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Best language for learning fast

Best languages to learn quickly

If you want to be speaking in months rather than years, choose a language with simple grammar, regular spelling and lots of overlap with English.

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  • 77 languages

Updated · by the 4ToSpeak team

How we ranked them

We ranked by study hours to working proficiency, how regular the spelling and grammar are, and how much vocabulary overlaps with English.

The 9 best languages, ranked

  1. 1. Indonesian

    Moderate · about 900 hours

    No tenses, no genders and simple sounds. The grammar is the lightest on this list.

    Learn Indonesian · How long it takes

  2. 2. Spanish

    Closest to English · about 700 hours

    Spelling matches sound, and thousands of words look like English. Verb endings are the long part.

    Learn Spanish · How long it takes

  3. 3. Italian

    Closest to English · about 700 hours

    Regular spelling and a clear rhythm let you sound confident early.

    Learn Italian · How long it takes

  4. 4. Portuguese

    Closest to English · about 700 hours

    Close to Spanish, with nasal vowels as the catch.

    Learn Portuguese · How long it takes

  5. 5. Dutch

    Closest to English · about 700 hours

    Close to English and German, so a lot looks familiar from week one.

    Learn Dutch · How long it takes

  6. 6. Norwegian

    Closest to English · about 700 hours

    Regular grammar, and verbs do not change with the person.

    Learn Norwegian · How long it takes

  7. 7. Swedish

    Closest to English · about 700 hours

    Light grammar and a lot of shared vocabulary with English.

    Learn Swedish · How long it takes

  8. 8. Esperanto

    Closest to English · about 700 hours

    Designed to be regular. Fewer people to talk to, but the quickest to learn.

    Learn Esperanto · How long it takes

  9. 9. Afrikaans

    Closest to English · about 700 hours

    Often called the easiest Germanic language for English speakers, with a simplified grammar.

    Learn Afrikaans · How long it takes

Tips for getting there faster

  • Daily beats long. Twenty minutes every day builds more than three hours on Sunday.
  • Say every sentence out loud. Silent study builds recognition, not speech.
  • Aim at a small target first, such as a five-minute chat, instead of 'fluency'.

Still torn between two?

Compare the finalists head to head:

FAQ

Questions, answered

Still stuck? support@4tospeak.com

What are the best languages to learn quickly?

Indonesian, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch and the Scandinavian languages are the fastest for English speakers, because they share vocabulary with English, spell words regularly, or have very light grammar.

Which is the easiest of these languages to learn?

Spanish is the quickest on this list for an English speaker, at about 700 hours to working proficiency (roughly 3.8 years at 30 minutes a day).

How do I choose between them?

Pick the one that matches where you will use it and what you enjoy. Motivation beats the difference in difficulty over months of study. If you cannot decide, try a week of 15 minutes a day in your top two and keep the one you look forward to.

Can I start for free?

Yes. 4ToSpeak has a free plan with no card and no time limit. Every sentence goes through ordering, translating, listening and saying it out loud.

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