Easy Foreign Languages To Teach Yourself

Some might argue that easy foreign languages to teach yourself are the ones with the most simple vocabulary and syntax.

Whether you’re trying to get ready to travel the world or you just want to add some more culture to your life, learning a foreign language is an excellent goal. You might not be sure which language is going to be your best bet. One person might suggest that easy foreign languages to learn are the ones most used around the world, like Mandarin, French, or Spanish.

Foreign Languages For English Speakers

There’s no clear-cut way to say that one language is necessarily easier to learn than another. Where you grow up and the language you learn as a child serves as the foundation to how you see other languages. With that in mind, there are several languages that are a bit easier to learn for native English speakers than others. The easiest foreign languages use the same general alphabet, have similar vocabulary words, and don’t use a series of complicated grammar rules or tonal sounds. Here are the top five easiest foreign languages for English speakers:

Norwegian

Norwegian vocabulary is so close in English in some cases that picking it up will be a breeze. Can you guess what words like “vinter” and “sommer” mean? Another element that makes this language easier to learn is that there is only one form of each verb tense, and its sentence structure follows that of English.

Swedish

Many people consider Swedish to be one of the easiest foreign languages on the planet. Many of the words we use in English stem from the same roots as the words do in Swedish. This language also has a relatively easy-to-learn grammar structure. On top of being pretty straightforward, you’ve already been exposed to more Swedish than you might think, especially if you’ve ever shopped at Ikea.

Spanish

With over 450 million native Spanish speakers worldwide, this is the second most popular language on the planet. Being popular doesn’t necessarily make it easy, but it does provide plenty of opportunities for different resources. As one of the Romance Languages, Spanish derives from Latin. Many English words also derive from Latin.

Indonesian

Unlike most Asian languages, Indonesian uses the same alphabet that English speakers use. Asian languages, in general, are often tough for English speakers to learn. Indonesian is an exception. The best part of learning this language is that it’s pretty phonetic, which means words are pronounced the way they are spelled. There are also no verb conjugations and no grammatical genders.

French

French is another language that derives a number of its words from Latin. It’s also widely popular across the globe. You’ll find there is quite a bit of shared vocabulary. It’s also worth noting that the proximity of France and England, not to mention the countries many wars, ensured that elements of each language passed to the other. That means you might already know more French than you think,

Practice, Practice, Practice

Once you decide which language is right for you, it’s time to get to work. Luckily, there is no shortage of apps, programs, videos, courses, books, and other resources to help start you on your way. Make your new language part of your everyday life, and you’ll master your new tongue in no time.