27 most spoken languages in the world in 2025

In today's globalized world, learning a second language has become essential, offering numerous opportunities for both personal and professional development. In this blog post, we will explore which languages have the largest number of speakers in 2025, both in terms of native speakers and those learning the language as a foreign language.

1) English  

As of 2024, approximately 1.52 billion people around the world speak English. Interestingly, only about 25% are native speakers, while the majority have learned it as a second language. English is used in 186 countries, making it the most globally widespread language. It also dominates the digital space, with 52.1% of all websites featuring content in English.

2) Chinese (Mandarin)

Mandarin Chinese ranks as the second most spoken language worldwide, with around 1.14 billion speakers in total, including 941 million native speakers. Although it has the largest number of native speakers — nearly two and a half times more than English — its presence as a second language is relatively limited. Chinese is spoken in 83 countries, yet as of January 2024, only 1.3% of websites featured content in the language.

3) Hindi

While India officially recognizes 22 languages, Hindi stands out as the most widely spoken, used by 52.83% of the population. In comparison, Bengali and Marathi — the second and third most spoken languages — together make up just 18.02%. With 345 million native speakers and a total of 609 million speakers, Hindi is the third most spoken language globally. However, like Mandarin, Hindi's reach is largely regional, mainly within Asia, and its online presence remains minimal, accounting for less than 0.5% of web content.

4) Spanish 

In 2024, Spanish is spoken by approximately 560 million people, the vast majority of whom are native speakers — fewer than one in seven learned it as a second language. Interestingly, Spanish has around 100 million more native speakers than English. It holds official or national status in 21 countries, primarily across Latin America, and ranks as the second most used language on the internet. Spanish also features around 11 dialects, with "Spanglish" being a widely recognized hybrid of Spanish and English.

5) Arabic

Similar to Chinese and Spanish, Arabic encompasses a diverse array of dialects, stretching from Morocco to Oman. Globally, it’s spoken by around 422 million people, including 313 million native speakers. Despite its large speaker base, Arabic has a limited digital footprint — only 0.6% of online content is in Arabic.

6) French 

As of June 2022, French was spoken by 321 million people worldwide, with non-native speakers making up 41% of that number. It holds official status in 32 countries, and roughly two-thirds of all French speakers are based in Africa. Online, French ranks as the sixth most used language, representing 4.3% of web content.

7) Bengali

Bengali is the official language of Bangladesh and the second most spoken language in India, with a total of 273 million speakers, including 230 million native speakers. Despite its large speaker base, Bengali — like Hindi — has a very limited online presence, accounting for less than 0.5% of web content.

8) Portuguese 

Portuguese ranks as the 8th most spoken language in the world, with around 264 million speakers in total — 236 million of whom are native speakers. It’s also the third most spoken native language in Europe, following Russian and German. Although it’s widely used in Brazil, Portugal, and parts of Africa, Portuguese maintains a modest digital footprint, making up just 3.1% of global online content.

9) Russian

Despite being the largest country in the world, Russia’s language isn’t among the very top in terms of global speakers. Russian is spoken by around 255 million people, with about 148 million native speakers, placing it 9th globally and 7th by native speaker count. It remains widely used across several post-Soviet states, including Kazakhstan, Georgia, and Uzbekistan, due to historical connections. Online, however, Russian holds a strong position — it's the fourth most used language on the internet, accounting for 4.3% of global content.

10) Urdu

Urdu is spoken by nearly 232 million people worldwide, though less than a third are native speakers. It is primarily used in Pakistan, where it functions as both the national language and a common means of communication. Like Hindi and Bengali, however, Urdu has a very limited presence online — accounting for less than 0.5% of web content.

11) Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia)

In 2025, Indonesian is spoken by approximately 199 million people. Although only about 43 million are native speakers, it is used by the majority of the population as a second language across Indonesia’s diverse linguistic landscape. It serves as the country’s official language and is used in education, media, and government. Its grammar is relatively simple, making it accessible to learners, though its online presence remains under 0.1%.

12) German

German is spoken by around 134 million people in 2025, with about 76 million native speakers. It is the most widely spoken native language in the European Union and is an official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and parts of Belgium and Luxembourg. German is also widely learned as a second language in Europe. It is the fifth most used language online, accounting for 5.8% of web content.

13) Japanese

Japanese is spoken by about 125 million people, the vast majority of whom live in Japan and speak it natively. Despite being geographically concentrated, Japanese is widely studied abroad due to the global popularity of anime, technology, and culture. Japanese is the ninth most used language online, representing 2.7% of global web content.

14) Swahili

Spoken by about 100 million people, Swahili is a major lingua franca in East Africa. While only around 20 million are native speakers, it is widely used as a second language in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and other neighboring countries. Swahili has been gaining recognition and is an official language of the African Union, but online content in Swahili remains under 0.1%.

15) Marathi

Marathi is spoken by around 99 million people in 2025 and is the third most spoken language in India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra and has a strong presence in regional media and politics. However, its use is mostly limited to India, and its online visibility is low, accounting for less than 0.5% of content.

16) Telugu

With around 96 million speakers, Telugu is one of the most widely spoken languages in southern India. It is the official language of the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and has a deep classical literature tradition. Like many Indian regional languages, Telugu has limited global reach and minimal online presence.

17) Vietnamese

Vietnamese is spoken by around 95 million people in 2025. It is the national language of Vietnam and is used by Vietnamese communities abroad, particularly in the U.S., France, and Australia. As Vietnam’s economy grows, so does interest in the language, although its online footprint remains relatively small.

18) Turkish

Turkish is spoken by approximately 90 million people worldwide, mostly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus. It is also used in Turkish diaspora communities, especially in Germany and parts of Western Europe. Turkish media and television have increased its global visibility, though it accounts for only a small fraction of online content.

19) Italian

Italian is spoken by around 90 million people in total, including approximately 67 million native speakers. It is primarily used in Italy and parts of Switzerland, as well as by Italian communities in the Americas and Australia. Known for its deep ties to music, fashion, and cuisine, Italian remains a popular language among learners. Despite its cultural influence, it accounts for only 0.9% of internet content.

20) Tamil

Tamil is spoken by about 86 million people and is one of the oldest living classical languages. It is primarily used in southern India, Sri Lanka, and by diaspora communities in Singapore, Malaysia, and the Middle East. Tamil holds official language status in multiple countries and has a strong literary tradition, but like other regional languages, it has less than 0.5% presence online.

21) Tagalog (Filipino)

Tagalog, officially standardized as Filipino, is spoken by over 83 million people in total, including around 28 million native speakers. It is the national language of the Philippines and is widely used in education, media, and government alongside English. Thanks to the large Filipino diaspora — particularly in the United States, Middle East, and Canada — Tagalog has spread far beyond Southeast Asia. However, its online presence remains minimal, accounting for less than 0.1% of global web content.

22) Korean

Korean is spoken by about 82 million people, including approximately 77 million native speakers, across North and South Korea as well as in Korean diaspora communities around the world. Thanks to the global rise of Korean culture — including K-pop, K-dramas, and beauty products — Korean has become one of the fastest-growing languages among learners worldwide. It also has a notable digital footprint, accounting for 1.0% of global web content.

23) Persian (Farsi)

Persian, also known as Farsi, is spoken by approximately 80 million people in total, with around 70 million native speakers. It is primarily used in Iran, Afghanistan (where it is called Dari), and Tajikistan (as Tajik). With a literary tradition spanning over a thousand years, Persian remains a key cultural and poetic language in the Middle East and Central Asia. Despite its limited global reach, it still accounts for around 0.7% of all internet content.

24) Javanese

Javanese is spoken by approximately 73 million people in total, with around 72 million native speakers. It is the most widely spoken local language in Indonesia and is primarily used on the island of Java. Despite its large speaker base, Javanese lacks official national status and is typically used alongside Indonesian in education and government. The language has virtually no online representation, accounting for less than 0.1% of global web content.

25) Thai

Thai is spoken by around 69 million people and is the official language of Thailand. Nearly the entire Thai population speaks it as a first language, and it is used in government, education, and media. While Thailand’s digital infrastructure is growing rapidly, Thai still accounts for less than 0.5% of online content. Its unique script and tonal pronunciation make it a challenge for learners, but it remains central to Southeast Asian communication.

26) Polish

Polish is spoken by around 50 million people, mostly in Poland and among diaspora communities in the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Known for its complex grammar and rich literary history, Polish plays a central role in Central and Eastern Europe. Though it has a relatively small online presence, Polish accounts for about 0.3% of internet content.

27) Ukrainian

Ukrainian is spoken by around 44 million people, primarily in Ukraine and in diaspora communities across Canada, the United States, Poland, and Germany. In recent years, it has become a strong symbol of national identity and cultural revival. Despite its growing significance, Ukrainian still represents less than 0.2% of internet content.

Interesting facts:

• By learning English and Spanish, you can communicate with nearly 2 billion people worldwide, about 25% of the global population. Combining English with Chinese allows you to connect with over 2.4 billion people.  
• Despite the widespread use of English, the Indo-Iranian language family, which includes Hindi and Bengali, has the most speakers overall.
• There’s growing mutual interest between Russia and China: around 120,000 Chinese students are learning Russian, while about 113,000 Russians are studying Chinese.

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