Thousands of languages are used globally, with different sounds, intonations, and histories. Some languages are spoken more than others, depending on the number of native and non-native speakers or whether people learn them in school. Determining the top languages spoken in the world is difficult, but one of the best ways is to classify them according to the number of native speakers. According to that classification, the top 10 languages in the world are:
Top 10 Languages in the World by Native Speakers
Mandarin Chinese
Mandarin is the most spoken language globally, with approximately 939 million native speakers and around 199 million non-native speakers. Although Mandarin is among many Chinese dialects, it is used as the official language of the People’s Republic of China.
Spanish
With 474.7 million native speakers, Spanish, also known as the romance language, is the second most natively spoken language globally. It is spoken in 31 countries, mainly around Spain and Latin America. However, the Spanish colonial expansion spread the language to parts of Africa and Asia.
In addition to its native speakers, there are another 100 million non-native speakers, and it is the third-most used language on the internet. Because of the language’s phonetic nature, the language is regarded as easy to learn.
English
Having around 410 million native speakers, English ranks third among languages by native speakers. However, it boasts the highest number of non-native speakers, approximately 1.1 billion, making it one of the most popular languages globally.
Over one hundred countries use English as an official or widely accepted language, and many people globally choose it as their second language, contributing to its status as the most influential language. Originally a Germanic language, English has evolved significantly over time due to the influence of various languages.
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Hindi
Hindi is India’s official language, with approximately 344 million native speakers and 265 million non-native speakers. It is primarily spoken in India and a few neighboring countries, but its popularity is driven by the large population of India, making it one of the most widely spoken languages globally.
Arabic
Approximately 274 million people speak Arabic as their native language across various regions. It is considered sacred by Muslims, who believe that the Quran should only be read in Arabic. Twenty-six countries have designated it as their official language, but the language is characterized by numerous dialects, making it one of the most complex languages to learn. Arabic is primarily used in written form, and its variations add to its linguistic richness and complexity
Portuguese
Portuguese is spoken by approximately 232 million people as a first language and around 13 million as a non-native language. This places it among the top ten most spoken languages globally. The majority of Portuguese speakers are from South America and Africa, with Brazil having the largest population of Portuguese speakers.
Portuguese is the official language in nine countries, including Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Angola, Guinea-Bissau, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea, Macau, Cape Verde, and São Tomé and Príncipe
Bengali
Bengali, also known as Bangla, is spoken by approximately 233 million native speakers, most of whom are from India and Bangladesh. Additionally, there are about 37 million non-native speakers.
Bengali is the official language of Bangladesh and one of the official languages in several Indian states, including West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam. This widespread use makes Bengali the seventh most spoken language globally.
Russian
Russian is spoken by approximately 145 million people as their native language and around 104 million as a non-native language, making it the most popular Slavic language. Russian is the official language in four countries: Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.
Japanese
Japanese is almost exclusively spoken in Japan, with approximately 125 million native speakers. Known for its extensive use of onomatopoeia, Japanese features many sound-imitative words, particularly popular in Japanese comics and everyday speech.
This characteristic enriches the language’s expressiveness and cultural uniqueness.
Punjabi
Punjabi, with approximately 125 million native speakers, is primarily spoken in the Punjab region of India and Pakistan. It is one of the most spoken languages globally and has a significant diaspora in countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.
In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language, although Urdu is the official national language. In the UK, it is the fourth most-used language. Punjabi belongs to the large Indo-European language family, making it a distant relative of English.
Related: Say Happy Holidays in 70 Languages
Get Professional Language Translation Services
Because languages and dialects vary, you should look for professional translation services when holding multilingual events and working with people from diverse backgrounds. Ensure that you work with an experienced language translator for the best translation and interpretation services in whatever language, and ensure that they know the different dialects of the language.
FAQs
What is the most spoken language in the world by native speakers?
Mandarin Chinese is the most spoken language globally, with approximately 920 million native speakers.
Which language has the most non-native speakers?
English has the highest number of non-native speakers, with around 753 million people speaking it as a second language.
Why is Spanish considered an easy language to learn?
Spanish is regarded as easy to learn due to its phonetic nature, meaning words are pronounced as they are written.
How many countries have Arabic as their official language?
Arabic is the official language in 26 countries.
What makes Japanese unique among the top spoken languages?
Japanese is unique because it is almost entirely spoken only in Japan and features a lot of onomatopoeia, which are words that phonetically imitate sounds.