Mistakes, slip-ups, errors, boo-boos, blunders – whatever you call them, don’t you wish you could fix them?

While we can’t undo the message you sent in the wrong group chat or stop you from forgetting someone’s name after you’ve met, Busuu’s brand-new Mistake Repair tool can take your grammar mistakes and turn them into practice exercises. Now, you can make progress with a more targeted way to learn.

Not sure where to start, or tired of practising what you already know? Mistake Repair tells you exactly what to focus on, so you can spend your time learning and improving. 

No more one-size-fits-all. Get language learning tailored to you, and build the confidence you need for real-world interactions.

How does Mistake Repair work?

Your mistakes aren’t setbacks. They’re your pathway to real progress.

Mistake Repair reframes your ‘oops’ moments as opportunities to learn and improve, helping you master grammar one step at a time.

Here’s how it works:

1. You complete your lessons.
   
2. Busuu collects and reviews your mistakes, identifying the most important area to practise.
   
3. Mistake Repair explains your top error and generates customised exercises, helping you practise exactly what you got wrong, so you can focus on getting it right.

This means your learning isn’t generic. It’s shaped by you, your challenges, and your progress, allowing you to revisit, reflect, and repair in one place.

Sophie Huet, our Director of Learning Design & Content Operations, says, “Embrace making mistakes when you learn a language — this is not a sign of failure, but a key part of the learning process. Every mistake helps you improve and get closer to fluency.”

How does Mistake Repair help you learn?

Imagine learning English and writing “he go” instead of “he goes”. Or studying Spanish and saying “comer” when you really needed to use “comió”. With stronger grammar foundations, Mistake Repair helps you have smoother, more confident conversations.

Mistake Repair combines proven language-learning methods with smart technology to give you:

• Personalised learning: You’re not just following a set curriculum. Your practice is tailored around the things you get wrong, so every Mistake Repair exercise is relevant to your progress.
• Focused practice: Stop wasting your time on what you already know. Practise exactly what you need to improve.
• More confidence: By practising and overcoming tricky areas in a safe space, you’re better prepared to avoid them in real-life conversations. 
• Improved memory: Research shows that revisiting mistakes improves recall and reduces the chance of repeating them, so you can save them in your long-term memory. 

One of our Mistake Repair testers realised ‘why’ he made a mistake was just as important as ‘what’ the mistake was, “It is one thing to say that I made a mistake, but it is quite another to tell me why I made it and how to correct it.”

Where can I find Mistake Repair?

Mistake Repair is built into your learning timeline. If you make grammar mistakes in your lessons, exercises will be created so you can practise them again at the beginning of the next chapter. It’s easy to find, so you can repair mistakes whenever you’re ready to strengthen your skills.

Premium learners can enjoy unlimited access to Mistake Repair, and free learners can try it twice to see how it can help them improve their grammar skills (if you have access via the language pairings listed below).

Language & platform availability: Currently available on iOS to English learners with an English, Spanish or French display language (accessible via Settings in the Busuu platform), and Spanish learners with an English display language. We’re hoping to make Mistake Repair available in more language courses in the future.

Make mistakes with Busuu, feel confident in real life

Mistake Repair is designed with a clear end goal in mind: to help you use your language skills confidently in the real world, whether that’s ordering food abroad, writing an email in your target language, or chatting with new friends.

At Busuu, we believe that language learning is about connection, not perfection. Mistake Repair gives you the foundation to feel confident when it matters most.

Don’t just learn from your mistakes. Make them your superpower!

Want to learn a language with Busuu?

Choose from 14 languages, and try out tools to help you make real progress.

Prefer using your computer?
Register on our web platform here to start your language journey today. While the new feature is currently on iOS, you’ll still have access to all other Busuu tools and resources. 

The post NEW FEATURE: From mistakes to mastery. Meet Mistake Repair appeared first on Busuu Blog.

When it comes to learning a new language, it’s hard to know what method truly works. That’s why we commissioned an independent efficacy study to put Busuu’s approach to the test. 

The results are in: Busuu helps you speak a new language faster. With insights from 97 countries, this study confirms what Busuu learners have been experiencing for years – real progress at every level, backed by science. 

Some of the study’s highlights: 

• Just 15.6 hours with Premium can get a beginner to a first-semester university language level
• Almost three-quarters of Premium learners improved their speaking skills
• Over 70% of learners improved their vocabulary and grammar 

Whether you’re a complete beginner or honing your skills, Busuu helps you achieve your language goals faster and more effectively. This study saw all learners gain confidence in speaking, grammar and vocabulary, with every lesson bringing them closer to fluency. 

Here’s a closer look at the findings and why they make Busuu the best choice for language learning.

The study

The independent study included 1,205 learners who used Busuu to practice English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, or Japanese over a two-month period. Participants ranged from complete beginners to advanced learners, all sharing the same goal—to improve their language skills.

To better understand the impact of Busuu, participants were divided into two groups: one using Busuu’s free version and the other using Busuu Premium, which offers extra content and features. Progress was carefully tracked in all groups.

The best bits

1. Real progress for all learners

Remarkably, every learner in the study showed progress. From early-stage beginners to advanced users, everyone using Busuu saw measurable gains in speaking skills, as well as vocabulary and grammar. The study confirmed our mission to help learners at all levels move from silent studying to confident speaking. 

2. The Premium advantage 

Speaking is often the hardest part of learning a new language, but it’s also often the most important. This is where Busuu Premium shines, helping learners improve their speaking skills faster with smart, personalised tools.

Here’s what the study found:

• Faster progress for beginners: Beginners using Premium were 20% more likely to improve their speaking proficiency than free learners – so if you’re new to a language, Busuu Premium makes it easier to get started and make progress.
• Improvement for everyone: Premium isn’t just for beginners. Premium learners at all levels saw nearly 10% more progress in speaking skills compared to free learners. That means it’s a faster, more effective way to boost your language skills.
• Better than school: With 15 hours of study (that’s just 2 hours a week for 2 months) learners reached the same level as a first-semester university language course. That’s learning made easy for even the busiest schedules.

3. Get better at grammar and vocabulary, too

Busuu doesn’t just help with speaking – it improves other essential skills too. The study showed that over 77% of Premium learners strengthened their vocabulary and grammar (although free learners weren’t far behind, at 72%). 

This means that Busuu helps you learn a language by focusing on the basics that matter most. These skills are the building blocks for long-term success, making it easier to keep learning and improving.

What thousands of learners thought about Busuu

Whether you’re practising basic greetings or tackling advanced topics, we want Busuu to be the bridge between where you are and where you want to go. 

So we were pleased to hear that Busuu helps you love learning, with 94% of learners reporting they enjoy using Busuu and 96% highlighting how easy it is to use.

Ready to speak a new language faster?

The science is in, the results are real, and the message is simple. Busuu works. It helps you make real progress, fast. No matter your starting point, it’s the tool that turns your language-learning goals into achievements.

If you’ve been doubting whether language-learning apps can truly deliver, this reinforces that Busuu can. So what are you waiting for? Take your first step on a language-learning adventure with Busuu today—for free! With Busuu, progress is proven. And if you’re one of those data-loving types who enjoys geeking out over stats, you can check out the full study here.

The post Learn smarter, speak faster: These results prove Busuu works  appeared first on Busuu Blog.

It’s here! The feature you’ve been asking for – a new way to master your pronunciation without feeling nervous or embarrassed. 

Now launched on web, iOS, and Android devices, speaking practice combines two powerful language learning essentials – real native speakers and AI technology – helping you prepare for real-life conversations. 

You can learn the authentic sounds of a language, repeat phrases and build confidence with instant, judgement-free feedback. It’s time to turn your fear of getting things wrong into your motivation to get things right.

So, how does speaking practice work?

Instant, personalised feedback

You’ll be impressed at how quickly you improve your pronunciation with instant feedback tailored to your speech patterns. These tips are given in real time to help you immediately identify what you’ve done well and what needs more work.

Judgement-free practice

You’ll feel comfortable learning from your mistakes because you can practise when it’s convenient for you. Repeat the phrases free of judgement, compare them with the original recording and build confidence with precise, actionable feedback.

Learning from real people

You’ll learn pronunciation directly from native speakers in immersive full-screen videos, picking up the tone, accent, and mouth movements needed to speak like a local.

Build on what you know

Speaking practice strengthens your pronunciation and vocabulary because you’ve learned the meaning and context of words in previous lessons. By saying these words aloud, you’re boosting your speaking skills and improving your recall.

Hear the difference

Listening to the recording of the native speaker and your version side by side will help you recognise subtle differences. Speaking practice allows you to hear your progress and improve with each try.

Want to know what our early-access learners thought?

“[Speaking practice] boosted my confidence because if I can mimic the way a native speaker pronounces then I [can show off] in front of my native Spanish friends…” – Mario, Germany (learning Spanish)

“Pronunciation was always a limited skill because of fear, lack of feedback… so [I feel] that the new feature helps [me] speak more naturally.” – Paloma, Chile (learning English)

Where can I find speaking practice lessons?

Get instant, detailed feedback in our Complete English, Spanish, French, German and Italian courses at all levels. Just look for the ‘SPEAKING PRACTICE’ label in your learning timeline.

Want to speak a new language confidently?

Experience speaking practice for yourself and get ready for the real world when you learn languages with Busuu. Download the app today!

Prefer using your computer?

Register on our web platform here to start your language journey today.

The post Speaking practice: Improve your speech with immersive lessons! appeared first on Busuu Blog.

Earlier this year, our learners inspired us with requests to improve their pronunciation skills, so we built speaking practice. Now we’re taking your fluency to the next level and launching our ground-breaking new feature to give you 360° of speaking support. You can practise speaking in real time and get instant responses and feedback with Busuu Conversations.

Picture the scene. You’re at work/a party/the store. Your entry-level Spanish, English, or Italian enables you to say enough to answer the first question, but then, you freeze at the second. You’re not as advanced as they think. All these words are fighting in your head for space, your palms get sweaty, and now all you can say is, “…ummm”.

Busuu Conversations builds your speaking confidence step by step, so the next time you start to panic, you have the skills to carry on the conversation.

Practise speaking out loud with an AI partner, make mistakes freely, and get personalised feedback for lasting confidence. It’s a safe space to perfect your speaking skills before taking them for a spin in the real world.

So, how does Conversations work? 

Be ready for real life

Busuu Conversations uses AI to create conversations that feel just like real life. You can practise speaking in situations that you face every day, making your learning experience useful and fun. Opening a bank account? No problem. Talking about your job? We’ve got you. Ordering in a cafe? Easy!

Get personalised replies

As you speak, the AI listens and responds, mirroring real-life interactions. This lets you reply spontaneously, as every conversation will differ depending on your responses. When the chat has ended, you’ll get actionable feedback highlighting what you’re getting right and what could be improved. It’s like having a personal language coach on-call whenever you want to practise!

Practise without pressure 

Never worry about making mistakes. Conversations offers a judgment-free place to try out new words, phrases, and pronunciations without feeling awkward. Take your time, refine your responses, and enjoy the process of learning. Every mishap takes you a step closer to your speaking goals.

Build fluency and confidence

By practising in immersive situations, you not only get better at speaking the language, but you also build your confidence. And that’s what Busuu’s all about — learning to speak new languages with confidence! 

Hear from our early-access learners

Learners in our Beta program have already had the opportunity to try out Busuu Conversations, and their feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Here’s what some of them had to say:

“AI in Busuu can help me improve my speaking skills and start thinking more like a native English speaker.” – Nino, Georgia

“So far, I’ve had better results with the app than with traditional classes.” – Diego, Ecuador

Where can I find Conversations?

There’s a brand new tab in your Busuu app — just make sure you’ve updated to the latest Android or iOS version and hit ‘Speak’ at the bottom of your screen. This dedicated space allows you to start an immersive chat whenever it suits you. 

You’ll also find Conversations in your learning timeline. Look for lessons labelled ‘AI Conversations’ towards the end of a chapter. This helps reinforce what you’ve learned in previous sessions, ensuring you build practical speaking skills at the right pace and level for you.

How is a Conversation structured?

Each lesson is based on a specific goal to support your growing skills, like giving your name and asking someone for theirs in return. If you stray from the conversation topic, the AI will do its best to stay on track, bringing you back to the topic you’re focusing on. 

Your personalised feedback is given at the end of the conversation after analysing your responses to avoid distractions during your conversation with the AI. This allows you to take your time and review each correction of your individual replies. You’ll also be able to see what went well, confirming what you can already say with ease.

Who can try out Conversations?

Learners with the Busuu app on Android or iOS (updated to the latest version) can access Conversations in the Complete English, Complete Spanish, Complete German, Complete Italian, and Complete French Courses in all interface languages, and those with an English, Italian, or Spanish interface receive personalised feedback at the end. We’re looking forward to sharing this groundbreaking new feature with more learners very soon! 

If you’ve got a Premium Plus subscription, 24/7 on-demand access to Conversations is included. Learners with a free or Premium plan can access their first two lessons without upgrading.

So go ahead, give it a try, and keep moving forward in your exciting journey towards speaking confidence with Busuu Conversations!

No two Conversations are the same. Be ready with Busuu.

How we’ve used AI in Busuu Conversations

To keep your learning experience enjoyable and effective, we use AI responsibly. Busuu Conversations uses AI to create spontaneous replies and give you personalised feedback. In order to do this, your voice will be recorded, but it won’t be used to identify you. We’ve put safety measures in place to protect your privacy and ensure you’re not exposed to offensive content, but it’s a new technology that’s still learning, just like you.  We always want to improve, so if the AI makes mistakes, please let us know by emailing our Customer Support team at team@busuu.com or filling out the contact form here.

Want to try Conversations with Busuu?

Busuu Conversations is available on Android and iOS
Download for free today!

Prefer using your computer?
Register on our web platform here to start your language journey today.

The post NEW FEATURE: Speak confidently with Busuu Conversations appeared first on Busuu Blog.

Picture this. You’re learning a new language. You’re making real progress with your reading, writing and listening, but you’re struggling with speaking.

Why?

Almost half of the language learners we spoke to told us their number one language-learning problem is not having anyone to practise with, and over a third said that mispronunciation is embarrassing. If either (or both) of these reasons is stopping you from joining the conversation, then we want to fix that.

Elevate your speaking skills

We’re fully committed to delivering new and exciting ways for you to improve your speaking and pronunciation skills, starting with our upcoming release.

Your most requested feature, coming very soon, will give you the instant, personalised, and actionable feedback you need to build pronunciation confidence. By pairing videos of real native speakers with the latest AI technology, you’ll be getting a brand-new way to transform your speaking skills.

This is just the beginning! We’re busy working behind the scenes, combining our language learning know-how with advancements in AI to give you even more in late 2024.

What do our beta testers think?

“I really like the immediate pronunciation feedback – pronunciation tips generated were very useful…” – John, USA (learning Spanish)

“[Speaking practice] boosted my confidence because if I can mimic the way a native speaker pronounces then I [can show off] in front of my native Spanish friends…” – Mario, Germany (learning Spanish)

How and when can you try it out?

Our new feature is coming soon to iOS and Android devices near you in our Complete Spanish, English, French and German courses.

Want to be the first to know when the new feature goes live? Look for more news in your inbox, and keep an eye on our social media!

Not already learning a language with Busuu?

Don’t miss out on new ways to learn your favourite language, and sign up for free today!

The post Something exciting is coming… appeared first on Busuu Blog.

Getting to grips with grammar is essential for solid language skills. That’s why we’re excited to announce our brand new feature – say hello to Grammar Review.

New to web, Busuu’s Grammar Review is vital for taking your language learning skills to the next level. Using built-in AI, it stores the grammar you’ve learned in lessons in one space for personalised grammar practice. See at a glance what you’ve mastered and what needs more work. Plus, this Premium-only tool offers bonus exercises, explanations and tips for each grammar topic so you feel confident for real-world conversations. 

Find all the grammar practice you need, set to your current level, in Grammar Review.

Practice personalised to you

We get it. Grammar isn’t the most exciting part of learning a language, but Grammar Review does some of the hard work for you. Forget highlighting text or sticking tabs into textbooks. This handy tool puts all of the grammar you’ve already covered in lessons in one convenient area, categorising them so you can concentrate on mastering topics instead of trying to remember what to focus on.

Know where you’re at (and where you need to go)

It’s easy to see which topics you do and don’t need to focus on thanks to a progress chart neatly categorised into ‘Needs practice’, ‘Improving’, ‘Strong’ and ‘Mastered’. This chart automatically updates, powered by AI, based on when you last practised, what you’ve learned and how you scored. Practice makes perfect.

Study grammar in-depth any time

Struggling with possessive pronouns? No problem. Despairing over demonstrative adjectives? We’ve got you. Finding masculine and feminine words confusing? It’s all good. Our grammar topic pages, with your progress at the top, provide a built-in reference tool whenever you want to study so you can reinforce your existing knowledge or prep for what’s coming next. Gain a deeper level of understanding with additional tips and mini-explanations. 

Learn your way

You can use Grammar Review in a variety of ways that best suit your learning style. Test your grammar knowledge by selecting the ‘Practise now’ button to begin a review session on all the topics you’ve covered so far. Explore each topic listed at the bottom of Grammar Review or select ‘Go to lesson’ to revisit a particular subject in more context.

Which language courses have Grammar Review?

You’ll find the confidence-boosting Grammar Review tool in the following complete language courses:

• English
• Spanish
• French
• Italian
• Japanese
• Dutch
• German

We’re working hard to include these in the other languages we offer, so watch this space for future updates!

See how Grammar Review can boost your understanding of a new language, improving your skills so you feel confident to join the conversation. 

Need more proof? Here’s what other language learners already using this powerful personalised revision tool think.

★★★★★ – Krystle

Great language learning program for grammar nerds

I’ve tried a few language-learning apps and websites, and Busuu is my favourite so far. What I love most is that it explains all the grammar rules without overcomplicating things…

★★★★★ – Sabrina

Better than Babbel or DuoLingo

I like that the learning experience is individualized. I can feel how I’m improving with just consistently learning 5 minutes a day… and the grammar is implemented, so that you learn it as you go.

★★★★★ – Ricardo

Review after one month

I’ve been using Busuu for nearly one month to learn Dutch and French… I love how concise and clear the grammar explanations are. It goes straight to the point.

See more reviews…

Try Grammar Review for free

Not already a Busuu Premium learner? Start a free trial today to elevate your skills and see how daily practice in lessons and Grammar Review can help you achieve your language learning goals. Got Premium status? Log into your account on www.busuu.com to try our new and improved Grammar Review on the web. All feedback helps us continuously improve, so please share your thoughts by emailing team@busuu.com.

The post Grammar Review on web has landed! appeared first on Busuu Blog.

Watch and learn…

By watching and listening to native speakers in a variety of regional accents, you can mirror the movements needed for accurate speech, leading to better pronunciation and speaking skills. 

Feel like you’re there… 

Filmed in real, native-speaking locations, video bites show you glimpses of local cultures, helping you learn the most authentic way of speaking a new language. From recognisable tourist spots around the world to bustling cafes and more formal settings, you’ll soon know exactly how to use your skills in real life.

Created by Busuu experts… 

You’ll find pronunciation-perfecting video bites throughout the beginner and intermediate levels of 8 of our complete language courses:

• English
• English for Business
• Spanish
• Latin American Spanish
• French
• German
• Japanese
• Korean
• Italian 

Watch out for upcoming video bites in the German for Business course and the higher levels of the languages listed. Soon to become your favourite learning exercise, these engaging videos help reinforce your listening and speaking skills, motivating you to keep learning.

Don’t just take our word for it. Other language learners love them too! Since we started trialling video bites, the feedback has been extremely positive, highlighting yet another must-have Busuu tool to help you master languages…

★★★★★

Easy to learn!

Since native voices and videos are used, even beginners can have fun and learn in an easy-to-understand manner!

★★★★★

Me encanta que los audios y videos, sean de personas nativas del inglés.

English Translation: I love that the audios and videos are from native English speakers.

So what are you waiting for? If you’re already using Busuu, go and check them out for yourself, and let us know what you think by emailing team@busuu.com so we can keep learning and improving together. 

Jump into a lesson to see video bites now

New to busuu? Download the app (available on iOS and Android), or learn on the web at www.busuu.com and boost your confidence with video bites.

          Let’s go!          

The post Video bites: The authentic way to learn languages appeared first on Busuu Blog.

After all, while mastering some languages can feel like climbing your own personal Everest, there’ll be other languages that you’ll be able to pick up much faster. 

So, instead of fighting an uphill battle or plowing on with a language you’re not loving, why not let us tell you which language you’re destined to power through in record time?

Looking for your language soulmate?

Before getting into the nitty gritty of vocab, verb conjugations and all that other hullabaloo, it’s worth asking yourself: which language will I find the easiest to learn? 

Discover which language will be easiest for you and choose from 14 languages that we offer.

Get started for free

Your unique language experience could make some languages easier to learn than others. Success in the language-learning department depends on a bunch of things: where you’re from; what you’re good at; and even what – or whom – you choose to surround yourself with. In truth, a lot of it comes down to the individual. 

That said, there’s no denying that there are languages that many people find easier to learn!  This list in particular focuses on easy languages to learn for English speakers, based on how long it takes to learn them according to data from the US Department of State.

So, what is the easiest foreign language to learn?

10 Easiest Languages Chart

If you were wondering, “What is the easiest language to learn?,” it’s true that it depends on what languages you speak already. However, some languages are just generally considered harder than others.

Foreign languages that have more complex grammar rules, unique writing systems, and trickier pronunciation for non-speakers, regardless of their previous language-learning experience, will be harder for everyone. In fact, many of the hardest languages to learn have unique writing systems, complex grammar, or tonal elements – meaning you have to master vocal pitches on top of everything else.

These languages, on the other hand, are relatively simple, especially for English speakers. They use the Roman alphabet, don’t rely on tone or pitch to add meaning, and in many cases share some vocabulary with English!

The top 10 easiest languages to learn, according to experts

To say any language is an easy language to learn is speaking relatively, of course. Mastering any language takes a little time and elbow grease! 

But, if you’re looking for something you can gain fluency in quickly – or are finding that your tongue is tripping on the language you thought you wanted to learn – these are the top options for English speakers.

1. Dutch

Approximate time to learn: 24 weeks (600 class hours)

Where it’s spoken: Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname, Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten

Dutch is a Germanic language with significant grammatical and vocabulary overlap with English. In fact, among widely spoken languages, it’s the one that’s most similar to English.

For example, the Dutch word for ‘workplace’ is werkplaats, ‘rainfall’ is regenval, and if you wanted to say ‘pardon me?’ because you didn’t understand something someone said, you’d say Pardon, wat zei u? (pronounced “pahr-dohn, vat zay ew?”)

Worth noting: Technically speaking, Frisian, another much less common Germanic language is the most linguistically similar language to English, but given that there are only around half a million speakers put together of three different Frisian dialects, resources and opportunities to learn and practice Frisian are much fewer!

2. Spanish

Approximate time to learn: 24 weeks (600 class hours)

Where it’s spoken: Official status in 20 different countries, including Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Cuba, and many more

Experts often list Spanish as the easiest language to learn, period. But why is Spanish an easy language to learn? Because Spanish pronunciation is fairly straightforward, the grammar is more flexible than other Romance languages, and it shares some vocabulary with English as well as the other Romance languages.

Plus, as one of the most spoken languages in the world, there are tons of resources available to help you learn, and native speakers are easy to find.

3. Italian

Approximate time to learn: 24 weeks (600 class hours)

Where it’s spoken: Italy, San Marino, Switzerland, Vatican City

Italian is a famously beautiful language, but is Italian an easy language to learn? We say yes! Italian pronunciation is very predictable once you understand how sounds are translated into spelling, and Italian grammar is easy enough to master. 

And if you happen to have taken Latin in school, you’ll likely have even more of a leg up as Italian is probably the closest living language to Latin.

4. Swedish

Approximate time to learn: 24 weeks (600 class hours)

Where it’s spoken: Sweden, Finland (along with Finnish)

While a little further away on the family tree than Dutch, Swedish and the other Scandinavian languages (like Norwegian and Danish) are also Germanic languages, like English. That makes them relatively easy for English speakers to pick up.

While Swedish pronunciation can be a little tricky – it has three additional vowels you’ll have to tackle – the grammar is fairly simple and Swedish vocabulary has some overlap with English, making it another great option if you’re looking to learn an easy language. 

Worth noting: Norwegian and Danish are also easy languages to learn in the same family and take around the same amount of study. We picked Swedish to represent the Scandinavian languages because it’s the most widely spoken, but you can consider all three worthy entries for this list!

5. Portuguese

Approximate time to learn: 24 weeks (600 class hours)

Where it’s spoken: Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, Macau

While we’ve been looking at languages from an English perspective, if you find yourself asking, “What is the easiest language to learn for Spanish speakers?” Portuguese would probably be it!

Portuguese can be a little trickier in terms of pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary than Spanish or Italian, but is still a pretty easy language to learn in the grand scheme of things. And if you already speak some Spanish, all the better!

The big thing to note is that there’s a pretty noticeable difference between European and Brazilian Portuguese, which evolved new phrases and words to reflect the many cultures and peoples represented in South America.

Already figured out which language you’re likely to ace?

Get straight to learning with Busuu.

Start learning for free

6. Romanian

Approximate time to learn: 24 weeks (600 class hours)

Where it’s spoken: Romania, Moldova

You may be surprised to see Romanian on this list, but in fact, it’s another Romance language, meaning it shares linguistic DNA with Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and French. 

Sure, there’s a Slavic influence on the language, and you’ll have to get used to a few unfamiliar diacritics and some grammatical quirks if you choose to learn Romanian. But it should nonetheless be surprisingly smooth sailing, if you have the time and motivation to learn!

7. French

Approximate time to learn: 30 weeks (750 class hours)

Where it’s spoken: Official status in 28 different countries, including France, Belgium, Canada, Haiti, Cameroon, Rwanda, Madagascar, Equatorial Guinea, and many more

French is widely spoken – and widely considered the language of love! So, of course, many prospective learners wonder, is French an easy language to learn? And the answer is, generally, yes! Although as you can see, it takes a little more work to master than the first six entries on this list. 

French is a little trickier for a few reasons. First, because many of the verb conjugation endings sound fairly similar, spoken French needs pronouns and context that can often be dropped in some of the other Romance languages. Plus, the pronunciation and spelling can be trickier for new French learners.

And finally, like Portuguese, the dialects of French can be very different, with wide variations in pronunciation and vocabulary (though always mutually intelligible!).

The good news is, French shares more vocabulary with English than any other Romance language thanks to the historical connections between France and England!

8. German

Approximate time to learn: 36 weeks (900 class hours)

Where it’s spoken: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Switzerland

Is German an easy language to learn? Yes and no. Since it is a Germanic language – albeit one of the ones least like English – English speakers will have a big advantage when starting to learn German. Pronunciation can be a little tricky at first, but is fairly straightforward once you get the hang of it.

However, German grammar is infamously befuddling, which is probably why it takes a little longer to learn than, say, Swedish or Dutch.

9. Malay

Approximate time to learn: 36 weeks (900 class hours)

Where it’s spoken: Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia

Learners who want to look past European languages might ask, what is the easiest Asian language to learn? And that would have to be Malay – although Indonesian, a close linguistic cousin to Malay, deserves a special mention too.  

Worth noting: For many years, Malay and Indonesian were considered the same language, and names are still tricky. For our purposes, when we say Malay we mean Malaysian Malay (a.k.a. Bahasa Melayu or Bahasa Malaysia), while Bahasa Indonesia is what we’re calling Indonesian.

Both languages use the Roman alphabet, are fairly straightforward to pronounce, and Malay grammar – though very different from English – is easy to use once you know the rules.

So why does Malay edge out Indonesian for ease of learning? Because Malay has a fairly notable overlap with English due to the former British colonial presence in Singapore and Malaysia. 

10. Swahili

Approximate time to learn: 36 weeks (900 class hours)

Where it’s spoken: Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania

Last but certainly not least, if you’re looking for a new language to learn, consider Swahili! It’s a Bantu language, meaning it can open the door to hundreds of other related African languages, and it’s technically no harder to learn than German! 

Swahili shares a significant number of loan words with English and even more with Arabic, so if you have any Arabic under your belt, this could be a great choice for you.

And those are the 10 easiest languages to learn!

But remember: while these may be considered the easiest, they may not necessarily be the easiest ones for you.

For example, let’s say you were wondering, is Korean an easy language to learn? 

The truth is that in terms of sheer hours you’d need to put in to learn fluent Korean, it’s one of the hardest languages for English speakers to learn. The US Department of State says it takes 88 weeks of study to learn Korean (as compared to the 24 to 36 weeks of the other languages on this list). 

But if you have a passion for Korean culture or Korean friends and family to help you practice, you’d probably find that you have more motivation and opportunities to work on your Korean! In that case, Korean would probably be much easier for you to learn than, say, Romanian.

What makes a language easy to learn for you? 6 factors to consider

Wondering how the quiz works? Here’s the low-down on our logic.

1. Your native language

When you’re diving into a new foreign language, you’ll naturally turn to your mother tongue as your reference point. This means you’ll likely find it easier to learn a foreign language that shares similarities with your native language. 

For example, it’s no coincidence that many native English speakers find French to be an easy language to learn, despite some of the technical challenges. There are a whopping 10,000 English words that closely resemble French words (we like to call these cognates).

And if you’re already fluent in a Romance language like French? Well, chances are that you’ll find it easier to learn another language in the Romance family, like Spanish or Italian.

2. Your exposure to other foreign languages

Whether you’re an English speaker and your grandparents speak Italian, or you’re Japanese and you love rocking out to Drake’s biggest hits in English, any exposure to a foreign language will probably mean you’ve already started picking up bits and pieces without realizing it. 

So, if you have to choose between learning a foreign language from scratch and learning one that allows you to build on your existing knowledge? It’s a no-brainer.

3. Your strengths as a language learner

While some of us may have a knack for grammar, others might get their kicks out of memorizing a bunch of vocabulary – or even a whole new alphabet. 

Whatever your language talents may be, it’s worth identifying them when you’re considering what the easiest foreign language might be for you. Pick a language that’ll play to your strengths and you’ll find the ‘hardest’ parts of learning a particular language can be the most fun!  

4. Your grasp of grammatical structures 

The way you understand grammar will, again, naturally link back to the patterns and structures you’re used to seeing in your native language. And for that reason, you’ll often find  easy languages to learn among foreign languages that have similar sentence structures and word orders to your mother tongue.

5. Your pronunciation

They say where you’re from helps you decide where you’re going – and the same is true for deciding which foreign language you’ll find the easiest to learn. 

A massive part of mastering any language is the speaking part – so if you choose to learn a language that uses similar sounds to the ones you’re already used to pronouncing, you’ve already won a large part of the learning battle. 

For instance, Scottish folks who’re used to rolling their ‘r’s find Spanish pronunciation easier than most!

6. Your motivation

Having said all that, don’t forget that you’ve got to actually want to learn a language to find the learning process ‘easy.’ Because, as much as we’d all like to think otherwise, learning a new language doesn’t happen overnight.  

It takes time and effort to learn and perfect any skill, so, what is the easiest language to learn? It may just be the language you’ve got the most motivation to pursue. 

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papá (Dad)  –  papa (potato)

cómo (how)  –  comó (he ate)

tú (tea)  – tu (you)

Now we can’t speak for everyone, but we’re pretty sure most dads wouldn’t appreciate being called a potato!

So if your current method is to find a website and copy and paste the á, é, í, ó, ú, ü, and ñ, we’re here to tell you – there’s a better way! 

In this article, we’re going to teach you:

• How to type out Spanish accents on a Mac, PC or smartphone 
• More about each of the Spanish accents – how to read, write and pronounce them.

Are you ready to step away from copy-paste, and into Spanish fluency? ¡Vamos!

How to type out Spanish accents 

The first trick we want to teach you is the absolute easiest! 

Here is trick #1. It works for all Spanish letters: á, é, í, ó, ú, ñ, ü

1. On the keyboard, simply hold down the letter you want to accent. 
2. A small box with letter choices will pop up
3. Select which accented version of the letter you want. 

For example, holding down the n key will cause a box with ñ and ń to appear. You can then simply click on it, or type the corresponding number.

This trick works across multiple computers and phones, but not in all programs. We’ve tested it on plenty of popular sites (Gmail, Google Docs, Facebook, WhatsApp, and of course, Busuu) and it works on them all. However, it is certainly not foolproof. So if it doesn’t work for you, simply keep reading for more typing tricks.

Master Spanish accents like a pro!

Don’t let Spanish accents intimidate you any longer. With Busuu, learning to write and type words with Spanish accents is a breeze. Start your language learning journey with Busuu today!

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How to type Spanish accents on a MAC computer

If simply holding down the key doesn’t work for you, never fear, there’s another easy way to add the right Spanish accents to your writing.

To get accented vowels on a Mac:

1. Hold down the Option/Alt key (⌥) and the e key. 
2. Release both keys 
3. Type the letter that you want to accent.

To write an email to your Papá, for example, you would use Alt/Option + E, then type A to get á

How to type Spanish accents on a PC 

In order to use the international keyboard to type Spanish accents, you need to select a new keyboard layout. Head to the Control Panel > Keyboard > select English (international). You might need to restart for it to take effect. 

Then you can use the following shortcuts:

• For accented vowels, press Ctrl + ‘, then the vowel you want to accent.
• For the Spanish ñ, press Ctrl + ~, then the n key.

If that doesn’t work, try the special character codes. Each accented character can be entered with a four-digit code. Simply press the “alt” key, then enter the Spanish accent codes below using the right-hand side keypad.

How to type Spanish accents on mobile phones

Most new mobile phones, across both Apple and Android operating systems, will allow you to type an accented letter simply by long-pressing on the letter on the keypad.

The various options for that letter will appear in a small box, and you can make a selection.

The other option is to change your phone’s language settings. This is also a great trick to boost your language learning!

Simply navigate to Settings > Language > then select Spanish (or any language you are learning).

Your phone will then switch over to Spanish – so be prepared for a steep learning curve. You might want to brush up on your Spanish before you make the switch!

There are three different types of Spanish accents:

Spanish accents: The essential guide

Now you’ve learned how to type out Spanish accents, it’s time to learn how to navigate them

• the tilde (ñ)
• the acute accent (é)
• the diaeresis (ü)

Spanish n: the tilde (ñ)

That little squiggle above the n in Spanish words such as España, niño and otoño is called a tilde (although confusingly, in Spanish it’s called la virgulilla or la tilde de la eñe). 

In Spanish, ‘n’ and ‘ñ’ are considered to be two completely separate letters, and a typical Spanish keyboard will have separate keys for both.

In the majority of cases, the ñ is used in place of a ‘double n’, or the ne/ni in Latin.

Pronunciation tip: To pronounce the Spanish ñ correctly, think of the ‘ny’ sound in the English word canyon.

The acute accent: (é)

The Spanish acute accent looks like a little slash. It is always written from left to right on the vowels: ‘á’, ‘é,’ ‘í’, ‘ó’, ‘ú’.  And we’ll let you in on a little secret: it only appears once per word. 

¡No te preocupes! Don’t worry, we’re not going to turn into a linguistics professor on you. But we do want to point out the three main reasons why you’ll see the acute accent used in a word, to make it easier for you to spot where and why the accent is needed.

1. The accent indicates that the normal rules of word stress don’t apply. Instead, the pronunciation stress will always be on the accented letter. Take a look at the two words below and note the different stresses:

• Célebre (celebrity) – Here, the stress is on the first syllable – CELebre
• Celebré (I celebrated) – Here, the stress is on the last syllable – celeBRE

2. We also use the accent when asking questions. Take a look at the two examples below and notice where the accent is used.

• ¿Cuánto es? (How much is it?)
• No puedo ver cuanto es (I can’t see how much it is)

• ¿Dónde estás? (Where are you?)
• Siempre sé donde ir  (I always know where to go)

3. The other common use of the acute accent is when writing to distinguish otherwise identical words. Wouldn’t it be great if English had this trick, too? We’re looking at you bat, bank, ring, live, letter, minutes.

• Si (if) – Sí (yes)
• Te (you) – Té (tea)
• Tu (your) – Tú (you)
• Mas (but) – Máa (more)

Pronunciation tip: Make sure you are pronouncing the accented syllable louder or longer than the others in the sentence.

The Diaeresis in Spanish (ü)

The least common of the Spanish accents is the diaeresis. It is only used above the letter ‘u’, and it always fits snugly in between a ‘g’ and either and ‘e’ or ‘i’. For example:

• bilingüe – bilingual
• pingüino – penguin
• argüir – to argue

As the ‘u’ is often silent following a g in Spanish, the ü is used to indicate that you need to pronounce both the g sound and the u sound. 

Pronunciation tip: To pronounce the diaeresis, think of the gw sound like in Gwen Stefani.

Speak Spanish in just 10 minutes a day 

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We know Spanish pronunciation can be hard to master, especially if you don’t live in a Spanish speaking country. That’s why the Busuu app makes it easy for you to get authentic conversation practise with feedback from native Spanish speakers – without the pressure of a live conversation.

Try it out for yourself and see how fast you can pick up a new language when you have the right tools!

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The post Spanish accents: Seriously useful tricks to use, type and master appeared first on Busuu Blog.

With roughly 7,000 beautiful and diverse languages spoken in the world today, there are many incredible languages to explore. Sadly, some of these languages are less widely spoken than others. Take Busuu, for example – we’re named after a language spoken by only eight people.

Others are spoken by huge populations across many different countries, making them popular choices among language learners. 

If your language-learning goals include communicating with others or boosting your career, you may want to consider learning one of the most spoken languages in the world (according to Ethnologue).

So, to learn more about the twelve most spoken languages in 2023 in terms of total speakers, read on!

The top 12 most spoken languages in the world

1. English – 1.5 Billion
2. Mandarin Chinese –  1.1 Billion
3. Hindi –  609.5 million
4. Spanish – 559.1 million
5. French –  309.8 million
6. Standard Arabic –  274.0 million
7. Bengali –  272.8 million
8. Portuguese –  263.6 million
9. Russian – 255.0 million
10. Urdu –  231.7 million
11. Indonesian – 199.1 million
12. Standard German – 133.2 million

Source: Ethnologue

1. English (1,452 million speakers)

Language family: Germanic, a subfamily of Indo-European

Related to: German, Dutch, Frisian

Fun fact: The English word “goodbye” was originally a contraction of “God be with ye”.

With over 1.4 Billion speakers, English is the most spoken language in the world.

It’s also the official language of the sky – all pilots have to speak and identify themselves in English.

Not only is Shakespeare considered one of the greatest dramatists of all time, but over his lifespan he added an incredible amount of words to the English language – about 1,700, to be exact. How’d he do it? By changing nouns into verbs, verbs into nouns, connecting some words with each other and adding prefixes or suffixes to others.

2. Mandarin Chinese (1,120 million speakers)

Language family: Sino-Tibetan

Related to: Cantonese, Tibetan, Burmese

Fun fact: Research suggests that – though Mandarin Chinese has as many as 50,000 characters – you’ll only need around 2,500 characters to be able to read around 98 percent of everyday written Chinese.

In terms of native speakers alone, Mandarin Chinese is by far the most spoken language in the world, and when you count those who speak it as a second language, it comes in at a close second to English for the total number of speakers.

It’s an official language of mainland China, Taiwan, and Singapore and one of the six official languages of the United Nations. Plus it’s used, along with English, as a lingua franca for business and tourism in some other parts of Asia. So it’s not surprising that there are approximately 1.1 Billion speakers worldwide!

Mandarin is a tonal language, which means that the meaning of a word changes based on the way the pitch of your voice rises and falls when you pronounce it.

That, plus those 50,000 characters, makes it one of the most complex languages to learn.

But don’t worry: there are no verb conjugations, no tenses and no gender-specific nouns in Mandarin Chinese, so learning it might not be as hard as it sounds – especially if you have more of a musical ear and less of a knack for complex grammar.

3. Hindi (609.5 million speakers)

Language family: Indo-Aryan, a subfamily of Indo-European

Related to: Bengali, Punjabi, Marathi, Kashmiri, Nepali

Fun fact: If you’re an English speaker, you probably already know some Hindi. Do words like ‘guru,’ ‘jungle,’ ‘karma,’ ‘yoga,’ ‘bungalow,’ ‘cheetah,’ and ‘avatar’ ring a bell? These words (and many more!) have been borrowed from Hindi.

There are about 610 million Hindi speakers, making it the third most spoken language in the world. It’s the official language of India, but is also spoken in countries such as Nepal, Fiji, Mauritius and Guyana.

Hindi is highly influenced by Sanskrit and named after the Persian word hind, which means – quite literally – “Land of the Indus river.”

4. Spanish (559.1 million speakers)

Language family: Romance, a subfamily of Indo-European

Related to: French, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian

Fun fact: The first modern novel and the second most translated book after the Bible was written in Spanish. Which novel? Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, of course!

22 countries over four continents have Spanish as one of their official languages, and it’s already the second most-studied language in the world.

In fact, researchers believe that, within three generations, ten percent of the world’s population will be able to communicate in Spanish!

This is great news for native English speakers. After all, our language experts deemed Spanish to be the easiest foreign language for English speakers to learn! Experts say it takes just 22 to 24 weeks to reach general professional proficiency in the language.

Want to learn Spanish today?

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5. French (309.8 million speakers)

Language family: Romance

Related to: Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian

Fun fact: About 45 per cent of modern English words are of French origin.

In spite of what Hollywood movies might tell you, the language of love doesn’t solely exist on moonlit walks in Paris.

Spoken across different parts of the world – from the rest of France and parts of Canada, to French Polynesia and the Caribbean, to a number of African countries, including Senegal and Madagascar – the French language has spread its roots far and wide. And it’s still growing! While many of the less spoken languages globally are starting to die out, French is one of the 10 fastest growing languages in the world, along with several other languages on this list.

6. Arabic (274 million speakers)

Language family: Semitic, a sub-family of Afro-Asiatic

Related to: Hebrew, Amharic, Aramaic

Fun fact: Arabic has at least 11 words for love, each of them expressing a different stage in the process of falling in love. Now isn’t that a reason to start learning?

With 274 million speakers, Arabic is the sixth most spoken language in the world, and the only one in our top twelve that is written from right to left.

It has also heavily influenced European languages like Spanish and Portuguese thanks to many years of cross-cultural exchange and occupations between Southern Spain and North Africa. In fact, some words sound exactly the same across the different languages.

And Arabic has left its mark on the English language, too. The word coffee, for example, comes from the Arabic word qahwa, and many words in math and science have Arabic roots, including ‘algebra,’ ‘alkaline,’ and ‘chemistry.’

7. Bangla/Bengali (272.8 million speakers)

Language family: Indo-Aryan, a subfamily of Indo-European

Related to: Hindu, Punjabi, Marathi, Kashmiri, Nepali

Fun fact: Though the Bengali script is relatively unknown in the West, it’s actually the fifth most widely-used writing system in the world!

Bengali, sometimes called Bangla in English, is mostly spoken in Bangladesh and India. It is considered by some to be the second most beautiful language after French.

With around 273 million speakers, it’s the seventh most spoken language in the world.

The Bengali alphabet is particularly interesting. It’s actually what’s called a syllabary, like you see in Hangul in Korean and in Japanese hiragana and katakana. That means every consonant has a vowel sound built in, which is quite unusual for most Westerners. 

In Bengali writing, different marks then change the default vowel sound of a syllable and, in doing so, change the meaning of the word!

8. Portuguese (263.6 million speakers)

Language family: Romance, a sub-branch of Indo-European

Related to: Spanish, French, Italian, Romanian

Fun fact: Until recently, the letters ‘k’, ‘w’ and ‘y’ were not part of the Portuguese alphabet. In 2009, a new agreement was signed to standardize spelling forms across different variations.

Portuguese is rooted in the region of Medieval Galicia (which was partly in the north of Portugal and partly in the northwest of Spain), but only a small percent of the 263 million Portuguese speakers actually live in Portugal.

You probably know that it’s the official language of Brazil, which has a population of around 214 million people. But you might be surprised to learn that Portuguese also has the sole official status in Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea, Macau, Cape Verde, and São Tomé and Príncipe!

9. Russian (255 million speakers)

Language family: East Slavic, a subfamily of Indo-European

Related to: Ukrainian, Belarusian

Fun fact: Due to Russia’s presence in space technology, it is a requirement for foreign astronauts to know a certain amount of Russian (as if becoming an astronaut wasn’t already difficult enough!).

With around 255 million speakers living across the world, the ninth most spoken language in the world is Russian. Russian speakers are also among the most spread out in the world, thanks both to Russia’s large geographical size and history, including the use of the Russian language across the former Soviet Union. Today, there are roughly 1 million native Russian speakers in Israel and over 2 million in Germany, plus millions more in neighboring countries like Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.

While Russian grammar is renowned to be a little tricky, Russian only has about 200,000 words. (For context, English has roughly 1 million!)

While this makes memorizing vocabulary a little easier, to make up for the difference, many of those 200,000 words have more than one meaning.

10. Urdu (231.7 million speakers)  

Language family: Indo-Aryan

Related to: Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Kashmiri, Nepali

Fun fact: Dubbed by some as the language of love for its intriguing-sounding and beautiful words, the French language may have some competition on its hands!

Hindi and Urdu speakers can have a simple conversation just fine, provided they keep things relatively simple. After all, Urdu is the lingua franca of Pakistan and linguistically very close to Hindi. 

Urdu, which is also spoken to a lesser extent in India, Nepal, South Africa, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, and has been making its way up the most spoken languages list in the last few years.

11. Indonesian (199.1 million speakers)

Language family: Austronesian

Related to: Malay, Javanese, Sundanese, Madurese etc. 

Fun fact: Indonesian is the name for the standardized lingua franca used in Indonesia, but there are over 700 indigenous languages across the Indonesian archipelago!

Indonesian is a standardized variation of Malay, the official language of Malaysia. It’s the official language of Indonesia, which makes it a shoe-in for most spoken languages. After all, Indonesia is the 4th largest country in the world by population. 

Indonesian is a great example of a widely spoken language that encompasses a number of distinct dialects. Most Indonesians speak at least one of the many, many other languages found around the country.

And despite Western preconceptions, with relatively simple structure and easy pronunciation in its favor, Indonesian is surprisingly easy to learn. 

12. German (133.2 million speakers)

Language family: West Germanic, a subfamily of Indo-European

Related to: English, Frisian, Dutch

Fun fact: Thanks to the way German grammar works, German is known for its seemingly endless sentences.

Often referred to as the language of writers and thinkers, German has around 95 million native – and just over 38 million non-native – speakers worldwide, and is the most spoken native language among citizens of the European Union.

It’s an official language of Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, and Luxembourg.

German is especially well known for its ability to create completely new and super specific words that capture unique ideas and feelings.

Schadenfreude, for example, literally means ‘damage happiness,’ and is used to describe the happiness or entertainment derived from someone else’s misfortune, injury or pain. Kummerspeck, literally ‘grief bacon,’ refers to weight gained from emotional eating.

Ready to learn one of the languages in our top 12 list?

Busuu offers 14 languages for you to choose from. Pick a language today and start your journey with our free online courses and resources designed by language experts. 

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