The Easiest and Hardest Languages to Learn

Language describes the culture of a nation. Every region has its language that is used by its people to communicate.

Learning a new language is a useful talent. It helps you understand the culture of different nations. There is a range of languages spoken worldwide. Some are easier to learn, while others can be quite harder. Following is a list of some of the easiest and the hardest languages in the entire world.

The Easiest Languages to Learn

The following are some of the easiest languages worldwide:

1. French

French is commonly known as the language of love. Throughout the world, it is popular for its accent and politeness. Hence, it is one of the easiest languages to learn.

For most people, their passion helps to get the hang of a new language. Other times, it proves to be easy because of its mixed vocabulary. Many words are similar in English and French. This helps in quick learning.

Though the French accent is quite tricky, learning the French language is pretty effortless. Once you start understanding it, you realize why it is so famous worldwide.

2. Dutch

Dutch is a combination of German and English. Most of its vocabulary is the same as its roots. If you are looking for a secondary language, Dutch can be a wise choice.

The people of the Netherlands and a major portion of Belgium speak Dutch as their primary language. It is quite easy to learn. People often like it for its charming accent. It takes some effort to nail it, but in the end, it is all worth it.

3. Italian

We can appreciate the use of this language, mostly in the food business. Italian cuisine has gotten very popular in our everyday lives. From menu cards to restaurants, Italian names are the new trend.

But other than that, this language has its pureness. It is very romantic. Some of its words resemble the English language, but most of it is unique and quite attractive. Although Italian seems a bit challenging to learn, it is quite easy.

4. Japanese

This one is a blessing in disguise. To a stranger, this language seems extremely hard. But, if you push yourself to observe it keenly, you will see that it is much simpler than you had ever imagined.

It has five vowels, all of those are similar to Spanish ones. Anyone can easily learn the Japanese accent and speaking style. When you get used to it, you will get fluent in it in no time. It is a beautiful language with an amazing history.

The extraordinary thing about learning Japanese is its versatility. You can use it in different parts of the world. Another amazing perk of it is that people would always wonder how you learned such a difficult language.  As with anything it will be easier to learn if living in Japan.

5. Malay

This language is spoken in the areas of Indonesia and Malaysia. One may think of it as a regional language, but it has millions of speakers worldwide, and the number is constantly growing. It is one of the easiest languages in the entire world.

Malay has no gender restrictive nouns. Moreover, there is no concept of tenses and grammar. You can learn any word, and use it pretty much anywhere. It is a language with no boundaries of grammar.

It is unique but quite useful too. If you are planning a trip to these countries and you don’t want to look like an alien, you can learn their language in no time.

6. Urdu

Urdu is a combination of two languages: Persian and Arabic. It gets most of its vocabulary from its parent languages and is highly inspired by poetry. Anyone who is a little familiar with either of the parent languages can easily learn Urdu in only a matter of weeks.

It is popular for its literature and poetry. If you want to learn a second language, it can be the right pick for you.

You may find some difficulty in grammar and pronunciation, but once you understand the right use of words, you will find it amazingly beautiful.

The Hardest Languages to Learn

We have discussed some of the easiest ones above, now let’s have a look at few of the hardest languages spoken in the world:

1. Finnish

Finnish is one of the hardest languages the human race can speak. It is tricky to understand and even harder to get used to. It has grammar rules that can easily puzzle a normal person. Only the people who inherit this language can use it properly and speak it fluently.

Finnish is hard, but it has its value. From pronunciation to vocabulary, it is unique. It has large vowel sounds and monotonous structures. In some ways, it looks a little similar to English, but it is not.

The thing that makes it difficult is that it doesn’t have any roots. There is no German or any other background to it. So, you can never guess what a person is saying without knowing Finnish.

If you are up for a challenge, only then you should consider learning it.

2. Vietnamese

As intriguing as this language is, it is still tough to learn. It takes months, and sometimes, even years to master it. It is tough to get used to, but it has some perks. Once you learn it, it proves to be helpful.

It has complex grammar structures and amazingly tough writing styles.

3. Estonian

This one is also as hard as the rest, but quite rare because it does not have many speakers. Only a small fraction of people can master this language. All this makes it unique, but, at the same time, unworthy of all the hassle.

Now, if you want to learn a language that doesn’t have many speakers, it’s your call. The Estonian language has highly complex grammar structures. Not only does it have 14 different noun cases, but it also has different types of vowel forms.

It can take months of practice to understand this language. All in all, if anyone learns it, he will become a possessor of rare talent.

4. Mongolian

Mongolian is a combination of two tricky languages: Russian and Finnish. Assuming you know both of those, Mongolian won’t be hard for you. You will just have to practice the pronunciation, along with some grammar lessons, and you will achieve fluency.

On the other hand, if you do not know either of the parent languages, it is better to leave this one out. Or, you can learn both of them first, and then this one. In short, you will need at least a year-long vacation to learn Mongolian from scratch.

5. Polish

It is not the grammar that makes Polish difficult. It is the foreign words that make it seem like an alien language. It has so many words that do not resemble any other language. Hence, it takes a lot of time to master the pronunciation of it.

Once you start understanding the vocabulary, it gets a little better. But learning it from the beginning can be a rollercoaster ride. Only a person with strong dedication can learn this one.

6. Russian

Russian is more confusing than difficult. It has a lot of alphabets that are usually strange for most people. It has tricky grammar and unique pronunciation.

To read a Russian word properly, you need to learn new alphabets. It is very popular worldwide, but sadly, a lot of people give up and stop trying to learn it.

Furthermore, the Russian language has strange sentence structures that take time to master. It needs a lot of practice to get used to it. However, if you like challenges, you might be able to nail it.

Conclusion

Learning a new language can open up a person’s mind. Not only learning a new language helps you communicate with different people, but would also aid in understanding different cultures.

All the languages mentioned above in the two lists are some of the easiest and hardest languages to learn in the entire world. If you are new in the multilingual world, you should better start with an easy one. But, if you are a master, try learning a harder one and see how mind-opening it can be.