6 of the Easiest Languages for English Speakers to Learn

There are many benefits when learning a new language and the best thing is that you can learn a second language in different ways. You can learn by reading stories, listening to music, or even watching movies. But the list doesn't stop here because you can learn a language in any way you want – you can even learn languages by talking to people!

Learning another language takes time and dedication. It can take months to years to become fluent. Sometimes, you might even forget what you learned and that’s okay because this happens to many people. Plus, you can always recover what you learned through practice!

A little birdie told us you’re interested in learning a new language? Fret not, because you’ve come to the right place! With so many languages to choose from, here’s a list of easiest (new) languages for English speakers to learn.

1. French

   French has about 300 million speakers worldwide and is spoken in 29 countries. It is one of the five romance languages and is sometimes known as the language of love.

   The French language has influenced about a third of the English language, making it relatively easy to learn. And having a shared vocabulary between English and French can be helpful when studying French. Fun fact: common words such as beret, ballet, and baguette are all French words.

   French is a wonderful language to learn, but it can be trickier than Spanish due to its silent pronunciations and accent marks. However, much of its syntax follows a set of rules, making the language easier to understand. French is an excellent foundation language to learn that will help you in learning other languages in the future.

2. Spanish

   Spanish is another go-to romance language that many people learn. With about 500 million speakers, Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world. And it is the official language of 20 countries.

   Spanish is a phonetic language so the words are spelled the way it’s pronounced. Take a look at the phrase “por favor” which means please, you say “por favor” just like how you spell it. This goes the same with “taco”, “nacho”, “claro”, and many more words. Not only that, but many English words that are actually in Spanish, so learning the language may not be as confusing as you might think.

   You can learn Spanish in different ways from talking to people, listening to audiobooks with Beelinguapp, or even listening to music!

3. Portuguese

   The third romance language on the list is Portuguese. It is spoken in both Brazil and Portugal. If you know a bit of Spanish, then Portuguese won’t be too challenging. Portuguese and Spanish are quite similar, and even Spanish speakers who don’t speak the language will be able to understand it.

   Portuguese is not only a beautiful language but a sexy one as well. The accents can take time to master, but there are plenty of opportunities and ways to improve this part of the process.

   If you’re looking for a way to spice up your language learning journey, give Portuguese a try! But beware of the false friends because this one’s got a lot for you. For example, in English “data” means information and facts but in Portuguese, “data” means date.

4. Swedish

   If you’re familiar with IKEA, then you must also be somewhat familiar with the Swedish language. Swedish is a Scandinavian language that is spoken in Sweden. And yes, IKEA is a Swedish brand. However, the brand name isn’t a Swedish word, but an acronym that stands for “Ingvar Kamprad Elmtaryd Agunnaryd.”

   This might shock you but Swedish is one of the easiest languages to learn. Swedish is a Germanic language, so it shares a lot of common vocabulary with English. And its grammar rules and syntax are similar to English as well.

   If you are interested in learning Scandinavian languages, start with Swedish. You can use Swedish as a base language to help you learn Norwegian and Danish. Fun fact: Swedish is even understood in Finland!

5. Italian

   Italian is our fourth romance language on the list. It is spoken in Italy, the Vatican City, San Marino, and Switzerland. The language is not as widely spoken compared to Spanish and French but there are about 63 million native Italian speakers.

   Learning Italian is a great way to learn more about its culture, especially when it comes to food. Italian cuisine has been a staple in the global market, so knowing the language will be a big help when understanding different cuisines and pasta types.

   Since Italian is a romance language, some of its words are similar to other romance languages like Spanish, French, and Portuguese. Its vocabulary is rooted in Latin, therefore its words can be read easily, for example, the following words like turista (tourist), pizza (pizza), and ristorante (restaurant).

6. German

   Next up is German or Deutsch. German is neither a romance language nor similar to Spanish. German is a West Germanic language spoken in Central Europe. It is a phonetic language, so reading its words is easier to figure out.

   German and English are both West Germanic languages, so in some way, they are quite close linguistically. Some words and phrases sound a bit similar like the phrase “Ich habe” meaning “I have” and “Willkommen” meaning “Welcome.”

   Even though German and English are both West Germanic languages and many of its words are similar, German–English has many false friends. The grammar can also be particularly tricky but once you get the hang of it, mastering German will no longer be a problem. And once you learn German, you’d be able to impress people by being able to read those long German words like “Freundschaftsbeziehungen” meaning demonstrations of friendship.

Learning a second language is not easy. First, you must figure out what language you want to study and from there use different resources like Beelinguapp to help you get started. While you’re at it, have fun and take your time. Learning a new language should be stress-free. So if you do get overwhelmed, just take a break and come back when you’re ready!