16 Most Spoken Languages in the World

According to Statista 2023 data, English is the Most Spoken Language in the World.

This article covers the Top 16 Most Spoken Languages in the World in their order of hierarchy. Language is a fundamental aspect of human communication and serves as a bridge that connects individuals, communities, and cultures. With over 7.9 billion people inhabiting the globe, linguistic diversity is both vast and intriguing.

Please note that the data might have changed by the time you are reading this article.

Table of Contents

The 16 Most Spoken Languages in the World

Nr.	Languages	Speakers Worldwide	Geographical Distribution
1	English	1.5 billion	Widely spoken, global
2	Chinese	1.1 billion	Mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore
3	Hindi	610 million	India, in other South Asian countries
4	Spanish	560 million	Spain, Latin America, USA
5	French	310 million	France, Canada, parts of Africa
6	Arabic	305 million	Middle East, North Africa
7	Bengali	280 million	Bangladesh, India
8	Russian	259 million	France, Canada, and parts of Africa
9	Portuguese	257 million	Portugal, Brazil, Parts of Africa
10	Urdu	232 million	Pakistan, parts of India
11	German	135 million	Germany, Austria, Switzerland
12	Japanese	128 million	Japan, diaspora in other countries
13	Pidgin	127 million	Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea
14	Punjabi	125 million	India, Pakistan
15	Marathi	99.3 million	Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, and Nashik.
16	Telugu	96 million	India, particularly Andhra Pradesh

Source: Statista 2023 data

1. English:

In 2023, there were around 1.5 billion people worldwide who spoke English either natively or as a second language, slightly more than the 1.1 billion Mandarin Chinese speakers at the time of the survey. English, is the most spoken language in the world. With around 375 million native speakers and over 1.5 billion speakers, English is the primary language of business, science, and technology. Its global dominance is a legacy of the British Empire and the influence of the United States.

Speakers: 1.5 billion speakers
Geographical Distribution: Widely spoken, global

2. Mandarin Chinese:

Mandarin Chinese is the second most spoken language in the world with over 1.1 billion native speakers. The languages originate from the northern regions of China and Mandarin is the official language of the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan. Its influence extends beyond Asia, making it an essential language in global business and diplomacy.

It is a tonal language with four main tones and a neutral tone. It uses logograms, characters that represent words or meaningful elements.

Speakers: Over 1.1 billion
Geographical Distribution: China, Taiwan, Singapore

3. Hindi:

Hindi is an Indo-Aryan official language of India spoken by over 610 million people. Part of the Indo-Aryan language family, Hindi uses the Devanagari script. Hindi is not just the official language of India but also the mother tongue of Fiji and numerous other nations. It has a captivating vocabulary and syntax.

Speakers: Over 610 million
Geographical Distribution: India, significant communities in other South Asian countries

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4. Spanish:

with around 560 million native speakers, is the second most spoken language. Originating from the Iberian Peninsula, Spanish spread through Latin America during the colonial era. Today, it is the official language of 21 countries, making it a key player in international communication and culture.

Speakers: Approximately 560 million
Geographical Distribution: Spain, most countries in Latin America

5. French:

French is the language spoken by around 310 million proficient speakers. It is a Romance language with deep cultural and historical roots. It is the official language of France, Belgium, and Canada. French is a language of diplomacy, with the influence of Francophonie extending globally. It is also a language of literature, philosophy, and the arts, contributing significantly to global intellectual and cultural heritage.

Speakers: 310 million speakers
Geographical Distribution: France, Canada, parts of Africa

6. Arabic:

Arabic is a Semitic language spoken by approximately 305 million native speakers. It is the official language of 26 countries across the Middle East and North Africa. The Quran, written in Classical Arabic, has contributed to the language’s influence and importance in Islamic culture.

Its script is written from right to left and has numerous dialects and classical forms.

Speakers: Approximately 305 million
Geographical Distribution: Across the Arab world, parts of Africa and Asia

7. Bengali:

With over 280 million native speakers, Bengali is the official language of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the second most spoken language in India and holds cultural significance as the language of Rabindranath Tagore’s literary works.

Bengali is an Indo-Aryan language and has a distinct script and a rich literary history, including works by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

Speakers: Around 280 million
Geographical Distribution: Bangladesh, parts of India

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8. Russian:

Russian is the most spoken Slavic language with around 259 million native speakers. It is the official language of Russia with significant influence in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. It has a Cyrillic script and a complex system of grammatical cases.

Speakers: Approximately 259 million
Geographical Distribution: Russia, parts of Eastern Europe and Central Asia

9. Portuguese:

Portuguese is spoken by around 257 million people, and it is the official language of Portugal and Brazil. It has a strong presence in South America, Africa, and Asia due to historical colonial influences. Portuguese is a language of rich literary and musical traditions. As a Romance language, Portuguese shares similarities with Spanish. It has diverse dialects and is a prominent language in South America.

Speakers: Over 257 million
Geographical Distribution: Portugal, Brazil, parts of Africa

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10. Urdu:

Urdu is a language spoken by around 232 million speakers and it is the official language of Pakistan. A blend of Persian, Arabic, and various regional languages. Urdu is an Indo-Aryan language written in a modified Perso-Arabic script.

Speakers: Around 232 million
Geographical Distribution: Pakistan, parts of India

11. German:

German is spoken by approximately 135 million speakers. It is the most widely spoken language in the European Union. It is the official language of Germany, Austria, and Liechtenstein, and it is one of the official languages of Switzerland and Luxembourg. German is a West Germanic language with complex compound words.

Speakers: Around 135 million
Geographical Distribution: Germany, Austria, Switzerland

12. Japanese:

It is spoken by around 128 million native speakers. It has a Unique linguistic structure and it uses three writing systems: Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana.

Speakers: Approximately 128 million
Geographical Distribution: Japan

13. Nigerian Pidgin:

Nigerian Pidgin is primarily spoken in Nigeria, where it serves as a lingua franca among people with different native languages. It is spoken by around 127 million speakers and it is most prevalent in urban areas, markets, and among the youth. While its use is concentrated in Nigeria, variations of Pidgin English are also spoken in other West African countries.

Speakers: Approximately 127 million
Geographical Distribution: Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea

14. Punjabi:

Punjabi is spoken by around 125 million native speakers. It is primarily spoken in the Punjab region, divided between India and Pakistan. It is the official language of the Indian state of Punjab and the Pakistani province of Punjab. Punjabi has a rich literary tradition, with renowned poets like Bulleh Shah contributing to its cultural heritage. The language has also gained global recognition due to the Punjabi diaspora in countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. It is an Indo-Aryan language written in the Gurmukhi script.

Speakers: Over 125 million
Geographical Distribution: India, Pakistan, diaspora communities

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15. Marathi:

Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken predominantly by the people of Maharashtra, a state in western India. It is spoken by around 99.3 million speakers. Marathi ranks as the third most widely spoken language in India, primarily concentrated in the state of Maharashtra. Marathi is written in the Devanagari script, the same script used for Sanskrit, Hindi, Konkani, and some other Indian languages.

Speakers: 99.3 million speakers
Geographical Distribution: Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, and Nashik.

16. Telugu:

Telugu is spoken by approximately 96 million people and it is primarily spoken in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It is one of the classical languages of India with a rich literary tradition dating back to the 7th century. Telugu has a prominent role in Indian cinema, known as Tollywood, and its script, Telugu script, is unique and has historical significance.

Speakers: Around 96 million
Geographical Distribution: India, particularly Andhra Pradesh

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