The Easiest Languages to Learn (And Why)
Discover which languages you can learn fastest — and the science behind language difficulty
10 Episodes
Audio Lessons
238 Minutes
Total Learning
Beginner
Friendly
Which Languages Are Easiest?
If you're an English speaker wanting to learn a new language, some choices are dramatically easier than others. The U.S. Foreign Service Institute has studied this for decades, tracking how long it takes English speakers to reach proficiency.
The verdict? Romance and Germanic languages are easiest. Asian languages with different writing systems are hardest. But "easy" doesn't mean effortless — and "hard" doesn't mean impossible.
What You'll Learn
What Makes a Language Easy?
The Easiest Languages for English Speakers
Spanish: Similar vocabulary, straightforward pronunciation, enormous resources
French: Shares tons of vocabulary with English (thanks, Norman Conquest)
Italian: Beautiful, phonetic, and grammatically regular
Portuguese: Close to Spanish with some unique features
Dutch: English's closest living relative
Norwegian/Swedish/Danish: Surprisingly simple grammar
The Science of Language Learning
FSI categories. Hours to proficiency. Why your first foreign language is hardest. How to make any language easier.
All Episodes
10 audio lessons • 238 minutes total
What Makes a Language Easy or Hard?
Coming SoonFactors affecting difficulty. Linguistic distance from English. Writing systems. Grammar complexity. Resource availability. FSI categories explained.
~25 min
Why Spanish Wins
Coming SoonWhy Spanish tops lists. Shared vocabulary with English. Phonetic spelling. Regular grammar. Where Spanish gets tricky. Learning resources.
~25 min
French: English's Sophisticated Cousin
Coming SoonThe Norman Conquest vocabulary boost. French pronunciation challenges. Grammar similarities. Why written French differs from spoken. Motivation factors.
~25 min
Italian in Harmony
Phonetic spelling. Musical rhythm. Grammar patterns. Regional differences. Italian culture as motivation. Comparison to Spanish.
Portuguese vs Spanish
Portuguese vs Spanish. Brazilian vs European. Pronunciation challenges. Growing importance. The phonetic complexity trade-off.
Dutch and Afrikaans: English's Closest Relatives
Coming SoonGermanic family tree. Why Dutch sounds familiar. Vocabulary overlap. Grammar simplicity. Afrikaans as even easier option.
~20 min
Scandi Made Easy
Norwegian, Swedish, Danish. Simplified grammar. Similar vocabulary. Pitch accent. Which Scandinavian language to choose. Mutual intelligibility.
German: Easy and Hard Combined
Coming SoonMassive vocabulary overlap. But complex grammar. Cases and genders. Word order puzzles. Why German is worth it. Strategies for success.
~25 min
The Science of Language Learning
Coming SoonHow adults learn languages. Comprehensible input. Spaced repetition. Immersion vs classes. Why your second language is easier than your first.
~25 min
Choosing Your Next Language
Coming SoonMatching difficulty to goals. Motivation matters more than difficulty. Practical considerations. How to start. Setting realistic expectations.
~25 min
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