Arabic is a Semitic language and is thus in no way similar to Persian. As we just mentioned, it can be very rewarding to make a friend who is on the same language learning journey as you. But its simplicity warrants an inclusion. Although it can be a bit daunting, Swahili grammar is actually very straightforward. So child is anak and children is anak-anak. Easy right?, Malay is spoken by more than 200 million people throughout Southeast Asia. . Less than 22 percent of the U.S. population speaks a language other than . So you've decided to learn a language. Passionate multilinguist. Norwegian 4. Iceland is known to have some pretty difficult words to pronounce, from place names to everyday words. There are many reasons for which certain languages can be easy or hard for an individual to learn. Another popular language school is the International Language Institute, offering multiple levels of classes to learn Persian and Farsi in Washington, DC. Youll also need to familiarise yourself with unfamiliar compound words like jordntter, which means peanuts, but translates to dirt nuts, or kofngare, which means bumper, but translates to cow catcher., Romanian is a language you might not have expected to see on this list. 28 Easiest Languages for English Speakers to Learn, Ranked. The grammar is ridiculously simple, and there are only about 120 to 130 words. For this reason, many native English speakers may find that these languages are a little easier to learn than a language such as Chinese Mandarin or Arabic. Spanish is one of the easiest languages to learn, so it's logical why it is the second-largest language worldwide.. 9 Easiest Languages For English Speakers To Learn - Babbel Magazine But yes, Swahili is also categorized as a less demanding language to learn. Top 10 Easiest Languages To Learn | Mondly Blog . Name: Easiest Languages To Learn For English Speakers, . Welsh is a reasonably difficult language to get to grips with for native English speakers, even those English speakers who have lived in Wales for their whole life! This is partly down to the fact that Indonesian is a phonetic language, which means words are spelled as they sound. Some of them are phonetic, which means that reading and pronunciation shouldnt be a problem for you. If youre looking to learn a language that will enhance your travel experiences and boost your employability, learning Spanish online is a great choice. Some words are identical in Dutch and English water, lamp, warm, just to name a few. Although there are differences when it comes to pronunciation, vocabulary and idioms, Dutch speakers can quite easily understand Flemish, and vice-versa., Dutch is spoken by around 24 million people worldwide, and is worth learning if you have plans to live and work in the Netherlands, or one of the other countries where its an official language, such as Suriname, Aruba or the Dutch Antilles., Like English, Norwegian or Norsk is a Germanic language, which makes it easier for English-speakers to learn. Do you want to learn a new language but you dont have a lot of free time on your hands? There is also a welcome lack of verb conjugation, which is great news for learners, especially since this means that the sentence structure stays simple and short. , Pimsleur Spanish Review Repetitive But Effective. Feel free to get in touch about anything. The rhythm of Italian when you are in a conversation also makes it a little easier to grasp for beginners. There are plenty of German language resources available online. Typically, it is thought to be easier to learn a language that is in your language family or sub-group. On the bright side, the spellings are largely phonetic, and once you have learned the grammar rules the language becomes easier. In addition to Farsi speakers in the Middle East, there is evidence of linguistic transmission all the way to the Western world. Dutch 7. Politeness is very important in Japan and so this must be demonstrated through language in the way you address people. According to a study by the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Therefore, from a linguistic perspective, Norwegian and English have quite a lot in common. In this post, we have put together a full and comprehensive list of the 28 easiest and hardest languages to learn for English speakers. Because of its more challenging pronunciation, however, Danish isnt the easiest Scandinavian language to learn., Even so, if you plan to stay in Denmark for a longer period of time, learning the local language is simply the best way to fully immerse yourself in the countrys unique culture and form deeper connections.. For example, tonal languages can be difficult for someone who has no prior experience of tonal languages (for example, most of us English speakers). But although the country is surrounded by Slavic-speaking countries, Romanian is actually a Romance language and uses much of the same vocabulary as Italian, Spanish and French., For example,La revedere, which is used for saying goodbye, is similar to the Italian Arrividerci, and the apology Scuz-m is similar to the French Excusez-moi. Its also a phonetic language, which means most words are spelled the same way they are pronounced., Of course, there are a few trickier aspects to this language, including grammatical differences and letters with diacritics. But, overall, Romanian, which is spoken by around 30 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova, is a surprisingly easy language to learn., Danish is a Germanic language spoken by around 6 million people, most of whom live in Denmark. Romanian 3 Moderate languages to Learn 1. Physical and cultural differences, Youll find all of this straight after the list! However, not only is it rewarding to form a friendship in this way, but it can also be beneficial to your learning journey. Spanish also uses the same alphabet as English, and many of the words are pronounced just as they are spelled., Another benefit of Spanish for English speakers is that the sentence structure is not only similar to English, but its also not as strict as it is in English, which means there are often multiple ways a sentence can be put together.. Check out our article on the best way to learn a new language here. With four distinct pitches, Persian uses the tone of your voice to denote types of speech. These new letters and the fact that Polish words also have more consonants than English words can mean that pronunciations are very difficult to grasp for a beginner, and can make spelling difficult. Learning a new language can be made much easier when immersed completely, so opting for an on-site language school is a great option. This is partly because Swedish and English are Germanic languages, so they have similar sentence structures and even some shared vocabulary. There are some false cognates you should be careful about though. Creole, for example, both Haitian and Louisianan are derived from the French language. From this period, we primarily have the remains of religious Pahlavi or Zarathushti texts that described Persias new religion, Zoroastrianism. If the writer wants to be able to communicate with a large audience, then a widely-spoken language like English, Spanish, or Mandarin Chinese is a good choice. Depending on where in the States you are, you may find that you are surrounded by Italian speakers thanks to the mass Italian immigration to places such as New York in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Sure, learning grammar rules and acquiring vocabulary takes time, but the learning process should be very smooth. . They share many words with English, but it's that common vocabulary . However, if the writing style is very different from what you are used to then you may well struggle to get to grips with this at first. Now that you have an understanding of the history behind the Persian language, the influence it carries, and some basic Persian structure, let me go over some general tips for learning the language. Lastly, brush up on your Colloquial Persian with Abdi Rafiee's 3rd edition copy of this classic conversational sourcebook. Resources for learning Spanish are also very easy to come by, since it is so widely spoken all over the world. Nevertheless, learning a new language takes time. And once again exposure. Norwegian is another Germanic language just like English and so it is relatively easy to get to grips with as a native English speaker. However, did you know that Arabic is also a language in its own right? Spanish "As a native English speaker, you will likely get on well with a language that uses the same alphabet as you. Thai has five tones while Chinese has four. Ask yourself some questions: Why is it important to you that you embark on this learning journey? You would not be alone in assuming that it would be a Slavic language given its proximity to Russia and other Slavic countries. Many popular world languages have very different grammatical structures to English. For example, a writer targeting the Japanese market might learn Japanese . But with so many different languages to choose from, how do you decide which one to spend your time mastering? Founder of Linguatics. As one of the Romance languages, Portuguese is certainly very beautiful. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. From online lessons to books, here is a full discussion of where to look for help when you want to learn this new language. After Xerxes assassination in 465 BC, the litany of the last Achaemenid kings made strides in Persias cultural phase. With the wide range of smartphone applications available for every purpose under the sun, its no wonder you can find language learning there too! Indonesian sentence structure is also similar to English and its grammatical rules are fairly simple. They also read and write right to left, which is unfamiliar for most native English speakers. However, the Empire still maintained cultural and political significance even as its sphere of influence shrank. Here are some good titles to get you started on Farsi lessons! "Italian and Portuguese are equally easy for Spanish speakers. By this, we mean some may not use what is known as the Latin alphabet (A, B, C, D, etc. One of the best ways that you can learn a language is to fully immerse yourself in all aspects of it, including different types of media in that particular language. This is because you have less chance of being able to interact with other speakers as you go about your daily life, and also because the language may incorporate cultural concepts that you are not familiar with. Italian 7. Because it is a part of the Indo-European language tree, such influence is common, but not everyone knows the origins of certain words. This means youll be able to read and pronounce most words correctly once you have learned a few ground rules. The first of the two means a lock whereas the second means a castle. Now we come to the language of Iran, and what modern native speakers use to communicate. But since Norwegian and English have a lot of similarities, if you decide to take Norwegian lessons, you shouldnt come across too many obstacles. Persian is one of the Iranian languages, having been spoken in Iran for hundreds of years. Although estimates vary greatly, Swahili is thought to be spoken as a native language by around 16 million people, and as a second language by up to 80 million people., In fact, if youve watched the Disney classic The Lion King youll already be familiar with a number of Swahili words such as rafiki (friend) and simba (lion). Nevertheless, with lots of practice and a desire to learn, it is more than achievable. Another superb option is Persian Learning with your host, Majid, who goes over everything you need to know about the language. You might be surprised to find out that Finnish is a very unique language. You may assume that the Welsh language is Germanic due to being on the border of England and so close to the other countries with a Germanic language. It technically belongs to the Uralic family, just like Hungarian and Sami (the indigenous language of Lapland). However, this pattern repeats itself in all writing and speaking, so once you get used to it, it becomes fairly simple! Although it is only spoken by a maximum of 750,000 people spread between Germany and the Netherlands, if we go straight to the truth, Frisian is the easiest language for English speakers to learn. Although every foreign language comes with its own unique set of challenges, the reality is that some languages will simply be easier for fluent English speakers to become proficient in. Italian 3. Can you guess what English word this resembles? Chinese is a very difficult language to learn (whether Mandarin or Cantonese) due to the use of tone and of course the unfamiliar script. If youre thinking of investing some time into learning a new language, why not take a look at some of the language courses offered by Berlitz?. There will be times where you feel like giving up, but keep persevering. Swedish is spoken by somewhere around 10 million people, and while most of them live in Sweden, a small minority can be found in Finland, where Swedish is also a national language., Swedish is on the easier side for English speakers to learn, because again, its a Germanic language. It is easy, there is many derivatives to the words. There are also connectors that can make sentences long, meaning they are even more complex to understand and translate. 15 of the Hardest Languages for English Speakers to Learn - Berlitz Therefore, from a linguistic perspective, Norwegian and English have quite a lot in common. Learn Persian Language on the App Store Speak aloud to yourself or record yourself doing it using your smartphone, computer, or a recording device. In fact, did you know that for most English speakers, Persian is one of the easiest Middle Eastern languages to learn? If the grammar structure of the language you are learning is similar to your native language, it will undoubtedly be easier for you than if it were not. It is important to note that the Farsi and Persian languages are the same things, with Farsi simply being an endonym, or the languages name according to native speakers. Language families are languages that are grouped because they are related in some way through descent. What could be easier? French features a few tricky components for native English-speaking learners, like gendered nouns, inconsistently pronounced letters, and lots of tricky silent letters. The Easiest Language to Learn In Spanish, a always sounds more or less like a (even with an accent mark), which we as learners appreciate. A large part of learning a language is learning how to write it. Some shared cognates include katt which of course means cat, busk which means bush, and our personal favorite (because it is so simple but looks so much more pleasing to the eye than our boring spelling) sn which means snow. There are some shared cognates such as ja which means yes and veld which means field. We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe, Jakob is a full-time traveler, obsessive language learner, and dedicated language teacher. Get my exclusive language learning content delivered straight to your inbox. Ethiopians also speak the Tigrinya language; however, most are from the Tigray area (specifically in Eritrea). Like English, Norwegian or "Norsk" is a Germanic language, which makes it easier for English-speakers to learn. People may not be aware that Romanian is one of the Latin languages because its not as popular as the other more commonly learned ones like Spanish and Italian. With 24 languages to choose from, Rosetta Stone makes it easy to learn as many languages as you'd like. However, the script involved with learning the Persian language is simpler than you might imagine, once you understand the basics. Now, its time to go over some of the best resources that are available to anyone who wants to begin learning to speak Persian. You can learn Persian from basics to advance level. Indonesian is another language that is modestly easy for a willing learner who speaks English natively to pick up. Like Norwegian and Swedish, it has fairly straightforward grammar rules and a lot of vocabulary that will be familiar to English speakers., For example, Gode tidende sounds a lot like Good tidings, and the word dyre, which means expensive, is similar to the word dear, which is used in English when something is considered too pricey. Many of their words are very long with unfamiliar letters and letter sounds such as and . FluentU is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. And the same goes for Italian grammar. While French is slightly more difficult.". This can help you practice more and learn it far quicker. Indonesian 7 Easiest Languages To Learn This article will expose you to some of the simplest and moderate tongues you can learn. Persia was one of the most powerful empires on earth, rivaling those of the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians. More than 9 million people are native speakers of Tigrinya as of 2012. Spanish 2. This is because of the complex writing systems in Japan. It is known as Farsi in Iran, Dari in Afghanistan, and Tajik in Tajikistan. Easiest Languages To Learn For Spanish Speakers - Top 9 #1. Another language that uses a similar style alphabet is Hebrew, which is also consonant-only. Because of this, many words can change meaning entirely when a suffix is added! Alternatively, Persian Language Online offers a variety of free lessons that cover everything from grammar to tenses, vowels to intonation. Welsh, the language of Wales (Englands neighbor) is a beautiful ancient language spoken by around 29% of the population in Wales. Unlike English, there arent several pronunciations of a singular letter or letter combination. Of course, you also have the masses of Italian words that the English language has borrowed, such as pizza, pizzeria, stiletto, umbrella, and even words like dilemma and ditto! For example, a high pitch means new information, a low pitch provides old information, low to high is used for contrast, and varying low and high tones brings doubt. If the writer wants to focus on a particular market, then a language spoken in that market is a better choice. Amharic Amharic is the first language of Amharas, an ethnic group from the Highlands of Ethiopia. Spanish pronunciation is another advantage. To learn Icelandic you must be prepared to study, memorize rules, and really put in the work. Nevertheless the language is a beautiful one, steeped in history. In fact, everything from the pronunciation to the vocabulary may vary, depending on which type of Portuguese you are learning. Before delving any deeper into this fascinating language, its important to talk about the difference between Persian and Farsi, as we will be encountering both words as we continue. The Empire stretched over areas such as Macedonia, Thrace, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Bulgaria, Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, Syria, and even parts of Egypt and Libya. So, vocabulary is the first element of learning Spanish that you wont have problems with. For an immersive Farsi language experience, download StoryTime in Farsi or Farsi Speaking Kids, but be prepared for a more advanced level of language learning without direct English translations. Nowadays, Latin script is used, which is why native English speakers find it a little easier. And if you want vocabulary courses that helps you learn Farsi words, Memrises courses are helpful. Also, waffle, those delicious breakfast-dessert foods, comes from the Dutch wafel. 6. Afrikaans 9. In the 11th century, the Norman invasion of England led . You need to find a good teacher or quality online language lessons. Over 2000 of them are commonly used, so you need to know at least all of those. Download our free German essentials eBook to see the similarities. This app This is because the Dutch were some of the first colonizers of the States. Word order is flexible. By the way, why not check out our list of the best apps to learn French? In this section, we are going to be exploring some of the main reasons why you may find a certain language easy to learn, or indeed very difficult. This has meant that Italian culture and the language have stayed very much alive in these places. So the way it's written is the way it's said. For this reason, they have had a lot of influence on English, particularly American English. Gaelic has two common types: Scottish and Irish. That being said, it is more than doable and there are a wealth of resources out there if you choose to learn this beautiful, song-like language. However, once this alteration becomes natural to you, the ability of these words to flow off the tongue comes with a joy second to none! ), using the Cyrillic, Arabic, or Kana System (among many others) instead. From Early to Classical New Persian, the language managed to become more simplified and easier to understand and spread along with new religious guidelines as people migrated between Middle Eastern countries, bringing the ever-changing language with them.