And unlike most African languages, Swahili is not a tonal language, so you dont have to pay attention to the pitch of a word. At the end of the day, if you surround yourself with the Italian language, youll be able to learn it much quicker. With the wide range of smartphone applications available for every purpose under the sun, its no wonder you can find language learning there too! This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you After all, thanks to exposure and wide reach of Spanish, English speakers wont find it very unfamiliar. However, something that may soothe the pain of all these complex grammar rules is the fact that in Hungarian there are only three verb tenses to learn: the past, the present, and the future. The sounds they use are also very different from English and can leave you feeling tongue-tied. Finnish is an interesting language to feature on this list because most people may assume that it would belong to the Indo-European family. Malay(bahasa melayu) and Indonesian (bahasa indonesia) are similar languages that share a root language and language group but are still different, as they have their own vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling and more. This truly simplifies the entire language, as every subject is referred to with the same pronoun , pronounced ou or . Which one you should focus on, of course, depends on where and how you intend to use it., Italian is another Romance language that English-speakers can pick up without too much difficulty. Due to its somewhat tricky pronunciation, French can be slightly more challenging to learn than other Romance languages like Spanish and Italian. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. But all the languages we mentioned today do have certain things in common. It is known as the "daughter language" to Dutch (it shares 90 to 95% of its vocabulary with the language. And of course, France exists! Persias expansion lasted from the initial formation of the Empire in 550 BC, when Cyrus the Great founded it within Western Asia as the Achaemenid Empire. 1 Language and diplomacy 2 Easiest (about 600 hours of study) 3 German (750 hours) 4 Malay and Swahili (900 hours) 5 Hungarian (1,100 hours) 6 Greek (1,100 hours) YOU CAN NOW LEARN A LANGUAGE FAST BY WATCHING TV SHOWS AND MOVIES! The total number of learned Farsi speakers and native Farsi speakers alike equals about 62% of the population of Iran, or over 30 million people. According to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), linguists, and learners, all the languages we mentioned today are fairly easy to learn. That's mostly because it's a Germanic language - just like English. The grammar used in the Finnish language is complex, with around 15 grammatical cases and countless word endings. No matter how busy you are or how difficult you think it may be, theres a language out there for everyone! Hungarian is a language with a reputation for being notoriously difficult to learn. And if you stick to your schedule and follow the suggested learning path, you can learn quite a lot in less than a month. It has 47 different characters that must all be learned before you can fully get to grips with the language. With Tagalog spoken as a native language by around 45 million people, learning it or at least some of the basics, will make your stay in the Philippines a lot easier., So there you have it, the 15 easiest languages for English speakers to learn. Ask yourself some questions: Why is it important to you that you embark on this learning journey? And others might be easier to learn because youre exposed to them in one way or another. There are many reasons for which certain languages can be easy or hard for an individual to learn. With 24 languages to choose from, Rosetta Stone makes it easy to learn as many languages as you'd like. Then, of course, there is the Korean alphabet and writing system to consider. That being said, several different factors may affect how easy or difficult a person finds it to learn a specific language. Persian and Farsi: Whats the difference? . However, this doesnt mean learning one language will make you able to speak the other. Although its considered fairly easy, mastering Norwegian takes time. If the writer wants to focus on a particular market, then a language spoken in that market is a better choice. Learning a language is a lifelong skill and you will be learning it forever but guess what? Another member of the Germanic family of languages that is considered easy to learn is Swedish. Likewise, some words get added onto names as a term of endearment, respect, or politeness. Some writing systems require writing from right to left, as opposed to the left to right method that Germanic languages (English, German, etc.) Chinese is a very difficult language to learn (whether Mandarin or Cantonese) due to the use of tone and of course the unfamiliar script. Indeed, fluency doesnt happen overnight, no matter which language youre learning. The Persian language uses the Arabic script, something that native English speakers are unfamiliar with. Creole, for example, both Haitian and Louisianan are derived from the French language. It is something you can keep on developing over time and once you have learned a second language, you will have an appetite for learning more, which will become even easier when you have more languages under your belt! These two words look almost identical, but notice the very small differences of the and the . That being said, perhaps that is a good thing. With dedication, motivation, lots of passion, and enthusiasm to learn, you will be able to master any language you want. For example, everyday German words like Wasser, (water) Apfel, (apple) and Fisch (fish) are very similar to their English equivalents. For example, the language register used by the speaker depends on who he or she is speaking to. The letters can be learned and memorized, as can pronunciations, but the tone can take a little while for native English speakers to get right, especially if you have no native Mandarin speakers around to hear your tone and correct you if needed. This is what makes it obviously easier to learn by a native English speaker. As a Romance language, Spanish derives from Latin, just like many English words. You need to find a good teacher or quality online language lessons. That is, Farsi is Persian, particularly the type that is spoken within Iran and parts of Afghanistan, and the term Farsi is not used for dialects in other countries of the Middle East. German is, as the name suggests, a Germanic language. Here are some of the best apps for learning Farsi or Persian. Danish is mostly spoken in Denmark, although its also a protected minority language in Germany. Some of the easiest languages for Americans to learn include Spanish, French, and Italian. For instance, Good morning, translates to Goeie moarn in the West Frisian dialect., Unfortunately, since Frisian is only spoken and understood by about 500,000 people, theres little reason to learn it, unless you intend to relocate to the Dutch province of Friesland or Germanys Saterland or North Frisia regions., Dutch, like Frisian, is closely related to English. The pronunciation of most Swahili words is fairly easy, and many are very similar to their English equivalent. After the Empire of Persia was conquered by Alexander the Great and subsequently split up, the re-emergence of the language took over 500 years to come about. These minuscule differences can transform the meaning entirely. The Norwegian sentence can be translated word for word in the exact order as it would be said in English. Look at this Norwegian sentence: Jeg spiste egg til frokost(I ate eggs for breakfast). Amharic Amharic is the first language of Amharas, an ethnic group from the Highlands of Ethiopia. As we just mentioned, it can be very rewarding to make a friend who is on the same language learning journey as you. ), using the Cyrillic, Arabic, or Kana System (among many others) instead. Spanish is considered relatively easy for English speakers: it has 1000s of similar words (fant stico!) You just need to get used to it. And with the Sasanians, a new Persian dynasty emerging after 200 AD, Modern Persian was able to form. There is a lot of overlap between Portuguese and English as they share many of the same cognates. In fact, you probably already know how to order so much more. Some words are identical in Dutch and English water, lamp, warm, just to name a few. First of all, English and Norwegian share a lot of vocabulary. In the 11th century, the Norman invasion of England led . And whether you find a certain language easy or not depends on many factors. Manage Settings From this period, we primarily have the remains of religious Pahlavi or Zarathushti texts that described Persias new religion, Zoroastrianism. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. For example, a writer targeting the Japanese market might learn Japanese . More tutorials, interactive lessons, and activities are found via ANU Persian Online, an official portal with many educational options. It technically belongs to the Uralic family, just like Hungarian and Sami (the indigenous language of Lapland). There are many shared cognates between the two languages, making the words easy to recognize and pronounce, as well as having simple ways of creating tenses and possessives. If you prefer the feeling of a book in your hands while learning a language, you are not alone. This is the part of the language that takes the longest to get to grips with, hence why it is a little further down the list. Frisian was once the primary language of what during the Middle Ages was known as Frisia. Advertisements. That might seem a bit confusing, but it can actually be an advantage since there is often no single correct way to pronounce a certain word. Italian and English use a similar sentence structure in most cases, and fortunately, the pronunciation is quite logical. They also read and write right to left, which is unfamiliar for most native English speakers. There are also connectors that can make sentences long, meaning they are even more complex to understand and translate. So you've decided to learn a language. Learning a new language can be made much easier when immersed completely, so opting for an on-site language school is a great option. Esperanto is a relatively modern language, as far as languages go. 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. For conversation and community-based lessons, opt for Mondlys courses that help you get fluent quickly and easily! First and foremost, it is a Romance language, but you cannot deny its Slavic influences, especially when you consider that Romanian once used the Cyrillic script. By this, we mean some may not use what is known as the Latin alphabet (A, B, C, D, etc. Persia was one of the most powerful empires on earth, rivaling those of the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians. However, some languages are generally considered less demanding for English speakers. Learners need to learn a whole new alphabet and character system to understand Russian. Name: Easiest Languages To Learn For English Speakers, According To Experts: Top 10 Being able to speak another language can actually. Finally, its time to take a brief look at the complexities of the Persian language and what makes it work, in terms of grammar, syntax, and pronunciation. While many beginner courses or introductory lessons to the language ignore Persian script, its important to supplement your learning with understanding the alphabet of your target language, to encourage reading and writing Farsi in the original written form. In fact, did you know that for most English speakers, Persian is one of the easiest Middle Eastern languages to learn? However, that also depends on many other factors. Esperanto Thats why Norwegian words like morgen, glass, and papir sound so familiar. You would not be alone in assuming that it would be a Slavic language given its proximity to Russia and other Slavic countries. Although it can be a bit daunting, Swahili grammar is actually very straightforward. Georgian is a language that is very unique as it has its own script. Today, there are many versions of the Persian language, depending on where you are in the world. To learn Icelandic you must be prepared to study, memorize rules, and really put in the work. But generally, Portuguese is categorized as an easy foreign language for a reason. Yes, that is systems, plural. How far away the country that the language belongs to (both physically and culturally) can also be an influencing factor in how easy or difficult a language can be to learn. Just like Norwegian, Swedish, and English, Dutch is a Germanic language. For example, you may seek out a language teacher who specializes in your chosen language or may start to visit a store where a staff member speaks the language. The main goal of the language was to create something that was universally simple. Read on to start your journey into the beautiful and intriguing world of the Persian language, and good luck! From online lessons to books, here is a full discussion of where to look for help when you want to learn this new language. The grammar is similar to English, and many vocabulary words will sound familiar, like samme (same), ham (him) and op (up). 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. This means you will have to work hard to memorize the way words are written. Indonesian sentence structure is also similar to English and its grammatical rules are fairly simple. Download our free German essentials eBook to see the similarities. We have mentioned Arabic many times already as the Arabic script is used in many different languages. Since French is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, youve probably come in contact with it one way or another. Learn more at www.rosettastone.com and start your first lesson today! It is easier to learn Kurdish and other similar languages in the Iranian language family after studying Persian (Farsi). Above all, have fun. (Good choice! 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. Persian is one of the Iranian languages, having been spoken in Iran for hundreds of years. Therefore, from a linguistic perspective, Norwegian and English have quite a lot in common. There are dialects of French even here in the States and of course, in Canada. As a country, Iceland is relatively cut off from other places and so they have been able to retain some of their traditional language and grammar rules. Spanish is a close relative of French. Enter Spanish. You may think, how will that be similar to English, its on a different continent altogether? but actually, Afrikaans is derived from none other than the Dutch language, and we all know how similar Dutch is to English. There are some shared cognates such as ja which means yes and veld which means field. With four distinct pitches, Persian uses the tone of your voice to denote types of speech. What makes them easy is the grammarthere are no grammatical categories for gender, number or tense. Services such as Custom Writings can also help with these learning these methods, as well as provide assistance with college or university assignments. This is because there may be similar cognates and some loan words that you will recognize. is pronounced as Poo vay voo. Of course, its music. It was created by a Polish man in the late 1880s to make a phonetic language that would be predictable and easy to understand. The latter fact will be a welcome discovery for those still reeling from the discovery that Arabic goes right to left! The only verb ending that needs to be used is -r!). SHOW ME HOW! Here, the native name of the language is known as Farsi. It was only during Alexander the Greats 330 BC campaigns into Persia that the states began to fall apart, and the Empire of the Persians finally disintegrated into the control of other political and dynastic factions, like the Ptolemies. French speakers can master other Romance languages like Spanish, Portuguese and Italian. They do use Latin script, but there are many grammatical cases that can make it much more complex to get to grips with than English. There are three writing systems, kanji, katakana, and hiragana. Although the lack of grammar rules might sound appealing, it can be a bit confusing, but its not hard to get used to. But according to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), French is a category 1 language. Once again, similarities in vocabulary make things a whole lot easier. For scheduling 1-on-1 conversation sessions with native Persian speakers, you absolutely should have an italki account. He expanded on culture and infrastructure by building roads, introducing standard currencies, weighing and measuring systems, and pronouncing Aramaic as the official language of the Empire. Easiest should be Norwegian and Swedish. The original Persia is most commonly associated with the area of the Middle East and Gulf countries now known as Iran, though its ancient influence did extend beyond those constraints. This is just one of many cognates that the two languages share. use. You can also find some of your favorite movies and shows that you already know well and watch them in another language. Spanish is often the go-to language for English speakers because of its small inventory of speech sounds and user-friendly phonetic spelling system. 5 Easy Languages To Learn If You Speak Arabic 1. Portuguese is spoken by around 234 million people around the world. Get 70% off + 10 languages + 14 day free trial. Nevertheless, with lots of practice and a desire to learn, it is more than achievable. Download our freeSpanish essentials eBook to help you get started. This toneless African language is thought to be one of the easier African languages for native English speakers to learn. This language is basically useless, but it is undoubtedly the easiest to learn. (Download). First of all, Indonesian is one of the few Asian languages that use the Latin alphabet. Some people even think it is one of the sexiest languages in the world. Swedish has 10 million native speakers, mainly in Sweden but also in Finland. For example, the English word ruthless has just two syllables, but the Polish word for ruthless has a whole five different syllable sounds and an astounding number of hard consonants Bezwzgldny. And to rule the vastness of the Empire, Persia needed kings. 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. Sure, it is a little more difficult because it takes around 900 hours, but the alphabet is Latin script, meaning it is something you will be used to, and the words are phonetic meaning they are said how they are spelled. Arabic grammar is notouriously complex, and Persian speakers will have just as much problem with mastering the grammar as do English-speakers. Because it is a part of the Indo-European language tree, such influence is common, but not everyone knows the origins of certain words. Weve used data from the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) to rank them from the easier to the somewhat more challenging., Frisian is thought to be one of the languages most closely related to English, and therefore also the easiest for English-speakers to pick up. And although it shares fewer cognates with English (a fancy way of saying 'words that are the same'), there are some other features that make it super-easy.. Spanish is simple to pronounce for English speakers. If you enjoy learning the language, it will be "easy." For example, the word frolic meaning to play and move around cheerfully (e.g. Compared to Korean and Japanese, grammar is much easier to learn, mostly because their writing systems make learning challenging. At the end of the day, it all comes down to your motivation and persistence. No grammar is super easy, but Swedish grammar rules are logical and somewhat similar to English. 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. This language was invented by a few linguists who were also great global citizens. Indeed, the Empire of the Persians was one of the most expansive ones in the ancient world, spanning from the Balkan Peninsula in Eastern Europe to the Indus Valley in India at the height of its influence. The rhythm of Italian when you are in a conversation also makes it a little easier to grasp for beginners. The last language on our list is Japanese. This includes things like sentence structure, vocabulary, tones and sounds, and writing system. Though Persian expansion arrived at a standstill after a failed attempt to colonize Greece during the Greco-Persian Wars following the Ionian Revolt of 499 BC, the Persian defeat at Marathon, and Dariuss death, his successor was still determined to continue the legacy of previous kings. It is easy, there is many derivatives to the words. Some of them are phonetic, which means that reading and pronunciation shouldnt be a problem for you. An example is the large group of languages called the Indo-European language family. Korean has a reputation for being notoriously difficult for a native English speaker to learn. That's because it's the closest language to English today, both in words and structure. This languages alphabet utilizes six different vowel sounds (, a, e, i, o, u) and two diphthongs (ey, ow), but the diacritics that denote them, such as the alef do not have a specific sound. Now, its time to go over some of the best resources that are available to anyone who wants to begin learning to speak Persian. Even so, French is still one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn. Another Romance language you can start learning right away is Italian. Resources for learning Spanish are also very easy to come by, since it is so widely spoken all over the world. An example of this is musique. Recommended: 7 Easiest Language To Learn For Spanish Speakers Advertisements #1. The language sounds like musica. Many of their words are very long with unfamiliar letters and letter sounds such as and .