For English speakers, some languages are significantly harder to learn than others. The difficulty depends on several factors, including grammar complexity, pronunciation, writing systems, and cultural differences. Languages that are closely related to English—like French or Spanish—tend to be easier, while those with entirely different structures can take years to master.
If you’re up for the challenge or need professional guidance, enrolling in 補習 (private tutoring) can provide structured lessons to help you tackle even the most complex languages. Here are six of the hardest languages for English speakers to learn.
1. Mandarin Chinese
Mandarin is often ranked as the most difficult language for English speakers to learn. It has four tones, meaning a single word can have different meanings depending on how it is pronounced. Additionally, Chinese characters (Hanzi) do not provide phonetic clues, making reading and writing extremely challenging.
English speakers also struggle with:
- The lack of verb conjugations and tenses, which are replaced by context.
- The thousands of unique characters required for literacy.
- Pronunciation difficulties, especially for tones and unfamiliar sounds.
Despite its difficulty, Mandarin is the most spoken language in the world, and mastering it can open huge career and business opportunities. Many learners find that structured language 課程 (learning platforms) helps break down the complexity into manageable lessons.
2. Arabic
Arabic poses a challenge due to its script, pronunciation, and grammar. Unlike English, Arabic is written from right to left, and the letters change shape depending on their position in a word.
The major difficulties for English speakers include:
- Unfamiliar sounds, such as “ع” (ʿAyn) and “ق” (Qaf), which have no direct English equivalent.
- A completely different alphabet with 28 letters.
- A root-based vocabulary system, where words derive from three-letter roots, making it harder to guess meanings.
With many regional dialects, spoken Arabic varies widely from country to country. However, Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is the form used in news, literature, and formal settings, making it the best starting point for learners.
3. Korean
Korean has a unique writing system called Hangul, which is actually one of the easiest alphabets to learn. However, the grammar structure and honorific system make it extremely challenging for English speakers.
Some of the biggest difficulties include:
- Complex sentence structure, where verbs often come at the end.
- Honorifics and speech levels, requiring different word choices based on social hierarchy.
- Verb conjugation patterns that change depending on formality and politeness levels.
While Hangul itself is simple, Korean grammar and cultural nuances take years to master. Many learners benefit from one-on-one tutoring to practice real-life conversations and grasp the language’s unique structure.
4. Japanese
Japanese is difficult for English speakers for three main reasons: multiple writing systems, complex grammar, and cultural nuances. The language has three different scripts—Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji—making reading and writing extremely challenging.
Here’s what makes Japanese hard:
- Kanji (Chinese characters) require years of memorization—over 2,000 characters for fluency.
- Sentence structure is entirely different from English, requiring particles to indicate grammatical roles.
- Verb endings change based on formality and politeness levels.
Despite its difficulty, Japanese is one of the most rewarding languages to learn, especially for those interested in business, anime, or traveling in Japan.
5. Russian
Russian is difficult for English speakers primarily because of its grammar complexity. The language uses cases, meaning that nouns change form depending on their grammatical role in a sentence.
The major challenges include:
- A different alphabet (Cyrillic), which takes time to master.
- Cases (six in total), which dramatically change how words are used in sentences.
- Unpredictable stress patterns, meaning pronunciation varies depending on context.
However, once learners get past the initial hurdles, Russian becomes more logical over time. The Cyrillic script is easier to learn than Chinese characters, and pronunciation is generally straightforward once you learn the rules.
6. Hungarian
Hungarian is one of the hardest languages for English speakers because it belongs to the Uralic language family, meaning it has no direct relation to English or other European languages.
Key difficulties include:
- A complex case system (Hungarian has 18 cases compared to English’s minimal case usage).
- Unusual sentence structures, make translation tricky.
- Extensive vowel harmony, requiring changes in suffixes based on word structure.
Hungarian is a unique language, meaning that learners cannot rely on cognates (words that sound similar across languages), as they would with French or Spanish.
Final Thoughts: Is It Worth Learning These Difficult Languages?
While these six languages are among the hardest for English speakers, they are also incredibly rewarding to learn. Whether you’re interested in career opportunities, cultural exploration, or personal growth, mastering a difficult language sets you apart and opens new doors.
Though the journey may be long, learning any of these languages is an achievement that brings lifelong benefits!
