Top 10 Most Popular Languages in the World

To be able to be able to live in a society it is essential to share thoughts, ideas, needs and thoughts. The best method to do this is using the power of language. There are many languages around the globe. Each has its own unique characteristic music, background, tune, and rhythm. Each has its own unique flavor. However, have you thought about what the most talked-about languages around the globe are? Let’s look into it:

1. English

It’s true that English wasn’t at the top of the list, however it is closely following Mandarin to get to the second place. Its number of speakers has grown quickly. In 2021, it’s widely spoken by 1.4 billion people across the globe. 

Also, it is one of the Official languages used by the UN. Originating from the Indo-European family, the Germanic one is classified as the world’s Lingua in the world. In contrast to Mandarin which is mostly spoken in a specific geographic area, English is the first language in a variety of countries across the globe across all continents. In addition, it is spoken by more than 1 billion people who speak it as an additional language.

2. Mandarin

Mandarin is commonly spoken by nearly 1.2 billion of people. It is also one of the Official languages used by the United Nations. There are over 1200 million variations of the language. It is widely spoken in both north and south-western China.

The language is developed from the Sino-Tibetan clan. However, just because the language is on the top of the list does not necessarily mean that it’s an easy to learn or to speak. There are several dialects and each has its own set of tones. As the result that all Mandarin-speaking regions have distinct tones.

3. Hindi

Hindi is among the most recognized languages spoken in India. The language can be described as an Sanskritized registry of the Hindustani language that has Indo-European and Indo Aryan roots. This language is spoken by millions native Indians However, it also has a similarity to Urdu which is the official language spoken in Pakistan.

There are many varieties of Hindi are renowned across India and there are approximately 615 million Hindi speakers. However, the most prominent use of Hindi is likely because of Bollywood movies that employ Hindi as the main lingua franca.

4. Spanish

Another in the list of official languages used by the UN, Spanish slipped from 2nd to 3rd position just recently. The language is used by over 586 million individuals. It is also an Romance language that comes from an Indo-European lineage. Spanish is the native language of Latin America and Equatorial Guinea in addition to Spain. It is so widespread that many Spanish words are utilized in English also.

5. Bengali

Bengali also known as Bangla is the indigenous language spoken in Bangladesh and also West Bengal, southern Assam and Tripura in India. The national songs from Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka as well as India’s national song India was all composed in Bangla. 

The language has a long tradition of development from Indo-Aryan dialects, such as Prakrit and Pali that evolved from Sanskrit. Although the language is still able to preserve the originalityof its language, it also has absorbed terms from other languages. Some of the best literature is written in Bengali such as the works written by Rabindranath Tagore. There are 265 million who are Bengali speakers.

6. Portuguese

This Romance language with Indo-European roots can be heard by more than 227 million individuals. It is the official language of Brazil, Mozambique and several other countries. It is spoken in a variety of countries around the world.

7. Russian

This Slavic Indo-European language can be considered one of six languages acknowledged as official languages by the UN. This language is spoken by over 2.5 million individuals. It is not just being used throughout the Russian Federation and other constituents of the USSR however, it is also used across the Baltic countries as well as those in the United States, to name only a few. Additionally, many outstanding film and literature works are being written in the language.

8. Urdu

It is considered to be one of the sweetest languages spoken in the world. Urdu is a registered form that belongs to the Hindustani language that is spoken by over 170 million people. It is spoken primarily in Pakistan and across six states in India. 

The language has a strong likeness to Hindi. Also, it is related to the Muslims. Urdu is among the languages of Indo-European and Indo-Aryan families. Urdu songs and poetry are adored all over the world.

9. Indonesian

The Austronesian language, which is spoken by people in Malaysia and Indonesia is a registered language of Malay and is part of the family of Malayo-Polynesian. The language is used by more than 170 million people as well as being the national language in Indonesia.

10. Japanese

In the 10th spot is at the 10th position is Japanese language. About 128 million people speak the Japanese language, mostly located in The East Asian country of Japan in addition to other areas of the globe where people have either learned the language and are able to communicate in it due to the fact that Japanese immigrants reside there. 

It is part of the Japonic family and its origins are being debated. Languages are constantly developing as they incorporate new phrases, words and styles borrowed from different languages including English. However, at the core each one has its unique tale to tell in its own distinctive way.