The 10 Hardest Languages to Learn for English Speakers (Ranked)
Feeling ambitious? We rank the toughest languages on Earth based on FSI data. Discover what makes Mandarin, Arabic, and Polish so notoriously difficult.
Quick list
- #1: Mandarin Chinese (Tones + Script)
- #2: Arabic (Diglossia + Script)
- #3: Japanese (Writing Systems + Context)
Introduction
Why do we choose to climb mountains? Because they are there. The same logic applies to language learning. While Spanish and French are popular, some learners crave the ultimate cognitive challenge.
The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) categorizes languages by the time required for an English speaker to reach proficiency. We’ve compiled the 'Category V' heavyweights—the languages that require over 2,200 hours of study. These are not for the faint of heart.
Quick Summary: The Top 3
- #1: Mandarin Chinese (Tones + Script)
- #2: Arabic (Diglossia + Script)
- #3: Japanese (Writing Systems + Context)
Ranking the Toughest Tongues
Here is how the hardest languages compare in terms of specific difficulty factors.
| Rank | Language | Script Difficulty | Grammar Difficulty | Est. Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mandarin | Extreme (Hanzi) | Easy | 2,200+ |
| 2 | Arabic | High (Abjad) | Extreme | 2,200+ |
| 3 | Japanese | Extreme (Kanji/Kana) | High | 2,200+ |
| 4 | Korean | Moderate (Hangul) | High | 2,200+ |
1. Mandarin Chinese
Mandarin takes the top spot for two reasons: Tones and Writing. Mandarin is a tonal language, meaning 'ma' can mean mother, horse, hemp, or scold depending on your pitch. Furthermore, there is no alphabet. You must memorize thousands of unique characters to read a newspaper.
2. Arabic
Arabic is challenging because of 'Diglossia'. This means the Arabic you learn in a textbook (Modern Standard Arabic) is rarely spoken on the street. Each region (Egypt, Levant, Gulf) has its own dialect, which can be mutually unintelligible. The script is beautiful but written right-to-left, rewiring your brain.
3. Japanese
Japanese grammar is polite to a fault—literally. The language changes entirely depending on who you are speaking to (Keigo). Additionally, it uses three writing systems simultaneously: Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji (borrowed Chinese characters). It is often cited as the hardest written language in the world.
4. Hungarian
A surprise entry from Europe. Unlike Romance languages, Hungarian is agglutinative. This means they build massive words by gluing prefixes and suffixes together. It has 18 distinct cases (English has roughly 3). It is completely unrelated to its neighbors like German or Slavic languages.
5. Korean
The alphabet (Hangul) is actually incredibly easy to learn—you can learn it in an afternoon. However, the grammar, hierarchy levels, and sentence structure (Subject-Object-Verb) are vastly different from English.
Why Bother Learning Them?
Learning a Category V language changes how you think. It opens up cultures that are vastly different from the West. Plus, it is an incredible resume booster; fewer people speak these languages as a second language, making your skills scarcer and more valuable.
FAQ
Which is the hardest European language?
Hungarian or Finnish, due to their complex case systems and non-Indo-European roots.
Is Chinese grammar hard?
Surprisingly, no. Chinese has no conjugations, no genders, and no tenses in the Western sense. The difficulty is purely in the tones and characters.
Conclusion
If you want easy, pick Spanish. If you want a lifelong journey that will sharpen your mind like a whetstone, pick one of these titans.
Ready for the challenge? Find a tutor for these languages on our partner platform.
Discussion
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