What are the 5 Hardest Languages to Learn, and Why?
Looking for a challenge?! These are the 5 Hardest Languages to Learn!
Of course, the difficulty of learning a language depends on your native language and linguistic background. Bilingual people generally learn additional languages more easily than monolinguals: firstly because their brains are used to switching between languages, making it easier to adapt to a new one. Bilinguals are better at distinguishing new sounds and pronouncing unfamiliar words. They often have an easier time picking up accents in other languages. Also, they already know how to learn a language, so they develop better strategies (e.g., recognising patterns, practicing immersion, and using context), and they may be less afraid of making mistakes, which is crucial for language learning.
And the best news is… the more languages you learn, the easier it gets! 🚀 Each new language makes learning the next one faster because the brain becomes more adaptable.
That said, for English speakers, the five hardest languages to learn (according to the Foreign Service Institute) are:
- Mandarin Chinese – Complex characters, tonal pronunciation, and vast vocabulary make it very challenging.
- Arabic – A difficult script, numerous dialects, and unfamiliar sounds pose challenges.
- Japanese – Three writing systems (Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji) and complex grammar make it tough.
- Korean – Unique grammar structure, honorifics, and Hangul script require a lot of practice.
- Russian – The Cyrillic alphabet and complex grammar with cases make it difficult for English speakers.
Each of these languages presents unique challenges for English speakers due to differences in writing systems, pronunciation, grammar, and overall linguistic structure. Here’s why they are the hardest languages to learn:
1. Mandarin Chinese
- Tonal Language – Mandarin has four tones (plus a neutral tone), meaning the same word can have different meanings depending on pitch.
- Complex Characters – Instead of an alphabet, it uses thousands of characters (Hanzi), each with unique meanings and pronunciations.
- Minimal Cognates – English and Chinese share very few similar words, making vocabulary harder to remember.
However, it is worth noting that learning Chinese is a sound investment. China is a significant global economy, making Mandarin essential for international business. Many global companies are actively seeking employees who can communicate with Chinese partners and clients — especially in sectors like technology, trade, finance, and manufacturing. Furthermore, while many people learn Spanish or French, Mandarin is still rare among non-Chinese speakers — being fluent in Chinese will enable you to stand out in the job market.
Learning Mandarin also improves memory, problem-solving, and multitasking skills. The tonal nature of the language trains your brain in new ways, and learning Chinese characters enhances visual recognition and creativity.
2. Arabic
- Challenging Script – The Arabic alphabet is written right to left and includes different forms of letters depending on position (beginning, middle, or end of a word).
- Pronunciation – Arabic has several sounds that don’t exist in English, like ‘ع’ (ʿAyn) and ‘خ’ (Kh).
- Grammar Complexity – Arabic has root-based word formation and a complex verb system with many conjugations.
3. Japanese
- Three Writing Systems – Japanese uses Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji—Kanji alone has thousands of characters!
- Sentence Structure – Unlike English, Japanese follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order, making it harder to form sentences naturally.
- Honorifics & Politeness Levels – Different forms of speech exist depending on social status, adding extra layers of difficulty.
4. Korean
- Grammar & Sentence Structure – Like Japanese, Korean uses an SOV word order, and its grammar is highly structured.
- Honorifics – There are multiple speech levels depending on formality and respect.
- Pronunciation – Some sounds, like double consonants (ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ), can be difficult for English speakers.
5. Russian
- Cyrillic Alphabet – While not as complex as Chinese or Arabic scripts, it still requires time to learn.
- Cases System – Russian has six grammatical cases, meaning nouns and adjectives change form depending on their function in a sentence.
- Pronunciation – Stress patterns and soft/hard consonant distinctions make it tricky for English speakers.
What are Hardest Languages to Learn for Chinese Speakers?!
For similar reasons, English presents challenges for Chinese and Arabic speakers! English has many sounds that don’t exist in Chinese, like “th” (θ, ð) in “this” or “think” so pronunciation can be tricky. Mandarin has a simpler grammar system without verb tenses or pluralization, so learning English past, present, and future tenses is difficult. Furthermore, English Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) structure can feel unnatural for Mandarin speakers, and prepositions like “in,” “on,” or “at” don’t have direct equivalents.
Arabic presents similar problems for Chinese speakers as it does for English speakers: A completely different script, written from right to left. The many throat-based sounds (e.g., ‘ع’ [ʿAyn], ‘خ’ [Kh]) that don’t exist in Mandarin, and a root-based vocabulary, ie.: words are formed from three-letter roots, which is an unfamiliar concept for Chinese speakers.
Chinese speakers also find the Romance languages tricky due to gendered nouns – Every noun is either masculine or feminine, a concept that doesn’t exist in Chinese. As well as verb conjugations: Romance languages have many verb forms, unlike Mandarin, which has no conjugations at all.
