Easiest language for a native English speaker?

Question

As a native English speaker I've been interested in learning another language.

I heard German was a good idea due to sharing the same base as English but after talking with some people they said it was harder than it seemed. I've heard good things about Spanish and Italian...

As I will be self-taught relying mostly on the help of books and my multilingual friends, which language do you advice attempting to pursue? I'm a slow learn and acknowledge there is no quick fix and will be spending years on this so I'm determined to pick the right place to start.

Thank you in advance for you advice.

Answer 1

What are the good things you've heard about Italian? I think it's very difficult for an English speaker to learn. First, have you ever set your eyes on Italian grammar? It's way more complicated that English. I'll give you an example of a verb, so that you see it for yourself:

"to cook" has three different forms in English: cook, cooked, cooking. In Italian, the same verb is: cuocere, cuocio, cuoci, cuoce, cuociamo, cuocete, cuociono, cuocevo, cuocevi, cuoceva, cuocevamo, cuocevate, cuocevano, cossi, cuocesti, cosse, cuocemmo, cuoceste, cuocerono, cuocendo, cotto, cotti, cotte, cotta, cuocerò, cuocerai, cuocerà, cuoceremo, cuocerete, cuoceranno.

"Cuocere" is irregular so, it's a bit easier with regular verb (it just means the endings are regular, but their number is the same). The problem is, many verbs are irregular and you have to learn every tense by heart.

Also, you have to conjugate nouns, adjectives and articles (can be feminine, masculine, singular or plural).

It's not easy if you come from a language where grammar is easier.



Pronunciation is easier than English because once you how to read each letter, you are able to read every word. The "u" is always read the same. Pronunciation is not problematic.



Why don't you start with French? Grammar is a bit less problematic than Italian's but there are many words similar in English (since England was once ruled by French native-speakers). Pronunciation is also regular.

Answer 2

My concern is that if EASE is your primary consideration, you will likely fail at the endeavor. Actually you can learn any language easily, but if you want to get better, all languages are hard.



What is your motivation? Access to resources (time, money, speakers)? Do you want to speak, listen, read, write? To what proficiency level?



Don't forget that languages are for COMMUNICATION, not for memory or rules or vocabulary. You need more than books, Friends are good, but only if they and you promise NOT to fall back on a common language.





You are slow learner? What strengths do you bring to the task, not what excuses.



I (always) vote for Norwegian for the following reasons, which may not be relevant to you:



Norwegian is a great language to learn for (at least) these reasons



1. Fascinating historical development, including development of nynorsk.

2. Dialects are encouraged and rich

3. Great literature, much of which is not translated

4. Nobel peace prize is given out from Norway

5. primary source material in many fields like equality, social justice, human rights etc etc

6. a relatively easy in to Swedish (Swedish SOUNDS like Norwegian) and Danish (Danish LOOKS like Norwegian)

7. It sets you apart from the masses who have studied other languages (so our graduates tell us when they are out on the job market)



Of course I don't know how you define 'good languages to learn'



Decide what your motivations are, your access to resources, your goals (since many Norwegian are almost perfect in English, travel isn't all that important).



My website with lots of resources for learners of Norwegian is listed below.

Source(s):

Answer 3

German is probably easiest. There are some quirks in the sentence structure but so many of the words are straight transplants that you've got a solid start point. French is similar in that there are a lot of borrowed, shared and stolen words so you'll find points of similarity.

Answer 4

I would suggest German.... but to be honest, everyone is good at learning different things. If you're good with languages, than you should have no problem jumping on any european language (I'd save any asian language for last because they take so long to learn) but German is definitely one of the closest to English you will find.

Answer 5

Ehy the last person whose nick is ...

the person who claims that spanish is an easy language



jhahahahahahhahaha

me estas cargando????????????????? estas hablando en serio? jjajajajajajajajajajajja pero vaya que sos chistosa! deberias ser humorista o que se yo........... jajajaja, ahora resulta que el español es un idioma facil jajajajajaa, vos me creerias si te dijera que JAMAS he conocido un anglosajon capaz de sostener una conversacion en español? de donde sacaste que este idioma es facil?????????? sudamerica tiene una poblacion de 350 millones de habitantes, y nunca he oido de un cantante sueco o filandes que haya aprendido el español para enamorar a este mercado tan gigantesco. Los unicos cantantes no hispanos que son capaces de cantar en español son los italianos y los portugueses......





deverdad que estas mal de la cabeza................ si vos sabes decir cosas como "casa" o " desayuno" eso no significa que dominas este idioma........





you must be crazy if you really think that spanish is an easy language...... i have never met a person from the U.S. or England capable of starting a quick conversation in Spanish.