Curious about the most spoken languages on Earth? With over 7,000 languages in existence, more than half of the global population converses in just 23 of them.
Imagine understanding the melodic flow of Spanish, the intricate structure of Mandarin, or the rhythmic cadence of English. Mastering these in-demand tongues opens doors to a wider world, fosters deeper communication, and fuels international business and cultural exchange.
Whether you're developing a professional path or aiming for personal growth, knowing another language broadens your horizons and fosters cultural understanding. Studies have shown that multilingualism enhances cognitive function, improves memory, and even boosts employability.
This list highlights the most spoken languages globally. We've also included interesting facts about each language, making it easier to decide which one might be the perfect fit for your learning journey. Slavic languages, as Croatian (spoken by around 3,9 million people in the home country and approximately 3 million people living abroad), though it doesn't have large number of native speakers correlate with similar languages, such as Bosnian, Serbian, Montenegrin, Slovenian, Slovak, Polish or Czech.
So, what are the most spoken languages globally?
1. English (1.452 billion speakers)
English reigns supreme as the world's most spoken language, with over 1.4 billion speakers including both native and non-native users. It's the go-to language for international business, tourism, technology, and scientific research. Did you know that a person fluent in both Spanish and English can understand roughly one-third of all internet users and access over 60% of online content?
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2. Mandarin Chinese (1.118 billion speakers)
While English boasts the most total speakers, Mandarin takes the crown for the most native speakers, with over 929 million. Mandarin is a set of dialects within the Chinese language family, and although speakers of different dialects might not understand each other perfectly, written Mandarin acts as a unifying force.
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3. Hindi (602+ million speakers)
Hindi stands as one of the two official languages of India, the second most populous country globally. With such a massive population and rich linguistic diversity (over 121 languages!), it's no surprise that Hindi flourishes not just within India but also as a lingua franca in neighboring Nepal.
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4. Spanish (548+ million speakers)
Spanish holds the distinction of being the second-most spoken native language globally and the most widely spoken Romance language. Spain's colonial past left its mark, with Spanish spreading across continents to the Americas, Africa, and even parts of Asia. Today, there are 21 Spanish-speaking countries, with dozens more boasting significant Spanish-speaking populations. Interestingly, the United States ranks second in the world for the number of Spanish speakers!
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5. French (280 million speakers)
French, like Spanish and English, owes its global presence to colonial expansion. Today, French is spoken in 29 countries worldwide, and it's often referred to as the language of culture due to its enduring influence on art, literature, and fashion. While English dominates the business world, French remains a significant player in international diplomacy and organizations.
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Tell us in comments, which languages do you speak and add some more on the list!
Loreta, OLS Community Manager – Croatian