Which Languages Are Simple or Super Tough for English Speakers?

With thousands of languages spoken around the world, you might wonder which ones are easier—or harder—for native English speakers to learn. While every learner is different, some languages naturally share more features with English and are quicker to pick up. Others might feel completely foreign due to different writing systems, grammar rules, or pronunciation.

Let’s explore some of the easiest and hardest languages to learn if English is your first language.

The Easiest Languages for English Speakers

Romance Languages:
Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian are all considered Romance languages. They come from Latin, and many English words also have Latin roots. This means there are lots of cognates—words that look and sound similar across both languages.

For example, in Spanish:

• Chocolate = chocolate
• Actor = actor
• Delicious = delicioso

These similarities help English speakers quickly recognize and remember vocabulary.

Germanic Languages:
Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish are also relatively easy to learn. These languages are Germanic—just like English—which means they have similar sentence structures, word order, and verb conjugation.

Some Danish cognates include:

• Spurt (sprint)
• Band (same meaning)
• Tyfon (typhoon)

Because of these similarities, English speakers often feel more comfortable learning Germanic languages.

The Hardest Languages for English Speakers

Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese):
These languages are known for their complexity. The writing system includes thousands of characters, and words can’t be spelled out alphabetically. Both Mandarin and Cantonese are tonal, meaning the pitch of your voice changes the meaning of a word—even if the word sounds exactly the same otherwise. This can be especially difficult for people who are tone-deaf or unused to musical intonation.

Japanese:
Japanese also uses a complex writing system, with multiple scripts (hiragana, katakana, kanji). Additionally, speech can vary based on social context and gender. This includes different words, endings, and levels of politeness depending on who is speaking and who they’re speaking to.

Arabic:
Arabic uses its own alphabet, which makes reading and writing a bit more accessible than Chinese or Japanese at first. However, pronunciation is challenging. Many Arabic sounds are produced from the back of the throat, which is unfamiliar to English speakers. Also, Arabic is written from right to left, which adds another layer of difficulty for learners used to reading left to right.

Passion Makes a Difference

While some languages may be easier or harder based on structure, the key to learning success is motivation. When you or your child are truly interested in a language or its culture, you’ll naturally stay more engaged and progress faster.

A Fun Way to Learn for Kids

If your child is just beginning their language journey, Dinolingo can be a fantastic starting point. Designed especially for children aged 2–14, Dinolingo offers over 50 languages in a playful and interactive format. Using videos, games, songs, and offline activities, Dinolingo helps kids absorb vocabulary and phrases in a natural, fun way. The platform works on web, iOS, and Android, and includes features like a parent dashboard, progress tracking, and a gamified rewards system.

Whether your child is starting with Spanish, Japanese, Arabic, or any of the 50+ languages, Dinolingo creates a learning environment that supports long-term engagement and real results.

Final Thoughts

No matter how easy or hard a language might seem, curiosity and consistency are what matter most. With the right resources and a positive attitude, any language can become a joyful part of your child’s world.

To explore fun and interactive language learning for kids, visit Dinolingo.