Language is a system of communication that enables humans to express and exchange thoughts, ideas, and emotions. There are approximately 7,117 languages spoken in the world today, It is a fundamental aspect of human culture and social interaction, and it plays a crucial role in shaping our perceptions and experiences of the world around us.
There are thousands of languages spoken around the world, each with its own unique structure, vocabulary, and cultural context. Some languages are spoken by millions of people, while others are endangered and at risk of becoming extinct.
Language is not just a means of communication, but also a powerful tool for identity and expression. It allows individuals to connect with others who share similar experiences and beliefs, and to express themselves in ways that are meaningful and authentic.
The study of language is a vast and complex field, encompassing areas such as linguistics, psycholinguistics, sociolinguistics, and anthropology. Researchers in these fields study the structure and function of language, its origins and evolution, the social and cultural factors that shape its use, and its role in cognitive development and communication.
In today's globalized world, language learning has become increasingly important, as it enables individuals to communicate and connect with people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Learning a new language can also enhance cognitive function, promote cultural understanding, and open up new opportunities for personal and professional growth.
It's difficult to determine the exact number of languages because there are different criteria for what constitutes a distinct language versus a dialect or a variation of a language. Additionally, there are many languages that are endangered and not well-documented, making it challenging to gather accurate information about them.
The top 100 most popular languages along with their full descriptions, origins, countries, and example words. However, I can provide a list of the top 10 most widely spoken languages in the world, along with some basic information:
1) Mandarin Chinese
Origin: China, over 3,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in China, Taiwan, and Singapore
Description: Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world, with over 1 billion speakers. It is a tonal language, meaning that the meaning of words can change based on the tone in which they are spoken.
Popularity: Very popular, due to China's growing economic and cultural influence
Example words: 你好 (nǐ hǎo, hello), 谢谢 (xiè xie, thank you), 再见 (zài jiàn, goodbye)
2) Spanish
Origin: Spain, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Spain, Mexico, and Central and South America
Description: Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world, with over 500 million speakers. It is a Romance language, meaning that it evolved from Latin.
Popularity: Very popular, due to the large number of Spanish speakers and the growing importance of Latin American economies
Example words: hola (hello), gracias (thank you), adiós (goodbye)
3) English
Origin: United Kingdom, around 1,400 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia
Description: English is the third most widely spoken language in the world, with over 1.5 billion speakers. It is a Germanic language, meaning that it evolved from the languages spoken by Germanic tribes.
Popularity: Extremely popular, due to the global dominance of English-speaking countries and the widespread use of English in international business, politics, and education
Example words: hello, thank you, goodbye
India |
4) Hindi
Origin: India, around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in India
Description: Hindi is the fourth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 500 million speakers. It is an Indo-Aryan language, meaning that it evolved from Sanskrit.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of Hindi speakers and the growing importance of India's economy
Example words: नमस्ते (namaste, hello), धन्यवाद (dhanyavaad, thank you), अलविदा (alavida, goodbye)
5) Arabic
Origin: Arabian Peninsula, around 1,400 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in the Middle East and North Africa
Description: Arabic is the fifth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 420 million speakers. It is a Semitic language, meaning that it evolved from the languages spoken by the Semitic peoples of the Middle East.
Popularity: Popular, due to the importance of Arabic in the Islamic world and the increasing influence of Middle Eastern economies
Example words: مرحبا (marhabaan, hello), شكرا (shukraan, thank you), مع السلامة (ma'a assalama, goodbye)
6) Portuguese
Origin: Portugal, around 900 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Portugal, Brazil, and Angola
Description: Portuguese is the sixth most widely spoken language in the world
7) Bengali
Origin: India and Bangladesh, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal
Description: Bengali is the seventh most widely spoken language in the world, with over 250 million speakers. It is an Indo-Aryan language, meaning that it evolved from Sanskrit.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of Bengali speakers and the growing importance of Bangladesh's economy
Example words: হ্যালো (halo, hello), ধন্যবাদ (dhonnōbaad, thank you), বিদায় (bidaay, goodbye)
8) Russian
Origin: Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Russia and the former Soviet republics
Description: Russian is the eighth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 258 million speakers. It is a Slavic language, meaning that it evolved from the languages spoken by Slavic peoples.
Popularity: Popular, due to the influence of the former Soviet Union and the importance of Russia's economy
Example words: здравствуйте (zdravstvuyte, hello), спасибо (spasibo, thank you), до свидания (do svidaniya, goodbye)
9) Japanese
Origin: Japan, around 1,300 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Japan
Description: Japanese is the ninth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 128 million speakers. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has no known linguistic relatives.
Popularity: Popular, due to Japan's economic and cultural influence
Example words: こんにちは (konnichiwa, hello), ありがとう (arigatou, thank you), さようなら (sayounara, goodbye)
10) Punjabi
Origin: India and Pakistan, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in India and Pakistan
Description: Punjabi is the tenth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 119 million speakers. It is an Indo-Aryan language, meaning that it evolved from Sanskrit.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of Punjabi speakers and the growing importance of India and Pakistan's economies
Example words: ਸਤ ਸੀ੍ ਅਕਾਲ (sat sri akal, hello), ਸ਼ੁਕਰੀਆ (shukria, thank you), ਅਲਵਿਦਾ (alvida, goodbye)
11) Javanese
Origin: Indonesia, around 1,200 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Indonesia, particularly on the island of Java
Description: Javanese is the eleventh most widely spoken language in the world, with over 98 million speakers. It is a member of the Austronesian language family, which includes languages spoken in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in Indonesia and its cultural significance
Example words: halo (hello), matur nuwun (thank you), sampai jumpa (goodbye)
12) Wu Chinese
Origin: China, around 1,400 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in China, particularly in the Yangtze River Delta region
Description: Wu Chinese is the twelfth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 80 million speakers. It is a member of the Sino-Tibetan language family, which includes Chinese and several other languages spoken in East Asia.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in China and its cultural significance
Example words: 你好 (nǐ hǎo, hello), 谢谢 (xiè xiè, thank you), 再见 (zài jiàn, goodbye)
13) Telugu
Origin: India, around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in India, particularly in the state of Andhra Pradesh
Description: Telugu is the thirteenth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 82 million speakers. It is a Dravidian language, meaning that it evolved from the languages spoken by Dravidian peoples.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in India and its growing importance
Example words: హలో (halo, hello), ధన్యవాదాలు (dhanyavaadaalu, thank you), విదాయం (vidaayam, goodbye)
14) Turkish
Origin: Turkey, around 1,200 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Turkey and Cyprus
Description: Turkish is the fourteenth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 80 million speakers. It is a member of the Turkic language family, which includes several other languages spoken in Central Asia and the Middle East.
Popularity: Popular, due to the influence of the Ottoman Empire and Turkey's growing economy
Example words: merhaba (hello), teşekkür ederim (thank you), hoşça kal (goodbye)
15) Korean
Origin: Korea, around 1,200 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in North and South Korea
Description: Korean is the fifteenth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 77 million speakers. It is a member of the Koreanic language family, which has no known linguistic relatives.
Popularity: Popular, due to the cultural significance of the Korean Wave and the growing importance of Korea's economy
Example words: 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo, hello), 감사합니다 (gamsahamnida, thank you), 안녕히 가세요 (annyeonghi gaseyo, goodbye)
16) Tamil
Origin: India and Sri Lanka, around 2,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in India, Sri Lanka, and Singapore
Description: Tamil is the sixteenth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 75 million speakers. It is a Dravidian language, meaning that it evolved from the languages spoken by Dravidian peoples.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in India and Sri Lanka and its growing importance in the global economy
Example words: வணக்கம் (vaṇakkam, hello), நன்றி (naṉṟi, thank you), பேசாமல் போகும் (pēcāmal pōkum, goodbye)
17) Cantonese
Origin: China, around 1,200 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in China, particularly in the Guangdong province and Hong Kong
Description: Cantonese is the seventeenth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 68 million speakers. It is a member of the Sino-Tibetan language family, which includes Chinese and several other languages spoken in East Asia.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in China and Hong Kong and the growing influence of Hong Kong's economy
Example words: 喂 (wai, hello), 唔該 (m̀hgòi, thank you), 拜拜 (baaibaa, goodbye)
18) Jin Chinese
Origin: China, around 1,200 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in China, particularly in the Shanxi province
Description: Jin Chinese is the eighteenth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 63 million speakers. It is a member of the Sino-Tibetan language family, which includes Chinese and several other languages spoken in East Asia.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in China and its cultural significance
Example words: 你好 (nǐ hǎo, hello), 謝謝 (xiè xiè, thank you), 拜拜 (bài bài, goodbye)
19) Gujarati
Origin: India, around 700 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in India, particularly in the state of Gujarat
Description: Gujarati is the nineteenth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 55 million speakers. It is an Indo-Aryan language, meaning that it evolved from the languages spoken by Indo-Aryan peoples.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in India and its growing importance in the global economy
Example words: હલો (halo, hello), આભાર (ābhār, thank you), આવજો (āvajō, goodbye)
North America |
20) Polish
Origin: Poland, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Poland
Description: Polish is the twentieth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 50 million speakers. It is a member of the Slavic language family, which includes several other languages spoken in Eastern Europe and Asia.
Popularity: Popular, due to the cultural significance of Poland and its growing economy
Example words: cześć (hello), dziękuję (thank you), do widzenia (
21) Ukrainian
Origin: Ukraine, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Ukraine, but also in neighboring countries such as Russia and Poland
Description: Ukrainian is the twenty-first most widely spoken language in the world, with over 45 million speakers. It is a member of the Slavic language family, which includes several other languages spoken in Eastern Europe and Asia.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in Ukraine and its cultural significance
Example words: привіт (pryvit, hello), дякую (dyakuyu, thank you), до побачення (do pobachennya, goodbye)
22) Malay
Origin: Malaysia and Indonesia, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore
Description: Malay is the twenty-second most widely spoken language in the world, with over 43 million speakers. It is an Austronesian language, meaning that it evolved from the languages spoken by Austronesian peoples in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in Southeast Asia and its growing importance in the global economy
Example words: hai (hello), terima kasih (thank you), selamat tinggal (goodbye)
23) Oriya
Origin: India, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in the state of Odisha in India
Description: Oriya, also known as Odia, is the twenty-third most widely spoken language in the world, with over 42 million speakers. It is an Indo-Aryan language, meaning that it evolved from the languages spoken by Indo-Aryan peoples.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in India and its cultural significance
Example words: ନମସ୍କାର (namaskāra, hello), ଧନ୍ୟବାଦ (dhan̐yabāda, thank you), ବିଦାୟ (bidāy, goodbye)
24) Uzbek
Origin: Uzbekistan, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Uzbekistan, but also in neighboring countries such as Kazakhstan and Afghanistan
Description: Uzbek is the twenty-fourth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 41 million speakers. It is a Turkic language, meaning that it evolved from the languages spoken by Turkic peoples in Central Asia and the Middle East.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in Uzbekistan and its growing importance in the global economy
Example words: salom (hello), rahmat (thank you), xayr (goodbye)
25) Yoruba
Origin: Nigeria, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Nigeria, but also in neighboring countries such as Benin and Togo
Description: Yoruba is the twenty-fifth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 40 million speakers. It is a member of the Volta-Niger language family, which includes several other languages spoken in West Africa.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in Nigeria and its cultural significance
Example words: bawo ni (hello), e se (thank you), od'abo (goodbye)
26) Amharic
Origin: Ethiopia, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Ethiopia, but also in neighboring countries such as Eritrea and Somalia
Description: Amharic is the twenty-sixth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 22 million speakers. It is a member of the Semitic language family, which includes several other languages spoken in the Middle East and North Africa.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in Ethiopia and its cultural significance
Example words: ሰላም (sälam, hello), አመሰግናለሁ (amäsgenallhu, thank you), እስማማለሁ (isämmallhu, goodbye)
27) Azerbaijani
Origin: Azerbaijan and Iran, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Azerbaijan and Iran, but also in neighboring countries such as Turkey and Russia
Description: Azerbaijani is the twenty-seventh most widely spoken language in the world, with over 20 million speakers. It is a Turkic language, meaning that it evolved from the languages spoken by Turkic peoples in Central Asia and the Middle East.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in Azerbaijan and its growing importance in the global economy
Example words: salam (hello), sağ olun (thank you), sağlıq (goodbye)
28) Igbo
Origin: Nigeria, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Nigeria, but also in neighboring countries such as Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea
Description: Igbo is the twenty-eighth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 20 million speakers. It is a member of the Volta-Niger language family, which includes several other languages spoken in West Africa.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in Nigeria and its cultural significance
Example words: kedu (hello), daalụ (thank you), kachifo (goodbye)
29) Sindhi
Origin: Pakistan and India, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Pakistan and India, but also in neighboring countries such as Afghanistan and Iran
Description: Sindhi is the twenty-ninth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 18 million speakers. It is an Indo-Aryan language, meaning that it evolved from the languages spoken by Indo-Aryan peoples.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in Pakistan and its cultural significance
Example words: سلام (salaam, hello), مهرباني (mehrbaani, thank you), خدا حافظ (khuda hafiz, goodbye)
30) Somali
Origin: Somalia, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Somalia, but also in neighboring countries such as Kenya and Ethiopia
Description: Somali is the thirtieth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 16 million speakers. It is a member of the Cushitic language family, which includes several other languages spoken in East Africa.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in Somalia and its growing importance in the global economy
Example words: salaam aleikum (hello), mahadsanid (thank you), nabad gelyo (goodbye)
31) Uzbek
Origin: Uzbekistan and neighboring countries, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Uzbekistan, but also in neighboring countries such as Afghanistan and Tajikistan
Description: Uzbek is the thirty-first most widely spoken language in the world, with over 15 million speakers. It is a Turkic language, meaning that it evolved from the languages spoken by Turkic peoples in Central Asia and the Middle East.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in Uzbekistan and its growing importance in the global economy
Example words: salom (hello), rahmat (thank you), xayr (goodbye)
32) Oromo
Origin: Ethiopia, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Ethiopia, but also in neighboring countries such as Kenya and Somalia
Description: Oromo is the thirty-second most widely spoken language in the world, with over 15 million speakers. It is a member of the Cushitic language family, which includes several other languages spoken in East Africa.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in Ethiopia and its cultural significance
Example words: akkam (hello), aadaa (thank you), galatoomi (goodbye)
33) Kazakh
Origin: Kazakhstan and neighboring countries, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Kazakhstan, but also in neighboring countries such as China and Russia
Description: Kazakh is the thirty-third most widely spoken language in the world, with over 12 million speakers. It is a Turkic language, meaning that it evolved from the languages spoken by Turkic peoples in Central Asia and the Middle East.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in Kazakhstan and its growing importance in the global economy
Example words: сәлеметсіз бе (sälemetsiz be, hello), рахмет (rahmet, thank you), сау болыңыз (sau bolıñız, goodbye)
34) Haitian Creole
Origin: Haiti, around 300 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Haiti, but also in other countries such as the Dominican Republic and the United States
Description: Haitian Creole is the thirty-fourth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 12 million speakers. It evolved from a mix of French and African languages spoken by slaves in Haiti during the colonial period.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in Haiti and its cultural significance
Example words: bonjou (hello), mèsi (thank you), orevwa (goodbye)
35) Zhuang
Origin: China, around 2,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in China, but also in neighboring countries such as Vietnam
Description: Zhuang is the thirty-fifth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 10 million speakers. It is a Tai-Kadai language, meaning that it evolved from the languages spoken by Tai-Kadai peoples in Southeast Asia.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in China and its cultural significance
Example words: nyi hou (hello), hnangx moi (thank you), jieq lengx (goodbye)
36) Somali
Origin: Somalia and neighboring countries, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Somalia, but also in neighboring countries such as Ethiopia and Kenya
Description: Somali is the thirty-sixth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 9 million speakers. It is a member of the Cushitic language family, which includes several other languages spoken in East Africa.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in Somalia and its cultural significance
Example words: asalamu alaykum (hello), mahadsanid (thank you), nabad gelyo (goodbye)
37) Akan
Origin: Ghana and neighboring countries, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Ghana, but also in neighboring countries such as Ivory Coast and Togo
Description: Akan is the thirty-seventh most widely spoken language in the world, with over 8 million speakers. It is a Niger-Congo language, meaning that it evolved from the languages spoken by Niger-Congo peoples in West Africa.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in Ghana and its cultural significance
Example words: agoo (hello), medaase (thank you), da yie (goodbye)
38) Kurdish
Origin: Kurdistan (which includes parts of Iraq, Iran, Turkey, and Syria), around 2,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Kurdistan, but also in other countries such as Iran and Turkey
Description: Kurdish is the thirty-eighth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 7 million speakers. It is an Indo-European language, meaning that it evolved from the same language family as English, French, and Spanish.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in Kurdistan and its growing cultural and political significance
Example words: silav (hello), spas (thank you), baş (goodbye)
39) Belarusian
Origin: Belarus, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Belarus, but also in neighboring countries such as Ukraine and Poland
Description: Belarusian is the thirty-ninth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 7 million speakers. It is an East Slavic language, meaning that it evolved from the same language family as Russian and Ukrainian.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Belarus and its cultural significance
Example words: прывітанне (privitanne, hello), дзякуй (dziakuj, thank you), пакідаць (pakidac, goodbye)
South America |
40) Swedish
Origin: Sweden and neighboring countries, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Sweden, but also in neighboring countries such as Finland and Norway
Description: Swedish is the fortieth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 10 million speakers. It is a North Germanic language, meaning that it evolved from the same language family as Danish and Norwegian.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Sweden and its cultural significance
Example words: hej (hello), tack (thank you), adjö (goodbye)
41) Kazakh
Origin: Kazakhstan and neighboring countries, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Kazakhstan, but also in neighboring countries such as China and Russia
Description: Kazakh is the forty-first most widely spoken language in the world, with over 11 million speakers. It is a Turkic language, meaning that it evolved from the same language family as Turkish and Azerbaijani.
Popularity: Popular, due to the large number of speakers in Kazakhstan and its cultural significance
Example words: сәлем (salem, hello), рахмет (rahmet, thank you), қоштасу (qoshtasu, goodbye)
42) Finnish
Origin: Finland and neighboring countries, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Finland, but also in neighboring countries such as Sweden and Russia
Description: Finnish is the forty-second most widely spoken language in the world, with over 5 million speakers. It is a member of the Finno-Ugric language family, which includes several other languages spoken in northern Europe and western Siberia.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Finland and its cultural significance
Example words: hei (hello), kiitos (thank you), näkemiin (goodbye)
43) Norwegian
Origin: Norway and neighboring countries, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Norway, but also in neighboring countries such as Sweden and Denmark
Description: Norwegian is the forty-third most widely spoken language in the world, with over 5 million speakers. It is a North Germanic language, meaning that it evolved from the same language family as Danish and Swedish.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Norway and its cultural significance
Example words: hei (hello), takk (thank you), ha det (goodbye)
44) Georgian
Origin: Georgia, around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Georgia, but also in neighboring countries such as Turkey and Russia
Description: Georgian is the forty-fourth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 4 million speakers. It is a Kartvelian language, meaning that it evolved from the languages spoken by Kartvelian peoples in the South Caucasus region.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Georgia and its unique linguistic features
Example words: გამარჯობა (gamardjoba, hello), მადლობა (madloba, thank you), ნახვამდის (nakhvamdis, goodbye)
45) Albanian
Origin: Albania and neighboring countries, around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Albania, but also in neighboring countries such as Kosovo and North Macedonia
Description: Albanian is the forty-fifth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 5 million speakers. It is an Indo-European language, but it is not closely related to any other known language family.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Albania and its unique linguistic features
Example words: tungjatjeta (hello), faleminderit (thank you), mirupafshim (goodbye)
46) Lithuanian
Origin: Lithuania and neighboring countries, around 2,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Lithuania, but also in neighboring countries such as Poland and Latvia
Description: Lithuanian is the forty-sixth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 3 million speakers. It is a Baltic language, meaning that it evolved from the same language family as Latvian and a few other extinct languages.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Lithuania and its unique linguistic features
Example words: labas (hello), ačiū (thank you), viso gero (goodbye)
47) Macedonian
Origin: North Macedonia and neighboring countries, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in North Macedonia, but also in neighboring countries such as Serbia and Albania
Description: Macedonian is the forty-seventh most widely spoken language in the world, with over 2 million speakers. It is a member of the South Slavic language family, which includes other languages such as Bulgarian and Serbian.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in North Macedonia and its linguistic similarities to other South Slavic languages
Example words: здраво (zdravo, hello), благодарам (blagodaram, thank you), довидување (doviduvanje, goodbye)
48) Slovenian
Origin: Slovenia and neighboring countries, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Slovenia, but also in neighboring countries such as Italy and Austria
Description: Slovenian is the forty-eighth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 2 million speakers. It is a member of the South Slavic language family, which includes other languages such as Croatian and Serbian.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Slovenia and its linguistic similarities to other South Slavic languages
Example words: Živijo (hello), hvala (thank you), nasvidenje (goodbye)
49) Latvian
Origin: Latvia and neighboring countries, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Latvia, but also in neighboring countries such as Estonia and Russia
Description: Latvian is the forty-ninth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 1 million speakers. It is a Baltic language, meaning that it evolved from the same language family as Lithuanian and a few other extinct languages.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Latvia and its unique linguistic features
Example words: sveiki (hello), paldies (thank you), uz redzēšanos (goodbye)
50) Estonian
Origin: Estonia and neighboring countries, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Estonia, but also in neighboring countries such as Finland and Russia
Description: Estonian is the fiftieth most widely spoken language in the world, with over 1 million speakers. It is a member of the Finno-Ugric language family, which includes several other languages spoken in northern Europe and western Siberia.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Estonia and its linguistic similarities to other Finno-Ugric languages
Example words: tere (hello), aitäh (thank you), nägemist (goodbye)
51) Basque
Origin: Basque Country (Spain and France), around 2,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in the Basque Country, which spans both Spain and France
Description: Basque is the fifty-first most widely spoken language in the world, with around 750,000 speakers. It is a unique language isolate, meaning that it has no known linguistic relatives and is not related to any other language family.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its cultural significance in the Basque Country and its uniqueness as a language
Example words: kaixo (hello), eskerrik asko (thank you), agur (goodbye)
52) Welsh
Origin: Wales (United Kingdom), around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Wales, but also in other parts of the United Kingdom and in Argentina
Description: Welsh is the fifty-second most widely spoken language in the world, with around 700,000 speakers. It is a member of the Celtic language family, which includes other languages such as Irish and Scottish Gaelic.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Wales and its unique linguistic features
Example words: helô (hello), diolch (thank you), hwyl fawr (goodbye)
53) Luxembourgish
Origin: Luxembourg, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Luxembourg, but also in neighboring countries such as Belgium and Germany
Description: Luxembourgish is the fifty-third most widely spoken language in the world, with around 400,000 speakers. It is a West Germanic language, meaning that it evolved from the same language family as German and Dutch.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Luxembourg and its unique linguistic features
Example words: Moien (hello), merci (thank you), Äddi (goodbye)
54) Frisian
Origin: Frisia (Netherlands and Germany), around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in the Netherlands and Germany, with smaller communities in other parts of Europe and the United States
Description: Frisian is the fifty-fourth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 500,000 speakers. It is a West Germanic language, meaning that it evolved from the same language family as German and Dutch.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Frisia and its unique linguistic features
Example words: Hoi (hello), tankewol (thank you), oant sjen (goodbye)
55) Breton
Origin: Brittany (France), around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Brittany, but also in other parts of France and in Canada
Description: Breton is the fifty-fifth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 200,000 speakers. It is a member of the Celtic language family, which includes other languages such as Irish and Scottish Gaelic.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Brittany and its unique linguistic features
Example words: Demat (hello), trugarez (thank you), kenavo (goodbye)
56) Kinyarwanda
Origin: Rwanda, around 500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Rwanda, but also in other parts of East Africa and in Belgium
Description: Kinyarwanda is the fifty-sixth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 12 million speakers. It is a member of the Bantu language family, which includes other languages such as Swahili and Zulu.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in Rwanda and its status as one of the official languages of the East African Community
Example words: Muraho (hello), Murakoze (thank you), Ni ryari (goodbye)
57) Dhivehi (Maldivian)
Origin: Maldives, around 900 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in the Maldives, but also in other parts of South Asia and in some Middle Eastern countries
Description: Dhivehi is the fifty-seventh most widely spoken language in the world, with around 350,000 speakers. It is an Indo-Aryan language, meaning that it evolved from the same language family as languages such as Hindi and Bengali.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in the Maldives and its unique linguistic features
Example words: Assalaamu alaikum (hello), shukuriyaa (thank you), fi aman Allah (goodbye)
58) Occitan
Origin: Southern France, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in southern France, but also in other parts of France and in Italy and Spain
Description: Occitan is the fifty-eighth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 1.5 million speakers. It is a Romance language, meaning that it evolved from Latin, and is closely related to Catalan and Spanish.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in southern France and its unique linguistic features
Example words: Bonjorn (hello), mercé (thank you), a-d'acòrdi (goodbye)
59) Fula (Fulfulde)
Origin: West Africa, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in West and Central Africa, with smaller communities in other parts of the world
Description: Fula is the fifty-ninth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 25 million speakers. It is a member of the Niger-Congo language family, which includes other languages such as Swahili and Yoruba.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in many West and Central African countries and its importance as a trade language in the region
Example words: Jooni (hello), ndolé (thank you), nanondiral (goodbye)
Europe |
60) Corsican
Origin: Corsica (France), around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Corsica, but also in other parts of France and in Italy
Description: Corsican is the sixtieth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 200,000 speakers. It is a Romance language, meaning that it evolved from Latin, and is closely related to Italian and Sardinian.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Corsica and its unique linguistic features
Example words: Bonghjornu (hello), grazie (thank you), à prestu (goodbye)
61) Oromo (Afaan Oromo)
Origin: Ethiopia, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Ethiopia, but also in Kenya and Somalia
Description: Oromo is the sixty-first most widely spoken language in the world, with around 40 million speakers. It is a member of the Cushitic branch of the Afroasiatic language family, which includes other languages such as Somali and Afar.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in Ethiopia and its growing recognition as a regional language in East Africa
Example words: Akkam galoo (hello), nagaa (thank you), haadha (goodbye)
62) Burmese (Myanmar)
Origin: Myanmar (Burma), around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Myanmar, but also in other parts of Southeast Asia and in India and Bangladesh
Description: Burmese is the sixty-second most widely spoken language in the world, with around 33 million speakers. It is a member of the Sino-Tibetan language family, which includes other languages such as Chinese and Tibetan.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in Myanmar and its importance as a regional language in Southeast Asia
Example words: Min ga lar par (hello), kyay zu tin ba de (thank you), thwa naung ba de (goodbye)
63) Hmong (Miao)
Origin: China, around 3,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in China, but also in other parts of Southeast Asia and in the United States and France
Description: Hmong is the sixty-third most widely spoken language in the world, with around 9 million speakers. It is a member of the Hmong-Mien language family, which is mostly spoken in southern China and northern Southeast Asia.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in China and Southeast Asia and its growing presence in the United States and other countries
Example words: Nyob zoo (hello), ua tsaug (thank you), paiv txoj hmoov (goodbye)
64) Igbo
Origin: Nigeria, around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Nigeria, but also in other parts of West Africa and in the United States and United Kingdom
Description: Igbo is the sixty-fourth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 24 million speakers. It is a member of the Niger-Congo language family, which includes other languages such as Swahili and Yoruba.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in Nigeria and its growing presence in other parts of the world
Example words: Ndewo (hello), daalu (thank you), ka omesia (goodbye)
65) Cebuano
Origin: Philippines, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in the Philippines, but also in other parts of Southeast Asia and in the United States and Saudi Arabia
Description: Cebuano is the sixty-fifth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 25 million speakers. It is a member of the Austronesian language family, which includes other languages such as Malay and Indonesian.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in the Philippines and its growing recognition as a regional language in Southeast Asia
Example words: Maayong buntag (hello), salamat (thank you), hangtud sa sunod (goodbye)
66) Kinyarwanda
Origin: Rwanda, around 500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Rwanda, but also in other parts of East Africa and in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda
Description: Kinyarwanda is the sixty-sixth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 12 million speakers. It is a member of the Bantu language family, which includes other languages such as Swahili and Zulu.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in Rwanda and its growing recognition as a regional language in East Africa
Example words: Muraho (hello), murakoze (thank you), murabeho (goodbye)
67) Kirundi (Rundi)
Origin: Burundi, around 500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Burundi, but also in other parts of East Africa and in Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo
Description: Kirundi is the sixty-seventh most widely spoken language in the world, with around 10 million speakers. It is also a member of the Bantu language family.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Burundi and its growing recognition as a regional language in East Africa
Example words: Amahoro (hello), murakoze (thank you), kwaheri (goodbye)
68) Malagasy
Origin: Madagascar, around 2,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Madagascar, but also in other parts of the Indian Ocean region and in France
Description: Malagasy is the sixty-eighth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 8 million speakers. It is the national language of Madagascar and is closely related to languages spoken in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Madagascar and its unique linguistic features and cultural history
Example words: Salama (hello), misotro (thank you), veloma (goodbye)
69) Somali
Origin: Somalia, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Somalia, but also in other parts of the Horn of Africa and in Kenya and Ethiopia
Description: Somali is the sixty-ninth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 16 million speakers. It is a member of the Cushitic branch of the Afroasiatic language family, which includes other languages such as Oromo and Afar.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in Somalia and its growing recognition as a regional language in the Horn of Africa
Example words: As-salaamu alaykum (hello), mahadsanid (thank you), nabad gelyo (goodbye)
70) Chhattisgarhi
Origin: India, around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in the Indian state of Chhattisgarh, but also in other parts of central India and in Nepal
Description: Chhattisgarhi is the seventieth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 18 million speakers. It is a member of the Indo-Aryan language family, which includes other languages such as Hindi and Bengali.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in central India and its recognition as a regional language in India
Example words: Namaskar (hello), dhanyavaad (thank you), alvida (goodbye)
71) Azerbaijani (Azeri)
Origin: Azerbaijan, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Azerbaijan, but also in Iran, Turkey, and Russia
Description: Azerbaijani is the seventy-first most widely spoken language in the world, with around 23 million speakers. It is a member of the Turkic language family, which includes other languages such as Turkish and Uzbek.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in Azerbaijan and its recognition as an official language in Iran
Example words: Salam (hello), sağ olun (thank you), sağolun (goodbye)
72) Maltese
Origin: Malta, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Malta, but also in other parts of Europe and in Australia and Canada
Description: Maltese is the seventy-second most widely spoken language in the world, with around 520,000 speakers. It is the national language of Malta and is the only Semitic language written in the Latin script.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its unique linguistic features and its cultural significance as the national language of Malta
Example words: Bongu (hello), grazzi (thank you), saħħa (goodbye)
73) Sindhi
Origin: Pakistan and India, around 2,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Pakistan and India, but also in other parts of South Asia and in the United Arab Emirates
Description: Sindhi is the seventy-third most widely spoken language in the world, with around 29 million speakers. It is a member of the Indo-Aryan language family, which includes other languages such as Hindi and Bengali.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in Pakistan and its recognition as an official language in the province of Sindh
Example words: Salam (hello), shukriya (thank you), Allah hafiz (goodbye)
64) Fula (Fulani)
Origin: West Africa, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in West Africa, but also in other parts of the continent and in the United States and Europe
Description: Fula is the seventy-fourth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 25 million speakers. It is a member of the Niger-Congo language family, which includes other languages such as Swahili and Yoruba.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in West Africa and its recognition as an official language in Guinea and Senegal
Example words: Jam tan (hello), ndank ndank (thank you), alaa ka ku jamm (goodbye)
65) Uyghur
Origin: China, around 1,200 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in the Xinjiang region of China, but also in other parts of Central Asia and in Turkey and Kazakhstan
Description: Uyghur is the seventy-fifth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 10 million speakers. It is a member of the Turkic language family, which includes other languages such as Turkish and Azerbaijani.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in the Xinjiang region of China and its recognition as an official language in the region
Example words: Alaykum säläm (hello), räxmet (thank you), yaxşı künt (goodbye)
66) Konkani
Origin: India, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in the Indian states of Goa, Karnataka, and Maharashtra, but also in other parts of India and in the United States and the United Arab Emirates
Description: Konkani is the seventy-sixth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 7 million speakers. It is a member of the Indo-Aryan language family, which includes other languages such as Hindi and Bengali.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in the Indian states where it is an official language and its recognition as a minority language in other states
Example words: Dev borem korum (hello), dhanyavaad (thank you), dekhilaa (goodbye)
67) Bemba
Origin: Zambia, around 700 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Zambia, but also in other parts of Southern Africa and in the United Kingdom
Description: Bemba is the seventy-seventh most widely spoken language in the world, with around 3 million speakers. It is a member of the Bantu language family, which includes other languages such as Swahili and Zulu.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in Zambia and its recognition as an official language in the country
Example words: Muli shani (hello), twalumba (thank you), bye (goodbye)
68) Abkhaz
Origin: Abkhazia, around 3,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Abkhazia (a disputed territory claimed by Georgia), but also in other parts of the Caucasus region and in Turkey and Syria
Description: Abkhaz is the seventy-eighth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 100,000 speakers. It is a member of the Northwest Caucasian language family, which includes other languages such as Circassian and Ubykh.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its cultural significance in Abkhazia and its recognition as an official language in the region
Example words: Аиы (hello), атәаҩҭқарақ (thank you), акәыгьы (goodbye)
69) Santali
Origin: India, around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in the Indian states of Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha, but also in other parts of India and in Bangladesh and Nepal
Description: Santali is the seventy-ninth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 7 million speakers. It is a member of the Austroasiatic language family, which includes other languages such as Vietnamese and Khmer.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in the Indian states where it is an official language and its recognition as a minority language in other states and countries
Example words: Baromasya (hello), imko (thank you), eko pheṭe (goodbye)
70) Kanuri
Origin: Nigeria, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Nigeria, but also in other parts of West and Central Africa and in Sudan and Chad
Description: Kanuri is the eightieth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 4 million speakers. It is a member of the Nilo-Saharan language family, which includes other languages such as Dinka and Luo.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in Nigeria and its
71) Mongolian
Origin: Mongolia, around 800 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Mongolia, but also in parts of China and Russia
Description: Mongolian is the eighty-first most widely spoken language in the world, with around 6 million speakers. It is a member of the Mongolic language family, which includes other languages such as Buryat and Kalmyk.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its cultural and historical significance in Mongolia and its recognition as an official language in the country
Example words: Сайн байна уу (hello), баярлалаа (thank you), хүлээн зөвшөөрч (goodbye)
72) Kinyarwanda
Origin: Rwanda, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Rwanda, but also in parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda
Description: Kinyarwanda is the eighty-second most widely spoken language in the world, with around 12 million speakers. It is a member of the Bantu language family, which includes other languages such as Swahili and Zulu.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in Rwanda and its recognition as an official language in the country
Example words: Muraho (hello), murakoze (thank you), murabeho (goodbye)
73) Xhosa
Origin: South Africa, around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in South Africa, but also in parts of Lesotho and Zimbabwe
Description: Xhosa is the eighty-third most widely spoken language in the world, with around 8 million speakers. It is a member of the Bantu language family, which includes other languages such as Swahili and Zulu.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in South Africa and its recognition as an official language in the country
Example words: Molo (hello), enkosi (thank you), hamba kakuhle (goodbye)
74) Ossetian
Origin: Ossetia, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Ossetia (a region in the Caucasus region claimed by both Georgia and Russia), but also in other parts of the Caucasus region and in Turkey and Syria
Description: Ossetian is the eighty-fourth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 500,000 speakers. It is a member of the Indo-Iranian language family, which includes other languages such as Persian and Pashto.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its cultural significance in Ossetia and its recognition as an official language in the region
Example words: Вæрзӕй (hello), бадæрваты (thank you), фæстыххæтæ (goodbye)
75) Khoekhoe
Origin: Namibia, around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Namibia, but also in parts of South Africa, Botswana, and Angola
Description: Khoekhoe is the eighty-fifth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 300,000 speakers. It is a member of the Khoe-Kwadi language family, which includes other languages such as ǃKung and Nama.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its cultural significance in Namibia and its recognition as a minority language in other countries
76) Sindhi
Origin: Sindh (a region in Pakistan and India), around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Pakistan and India, but also in other parts of the world due to emigration
Description: Sindhi is the eighty-sixth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 27 million speakers. It is a member of the Indo-Aryan language family, which includes other languages such as Hindi and Punjabi.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in Pakistan and India and its recognition as an official language in the province of Sindh in Pakistan
Example words: سلام عليڪم (hello), شڪريا (thank you), الوداع (goodbye)
77) Sanskrit
Origin: India, around 3,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in India, but also studied and used in other parts of the world for religious, cultural, and academic purposes
Description: Sanskrit is the eighty-seventh most widely spoken language in the world, with around 20,000 speakers. It is a member of the Indo-Aryan language family, which includes other languages such as Hindi and Bengali.
Popularity: Not very popular as a spoken language, but highly significant for its religious and cultural importance in Hinduism and Buddhism, as well as its influence on other languages such as Hindi and Tibetan
Example words: नमस्ते (hello), धन्यवाद (thank you), अलविदा (goodbye)
78) Dhivehi
Origin: Maldives, around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in the Maldives, but also in other parts of the world due to emigration
Description: Dhivehi is the eighty-eighth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 500,000 speakers. It is a member of the Indo-Aryan language family, which includes other languages such as Hindi and Bengali.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in the Maldives and its recognition as an official language in the country
Example words: މިނަދެވޭ (hello), ޝައްވާނެ (thank you), މިހުރިއްޔާ (goodbye)
79) Friulian
Origin: Friuli (a region in northeastern Italy), around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Italy, but also in other parts of the world due to emigration
Description: Friulian is the eighty-ninth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 600,000 speakers. It is a member of the Romance language family, which includes other languages such as French and Spanish.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its cultural significance in Friuli and its recognition as a minority language in Italy
Example words: bon di (hello), gracie (thank you), ariviodisi (goodbye)
Africa |
80) Tigrinya
Origin: Eritrea and Ethiopia, around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Eritrea and Ethiopia, but also in other parts of the world due to emigration
Description: Tigrinya is the ninetieth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 9 million speakers.
81) Venetian
Origin: Veneto (a region in northeastern Italy), around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Italy, but also in other parts of the world due to emigration
Description: Venetian is the ninety-first most widely spoken language in the world, with around 2-3 million speakers. It is a member of the Romance language family, which includes other languages such as French and Spanish.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its cultural significance in Veneto and its recognition as a minority language in Italy
Example words: ciao (hello/goodbye), graxie (thank you), parlar (to speak)
82) Oromo
Origin: Ethiopia, around 500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Ethiopia, but also in other parts of the world due to emigration
Description: Oromo is the ninety-second most widely spoken language in the world, with around 40 million speakers. It is a member of the Cushitic language family, which includes other languages such as Somali and Afar.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in Ethiopia and its recognition as a regional language in the country
Example words: akkam (hello), galatoomi (thank you), jirra (goodbye)
83) Tatar
Origin: Tatarstan (a region in Russia), around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Russia, but also in other parts of the world due to emigration
Description: Tatar is the ninety-third most widely spoken language in the world, with around 7 million speakers. It is a member of the Turkic language family, which includes other languages such as Turkish and Uzbek.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Tatarstan and its recognition as an official language in the region
Example words: сәлам (hello), рәхмәт (thank you), күреү (goodbye)
84) Uighur
Origin: Xinjiang (a region in China), around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in China, but also in other parts of the world due to emigration
Description: Uighur is the ninety-fourth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 12 million speakers. It is a member of the Turkic language family, which includes other languages such as Turkish and Uzbek.
Popularity: Fairly popular, due to its use in Xinjiang and its recognition as an official language in the region
Example words: سالامەت بول (hello), رەھمەت (thank you), خەیر (goodbye)
85) Quechua
Origin: Andean region of South America, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and parts of Argentina, Chile, and Colombia
Description: Quechua is the ninety-fifth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 8 million speakers. It is a member of the Quechuan language family, which includes other languages such as Aymara and Jaqaru.
Popularity: Fairly popular in the Andean region of South America, due to its historical and cultural significance and its recognition as an official language in Bolivia and Peru
Example words: allillanchu (hello), suma kawsay (thank you), rikiy (goodbye)
86) Maithili
Origin: Bihar and Nepal, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in India and Nepal
Description: Maithili is the ninety-sixth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 35 million speakers. It is a member of the Indo-Aryan language family, which includes other languages such as Hindi and Bengali.
Popularity: Fairly popular in Bihar and Nepal, due to its historical and cultural significance and its recognition as an official language in Bihar
Example words: नमस्ते (namaste, hello), धन्यवाद (dhanyavaad, thank you), अलविदा (alvida, goodbye)
87) Kurmanji (Kurdish)
Origin: Kurdistan, around 2,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran
Description: Kurmanji (also known as Northern Kurdish) is the ninety-seventh most widely spoken language in the world, with around 20 million speakers. It is a member of the Iranian language family, which includes other languages such as Persian and Pashto.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in the Kurdistan region and its recognition as a minority language in some countries
Example words: silav (hello), spas (thank you), baş (goodbye)
88) Zhuang
Origin: Guangxi (a region in China), around 2,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in China, but also in other parts of the world due to emigration
Description: Zhuang is the ninety-eighth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 16 million speakers. It is a member of the Tai-Kadai language family, which includes other languages such as Thai and Lao.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Guangxi and its recognition as an official language in the region
Example words: kyolh (hello), ngeihzangh (thank you), fangz (goodbye)
89) Lombard
Origin: Lombardy (a region in northern Italy), around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Italy, but also in other parts of the world due to emigration
Description: Lombard is the ninety-ninth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 3-4 million speakers. It is a member of the Romance language family, which includes other languages such as French and Spanish.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Lombardy and its recognition as a minority language in Italy
Example words: ciào (hello/goodbye), gràssie (thank you), parlà (to speak)
90) Friulian
Origin: Friuli (a region in northeastern Italy), around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Italy, but also in other parts of the world due to emigration
Description: Friulian is the hundredth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 600,000 speakers. It is a member of the Romance language family, which includes other languages such as French and Spanish.
Popularity: Not very popular, but significant in Friuli and recognized as a minority language in Italy
Example words: ciao (hello/goodbye), graçis (thank you), parlâ (to speak)
91) Võro
Origin: Võru County (a region in Estonia), around 2,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Estonia
Description: Võro is the one hundred and first most widely spoken language in the world, with around 70,000 speakers. It is a member of the Finno-Ugric language family, which includes other languages such as Finnish and Hungarian.
Popularity: Not very popular, but significant in Võru County and recognized as a minority language in Estonia
Example words: tereq (hello), kiitüseq (thank you), nätäl (week)
92) Picard
Origin: Picardy (a region in northern France), around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in France, but also in other parts of the world due to emigration
Description: Picard is the one hundred and second most widely spoken language in the world, with around 1 million speakers. It is a member of the Romance language family, which includes other languages such as French and Spanish.
Popularity: Not very popular, but significant in Picardy and recognized as a regional language in France
Example words: bonjou (hello), merci (thank you), a bintôt (see you soon)
93) Karakalpak
Origin: Karakalpakstan (an autonomous republic in Uzbekistan), around 2,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Uzbekistan, but also in other parts of the world due to emigration
Description: Karakalpak is the one hundred and third most widely spoken language in the world, with around 800,000 speakers. It is a member of the Turkic language family, which includes other languages such as Turkish and Azerbaijani.
Popularity: Not very popular, but significant in Karakalpakstan and recognized as a minority language in Uzbekistan
Example words: salam (hello), rahmat (thank you), sagh bolıng (goodbye)
94) Pontic
Origin: Pontus (a region in northeastern Turkey), around 2,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Greece and Turkey, but also in other parts of the world due to emigration
Description: Pontic is the one hundred and fourth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 800,000 speakers. It is a member of the Greek language family, which includes other languages such as Modern Greek and Ancient Greek.
Popularity: Not very popular, but significant in Pontus and recognized as a minority language in Greece and Turkey
Example words: ya (hello), efcharisto (thank you), yasou (goodbye)
95) Yoruba
Origin: Nigeria, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Nigeria, but also in other parts of West Africa and the diaspora
Description: Yoruba is the one hundred and fifth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 30 million speakers. It is a member of the Niger-Congo language family, which includes other languages such as Swahili and Zulu.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Nigeria and its recognition as an official language in the country
Example words: bawo ni (hello), o ṣeun (thank you), da da (goodbye)
96) Sicilian
Origin: Sicily (an island in southern Italy), around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Italy, but also in other parts of the world due to emigration
Description: Sicilian is the one hundred and sixth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 5 million speakers. It is a member of the Romance language family, which includes other languages such as Italian and Spanish.
Popularity: Not very popular, but significant in Sicily and recognized as a minority language in Italy
Example words: ciao (hello/goodbye), grazzi (thank you), a prestu (see you soon)
97) Palauan
Origin: Palau (an island nation in the western Pacific), around 2,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Palau, but also in other parts of the world due to emigration
Description: Palauan is the one hundred and seventh most widely spoken language in the world, with around 20,000 speakers. It is a member of the Austronesian language family, which includes other languages such as Indonesian and Filipino.
Popularity: Not very popular, but significant in Palau and recognized as an official language in the country
Example words: alii (hello), keamal (thank you), mesulang (goodbye)
98) Mende
Origin: Sierra Leone, around 1,000 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Sierra Leone, but also in other parts of West Africa and the diaspora
Description: Mende is the one hundred and eighth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 2 million speakers. It is a member of the Mande language family, which includes other languages such as Bambara and Mandinka.
Popularity: Not very popular, but significant in Sierra Leone and recognized as an official language in the country
Example words: ndo (hello), tenki (thank you), tutu (goodbye)
99) Javanese
Origin: Java (an island in Indonesia), around 1,200 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Indonesia, but also in other parts of Southeast Asia and the diaspora
Description: Javanese is the one hundred and ninth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 85 million speakers. It is a member of the Austronesian language family, which includes other languages such as Malay and Tagalog.
Popularity: Somewhat popular, due to its use in Indonesia and its recognition as a regional language in the country
Example words: halo (hello), matur nuwun (thank you), sampai jumpa (goodbye)
Rest of Asia & Oceania |
100) Chuvash
Origin: Chuvashia (a republic in Russia), around 1,500 years old
Country: Mainly spoken in Russia, but also in other parts of the world due to emigration
Description: Chuvash is the one hundred and tenth most widely spoken language in the world, with around 2 million speakers. It is a member of the Turkic language family, which includes other languages such as Turkish and Azerbaijani.
Popularity: Not very popular, but significant in Chuvashia and recognized as a minority language in Russia
Example words: сӗрнӗр (hello), ачах (thank you), пулӑм (goodbye)
That concludes the list of the top 100 most popular languages in the world, along with their origins, countries of use, descriptions, levels of popularity, and example words. It's important to note that language popularity can fluctuate over time due to various factors such as migration, globalization, and cultural changes. Nonetheless, languages continue to be a vital aspect of human communication and expression, and the diversity of languages in the world is something to be celebrated and appreciated.
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