Every year, new languages are learned and taught all around the world, with a wide range of regional accents and dialects. But other languages continue to be the most widely used throughout the globe, bringing together individuals from all cultures in a single mode of communication. If you’re a linguist or aspiring polyglot, you should begin by learning these major tongues.
- Mandarin Chinese
Mandarin Chinese, which is spoken by more than 1.1 billion people globally, tops the list. This is because it is the most widely spoken language in China, the nation with the largest population in the world. In addition to the Chinese communities in the United States and other countries, Mandarin Chinese is also extensively spoken in Taiwan, Singapore, and other places. Since tones make up the majority of the language, many people find it difficult to learn.
- English
With roughly 1 billion speakers, English is the second most widely spoken language in the world. The British Empire’s legacy is to credit for this. Former British colonies include the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and many other nations. Additionally, it is the language that is taught the most, with numerous students from around the world enrolling in schools to study it. Additionally, it is the predominant language in both international trade and politics.
- Hindi
With around 637 million speakers, Hindi is third on the list. It is both the most widely spoken language among South Asian communities worldwide and the official language of India. In reality, the term “Hindi” refers to a group of languages known as dialects, primarily spoken in northern India, including Bhojpuri, Magadhi, and Awadhi.
- Spanish
With 409 million speakers globally, Spanish is the fourth most spoken language, with the bulk of them being native speakers in Spanish-speaking nations like Spain, Mexico, and Argentina. Additionally, numerous US states as well as other nations in Central and South America speak it. One of the simpler languages to learn is Spanish, and there are many tools available to assist beginners become fluent.
- Arabic
Having 422 million native speakers, Arabic is the fifth most widely used language in the world. In the Middle East and North Africa, it is widely used. Additionally, it is the common tongue of the Arab world and one of the six official languages of the United Nations. In contrast to English and other European languages, Arabic is written from right to left, which flips the order of the words.
- Bangla
Sixth on the list is Bangla, which has 222 million native speakers, the majority of whom reside in Bangladesh and India. It is extensively spoken in West Bengal, India, as well as Bangladesh, where it is the official language. It is primarily spoken in the eastern region of the world and is infamous for having a difficult writing system and word order that confounds many foreign students. Despite this, numerous universities provide programmes to teach pupils Bangla.
These six languages have remained at the top among all the other languages spoken worldwide. Fluency in these languages can have some benefits when communicating with others because they are so widely spoken. These six languages are a wonderful place to start studying, whether you’re a language aficionado or just trying to give yourself a competitive edge.
