The easiest languages for English speakers to learn are generally those that share linguistic roots, vocabulary, grammar, spelling, and pronunciation similarities with English. Based on expert estimates and language learning resources, the top easiest languages include:

Top Easiest Languages for English Speakers

• Norwegian
  Norwegian is considered the easiest language for English speakers due to its close relation as a Germanic language. It shares similar vocabulary and straightforward grammar with no verb conjugation by person or number. Sentence structure is very comparable to English, and pronunciation is flexible due to regional accents

• Dutch
  Dutch, also a Germanic language, sits between English and German and shares a significant amount of vocabulary and grammar with English. Its grammar is simpler than German, though pronunciation can be tricky at first. Sentence structure is similar to English, making it relatively easy to learn

• Spanish
  Spanish is a Romance language but is still one of the easiest for English speakers because many English words derive from Latin. It uses the same alphabet, has many cognates, and is phonetic, so words are pronounced as spelled. Grammar is more complex with verb tenses and gender, but the sentence structure is similar and flexible

• Afrikaans
  Afrikaans is closely related to Dutch and English, with a simple, logical structure and no verb conjugation. It has only three tenses and minimal inflection, making it very accessible for English speakers

• French, Portuguese, Italian, Swedish, Danish, Romanian
  These languages are also relatively easy due to shared Indo-European roots, vocabulary similarities, and somewhat familiar grammar structures, though they may require more time than the top choices

Summary Table

Language| Language Family| Approx. Time to Learn| Key Ease Factors
---|---|---|---
Norwegian| Germanic| ~24 weeks (600 hrs)| Similar grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, flexible pronunciation
Dutch| Germanic| ~24 weeks (600 hrs)| Shared vocabulary, simple grammar, similar sentence structure
Spanish| Romance| ~24-30 weeks (600-750 hrs)| Phonetic, many cognates, shared alphabet, flexible sentence structure
Afrikaans| Germanic| ~24 weeks (600 hrs)| No verb conjugation, simple tenses, logical structure
French| Romance| Moderate| Shared vocabulary, familiar grammar but more complex than Spanish
Portuguese| Romance| Moderate| Similar vocabulary, intonation-based questions, shared roots

In conclusion, Norwegian is often rated as the easiest language for English speakers to learn, closely followed by Dutch and Spanish due to their linguistic similarities and straightforward grammar and pronunciation