German is the most widely spoken native language in the European Union and an official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Belgium and Luxembourg. Today, more than 100 million native speakers use the German language in everyday life, making it one of the world’s major Germanic languages.

But the German language didn’t always look or sound the way it does today. Over thousands of years, it evolved from Proto-Germanic into Old High German and eventually into the standardized language learners study today. Along the way, its grammar, vocabulary, alphabet and pronunciation all changed dramatically.

Let’s take a journey through the history of the German language, from its first proto-speakers 3,000 years ago to its youngest letter.

Proto-Germanic: The Beginning Of The German Language

Before we can even begin to talk about German, we have to travel back to sometime between 1000 and 450 BCE, to when the First Germanic Sound Shift — or change in pronunciation — took place in Proto-Indo-European, the common ancestor of the Indo-European languages. This eventually gave rise to the Proto-Germanic language, the original Germanic language from which the Germanic language family would later emerge.

The details of this early Germanic language can only be pieced together today because the earliest written records are extremely limited. The Germanic tribes did leave behind a small number of runes inscribed on graves and ritual objects, but stories and songs were generally passed down through oral tradition. Linguists have therefore reconstructed Proto-Germanic by comparing patterns across later languages and identifying words that appear to share a common ancestor.

The sound changes involved were later described systematically by the German linguist Jacob Grimm in what became known as Grimm’s Law. Among other things, it explains how certain Proto-Indo-European consonants shifted as the Germanic branch began to develop. This is one reason related words can look similar but begin with different sounds — as in the Latin pater and the English father.

Despite the absence of a standardized written form, traces of the original Germanic language are still visible in modern German vocabulary. Proto-Germanic terms such as braudą eventually became Brot (“bread”), while grīpaną developed into greifen (“to grip”). These surviving connections give us a glimpse of how the German language began evolving more than two millennia ago.

The Earliest Written Germanic Language And The Rise Of Translation

As contact between Germanic-speaking communities and the Roman Empire intensified from the first century BCE onward, Latin dramatically expanded Germanic vocabulary. Speakers began to borrow terms connected to trade, warfare and infrastructure, including mura from Latin murus, which eventually became Mauer (“wall”), and strazza, an ancestor of Straße (“street”), from Latin via strata.

Latin didn’t just contribute new vocabulary. Over centuries, it also influenced writing, scholarship and eventually translation, particularly after Christianity spread through the German-speaking world.

But let’s not forget: Proto-Germanic did not remain a single, unified language. Over time, its regional varieties developed into the different branches and languages of the Germanic family, including Gothic, Old Norse, Old Saxon and Old High German.

Gothic became the earliest extensively documented Germanic language in the 4th century, when Bishop Ulfilas and other scholars translated much of the Bible and adapted Greek and Latin characters to create a Gothic alphabet. In the Gothic language, the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer reads as, “Atta unsar, þu in himinam, weihnai namo þein.” The Gothic scriptures outlived the language itself, as Gothic, like all Eastern Germanic languages, died out long ago.

Old High German, Low German And The Second Consonant Shift (600-1050 CE)

Beginning around the 6th century, a series of pronunciation changes known as the Second Germanic Consonant Shift spread through the southern part of the West Germanic dialect continuum. The varieties affected by this shift developed into what we now call Old High German, while northern varieties remained largely unaffected and formed the basis of Low German.

The Second Germanic Consonant Shift is an important turning point in the history of the German language: It’s the reason that today we say Pfanne (“pan,” with both the “p” and “f” pronounced aloud), Zeit (“time,” with the “z” pronounced like the English “ts”) and Tochter (“daughter,” with the “t” pronounced like the English). In addition, this shift structured the German-speaking world into different dialects: While the Sound Shift took place fully in both southern and Central Germany, the Niederdeutsch dialect in the north retained the old sounds (e.g. “p” instead of “pf”). This is still reflected in the Nordic dialects and languages.

The word Deutsch, or “German,” with the meaning it retains today, also appeared for the first time during the Second Consonant Shift. It comes from the Germanic word diot (“people”), as well as diutisc (“belonging to one’s own people”), and at the time it signified the Germanic-speaking locals of the Franconian Empire.

This sound shift is one of the defining features that separates High German from Low German, which continued to be spoken across much of northern Germany. Many of these pronunciation differences can still be heard in regional dialects today.

Middle High German: New Endings, Articles And Literature (1050-1350 CE)

Knights, Minnesang and fiefdom: The High Middle Ages were shaped by economic and cultural growth, but also by political fragmentation: From 1050 on, the German-speaking world was divided into a patchwork of individual domains, and the German language developed in a similarly multifaceted manner. This period also saw German literature flourish, producing works that are still studied today. Every territory had its own dialect, each ruling house its own courtly poetry. From the Court of the Staufenkaiser, or Staufen emperor, for example, there emerged such renowned epics as the Nibelungenlied, Parzival and Tristan.

In addition, the poet Walther von der Vogelweide wrote his Minnesang-style verse, Herzeliebez vrouwelin (“Dearest Lady of my Heart”), in the language now known as Mittelhochdeutsch, or Middle High German. “Middle High German” does not refer to a special dialect, but rather encompasses the different varieties of languages spoken in this epoch in central and southern Germany. Middle High German is also a bit more recognizable to contemporary German: On the one hand, the umlaut diacritical marks (ä, ö, ü) came into full use; on the other, unpronounced syllables were eliminated and vowels that had heretofore been unpronounced at the end of words turned into the schwa sound (think of the sound of the “o” in the English word photograph, the “i” in pencil or the “y” in syringe). The Old High German hōran, for example, became the Middle High German hœren, now hören, or “to hear.” This change in pronunciation led to a real chain reaction: The weakening of vowels meant that all case endings now sounded identical, which in turn made articles necessary in order to be able to continue displaying the case of a noun (aka, whether it’s nominative, accusative, dative or genitive.)

Martin Luther, Bible Translation And Early New High German (1250-1550 CE)

Early New High German is deserving of its own epoch, given that so many significant cultural changes took place during this time period. With the publication of his complete German translation of the Bible in 1534 — followed by a final revised edition in 1545 — Martin Luther enriched the German vocabulary with countless new creations such as Denkzettel (“object lesson,” literally “think sheet”), Feuereifer (“zeal,” literally “fire eagerness”), or Lästermaul (“scandalmonger,” literally “vice yap”). His translation also helped standardize spelling and syntax across German-speaking regions, making written German more consistent than ever before.

In addition, previously regional expressions such as Ziege (“goat,” instead of Geiß), or “Ufer” (“shore” or “bank,” instead of Gestade), became more widely known in all German-speaking regions. Most importantly, however, the foundation was set for a unified German language, which through the wide dissemination of the Bible, established the southern and central New High German dialects in the north as well.

Technical innovations such as the printing press invented by Johannes Gutenberg around 1446 also led to the increase in importance of a written language. This led to the creation of interregional standard languages that speakers of all dialects would be able to understand.

As books started being printed in German instead of Latin, numerous borrowed words from Latin also came into play in the growing Humanist movement, such as Dekret (“decree”), zitieren (“to cite”) and Examen (“exam”). Even the German grammar was revamped in the image of the Latin, thus introducing a future tense built with werden (“will”) + infinitive (ich werde reisen, or “I will travel”), where one had beforehand simply used the present (as German speakers once again do today).

New High German: Standardization, Spelling And Grammar (16th Century—Present)

By the time the 16th century rolled around, there were numerous variants and standards in German. Standard German gradually developed alongside many regional dialects, creating a common written language while allowing local speech to remain remarkably diverse. Slowly, they united. From the 16th to the 18th Century, the southern and central German dialects came together to form Neuhochdeutsch, otherwise known as New High German, the version of German we speak today (with small modifications). Rapid urbanization, compulsory schooling and increased mobility brought speakers of different dialects into closer contact, further strengthening the role of standardized German in public life.

Other members of the West Germanic branch — including Dutch, Yiddish and Afrikaans — evolved independently alongside German. During the Middle Ages, the varieties that would become Dutch (spoken in The Netherlands), Low German and High German formed part of a broad dialect continuum, long before modern national standard languages were firmly established.

The German Language, Urbanization And National Standardization: 19th and 20th Centuries

When the majority of German-speaking territories became a part of the German Empire (Deutsches Reich) in 1871, people saw increased need for a singular set of spelling conventions for their new nation-state. And so it was that in 1880 Konrad Duden published the first edition of the Complete Orthographic Dictionary of the German Language. The spelling rules in the 1880 Duden remained in place until the first Rechtschreibreform (“spelling reform”) of 1996.

In the 19th Century, the industrial revolution brought with it numerous technical terms such as Elektrizität (“electricity”), Waschmaschine (“washing machine”) and Eisenbahn (“railroad track”). In the business world, one also often encountered borrowed words from English or French, such as Lokomitive (“locomotive”), Billet (“ticket”) or Telegramm (“telegram”). And obviously, the 20th Century also brought new discoveries and societal changes, many of which resulted in words borrowed from English such as Computer, Job and Team.

While the 20th Century did not bring about many changes in pronunciation (the rolled “r” changed into what is now considered the classic German-sounding guttural “r”), we can observe several tendencies toward simplification in German: For example, the genitive case (used to signify possession) is used with increasing rarity (especially in spoken language), and the dative case often appears in its place.

The German Language Today: From Austria To Northern Germany

Understanding the history of German helps explain why the modern language looks and sounds the way it does. Its famous grammar, articles like der, die and das, long compound words and shifting word endings didn’t appear overnight. They developed gradually over thousands of years, shaped by sound changes, regional dialects, political borders and cultural exchange.

That history also explains why German can feel both familiar and unfamiliar to English speakers. As fellow West Germanic languages, English and German still share thousands of related words, even though their pronunciation and syntax have evolved in different directions.

German is still changing today, just as all living languages do. Whether you’re ordering coffee in Munich, attending a concert in Vienna or chatting with friends in Zurich, you’ll hear regional variants of the same language, each carrying traces of a different local history. For learners, understanding that bigger picture can make modern German feel a little less mysterious. Even everyday words like werden or über carry the marks of centuries of linguistic change.

Will the cases — nominative, accusative, dative and genitive — that cause so many German learners grief eventually go the way of the dodo? Could a third sound shift simplify some of the language’s more complicated syllable structures? Maybe. But that’s probably something only German-speaking countries’ great-great-great-grandchildren will get to experience.

The post How The German Language Evolved: A Brief History Of German appeared first on Babbel.

English is one of the most widely spoken languages on Earth. Whether it’s someone’s first language or a second language, English is used every day by people around the world to communicate across borders, study, travel and do business. While no single language is spoken everywhere, English has become today’s closest thing to a global lingua franca.

But just how many people speak English? And where do most English speakers live? Here’s a look at the latest global statistics, followed by a regional breakdown of where English is spoken and how the language became so widespread.

How Many English Speakers Are There Worldwide?

Around 1.35 billion people speak English worldwide, making it the most widely spoken language when native and non-native speakers are counted together. Only about 360 million people speak English as their first language, while nearly one billion others use it as a second or foreign language.

That means roughly one in six people around the globe can speak at least some English. The language is also the world’s most commonly studied foreign language, helping millions of learners communicate with people from different countries even when they don’t share the same native language.

Global English Stats: At A Glance

Here’s a quick snapshot of the English language around the world:

Where Is The English Language Spoken?

English is spoken on every inhabited continent. In some countries — including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand — it is the primary language for most of the population. In many others, English serves as an official language alongside one or more local languages.

Countries where English is widely spoken as a native language include:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• The Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Canada
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Ireland
• Jamaica
• New Zealand
• Saint Kitts and Nevis
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago
• United Kingdom
• United States

Many more countries recognize English as an official language even though most residents speak another language at home. India, Nigeria, Singapore, South Africa, Kenya and the Philippines are among the largest examples.

How Many People Speak English In The Americas?

The Americas are home to the world’s largest English-speaking population. Most native English speakers live in North America, but English is also spoken throughout Central America, the Caribbean and parts of South America—either as a first language, an official language or a widely spoken second language.

The vast majority of native English speakers in the Americas live in the United States, where about 297 million people speak English as their first language. Canada adds another 30 million native English speakers, while several Caribbean nations—including Jamaica, Barbados and the Bahamas—also have English as an official language. In some of these countries, however, English exists alongside local creoles and other languages used in
everyday life.

In Central and South America, English is less commonly spoken as a native language, but millions of people have learned it as a second language. Across Central and South America, an estimated 14 million people speak English, with particularly large English-speaking populations in Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Puerto Rico.

How Many People Speak English In Europe?

Although English originated in Europe, most Europeans who speak English learned it as a second language rather than growing up with it. Today, English serves as a common language between people from different countries, making it one of the continent’s most important tools for international communication.

The United Kingdom is home to around 60 million English speakers, including roughly 50 million in England and Wales. Beyond the U.K., Germany has one of Europe’s largest English-speaking populations (around 46 million), followed by France and Italy. In most of these countries, however, English is learned in school rather than spoken as a native language.

How Many People Speak English In Africa?

Africa has relatively few native English speakers, but it’s home to one of the world’s largest populations of people who speak English as a second language. In many African countries, English serves as an official language and plays an important role in education, government and business.

Only about 6.5 million people across Africa speak English as their first language, but around 237 million speak it overall. Nigeria has by far the continent’s largest English-speaking population, with an estimated 111 million speakers, followed by Uganda, South Africa and Cameroon.

Because so many countries in Africa use English alongside other official or regional languages, proficiency varies widely from one country to the next. Even so, English continues to be an important language for communication across the continent.

How Many People Speak English In Asia?

Asia is home to relatively few native English speakers, but hundreds of millions of people use English as a second or foreign language. As a result, the continent has one of the world’s largest English-speaking populations.

According to Ethnologue, around 460 million people in Asia speak English. India accounts for the largest share, with approximately 265 million English speakers. The Philippines follows with around 50 million, while Bangladesh and Pakistan each have tens of millions of people who speak English as well.

English also plays an important role in countries like Singapore, where it is one of the official languages and is widely used in schools, government and business.

How Many People Speak English In Oceania?

Although Oceania has a much smaller population than other regions, English is the dominant language across much of the continent. Australia is home to about 22 million native English speakers, while New Zealand has roughly 4 million, most of whom speak the local variety known as New Zealand English. Papua New Guinea contributes another 3.2 million English speakers, and Fiji has around 200,000. Across Oceania as a whole, there are more than 30 million English speakers.

A Brief History Of The English Language

How did English become so widely spoken? The answer lies in a combination of migration, conquest and colonial expansion.

English belongs to the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family. It developed after Germanic tribes settled in Britain during the fifth century, gradually evolving into what we now call Old English. Following the Norman Conquest of 1066, the language absorbed thousands of words from French and Latin, giving rise to Middle English before eventually developing into Modern English.

Centuries later, British colonialism spread English around the world. As the British Empire established colonies across Africa, Asia, the Americas and Oceania, English became the language of government, trade and education in many territories. In the 20th and 21st centuries, the global influence of the United States has further reinforced English as the dominant language of international business, science, entertainment and technology.

Why Learn English?

The sheer number of people who speak English makes it a very popular choice around the world. In many countries around the world, English is the most obvious choice for a second language. Of course, there are drawbacks to English’s status as a global lingua franca — including the fact that it gives an advantage to people born in predominantly English-speaking countries — but it’s undeniably a useful tool in business, entertainment, science and countless other fields.

If you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance you already speak English. But learning another language is one of the best ways to broaden your horizons, connect with new people and experience different cultures. Not sure where to start? Check out our list of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn — or, if you’re looking for a bigger challenge, explore some of the hardest languages to learn instead.

The post How Many People Speak English, And Where Is It Spoken? appeared first on Babbel.

Are you motivated to learn Polish, but not sure where to start? With a language like Polish, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the grammar rules, the pronunciation and all the new words. To start building your Polish vocabulary, it’s a good idea to concentrate on the words that come up the most frequently. Then you’ll not only understand more, but you’ll reinforce what you’ve learned quickly because you’ll encounter these words again and again. So let’s get started with the 20 most common verbs in the Polish language. In this article, we’ll show you the meaning of each verb, its present tense conjugation chart, and give you a few useful examples of the verb in a sentence. We’ll sprinkle in some Polish grammar tips where extra context is needed. 

The 20 Most Common Polish Verbs

1. być — “to be”

Example: Jestem artystą/artystką. (“I’m an artist.”)

Two quick points about personal pronouns: They’re usually left out in Polish because the verb ending is typically enough. You’ll also notice that there are two forms of “they,” depending on the genders of the people in the group. Oni is used when there’s at least one man in the group, while one is used when there are only women, or when there aren’t any people (just things or animals).

2. mieć — “to have”

Example: Mam dwie starsze siostry. (“I have two older sisters.”)

You also use mieć to say how old you are, as in the case: Mam 35 lat (“I am 35 years old”). You’re literally saying “I have 35 years.”

3. robić — “to do, to make”

Example: Co robisz dzisiaj wieczorem? (“What are you doing tonight?”)

4. znać — “to know”

Example: My się jeszcze nie znamy. (“We don’t know each other yet.”)

An important vocabulary note for English speakers: There are actually two different ways to say “to know” in Polish. Znać is more to know someone, or to be acquainted with something. Wiedzieć (found below) is more about something that you know in terms of fact, or something that you learned in school. The major exception is that you use znać to talk about knowing languages, like with Znasz polski? (“Do you know Polish?”)

5. móc — “can, may”

Example: Możesz mi pomóc? (“Can you help me?”)

Móc is used to ask about possibility or permission, making it more equitable with the antiquated “may” in English. If you’re talking about a skill that you’ve learned, you use umieć.

• Example: Mogę iść pływać? (“Can I go swimming?”)
• Example: Nie umiem pływać. (“I can’t swim.”)

6. mówić — “to say, to speak”

Example: Jak to się mówi po polsku? (“How do you say that in Polish?”)

7. mieszkać — “to live”

Example: Jestem z Niemiec, ale teraz mieszkam w Polsce. (“I’m from Germany, but now I live in Poland.”)

And just a note to native English speakers, mieszkać only means “to live” in terms of location, rather than the state of being alive.

8. chcieć — “to want”

Example: Chcecie iść do kina? (“Do you want to go to the cinema?”)

9. dać — “to give”

Example: Dasz mi twój numer telefonu? (“Will you give me your phone number?”)

10. lubić — “to like”

Example: Lubicie pierogi? (“Do you like pierogi?”)

11. iść — “to go”

Example: Dokąd idziemy? (“Where are we going?”)

12. przyjść — “to come”

Example: Przyjdziesz do mnie na imprezę? (“Are you coming to mine for the party?”)

13. woleć — “to prefer”

Example: Wolę wino niż piwo. (“I prefer wine to beer.”)

14. wiedzieć — “to know”

Example: Wiesz, gdzie jest dworzec? (“Do you know where the train station is?”)

15. jeść — “to eat”

Example: Co jemy na obiad? (“What are we eating for lunch?”)

16. napić się — “to drink”

Example: Czego się napijesz? (“What do you want to drink?”)

When it comes to drinking, Polish has quite a few verb forms: The imperfective aspect is pić, but it doesn’t come up very often. There’s also wypić, which basically means “to drink up.” Napić się is the perfective aspect and is used when you’re offering something to drink or ordering a drink.

17. widzieć — “to see”

Example: Widzisz tego przystojnego faceta? (“Do you see that good-looking guy?”)

18. musieć — “to have to, must”

Example: Musimy się pośpieszyć! (“We have to hurry!”)

19. jechać — “to go” (by a vehicle)

Example: Dokąd jedziemy na weekend? (“Where are we going this weekend?”)

20. szukać — “to look for”

Example: Przepraszam, szukam apteki. (“Excuse me, I’m looking for a pharmacy.”)

Verb Aspects: Imperfective vs. Perfective Verbs

 Before we get into conjugations of different tenses, you should know that Polish verbs generally have two forms, or “aspects.” These aspects have a different meaning in terms of time. The imperfective aspect emphasizes that an action continues and isn’t completed yet, while the perfective aspect emphasizes that an action was or will be completed.

Let’s take the verb pair robić (“to do, to make” — imperfective) and zrobić (“to do, to make” — perfective), for instance. Lubię robić śniadanie (“I like to make breakfast”) — in this case, the duration of the action is emphasized. You enjoy the time it takes to make breakfast. With Możesz zrobić śniadanie? (“Can you make breakfast?”), the completion of the action is emphasized. You want the finished breakfast on the table, and the duration doesn’t matter. Some verbs only have one aspect — for example, być (“to be”) is only imperfective because “being” implies duration. 

Conjugating Polish Verbs in the Past Tense

The next step after practicing the most commonly used verbs in the present tense is to learn how to conjugate them in the past tense. The first step for past tense conjugations in Polish is to find the past stem. For most verbs, you can do that by removing the ć from the infinitive. For example, robić (to make/to do), becomes robi. Then, add an ending. Polish past tense verb endings always correspond to the person doing the action and their gender.

Singular Past Tense Endings

• ja (masculine) :-łem
• ja (feminine): -łam
• ty (masculine): -łeś
• ty (feminine): -łaś
• on (masculine): -ł
• ona (feminine): -ła
• ono (neuter): -ło

Plural Past Tense Endings

• my (at least one masculine presence): -liśmy 
• my (no masculine presence): -łyśmy
• wy (at least one masculine presence): -liście
• wy (no masculine presence): -łyście
• oni (at least one masculine presence): -li 
• one (no masculine presence): -ły

Conjugating Polish Verbs in the Future Tense

The next stop on your Polish language learning journey is talking about the future. There are two different forms of the Polish future tense, used depending on the context: simple future and compound future. We’ll explain how each one works on a basic level.

Polish Simple Future

Simple future uses perfective verbs to express complete actions. This conjugation results in a one-word future. The English equivalent would be “I will walk.” Future simple uses the same endings as the present tense, so you don’t have to learn any new ones.

Polish Compound Future

Compound future uses imperfective verbs to express actions in progress. This conjugation results in a two-word compound future. The English equivalent would be “I will be walking.” The first thing you need to conjugate in the compound future tense is the future form of być (to be). Then, you can add the main verb in one of two ways.

The simplest pattern is adding the infinitive of the main verb. This stays the same regardless of the gender of the subject. The slightly more complicated version is adding the l-participle to the verb stem of the main verb. That’s -ł for masculine subjects and -ła for feminine subjects.

The post The 20 Most Common Polish Verbs (And How To Use Them) appeared first on Babbel.

Belgium straddles the border between Germanic and Romance-speaking Europe, and this position is reflected in the country’s political, cultural and linguistic makeup. With three major languages spoken under the same roof, what can go wrong? Apparently, a lot. Unlike other countries in Europe that have successfully forged a united national identity out of multiple linguistic communities (looking at you, Switzerland), Belgium’s linguistic diversity has become a political hot potato in recent years, with divisions over language often pitting different linguistic communities against each other. So, what are the languages spoken in Belgium then?

The three official languages are:

• Flemish (Dutch) is mostly spoken in the northern region of Flanders
• French is mostly spoken in the southern region of Wallonia
• German is spoken in the Liege province near the German border

Luxembourgish and other regional dialects are not officially recognized, but are considered minority languages.

Illustration by Victoria Fernandez

The post Which Languages Are Spoken In Belgium? appeared first on Babbel.

The alphabet provides the building blocks of any language. It’s a bit strange, then, that we often skip over it when we’re learning a new one — especially when the alphabet looks similar enough to the one we already know. Taking the time to learn the Danish alphabet first, however, can save you plenty of headaches later on. By understanding each Danish letter and its different pronunciations, you’ll be much better prepared to pronounce Danish words correctly and speak Danish with confidence.

To get you started, we put together this guide to the Danish alphabet. Whether you’re a complete beginner or simply brushing up on the basics, we’ll cover the letters most likely to trip you up, along with examples that show how they’re pronounced in real words.

The Danish Alphabet: 29 Letters

The Danish alphabet has 29 letters. It includes the same 26 letters found in the English alphabet, plus three additional vowels: Æ, Ø and Å. These three extra letters are among the most distinctive features of written Danish, so they’re essential to learn if you want to master the Danish alphabet.

If you learn best through song, you can also try this alphabet song.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Æ Ø Å

While C, Q, W, X and Z are part of the Danish alphabet, they mostly appear in foreign loanwords rather than native Danish vocabulary. Diacritics also aren’t very common in Danish, though you may occasionally see an acute accent (á, é, etc.) used to indicate stress.

A Lesson on Danish Vowels

Vowels are more than half the battle when it comes to learning the Danish alphabet. Danish vowel sounds are famously challenging, but understanding them early will make both reading and speaking the language much easier.

Each vowel has two pronunciations: long and short. When the vowel comes before two or more consonants in a row (and sometimes at the end of a word), it’s pronounced short. Otherwise, it’s long. Here, we’ll go through the pronunciation of each of the vowels.

A

• The letter A is pronounced differently depending on what letter follows it. If it’s followed by a K, M, P, R, U or NG, it sounds like the “a” in “car.”
  • en farfar — a grandfather
  • en stang — a poll
  • en bakke — a hill
• If the letter A comes before a D, L, N, S or T, it sounds more like the “e” in “bed.”
  • dansk — Danish
  • en nat — a night
  • en assistent — an assistant
• When the letter combination AF appears at the beginning of the word as a prefix, they combine to form a sound like the “ow” in “brown.” If they appear in the middle or at the end of a word, they are pronounced separately.
  • at afslutte — to finish
  • en aften — an evening [not a prefix]
  • en kraft — power
• The letter combination AG has two pronunciations. At the end of a word or before a vowel, it sounds like the “ay” in “hay.” Before a consonant, it sounds like the “ow” in “brown.”
  • et tag — a roof
  • at bage — to bake
  • en dagbog — a diary
• The letter combo AJ usually sounds like the “uy” in “buy.”
  • maj — May
  • en kaj — a wharf
• At the end of a word or before a consonant, the letter combo AV sounds like the “ow” in “brown.”
  • København — Copenhagen
  • et hav — a sea
• If AV appears before a vowel, there are two ways to pronounce it. The A always sounds like the “e” in “bed,” but the V can sound either like the “v” in “ever” or like the “w” in “award.”
  • en gave — a gift [Pronunciation 1]
  • en gave — a gift [Pronunciation 2]

E

• The long E — the E before single consonants — doesn’t exist in English. One approximation is the “a” in “male,” pronounced while smiling. At the end of words or before a soft D, the long E is slightly shortened.
  • et diskotek — a club
  • en te — a tea
• The short E, pronounced before two or more consonants, is not as difficult. It sounds like the “e” in “end.”
  • ekstra — extra
  • en eftermiddag — an afternoon
• At the end of a word, the E sounds like the “er” in “closer,” but is a little bit shorter.
  • et hjælpe — to help
• In words that end with -en or -em, the E is almost entirely silent.
  • klokken — clock
• The letter combos EJ and EG usually sound like the “uy” in “buy.”
  • hej — hi
  • at sejle — to sail
  • jeg — I

I

• A long I sounds like the “ee” in “knee.”
  • at lide — to like
  • en bil — a car
• When a word ends with -ig, -ik, -it, -lig, -tig or -i, the I sound is shortened.
  • en politik — politics
  • en bandit — a bandit
• The short I in Danish has no English equivalent, but it sounds kind of like the “e” in “egg.”
  • ikke — not
  • briller — glasses

O

• A long O is pronounced like the “o” in “most.”
  • en kone — a wife
  • en skole — a school
• A short O sounds like the “o” in “odd.”
  • en sommer — summer
  • en blomst — a flower
• When an O appears at the end of a word, it sounds like a long O, but it’s shortened.
  • at bo — to live
  • to — two
• The letter combos OG and OV both create a diphthong that sounds like the “o” in “throw,” followed by the “u” in “unlikely.”
  • en bog — a book
  • over — over

U

• A long U is pronounced like the “u” in “rude.”
  • et hus — a house
  • du — you
• Though there is no exact English equivalent, the short U sounds somewhat like the “o” in “rob.”
  • under — under
  • et tyggegummi — chewing gum

Æ

• There’s no exact English equivalent, but the Æ sounds kind of like the “e” in “end,” except your mouth should be opened wider to pronounce it.
  • et hjælpe — to help
  • et æg — an egg
• When the letter Æ appears in front of an R, it sounds more like the “a” in “care.”
  • et bær — a berry
  • ærlig — honest

Ø

• The long Ø is another vowel that doesn’t exist in English, but it sounds kind of like the “u” in “hurt.” To make it more accurate, pronounce that vowel and round your lips, pulling them inwards.
  • at køre — to drive
  • at købe — to buy
• A short Ø sounds like the “i” in “bird.”
  • at svømme — to swim
  • en søndag — sunday
• At the end of a word, the Danish Ø sounds like a shortened version of the long Ø.
  • en kø — a line
• A short Ø followed by a J or an ØG letter combo both sound like the “oy” in “boy.”
  • en løjpe — a cross-country ski run
  • røget — smoked

Å

• A long Å sounds like the “o” in “open.”
  • at få — to receive
  • en dåse — a can
• A short Å sounds like the “u” in “up.”
  • at måtte — to have to
  • et bånd — a band
• When Å appears before an R, it is longer than usual and sounds like the “o” in “rose.”
  • et får — a sheep
  • dårlig — bad

Y

• The long Y doesn’t have an exact English equivalent, but sounds kind of like the “oo” in “hoop.” To get closer to the Danish pronunciation, say the “oo” sound while moving your lips slightly upward.
  • ny — new
  • tyve — tyve
• The short Y sounds like the “oo” in “look.”
  • et smykke — a piece of jewelry
  • at synge — to sing

The Basics of Danish Consonants

Danish consonants aren’t quite as complex as the vowels, but there are still some important pronunciation rules worth learning. Here, we focus on the consonants most likely to give beginners trouble and show the different ways they can be pronounced.

D

• When it appears at the beginning of a word or before a stressed vowel, the Danish D sounds like the “d” in “dark.”
  • at danse — to danse
  • en idé — an idea
• When the letter D (or doubled DD) appears after a stressed syllable, it’s a soft D. It sounds more like the English TH sound.
  • hvad — what
  • at hedde — to be called
• When it appears after an L, N or R or before a T or S, the Danish D is generally silent.
  • en mand — a man
  • pludselig — suddenly

G

• At the beginning of a word or when doubled (GG), the Danish G sounds like the “g” in “good.”
  • godt — good
  • at ligge — to lie down
• When G is after a long vowel, it’s silent.
  • søndag — Sunday
  • at besøge — to visit
• When G comes after an O or Å, it sometimes becomes a diphthong. See the relevant vowels in the above section for more details.

HV and HJ

• The letter combo HV appears only at the beginning of Danish words. The H is silent and the V sounds like the “v” in “very.”
  • hvad — what
  • en hval — a whale
• HJ also appears only at the beginning of words. The H is once again silent, and the J sounds like the “y” in “year.”
  • et hjul — a wheel
  • en hjerne — a brain

J

• The letter J at the beginning of a word or before a vowel sounds like the “y” in “you.”
  • jeg — I
  • fjorten — fourteen
• In certain loanwords, the letter J will sound like the “j” in “just.”
  • jazz — jazz
• When the letter J appears after an A or E it forms a diphthong. Scroll up to those vowels for more details.

K

• The letter K sounds like the first “k” in “kick.”
  • tak — thanks
  • at komme — to come
• A double KK has a softer pronunciation, like the “k” in “snooker.”
  • ikke — not
  • en bakke — a hill

P

• At the beginning or end of words, P sounds like the “p” in “pocket.”
  • et posthus — a post office
  • en kop — a cup
• In the middle of a word or doubled (PP), P sounds like the “b” in “bear.”
  • en lampe — a lamp
  • en trappe — a staircase

R

• At the beginning of a word, at the beginning of a syllable or after a consonant, the R is pronounced in a way unlike anything in English. It is slightly rolled.
  • en regn — rain
  • en frisør — a hairdresser
• When R appears after a vowel, it extends the vowel sound.
  • en torsk — a codfish
  • et får — a sheep
• When a word ends with ER, it sounds like the the “o” in “oven.”
  • en datter — a daughter
  • en lærer — a teacher

T

• At the beginning or end of a word, the T is pronounced like the “t” in “tall.”
  • tyve — twenty
  • en hat — a hat
• In the middle of a word or when doubled (TT), the T sounds more like the “d” in “bad.”
  • et teater — a theater
  • nitten — nineteen

V

• The V at the beginning of a word sounds like the “v” in “very.”
  • vi — we
  • venstre — left
• After an L, the V is silent.
  • halv — half
  • et gulv — a floor

Glottal Stops

One feature of Danish pronunciation that many learners find challenging is the stød, a type of glottal stop heard in many varieties of Danish. You can hear a similar sound in the middle of the English expression “nuh-uh” (an informal way of saying “no”), although the Danish version is often much subtler.

There isn’t one simple rule for when to use the stød, and even pronunciation varies somewhat across Denmark. As you spend more time listening to native speakers, you’ll gradually develop an ear for when it appears. Here are a few words in which some Danish speakers use a stød:

• lang — long
• hun maler — she paints
• en hund — a dog

Tips For Learning The Danish Alphabet And Improving Your Pronunciation

Learning the Danish alphabet is one of the best things you can do early on as a beginner. Once you’re comfortable with the three extra letters — Æ, Ø and Å — reading Danish becomes much less intimidating, even if speaking it still takes practice.

One of the most helpful tips is to listen to native speakers as often as you can. Danish has many subtle vowel sounds that can be difficult for English speakers to hear at first, so repeated exposure is just as important as studying pronunciation rules. Listening to podcasts, music or language lessons online can help train your ear while expanding your vocabulary.

It’s also worth practicing common words and phrases out loud. If you can confidently say hello in Danish (“hej”), for example, you’re already getting practice with one of the language’s most common letter combinations. Reading words aloud while following along with audio is another great way to connect Danish spelling with pronunciation.

Finally, don’t worry if mastering the Danish alphabet takes time. Even experienced learners continue refining their pronunciation as they progress. The more you read, listen and speak Danish, the more natural the language will begin to feel — and the stronger your foundation will be for learning Danish grammar and expanding your vocabulary.

The post Learn The Danish Alphabet: Your Beginner Pronunciation Guide From Å to Ø appeared first on Babbel.

You’ve started learning Turkish? Süper! So you’ve probably already learned a few phrases for “hello” and “goodbye,” as well as the most important words like “thank you” and “please.” But what about  verbs? Well, you might be wondering which ones to begin with.

We’ve put together a guide to the 20 most common verbs in Turkish, along with their present-tense conjugations and useful sentences that contain them. But first, we have a handy infographic for the first five most frequently used Turkish verbs.

The Top 20 Most Common Turkish Verbs

1. yapmak — to make, to do

Ne yapıyorsun? (“What are you doing?”)

Heads up! There’s another verb that means “to make” or “to do”: etmek. It’s used, for example, in the expression, Teşekkür ederim (“Thank you,” lit. “I make thank”).

2. gitmek — to go

Türkiye’ye gidiyoruz. (“We’re going to Turkey.”)

Heads up! Like with etmek, the “t” in gitmek is softened to a “d” when the present tense ending -İyor is added.

3. gelmek — to come

Sen de gel! (“Come with!”)

Hint: If you leave off the ending -mek/-mak in the infinitive, you get the singular imperative form, e.g. Gel! (“Come!”) or Git! (“Go!”).

4. almak — to take, to buy, to get

Ekmek de al! (“Buy bread too!”)

Hint: When you want to be polite and order something, just remember the form alabilir miyim (“could I get”). You can add it to the end of your request, e.g. Bir bira alabilir miyim lütfen? (“Could I get a beer, please?”)

5. istemek — to want

Ben döner istiyorum. Sen ne istiyorsun? (“I want a döner. What do you want?”)

Heads up! Personal pronouns (ben, sen, etc.) are only used when you want to emphasize them. Otherwise, leave them out, or it won’t sound natural.

6. çalışmak — to work

Bugün çalışmıyorum. (“I’m not working today.”)

Did you notice that the verb is negated in this sentence? The “m” from the negation “me/ma” is added to the verb stem, and after that comes the present tense ending.

7. bilmek — to know, to be able to

Bilmiyorum. (“I don’t know.”)

8. konuşmak — to speak

Kimle konuşuyorsun? (“Who are you talking to?”)

9. okumak — to read, to study, to go to school

Gazete okuyor. (“He/she is reading the newspaper.”)

10. sevmek — to like, to love

Seni seviyorum. (“I love you.”)

11. demek — to say, to mean

Bu ne demek? (“What does that mean?”)

12. düşünmek — to think, to consider

Çok düşünüyorsun. (“You think too much.”)

13. yemek — to eat

Ne yiyoruz? (“What are we eating?”)

14. içmek — to drink

Çay içiyoruz. (“We’re drinking tea.”)

15. başlamak — to begin

Film saat kaçta başlıyor? (“What time does the movie start?”)

16. olmak — to be, to become, to happen

Ne oluyor? (“What’s happening here?”)

Ne oldu? (“What happened?”)

Heads up! In the second example, the verb olmak is in the past tense. You should remember this phrase if you’re a curious person.

17. söylemek — to say, to sing

Bu şarkıyı kim söylüyor? (“Who sings this song?”)

18. yatmak — to lie down, to go to bed

Ben yatıyorum, iyi geceler! (“I’m going to bed, goodnight!”)

19. oturmak — to sit, to live

Nerede oturuyorsunuz? (“Where do you (pl.) live?”)

20. sormak — to ask

Çok soru soruyorsun! (“You ask too many questions!”)

The Two Forms of Turkish Present Tense Verb Conjugations

Now that you’ve learned the Turkish verbs most frequently used in daily life, here’s a little more context on conjugating them in the present tense. Turkish has two different forms of present tense. The first is present continuous tense, which is used for events that are currently happening. The second is simple present tense, also known as aorist, which is used for habitual actions. The examples you see above are all in the continuous present tense. These are the verb endings for aorist tense:

• Ben : -rim
• Sen: – rsin
• O: -r

Build and Practice Your Turkish Vocabulary

When you’re learning a new language, you’ll make progress faster if you start with learning the vocabulary for the things you talk about a lot. That’s why we recommend starting with the most frequently used verbs. With effective, consistent practice, you’ll be able to participate in everyday conversations in your new language with confidence in no time. Add these verbs to your flashcards and keep reviewing them until you master them. Then, learn how to talk about your job, hobbies, home life, and your likes and dislikes.  Becoming fluent in Turkish takes time, but a solid base of vocabulary and grammar makes success possible.

The post The 20 Most Common Turkish Verbs (And Their Conjugations In Different Tenses) appeared first on Babbel.

Don’t be late for your fika date!

Learning how to tell the time in Swedish is easier than you might think because the Swedish language shares many basic concepts with English. Once you know a few common Swedish time expressions, you’ll be able to read a clock, make appointments, catch a bus or train, and talk about your schedule with confidence.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to tell the time in Swedish, explain the differences between Swedish and English, and introduce the expressions you’re most likely to hear in everyday conversation.

How To Tell The Time In Swedish And Read The Clock

Every language has its own way of asking for the time. English speakers ask, “What time is it?,” while Swedish literally asks, “What’s the clock?” It’s one of those charming differences that makes learning a language fun — and fortunately, the answer is just as straightforward.

• Vad är klockan? – What time is it? (literal translation: “What is the clock?”)
• Klockan är elva. – It is eleven o’clock. (literal translation: “The clock is eleven.”)
• Den är (Hon är) nio. – It is nine o’clock.

The answer is either Klockan är… (The clock is…) or Den är… (It is). One interesting feature of Swedish grammar is how many Swedes refer to the clock as hon (she), even though Swedish doesn’t use grammatical gender in that way anymore. It’s a residual facet of Old Swedish that has lived on colloquially.

Using The 24-Hour Clock In Sweden

In Sweden, like in the rest of Europe, the 24-hour clock is standard. It’s often fine to use the 12-hour clock though, since you can tell from the situation if a.m. or p.m. is meant. A movie date is more likely to be at nio på kvällen (9 p.m.), and a doctor’s appointment at nio på morgonen (9 a.m.). 

To specify the time using the 12-hour clock, you can explicitly name the time of day, like in the examples below. Note that Swedish doesn’t just have an afternoon (eftermiddag), but also a “pre-noon” (förmiddag), describing roughly the hours between 9 a.m. and noon.

• sju på morgonen – seven in the morning
• elva på förmiddagen – eleven in the morning
• fyra på eftermiddagen – four in the afternoon
• åtta på kvällen – eight in the evening
• tolv på natten – twelve at night

You’ll get around pretty well by using these more detailed time expressions, but it can still be helpful to learn the 24-hour format to tell the time in Swedish. Using the 24-hour clock is especially common in Sweden for train schedules, airports, business meetings and other situations where people need to  precisely communicate the exact time. 

Pro Tip: A rule of thumb is to subtract 12 from any time after noon. This means that 17:00 is 5 p.m., 13:00 is 1 p.m., and 14:00 is 2 p.m. 

Telling The Time In Swedish Beyond The Full Hour: Över, Halv And Minutes Past The Hour

The most common way to tell the time in Swedish is by using över (“past”) and i (“to”), much like in English. These Swedish time expressions are used in everyday speech whenever you’re describing minutes after the hour or counting down to the next one. The biggest difference comes with halv (“half”), which refers to half – 30 minutes – before the next hour rather than half past the current one.

• Halv – half (to the next hour): Klockan är halv tolv (11:30).
• Kvart över – quarter past: Klockan är kvart över elva (11:15)
• Kvart i – quarter to: Klockan är kvart i åtta (7:45)
• Tjugo över – twenty past
• Tjugo i – twenty to: Klockan är tjugo i tolv (11:40)
• Fem över – five past
• Tio över – ten past: Klockan är tio över sex (6:10)
• Fem i halv – twenty-five past (lit. five to half)
• Tre minuter i fem. – Three minutes to five.

People will definitely tell the time in Swedish in the digital format as well, i.e. “18:45” (arton och fyrtiofem) or “11:10” (elva och tio). This format is especially useful when the exact clock time matters. You’ll often hear it in transportation announcements, at airports, on public transport and in business settings where speakers want to avoid confusion. This format is more common in the written form, but you’ll often hear it when communicating the precise time is important.

• Tågets avgångstid är 13:43. (The train’s departure time is 1:43 p.m.)

Everyday Swedish Time Expressions

Once you’ve mastered telling the time, you’ll notice that native speakers often use a few extra key phrases in everyday conversation. These phrases will help you sound more natural when you speak Swedish. They’re extremely common in everyday speech and are useful whenever you’re making plans, talking about appointments or describing time-related events.

ungefär — about / approximately

Vi ses ungefär klockan tre.
Let’s meet at about three o’clock.

strax före — just before

Tåget kommer strax före fyra.
The train arrives just before four.

strax efter — just after

Jag kommer strax efter nio.
I’ll arrive just after nine.

om fem minuter — in five minutes

Vi går om fem minuter.
We’re leaving in five minutes.

för sent — too late

Jag vill inte komma för sent.
I don’t want to arrive too late.

precis — exactly / just

Jag kommer precis klockan tre.
I’ll arrive at exactly three o’clock.

i god tid — with plenty of time to spare

Kom i god tid till flygplatsen.
Arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare.

These phrases and time words aren’t strictly about reading the clock face, but they’re among the most useful Swedish time expressions you’ll hear in everyday conversation.

Other Useful Expressions For Talking About The Time

• Vilken tid? — What time?
• När ska vi träffas? — When should we meet?
• nu — now
• senare — later
• snart — soon
• i morgon — tomorrow
• i övermorgon — the day after tomorrow
• i kväll — tonight/this evening
• sen — late
• tidig — early
• i tid — on time

Tips For Learning Time Expressions in The Swedish Language

It will be an important milestone in your language learning journey when you learn how to tell time in Swedish. Like grammar and pronunciation, it’s a skill that becomes much easier through regular practice and exposure to authentic Swedish. The best way to master these expressions is to hear them used in authentic Swedish conversations. Pay attention to how native speakers talk about appointments, train departures and everyday plans—you’ll quickly notice how often expressions like över, halv and i appear.

If you’re watching a Swedish video or listening to native speakers, pause occasionally and repeat the time expressions you hear. This small exercise can improve your fluency and help you sound more natural when you speak Swedish.

One of the easiest free resources is simply changing your phone or computer to Swedish for a few days. Reading the clock throughout the day is an effortless lesson that helps you master common Swedish time expressions naturally.

As you continue learning the Swedish language, try practicing both the 12-hour and 24-hour clock aloud. Reading the time from your phone or watch is a simple way to build confidence, expand your vocabulary and get more comfortable speaking Swedish naturally.

The post How To Tell The Time In Swedish: A Guide To Halv, Över, And I appeared first on Babbel.

With an area of only 4 million square miles, Europe is the second smallest continent on Earth. It encompasses 44 sovereign nations, 748 million inhabitants and one of the most important political institutions in the world: the European Union. The most spoken European languages are also some of the most spoken in the world.

With all of these languages and cultures existing inside a relatively small geographic expanse, a European holiday is an unforgettable experience. Yet when it comes to deciding which language to learn for your vacation, all of these choices make for a difficult decision. We’ll break down the 10 most spoken languages on the continent so you can decide which one is the most useful for the stops on your tour.

How Many Languages Are Spoken In Europe?

The 10 Languages Spoken Most In Europe by Number of Native Speakers

1. Russian: 140 million

Perhaps a surprise for many individuals, Russian tops this list as the most spoken language in Europe with roughly 140 million native speakers on the continent! The Cyrillic alphabet can be a tricky challenge for would-be Russian learners, but it doesn’t hinder the millions of individuals who claim it as their mother tongue.

Russian is the official language of Russia and Belarus,  and it’s also still used in many Eastern European countries where it was taught in schools during the Soviet era. For those looking to travel to Russia, having some knowledge of the language is highly encouraged, as only about 5 percent of Russians can speak English.

2. German: 95 million

The language of philosophers and thinkers, German, has the second-largest native-speaking population in Europe. It’s the sole official language of Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein, and it’s a co-official language in Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg. Approximately 95 million people across those countries speak German as their first language. German is also the most widely understood language after English because of its popularity with Europeans as a second (or third, or fourth) language.

3. French: 80 million

With about 80 million native speakers, French is the third most spoken language in Europe. It is the official language of France (of course), as well as a co-official language of Belgium, Switzerland and Luxembourg. French is so popular as a second language that over 30 percent of the continent understands it. That makes it useful for travel around the continent. With almost 30 countries claiming French as an official or administrative language, it’s a practical language for any aspiring global traveler.

4. Turkish: 78 million

Coming in at number 4, Turkish is the official language of Turkey and has about 78 million native speakers in Europe. It also has co-official status in Cypress and is frequently spoken around the Mediterranean, particularly in Macedonia, Greece and Serbia. Germany also has a large population of Turkish speakers — around 1.3 million people, in fact! Of course, Turkey and the Turkish language are special in terms of culture, as they belong to the social traditions of Europe as well as Asia. For those looking for a special vacation, Istanbul — the city half in each continent — cannot be beat!

5. Italian: 60 million

The 60 million Italian native speakers in Europe are experts on la dolce vita. Italian is naturally the official language of Italy, but it’s also a co-official language of Switzerland (it’s the third most spoken language by the Swiss, after German and French) and of Vatican City, the city-state for the Roman Catholic Church (conveniently landlocked by Rome, Italy). When you want to experience the authentic Italian way of life on your travels, learning Italian is a must!

6. English: 60 million

You had to know this was coming, right? English, the global lingua franca, has 360 million native speakers worldwide, with just under 60 million of those living in Europe. It’s the de facto (but not “official”) language of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, but the large number of English speakers residing in other European countries also adds to this number. As for second language speakers, about a third of older Europeans can speak English, while nearly half of 15- to 35-year-olds have a mastery of the language. That said, some scholars theorize that the political realities of Brexit may weaken the dominance of English on the continent in the future. All the more reason to learn another language.

7. Spanish: 43 million

For years now, Spain has enjoyed a covetable position as one of Europe’s best travel destinations — especially for other Europeans seeking a warm and relaxing summer vacation. That, along with the fact that 43 million Europeans claim Spanish as their mother tongue, is reason enough to start learning this language. It certainly helps that Spanish is one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn.

Like French and English, Spanish is also a global language that can take you far. With 20 countries declaring it an official language and over 470 million native speakers, Spanish is the second most common native language in the world.

8. Polish: 36 million

While perhaps not as well-known as the other languages on this list, there are 36 million Polish native speakers who live in Europe. Most of these individuals (naturally) live in Poland, but Polish is also widely spoken in Czechia, Hungary, Belarus and Ukraine. Collectively, almost 6 percent of the European population speaks Polish as a first, second or third language.

9. Ukrainian: 27 million

The national language of Ukraine is spoken by 27 million native speakers, with the majority residing in Europe. Ukraine is the largest European country by area (when one excludes France’s overseas territories and the Asian continental portion of Russia). Plus, if you know Ukrainian, you’ll also end up understanding a lot of Russian!

10. Dutch: 22 million

The last spot on our list goes to Dutch, narrowly beating out Romanian for a spot in the Top 10. Dutch is the official language of the Netherlands but also enjoys co-official status in Belgium. In total, 22 million Europeans speak Dutch as their mother tongue. While this may seem like a small number, this language is pretty easy to pick up for native English speakers, especially compared to the other Germanic languages! Why not add it to your repertoire for your next trip to Amsterdam?

The post European Languages: The Languages Spoken Most Across Europe (By Native Speaker) appeared first on Babbel.

So you’re a budding bilingual, or maybe a well-established polyglot who’s looking for your next language. If you’re trying to make a choice between Spanish vs German, it’s probably because you’re interested in a language with a lot of practical utility — one that can open doors while you’re traveling, studying, or perhaps building your career abroad. Whether you want to learn German or you’re leaning toward Spanish, both are excellent choices for anyone interested in learning a foreign language.

Narrowing it down isn’t always straightforward, but looking at each language from a few different angles can make the decision easier. Spanish and German are both practical choices for English speakers, but they each come with their own strengths and challenges. If you’re wondering whether to learn German or Spanish, the best answer depends on your goals, interests and the kinds of opportunities you hope your new language will open.

Here are some more considerations you might want to take into account.

Spanish vs German: At A Glance

German vs Spanish: How Similar Are The Two Languages?

One thing you’re probably already aware of: Spanish and German are very different languages. And presumably, you love them both for who they are.

But on the scale of world languages, Spanish and German do share a lot in common. They’re both distant cousins in the Indo-European family. They both use the Latin alphabet. They both have grammatical gender, so you won’t be escaping that part anytime soon. (Spanish has two genders: masculine and feminine, whereas German has a third “neuter” gender, too.) Plus, they’re both relatively straightforward in terms of pronunciation. Both are also relatively accessible for English speakers, although each language presents different challenges as learners become more advanced.

German And Spanish: Key Differences In Grammar And Sentence Structure

The most obvious difference between Spanish and German is that their shared linguistic ancestry traces back to thousands of years in the past. Spanish is a Romance language, and German is, well, Germanic (like English, Danish and many others). These are both language families that began to take shape around the time of the Roman empire.

Beyond the fact that they sound a lot different and have different vocabulary, Spanish and German also differ in word order and sentence structure. Like English, Spanish generally follows a subject-verb-object (SVO) sentence structure. German sentence structure might stretch your mind a little more due to its flexible word order. You can sometimes say the same thing in two or more different ways by placing the verb or subject in completely different places in the sentence. Not to worry; it does have its own logic. It’s just one you may not be used to at first.

Another key difference is that German has four noun cases — the nominative, genitive, dative and accusative — whereas this concept isn’t really as important in Spanish. At the very least, you’ll be spending a lot less time getting your head around it.

Which Language Is Easier To Learn: Spanish Or German?

On Babbel’s internal ranking of easiest languages for English speakers to learn, Spanish was number three, and German didn’t even make the list. Don’t get too concerned, though, because German didn’t make the cut for hardest languages to learn, either.

In short: Neither language is especially difficult to learn compared with many languages around the world, although Spanish is often considered the easier starting point. If your goal is to speak Spanish as quickly as possible, Spanish may have a slight advantage. If you’d rather speak German for work or life in Central Europe, German might be worth the extra effort.

Spanish and German both share lots of cognates with English, or words that look or sound similar due to a common linguistic root ancestor. So you probably won’t struggle too much with either set of vocabulary.

Both languages are also fairly phonetic, meaning they’re generally spoken much as they’re written. And though German is known for its long, convoluted compound words, they’re actually not that hard to muster once you tackle them systematically.

Overall, Spanish might be easier than German at the beginning stages, but the two tend to even out in difficulty once learners get to the more advanced stages. German has more complicated grammar rules that need to be mastered early on, but once learners get familiar with them, they find that they’re pretty consistent. Spanish has a bit of an easier onboarding process, but more advanced learners run into more complexities and rule exceptions down the line.

So, German Or Spanish: Which Language Should You Learn?

Well, that depends on where (and how) you intend to use it.

In terms of sheer demographics, Spanish wins out. Spanish has the second largest native speaker population in the world (after Chinese), and there are 543 million total speakers around the world that you’ll be able to converse with (many of whom are less likely to know English than their German-speaking counterparts, by the way). Additionally, knowing Spanish will open large swaths of the world to you, including Spain and most of Latin and Central America. It’s an official language in 20 countries overall, and Spanish is spoken in many more.

Meanwhile, German is the 11th most-spoken language in the world, with around 155 million speakers. Of that number, about 80.6 million (so, roughly half) of the speakers live in Germany.

When it comes to learning a new language for work, Spanish and German can both make you more competitive in the business world. If you have your sights set on working in Europe, German is a good language to know. Germany has the largest economy in the European Union (with many high-quality companies to work for), and it’s an official language in Germany, Austria and much of Switzerland. We Forum’s Power Language Index ranks German third in the world in terms of the economic opportunities that it offers.

Spanish is also highly in demand, especially considering the sheer amount of speakers around the world who might be looking for services in their native language. It is also the official language in many growing South American economies. It has an overall ranking of fourth on the Power Language Index due to a combination of factors, above German, which ranks at number seven. However, German beats Spanish specifically in terms of economic opportunities. Still, there’s no objective answer as to which will be better to learn, as everyone is different.

Whether you decide to learn German or learn Spanish, both languages can open doors to new cultures, careers and friendships. Whatever you choose, your language learning journey will be more rewarding if you pick the language you’re genuinely excited about.

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Letters and numbers form the basis for the vast majority of human communication. You probably have the Swedish alphabet down already, so now it’s time to dive into learning Swedish numbers and their counting system. Next time you’re in Sweden and need to turn left at the third fjord, or just at Ikea counting minimalist end tables, it’s handy to know how to list and pronounce the numbers. Here’s a quick guide to counting in Swedish, starting with noll (“zero”). Fortunately, they used Arabic numerals just like English and the Swedish language has predictable patterns that are easy for learners to grasp.

Swedish Numbers From Zero To Twenty

Starting with the basics, here’s how to count from zero to twenty. Press the play button to hear how they’re pronounced.

zero — noll
one — ett
two — två
three — tre
four — fyra
five — fem
six — sex
seven — sju
eight — åtta
nine — nio
ten — tio
eleven — elva
twelve — tolv
thirteen — tretton
fourteen — fjorton
fifteen — femton
sixteen — sexton
seventeen — sjutton
eighteen — arton
nineteen — nitton
twenty — tjugo

Swedish has two words for one, but don’t let that confuse you. En and ett are used in different contexts. Like many other Germanic languages, Swedish grammar has three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. En is paired with masculine and feminine gendered nouns while ett is paired with neuter gendered nouns.

As you’ve probably noticed for numbers thirteen to nineteen, the -ton suffix works similarly to -teen in English. That makes them intuitive for English speakers to memorize. 

Numbers in Swedish: The Rest Of The Tens

The next step is to learn the other “tens,” which form the building blocks for all numbers between twenty and one hundred. Again, with a language like Swedish, it’s helpful to hear how the words are pronounced to learn how to say them. Press the play button to listen.

thirty — trettio
forty — fyrtio
fifty — femtio
sixty — sextio
seventy — sjuttio
eighty — åttio
ninety — nittio
one hundred — hundra

As you can see, these also follow an intuitive, logical pattern that is easy for beginners to grasp: they add -tio to the base number like English does with -ty. Tjugo is the only exception, which is why it made more sense to include it in the previous section. 

Forming Numbers With What You’ve Learned So Far

Once you’ve mastered the foundational numbers above, you can begin to put everything together to form all the numbers in between. Fortunately, Swedish makes this very easy to learn. You, quite literally, just put the numbers together. So, twenty-four is tjugofyra, and eighty-two is åttiotvå. That’s all there is to it! You can expand on these patterns to form larger numbers as well.

Swedish Ordinal Numbers

Now that we’ve covered Swedish counting, let’s cover another important use of numbers: ordinals. Ordinal numbers show rank or position in a series like first, second, and third. Here are some examples of Swedish ordinal numbers.

first – första (1:a)
second – andra (2:a)
third – tredje (3:e)
fourth – fjärde (4:e)
fifth – femte (5:e)
sixth – sjätte (6:e)
seventh – sjunde (7:e)
eighth – åttonde (8:e)
ninth – nionde (9:e)
tenth – nionde (10:e)

For the most part, ordinal numbers add a -de or -te suffix to the cardinal number they correspond to, though note that some change the spelling. To abbreviate ordinal numbers with numerals, simply add a colon and the last vowel in the word. In compound numbers, only the second digit is modified with the ending, just like twenty-one becomes twenty-first in English.

Learning the numbers and counting system is an important step in language learning. From shopping to phone numbers to telling time, you’ll need to know how to say them to operate in day to day life. Now you’re ready to take the next step and start building your Swedish vocabulary.

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