A question that may come to mind when wanting to learn a language is “which languages are hard and which ones are easy?” Depending on our goals for language learning, we may want a language that requires less time needed to practice or something more challenging. Here is how we can evaluate the difficulty of a language:
Foreign Service Institute Rating
The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) is a United States government institution that provides language training government employees. They have developed a ranking system that shows how difficult different languages are. With Category I being the easiest and Category IV requiring the most time to learn.
Here are some languages in each category:
- Category I: French, Spanish, Romanian
- Category II: German, Indonesian
- Category III: Hindi, Polish, Vietnamese
- Category IV: Arabic, Japanese, Chinese
For an extensive list, visit the FSI’s website
It is important to note that these categories are based on the difficulty for English speakers.
Second languages
The FSI system is a good estimate for English speakers. However, depending on if you speak any additional languages, these categories may not be accurate. Many languages share similarities. Thus, by choosing a language similar to one that you already know, it will be easier.
Interest
All in all, the easiest languages to learn will be the ones that you are interested in. Although some languages may take more time to master, the time spent will be enjoyable. Following your interests will also provide you with the motivation to learn.
Happy learning.