Linguistic Diversity: Top Most Spoken Languages of the World, 2023

In today’s interconnected world, language is the key to communication among the 8 billion people inhabiting our planet. There are approximately 7,118 living languages spoken globally, each representing a unique means of expression, a vessel for cultural preservation, and a tool for comprehension and learning.

Throughout history, learning new languages has been essential for various purposes, including trade, travel, education, military strategies, and religious communication. In the contemporary landscape, career advancement and personal enrichment have emerged as driving forces behind language acquisition.

Language can’t only enable communication but also uphold traditional culture and foster understanding. Throughout history, people have learned new languages for various reasons, from commerce to education. In the modern world, career advancement and personal enrichment have emerged as critical drivers of language acquisition.

A recent report by Global Market Insights reveals that the machine translation market was valued at $982.2 million in 2022 and is projected to achieve a compound annual growth rate of 22.8 percent, reaching $7.57 billion by 2032. North America holds a significant share of this market in 2022, accounting for over 38 percent of global revenue. The rapid translation of speech and text is facilitating cross-lingual communication and fostering growth in the multicultural business landscape.

As organizations increasingly engage in global communication, the demand for machine translation services is on the rise. E-commerce, in particular, relies on cost-efficient, high-speed translation services to expand into new markets and effectively reach customers in their native languages. High-speed translation is also vital for companies marketing their products internationally through social media, where vast amounts of content are generated daily. These factors are driving investments in the machine translation industry, fostering its growth.

In the rich tapestry of human civilization, languages are the threads that weave together our stories, cultures, and connections. With over 7,000 living languages spoken across the globe, understanding the landscape of linguistic diversity is a profound journey. In this section, we embark on an exploration to uncover the top most-spoken languages in the world.

Each language on this list represents a vibrant community of speakers, a unique window into the human experience, and a testament to the enduring power of communication in our interconnected world. Let us delve into this diverse mosaic of languages, ranked by the total number of speakers, and gain insight into the global linguistic tapestry that shapes our planet.

Top Most Spoken Languages of the World, 2023

1. English
   Total Number of Speakers: 1.5 billion
   With more than 1.5 billion speakers worldwide, English, originating from the United Kingdom within the Indo-European language family, holds the top spot as the most spoken language globally.
2. Mandarin Chinese
   Total Number of Speakers: 1.1 billion
   Mandarin Chinese boasts 1.1 billion speakers worldwide and belongs to the Sino-Tibetan language family. It has expanded beyond its home country and community to become an institutional language.
3. Hindi
   Total Number of Speakers: 609.5 million
   Hindi is an Indo-European spoken chiefly in North India and serves as the lingua franca of the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India.
4. Spanish
   Total Number of Speakers: 550.1 million
   Spanish is spoken by 559.1 million people globally and holds the 4th position among the 50 most spoken languages. It belongs to the Indo-European language family.
5. French
   Total Number of Speakers: 309.8 million
   French, spoken by 309.8 million people worldwide, is a thriving institutional language.
6. Standard Arabic
   Total Number of Speakers: 274 million
   Standard Arabic, with 274 million speakers, ranks as the 6th most spoken language globally. It belongs to the Afro-Asiatic language family and originated in present-day Saudi Arabia.
7. Bengali
   Total Number of Speakers: 272 million
   Bengali is used by 272 million people globally and serves as the official language of Bangladesh within the Indo-European language family.
8. Portuguese
   Total Number of Speakers: 263.6 million
   Portuguese, belonging to the Indo-European language family, has 263.6 million users worldwide and is the official national language of Portugal.
9. Russian
   Total Number of Speakers: 255 million
   Russian, spoken by 255 million people, ranks 9th among the 50 most spoken languages in the world. It originated in the Russian Federation.
10. Urdu
    Total Number of Speakers: 231.7 million
    Urdu is spoken by 231.7 million people globally and holds the official national language status in Pakistan. It belongs to the Indo-European language family.
11. Indonesian
    Total Number of Speakers: 199.1 million
    Indonesian, an Austronesian language, is spoken by 199.1 million people worldwide and serves as the official national language of Indonesia.
12. Standard German
    Total Number of Speakers: 133.2 million
    As the official national language of Germany, Standard German is used by 133.2 million people.
13. Japanese
    Total Number of Speakers: 123.4 million
    Japanese belongs to the Japonic language family and is spoken by 123.4 million people worldwide.
14. Nigerian Pidgin
    Total Number of Speakers: 120.7 million
    Belonging to the Creole language family, Nigerian Pidgin is spoken by 120.7 million people worldwide, although it is not typically taught in formal education settings.
15. Egyptian Spoken Arabic
    Total Number of Speakers: 120.4 million
    Egyptian Spoken Arabic is used by 120.4 million people worldwide and belongs to the Afro-Asiatic language family. It serves as a prominent means of communication in Egypt.
16. Marathi
    Total Number of Speakers: 99.2 million
    Marathi is an official language in parts of India and is spoken by 99.2 million people worldwide.
17. Telugu
    Total Number of Speakers: 96 million
    Telugu, part of the Dravidian language family, has 96 million users worldwide, with the majority located in India.
18. Turkish
    Total Number of Speakers: 90 million
    Belonging to the Turkic language family, Turkish is the language of instruction in Turkey and boasts 90 million speakers worldwide.
19. Tamil
    Total Number of Speakers: 86.6 million
    Tamil, with 86.6 million speakers, is one of the most widely spoken languages globally, with a predominant presence in India.
20. Yue Chinese
    Total Number of Speakers: 86.6 million
    Yue Chinese, with 86.6 million users, ranks as the 20th most-spoken language globally. It is part of the Sino-Tibetan language family.
21. Vietnamese
    Total Number of Speakers: 85.8 million
    Vietnamese is the official national language of Vietnam and is spoken by 85.8 million people worldwide. It belongs to the Austro-Asiatic language family.
22. Wu Chinese
    Total Number of Speakers: 83.4 million
    Wu Chinese is spoken by 83.4 million people worldwide and is a stable indigenous language of China.
23. Tagalog
    Total Number of Speakers: 83.1 million
    Tagalog is used by 83.1 million people worldwide and originated in the Philippines within the Austronesian language family.
24. Korean
    Total Number of Speakers: 81.7 million
    Korean boasts 81.7 million users and is the official national language of South Korea.
25. Iranian Persian
    Total Number of Speakers: 78.6 million
    Also known as Farsi, Iranian Persian is the official national language of Iran and is spoken by 78.6 million people worldwide.
26. Hausa
    Total Number of Speakers: 78.5 million
    Hausa is spoken by 78.5 million people worldwide and is the official language in parts of Nigeria where it is spoken.
27. Swahili
    Total Number of Speakers: 71.6 million
    Swahili is the official language of Tanzania and has 71.6 million users worldwide, belonging to the Niger-Congo language family.
28. Javanese
    Total Number of Speakers: 68.3 million
    Javanese is spoken by 68.3 million people and is an indigenous language of Indonesia.
29. Italian
    Total Number of Speakers: 67.9 million
    Italian is spoken by 67.9 million people worldwide and is the official national language of Italy.
30. Western Punjabi
    Total Number of Speakers: 66.7 million
    Western Punjabi is spoken by 66.7 million people and is an indigenous language of Pakistan and India.
31. Gujarati
    Total Number of Speakers: 62.1 million
    With 62.1 million users, Gujarati ranks 31st among the 50 most spoken languages globally.
32. Thai
    Total Number of Speakers: 62.1 million
    Thai is spoken by 60.8 million people globally and is the official national language of Thailand.
33. Kannada
    Total Number of Speakers: 58.7 million
    Kannada is the official language in parts of India and is spoken by 58.7 million people worldwide. It belongs to the Dravidian language family.
34. Amharic
    Total Number of Speakers: 57 million
    Amharic is the official national language of Ethiopia and is used by 57 million people across the globe.
35. Bhojpuri
    Total Number of Speakers: 52.5 million
    Bhojpuri is spoken by 52.5 million individuals worldwide but is mainly used in India and Nepal.
36. Eastern Punjabi
    Total Number of Speakers: 52.1 million
    Eastern Punjabi is spoken by 52.1 million people in parts of India, primarily.
37. Min Nan Chinese
    Total Number of Speakers: 50.5 million
    Min Nan Chinese is a Chinese macrolanguage spoken by 50.5 million individuals worldwide.
38. Jinyu Chinese
    Total Number of Speakers: 48 million
    Jinyu Chinese is an indigenous language spoken by 48 million people in China, primarily.
39. Levantine Arabic
    Total Number of Speakers: 47.6 million
    Belonging to the Afro-Asiatic language family, Levantine Arabic is used by 47.6 million people worldwide and serves as a means of communication in countries such as Syria, Israel, Palestine, Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan.
40. Yoruba
    Total Number of Speakers: 45.9 million
    Yoruba is spoken by 45.9 million individuals, primarily in parts of Nigeria.
41. Hakka Chinese
    Total Number of Speakers: 44.3 million
    Hakka Chinese has 44.3 million speakers across the globe.
42. Burmese
    Total Number of Speakers: 43 million
    With 43 million speakers worldwide, Burmese is the official national language of Myanmar.
43. Sudanese-spoken Arabic
    Total Number of Speakers: 42.4 million
    Sudanese Spoken Arabic is used by 42.4 million individuals for communication, primarily in Sudan and South Sudan.
44. Algerian-spoken Arabic
    Total Number of Speakers: 41.4 million
    Originating in Algeria, Algerian-spoken Arabic is spoken by 41.4 million people worldwide.
45. Polish
    Total Number of Speakers: 40.4 million
    Polish is spoken by 40.6 million individuals, ranking 45th among the top 50 most spoken languages globally. It is the official national language of Poland.
46. Lingala
    Total Number of Speakers: 40.3 million
    Lingala, used by 40.3 million people, serves as a significant means of communication in Congo.
47. Odia
    Total Number of Speakers: 39.8 million
    Odia is spoken by 39.8 million people, primarily in parts of India.
48. Moroccan-spoken Arabic
    Total Number of Speakers: 39.2 million
    Originating in Morocco and the Western Sahara region, Moroccan-spoken Arabic boasts 39.2 million speakers.
49. Xiang Chinese
    Total Number of Speakers: 38.1 million
    Xiang Chinese, spoken by 38.1 million individuals, is an indigenous language of China.
50. Malayalam
    Total Number of Speakers: 37.4 million
    Malayalam is spoken by 37.4 million people and holds official language status in certain regions of India. It is part of the Dravidian language family.