Studied Languages Frequency Statistics

In this post, we explore the fascinating landscape of language learning around the world, backed by compelling statistics on the most studied languages, language proficiency levels, and intriguing global trends. From the dominance of English as the most widely studied language to the rising popularity of Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, the statistics presented shed light on the diverse linguistic pursuits of individuals across different countries and continents.

Statistic 1

"English is spoken at a useful level by 1.5 billion people worldwide, making it the most studied language."

Statistic 2

"An estimated 300 million people are studying English in China."

Statistic 3

"There are 130 million Japanese-language learners worldwide."

Statistic 4

"In the United States, over 17% of the population is proficient in a language other than English."

Statistic 5

"French is studied as a foreign language by about 120 million students and 500,000 teachers around the world."

Statistic 6

"In Europe, the study of Spanish as a second language is now only surpassed by English."

Statistic 7

"23% of adults in the UK report speaking a foreign language to a higher degree than beginner proficiency."

Statistic 8

"In America, Spanish is the most studied language in schools and universities with 50% of K-12 students and 52.4% of postsecondary students choosing it."

Statistic 9

"Italian was the 4th most studied language worldwide in 2020."

Statistic 10

"There are more people learning German in China (around 170,000) than in any other country."

Statistic 11

"As of 2018, roughly 1.5million people were learning Russian as a foreign language."

Statistic 12

"14.1% of U.S. elementary schools offer the study of world languages, with Spanish being offered at 88% of those schools."

Statistic 13

"Mandarin Chinese is the second most studied language worldwide after English."

Statistic 14

"Arabic, having over 420 million native speakers worldwide, is studied by about 1% of American university students."

Statistic 15

"Over 400,000 people in Western countries currently study Korean as a second language."

Statistic 16

"In Australia, 21% of all students are studying a language other than English."

Statistic 17

"In a 2012 survey in Europe, almost 92% of children were learning English as their first foreign language."

Statistic 18

"Only 10.7% of the world's population speak English as their first or second language."

Statistic 19

"In Brazil, around 5.2 million people are currently studying English as a foreign language."

English remains the most widely studied language globally, with over 1.5 billion people at a useful level of proficiency. However, other languages such as Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and Arabic are also gaining popularity in different regions. The statistics show a diverse landscape of language learning around the world, reflecting the importance of linguistic diversity and the value people place on being multilingual. The data also highlight the significant role languages play in education systems, with various countries prioritizing different languages for educational purposes. Overall, the statistics underscore the ongoing trend of global language learning, emphasizing the importance of linguistic skills in an interconnected world.