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Best language for travel

Best languages to learn for travel

You will not learn a whole language before a trip, but a few weeks of speaking practice changes how people treat you. These are the languages that pay off most on the road.

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Updated · by the 4ToSpeak team

How we ranked them

We ranked by how many places a language unlocks, how fast an English speaker can reach useful travel sentences, and how much locals respond when you try.

The 10 best languages, ranked

  1. 1. Spanish

    Closest to English · about 700 hours

    More than twenty countries, from Mexico to Argentina to Spain, and the quickest language here to reach useful travel sentences.

    Learn Spanish · How long it takes

  2. 2. French

    Closest to English · about 700 hours

    France, Belgium, Switzerland, Quebec and much of North and West Africa. Pronunciation is the hurdle, so practise saying menu and transport sentences aloud.

    Learn French · How long it takes

  3. 3. Italian

    Closest to English · about 700 hours

    Italy rewards effort more than almost anywhere. Spelling matches sound, so you can read signs and menus aloud on day one.

    Learn Italian · How long it takes

  4. 4. Japanese

    Hardest · about 2,200 hours

    English is less common outside big cities, so a few polite phrases go a long way. The sounds are few and regular.

    Learn Japanese · How long it takes

  5. 5. Portuguese

    Closest to English · about 700 hours

    Brazil and Portugal are very different trips, but one language covers both, and locals love visitors who try.

    Learn Portuguese · How long it takes

  6. 6. Turkish

    Harder · about 1,100 hours

    Spelling is nearly phonetic, and shopkeepers warm up quickly when you greet them in Turkish.

    Learn Turkish · How long it takes

  7. 7. Greek

    Harder · about 1,100 hours

    A new alphabet, but island and mainland Greece are friendly to anyone who tries a few words.

    Learn Greek · How long it takes

  8. 8. Indonesian

    Moderate · about 900 hours

    One of the simplest grammars in the world, which makes Indonesia and Malaysia easy places to start speaking.

    Learn Indonesian · How long it takes

  9. 9. Thai

    Harder · about 1,100 hours

    Tones are hard, but short polite phrases are quick to learn and noticed everywhere.

    Learn Thai · How long it takes

  10. 10. Arabic

    Hardest · about 2,200 hours

    Useful in Morocco, Egypt, Jordan and the Gulf. Pick the dialect of the place you are going.

    Learn Arabic · How long it takes

Tips for getting there faster

  • Learn 30 sentences, not 300 words: ordering, asking directions, paying, and asking someone to repeat.
  • Practise saying them out loud. In a noisy cafe you need the sentence ready, not recognised.
  • Start six weeks before you go. Fifteen minutes a day is enough for survival level.

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 for travel?

Spanish is the best language to learn for travel because it opens more countries than any other language an English speaker can learn quickly. French, Italian and Japanese come next, each rewarding you in a different kind of trip.

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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