Top 10 Hardest Languages to Learn

Have you ever imagined yourself as a linguistic genius, adept at juggling many languages? Maybe you speak multiple languages ​​with ease. But have you tried learning any of the top ten most challenging languages ​​for non-native speakers?

These ten languages ​​are not the language for a linguistic amateur but for linguistic beasts who are not easily discouraged! Still interested? Let’s get started and learn why each one offers a special tongue twister.

Related: 10 Extraordinary Languages ​​That Don’t Involve Speaking

10 Mandarin Chinese

Mandarin Chinese is such a vast and intricate language that it leaves many feeling like they are solving a never-ending puzzle. Before we can talk about how verbally challenging this behemoth is, we need to talk about how to write it.

The Mandarin writing system has thousands of unique characters to memorize; Will it break your brain or find your zen in the fluid character style.

If writing Mandarin wasn’t challenging enough for you, now we can discuss the challenges of speaking it. First, the grammar is a whole different beast compared to English and other Western languages. With no items and a unique sentence structure, you may find that building a sentence is the same as building an Ikea desk with no hardware.

And to top it off, Mandarin has four different tones that can completely alter the meaning of a word. You could end up saying someone is ugly when you meant smelly. Neither is great, but one is obviously going to hurt more.

This is a language you might want to ditch the language apps for and learn from a native tutor.

9 arabica

Arabic is a Semitic language that originated in the Arabian Peninsula and is spoken by more than 400 million people. It is the official language of 26 countries and has rich cultural and historical significance.

So why is this language spoken by more than 400 million people so difficult to master? The simple answer is variations. There are many Arabic dialects, and each can differ significantly in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar.

Also, the writing system offers challenges like flowing from right to left. While that can be fairly simple to master, the language also adds letters that can look different depending on their position in a word, with the vowels often incognito. Soon you may feel that you are decoding secret messages. And, like most languages, there’s the proverbial cherry on top of grammar. Arabic is no exception; It’s full of intricate and intriguing verb forms and noun declensions that add to its already difficult level.

8 Japanese

Without a doubt, Japanese deserves a place on this list. More than 128 million people speak Japanese, mostly in, you guessed it, Japan. It’s hard not to be captivated by its unique writing system. However, the social and cultural aspects of the language are what really make it challenging.

First, let’s take a look at Japanese writing. It is an art form that combines Chinese characters (kanji) with two syllabic scripts (hiragana and katakana). Memorization and context will be your allies when you master this style of writing.

The next challenge is one where practice and repetition are all that will help. Japanese takes sentence structure and changes it from what English speakers are used to. Verbs go at the end of a sentence and getting used to this arrangement is not an easy task. Just remember the subject, the object, then the verb, and you’ll be fine.

Now this is what really gets the Japanese a place on the list. Context is king, Japanese culture places great importance on social context, and various levels of courtesy and honorifics must be used correctly. Choosing the wrong one can make or break a conversation, so you have to stay vigilant.

7 Korean

At first glance, you might look at Korean and think it’s not that different from Mandarin or Japanese, but you’d be wrong. It would be like someone from Texas meeting someone from the depths of the Louisiana swamp.

Three things make the Korean language challenging:

1. Grammar

2. Homophones

3. phonetic writing

Korean can be a puzzle for non-native speakers, mainly due to its grammar. Word order, sentence structure, and verb endings are all things language learners will need to master. And just like Japanese, there is the honorific system, where the vocabulary and verb forms change depending on the status of the speaker and the listener. Add double consonants, aspirated consonants, and vowel combinations that could leave English speakers speechless.

The following is a challenge that everyone learning English can relate to. Homophones! Korean is full of homophones: words that sound the same but have different meanings. If you’re not paying attention, you could say leg instead of bridge or fever when you meant ten.

The Hangul writing system can feel like learning to read and write again for English speakers. With phonetic letters representing sounds, unfamiliar characters can be a bit overwhelming.

6 Finnish

Finnish is nothing short of a linguistic roller coaster. It is famous for its mind-blowing grammar, intricate cases, and an intriguing vowel harmony system. Oh yeah, and let’s not forget his extensive compound vocabulary!

Diving headlong into Finnish grammar can feel like tackling a linguistic Rubik’s Cube, with 15 cases to juggle based on sentence structure and context. Then there’s the enticing dance of Finnish vowels, ensuring they fit perfectly into words, not to mention the ever-evolving gradation of consonants. Just typing that sentence is making my head hurt.

But wait, there is more! Finnish vocabulary loves to borrow from other languages, transforming those words to perfectly fit its unique grammar and pronunciation. It’s like a concussion where everyone looks familiar, but you’re not quite sure.

5 Hungarian

Hungarian is known for giving language students a run for their money; it’s no wonder why this linguistic maze made the cut.

Hungarian is an agglutinative language, which means words can be put together by stacking prefixes and suffixes like a Jenga tower. And if that’s not intimidating enough, try wrapping your brain in 18 different cases! In English there are 3.

Also, Hungarian is not related to any Indo-European language, so good luck trying to find a familiar vocabulary. Plus, Hungarian has some truly exotic vowel and consonant sounds that will have you practicing your pronunciation until the cows come home.

To master this one, you’ll need to focus on learning vocabulary in context and delve into the roots of Hungarian words.

4 Basque

Europe’s oldest enigmatic language stands alone, unrelated to any other known language on Earth. So you know it’s going to be a challenge.

Basque is basically an exclusive club. Since it has no linguistic relatives, you won’t find any familiar-sounding cognates or words to help you. You’ll just have to dive deep to learn about complex grammar, agglutinative structure, and peculiar pronunciation. But learning the language could mean a study trip abroad to an idyllic area between France and Spain.

3 Icelandic

You may have heard that Icelandic is a tough nut to crack, and you wouldn’t be wrong! This North Germanic language has held on to its Viking roots better than Thor grips his hammer. Iceland’s isolation means the language remains relatively unchanged, making it a challenge to learn, but also a linguistic time capsule.

The Icelandic grammatical system is the main challenge. There are four different cases for nouns, adjectives, and pronouns, each with their own rulebook for declension. Also, there are irregular verbs that you need to remember.

The Icelanders’ love affair with declination doesn’t end there, folks. Each noun comes with its own declension pattern, altering according to gender and case. Basically, you have to possess Loki’s silver tongue to master Icelandic.

To top it off, the Icelandic vocabulary is like Odin’s treasure room. There are words derived from Old Norse, a plethora of compound words, and neologisms (that’s a fancy word for new words). But if you’re reading this, you probably already knew that.

2 Polish

Polish grammar is a wild ride! With seven cases for nouns, adjectives, and pronouns, the ending of each word changes depending on its role in a sentence. And once you get to the verbs, each one can have up to six different tenses.

Pronunciation and inflection are the secret seasoning of this sausage. Your inflection modifies nouns, verbs, prepositions, and conjunctions. And you can’t miss the pronunciation either. Polish has a treasure trove of unique sounds, such as nasal vowels and consonant clusters, that can cause non-native speakers to slur their tongues.

1 navajo

Navajo, a Native American language spoken primarily in the American Southwest, is a real test for language enthusiasts. Navajo grammar is like a puzzle, with prefixes and suffixes being put together to make words. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! The language also features a captivating tonal system where pitch and stress can transform the meaning of words and phrases.

If for any reason you doubt how challenging a Navajo language can be, this is probably the biggest social proof you will ever find. During World War II, the Allies used Navajo code talkers to transmit sensitive information because the language was too difficult to learn and could be deciphered by the enemy. So yeah, good luck with that.