What is the easiest language to learn for English speakers?
For English speakers, languages like Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French, Dutch, Norwegian and Swedish are considered among the easiest, needing about 600 to 750 class hours to reach professional working ability.
The US Foreign Service Institute places these languages in Category I, the easiest group. Many share Latin or Germanic roots with English, so they have lots of familiar vocabulary, called cognates, such as information and información. They also use the same alphabet and have relatively straightforward pronunciation.
Spanish is often recommended because its spelling is very phonetic, meaning words are pronounced as they are written, and it is widely spoken, with more than 500 million speakers. Dutch and Norwegian have grammar and vocabulary close to English, since they are all Germanic languages.
Other factors
Ease also depends on opportunities to practice. Learning a language spoken by friends, family or in places you visit makes it easier to stay motivated. Language apps, films, music and conversation partners can all help learners progress faster.
Did You Know?
Frisian, spoken in parts of the Netherlands and Germany, is considered one of the closest living languages to English.