The 10 Most Spoken Languages In Europe

Posted by Noelle Montes on Thursday, May 2, 2024

Languages help people connect and cultures unify. They convey history, tradition, and a wealth of knowledge. Although it is rarely discussed, the languages spoken in Europe are diverse and highly unique. As a result, September 26th is designated as European Day of Languages (EDL).

The European Day of Languages (EDL) commemorates European countries’ linguistic heritage and promotes the value of lifelong language learning. Despite the fact that 225 indigenous languages are spoken on this small continent, the European Union recognizes only 24 official languages. But what is the most widely spoken language in Europe? It’s difficult to say! Europe is a vibrant and distinct place because it celebrates many languages and cultures. That is why, in order to highlight Europe’s variety, we have compiled a list of the ten most spoken languages in Europe!

What are The 10 Most Spoken Languages In Europe

The 10 Most Spoken Languages In Europe are as follows:

1. Russian

Russian is the most spoken language in Europe, with 120 million native speakers. This is particularly fascinating because Russian utilises the Cyrillic script, whereas the majority of European languages use the Latin alphabet.

This can make learning Russian as a foreign language difficult for Europeans. Russian is also extensively spoken in several countries in Eastern Europe. It is Russia’s official language, as well as the official language of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Belarus. Were you anticipating Russian to be the most spoken language in Europe?

2. German

German is the second most common language in Europe, spoken by around 13.3% of the population, or 100 million people. It is the official language of Germany, Liechtenstein, and Austria, as well as Switzerland, Belgium, and Luxembourg. German, along with English and French, is one of the European Union’s three procedural languages. As a popular second or third language in many European countries, German is the most frequently understood language after English.

3. French

French ranks third behind Russian and German, with over 80 million native speakers. It is France’s official language, as well as the official languages of Switzerland, Belgium, and Luxembourg. The global impact of French is particularly amazing, as 29 countries claim it as an official language, and approximately 45% of modern English words are of French origin. Many international organizations, like the United Nations, the European Union, and the World Trade Organisation, use French as their principal language. It is unquestionably one of Europe’s most widely spoken languages. Do you want to improve your pronunciation? All you have to do is download Tandem and match with a native speaker now!

4. English

You had to expect this one to appear somewhere on the list of the most widely spoken languages in Europe, right? With around 70 million native English speakers, English is Europe’s fourth most widely spoken language. The number of English-speaking expats living in Europe contributes greatly to this figure. It is one of Ireland’s official languages, alongside Irish, and the de facto language of the United Kingdom. English is Europe’s most widely spoken second language, followed by German and French.

5. Turkish

After English, Turkish is the most widely spoken language in Europe. It is the official language of Turkey, and there are around 70 million native Turkish speakers throughout the continent. Turkish is also extensively spoken throughout the Mediterranean, most notably in Macedonia, Greece, Serbia, and other European and Central Asian countries. Turkish is a member of the Ural-Altaic Linguistic Family, which means it is linked to Finnish and Hungarian. Until 1928, Turkish was written using the Arabic alphabet. However, it has now been changed to the Latin alphabet in order to make learning easier and to boost literacy.

6. Italian

Italian is Europe’s sixth most widely spoken language. More than 69 million people speak Italian, and 3% of European Europeans can speak it as a second language. The official language of Italy (obviously), Vatican City, Switzerland, and San Marino, as well as a minority language in Croatia and Slovenia, is Italian. It is classified as a Romance language within the Indo-European language family. Art, music, and classic cuisine are authentic characteristics of Italian culture. Italy is the cradle of opera and one of the most influential countries in fashion design.

7. Spanish

When it comes to Romance languages, 45 million Europeans declare Spanish as their first language. Not only is Spain one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, but learning Spanish will open up entire continents to you. Spanish is the official language of 21 countries and the world’s second most spoken native language, trailing only Mandarin Chinese. Arabic also has lexical effects in Spanish, accounting for 8% of the Spanish dictionary – the second-largest lexical influence on Spanish after Latin.

8. Ukrain

The language of the East Slavic peoples Ukrainian has 45 million native speakers, the vast majority of whom live in Europe. It is the official language of Ukraine and Romania, as well as one of the official languages of Russia. Ukrainian, like Russian, is written in a version of the Cyrillic character. Though Russian and Ukrainian have Old East Slavic roots, the Ukrainian language is more closely related to Belarusian, Czech, Slovakian, and Polish languages. Nonetheless, it is one of the most widely spoken European languages.

10. Romanian

Romanian is ranked last on our list, just ahead of Dutch. The Romanian language is an Eastern Romance language spoken as a native language by roughly 23 million people in Europe. Romanian is spoken largely in Romania, Moldova, and Transnistria. If you enjoy gothic architecture and castles, Transylvania’s cities are for you. If you prefer the great outdoors, the Bucegi Mountains and Bigar Waterfall are two destinations worth visiting in Romania.

Were you surprised to find that English is the most widely spoken language in Europe? Have we piqued your interest in learning in the process? Fortunately, you can learn more about Europe’s distinct languages and cultures by downloading Tandem today.

Tandem is a one-of-a-kind language learning app that connects members with native speakers all over the world. With over 300 languages to select from, you can begin learning one of Europe’s most popular languages or one of the thousands of other languages spoken throughout the world. All you have to do is download the app, choose a native speaker of your desired language, and start conversing! Along the process, you might make some lifetime pals.

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