Language is always intertwined with the culture of each nation and people. Therefore, learning a foreign language is not a simple task as each language presents unique challenges for different learners. Some languages are difficult to pronounce, while others have complex grammar…
For a native English speaker, the difficulty in learning another language depends on various factors. So, which language is the hardest to learn for them? And which language can be mastered in less than a year? Let’s explore through the infographic below.
According to experts, comparing the difficulty of foreign languages can be subjective, as it largely depends on the linguistic and cultural similarities between your country and the country whose language you wish to learn. However, by attempting to establish a common reference, we can somewhat assess the learnability of various languages.
Recently, The Economist used language data from the U.S. State Department, which trains diplomats, to determine how long it typically takes for Americans to achieve proficiency in various languages.
Languages that take 24 – 36 weeks
For French and Spanish, American diplomats spend about 24 to 30 weeks learning to become proficient. The relatively quick learning time is due to the significant similarities between French, Spanish, and English. Many English vocabulary words are influenced by French and Spanish, and vice versa.
German is slightly more challenging, taking around 36 weeks to master. German is often regarded as one of the most difficult languages for English speakers due to its complex grammar and sentence structures.
Also requiring 36 weeks is Indonesian. Although its grammar is simple and lacks complex verb conjugations, the challenge lies in its rich vocabulary and the diversity of dialects.
Indonesia is a vast archipelago with more than 700 languages spoken across its islands. While Bahasa Indonesia is the official language, each region may have its local dialects and slang.
Languages that take 88 weeks
The most challenging languages in terms of learning time require up to 88 weeks to achieve proficiency. This group includes Mandarin Chinese, Korean, and Arabic.
The difficulties arise from their distinct writing systems, vast vocabulary, and diverse dialects.
For instance, while Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) serves as the written and spoken language across the Arab world, each region has its own distinct colloquial dialects.
Another complication is the tonal nature of these languages, where the meaning of a word can completely change based on its tone.
For example, the same sound “ma” with different tones (“mā”, “mǎ”, “má”) can mean very different things, such as “mother”, “horse”, or “hemp”. Many English speakers find it extremely challenging to hear and differentiate these tones.
