for English speakers to learn. We selected only those languages that belonged to the first 3 categories of the FSI data and appeared in at least 4 of our sources. We have primarily ranked by categories defined by the FSI and broke ties based on computed average ranks of the languages across our sources. We used the number of mentions as a tie-breaker for instances where two or more languages had the same average rank.
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18 of the Easiest Languages for English Speakers to Learn
18. Hindi
Hours of Learning: 1,100
Average Ranking: 9.6
Number of Mentions: 4
The Hindi language requires approximately 1,100 class hours for English speakers to learn the language. It belongs to the Indo-Aryan language family and is the official language of India.
17. Farsi
Hours of Learning: 1,100
Average Ranking: 9.5
Number of Mentions: 4
Farsi is an important language in the Middle East and Central Asia. Farsi, also known as Persian, is the official language of Iran and is spoken by over 78.6 million people around the globe. It belongs to the Indo-Iranian language family, and the modern version of Farsi is considered easier to learn in terms of grammar.
16. Polish
Hours of Learning: 1,100
Average Ranking: 8.5
Number of Mentions: 4
Polish ranks 16th on our list and requires 1,100 class hours for English speakers to learn. It is the official language of Poland and is spoken by over 40.6 million people worldwide. The language borrows words and literature from Latin, Czech, Ukrainian, and English languages.
15. Russian
Hours of Learning: 1,100
Average Ranking: 8.4
Number of Mentions: 4
Russian is the official state language of Russia and belongs to the Slavic language family. Other languages belonging to the Slavic family include Belarusian and Ukrainian. Russian is spoken by over 255 million people around the globe and ranks as the 15th easiest language for English speakers to learn.
14. Swahili
Hours of Learning: 900
Average Ranking: 10.1
Number of Mentions: 6
Swahili belongs to the Bantu group of languages and is most commonly spoken in Africa. It is spoken by approximately 71.6 million people worldwide and has around 15 dialects across different African countries.
13. German
Hours of Learning: 900
Average Ranking: 8.4
Number of Mentions: 8
German ranks 13th on our list and requires approximately 900 class hours for English speakers to learn. It is the official language of Germany and Austria and is spoken by over 133.2 million people worldwide. It belongs to the Indo-European language family, the same as English.
12. Indonesian
Hours of Learning: 900
Average Ranking: 7
Number of Mentions: 5
Indonesian is a form of Malay spoken as an official language in Indonesia. It is spoken by over 199.1 million people worldwide and belongs to the Austronesian language family, one of the largest language families.
11. Malay
Hours of Learning: 900
Average Ranking: 6.9
Number of Mentions: 4
Malay ranks 11th on our list and requires around 900 class hours for English speakers to learn. It is most commonly spoken in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, and Thailand. Malay belongs to the Austronesian language family and has various dialects.
10. Italian
Hours of Learning: 900
Average Ranking: 6.8
Number of Mentions: 8
Italian is a romance language spoken by approximately 67.9 million people around the globe. It is most commonly spoken in Italy and France and is also one of the official state languages of Switzerland.
9. French
Hours of Learning: 750
Average Ranking: 7.3
Number of Mentions: 8
Ranking 9th on our list is French, which requires approximately 750 hours for English speakers to learn. It is one of the most widely spoken international romance languages and is spoken by over 309.8 million worldwide.
8. Spanish
Hours of Learning: 750
Average Ranking: 3.8
Number of Mentions: 7
Spanish belongs to the Indo-European language family, similar to English, and is also one of the most spoken languages in the world, with over 559.1 million speakers around the globe. It is spoken widely in Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and the United States.
7. Romanian
Hours of Learning: 600
Average Ranking: 8.1
Number of Mentions: 7
Romanian is another common romance language in Romania and Moldova. It is spoken by over 24.5 million people around the globe and requires around 600 class hours for English speakers to learn.
6. Portuguese
Hours of Learning: 600
Average Ranking: 7.2
Number of Mentions: 8
Portuguese is the official language of Portugal and is commonly spoken in Brazil and other former Portuguese colonies. It is spoken by over 263.6 million people around the globe and requires around 600 class hours for English speakers to learn.
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Disclosure: None. 18 of the Easiest Languages for English Speakers to Learn is originally published on Insider Monkey.