For native English speakers, Korean is generally considered much harder than English, ranking among the most difficult languages (Category V) due to vastly different grammar (SOV structure, particles, honorifics), complex speech levels, and unique sounds, though its phonetic alphabet (Hangul) is easy to learn, making the writing system simpler than English's irregular spelling. English, while having complex vocabulary and spelling, offers more straightforward grammar and familiar sentence structure compared to Korean's deep structural differences.
English is probably a technically harder language to learn, because of all the inconsistencies and exceptions, but it's also going to be easier because there are so many more study materials available (both formal and informal - just going to see any Hollywood movie will give you some English 'study').
There's no single "hardest" language, but Mandarin Chinese is consistently ranked #1 for English speakers due to its tonal nature (four tones change word meanings) and complex logographic writing system requiring thousands of characters. Other top contenders often cited include Arabic (right-to-left script, complex sounds, grammar) and Japanese (multiple writing systems like Kanji, Hiragana, Katakana, plus honorifics). The difficulty depends heavily on your native language, with languages like Tibetan, Estonian, and Polish also challenging learners with unique grammar or cases.
Korean. Although Korean ranks last on our list of the hardest languages to learn, with a smaller native-speaking population of 80 million people, it still opens the door for language learners to a whole different culture with its unique quirks and fascinating history.
There's no single "number one" easiest language, as it depends on your native tongue, but for English speakers, Norwegian, Dutch, Afrikaans, Spanish, and Italian are consistently ranked as very easy due to similar Germanic roots (Norwegian, Dutch, Afrikaans) or shared Latin vocabulary (Spanish, Italian) with English, plus simple grammar and pronunciation. The truly easiest language is the one you're most motivated to learn and find engaging content in, as personal interest drives acquisition.
Learn one of these 5 languages to stand out
Generally speaking, Japanese is more difficult than Chinese when it comes to grammar. Mandarin Chinese is an analytical language, like English, and each word has only one form, no matter how it's being used in a sentence. It's also a subject-verb-object language, like English.
There are pros and cons to learning Chinese or Korean. Relatively, Korean would be an easier language to learn. Thanks to its phonetic alphabet and more simplistic grammar rules, Korean is not the most challenging Asian language to learn. Chinese on the other hand is much more widely spoken.
100 Most Common Korean Phrases and Words to Learn
English is the number one international language (lingua franca), boasting around 1.5 billion total speakers, making it dominant in global business, technology, and tourism, even though Mandarin Chinese has more native speakers. While Mandarin is the largest by native speakers, English's vast number of second-language users cements its role as the primary global communication tool, followed by Mandarin Chinese, Hindi, and Spanish in overall speaker numbers.
They concluded that the ability to learn a new language, at least grammatically, is strongest until the age of 18 after which there is a precipitous decline. To become completely fluent, however, learning should start before the age of 10.
– though it is certainly different from English grammar. However, studies have shown that Japanese is the single language that takes English people the longest to learn.
The most common Korean slang for "WTF" includes 헐 (Heol) for shock/disbelief, 뭐야? (Mwoya?) meaning "What is this?", and for stronger vulgarity, the abbreviation ㅅㅂ (S-B) for 씨발 (Ssi-bal), similar to the English f-word.
The "3 date rule" in Korean dating refers to the common practice of deciding whether to become an official couple after the third date, moving quickly from casual "talking" (sseom) to an exclusive relationship, a faster pace than many Western cultures where dating remains casual for longer. It's an unwritten guideline where the first dates assess compatibility, and by the third, couples often establish commitment, sometimes with "couple items" or frequent communication. While still influential, younger generations (Gen Z) are sometimes moving away from this rigid timeline.
While Seoul is the modern capital city of South Korea, many locals aren't fluent in English. It's generally not a very widely spoken language in South Korea. However, you'll have better luck finding a local who can speak English in main tourist areas, such as Myeongdong, Dongdaemun and Hongdae.
It can be either, depending on the language and context: "Gaja" (가자) is the common Korean informal word for "Let's go," though pronounced closer to "Kaja" by many, while "Kaja" is used in some Slavic languages (like Slovenian) as a name or for "effort/work," and the Italian wine brand Gaja is pronounced "Gah-yah," not "Gaja," notes a YouTube video.
The word for “thousand” is “chun” in Korean. And, as we have learned in Figure 1 above, the Korean language has a special word for 10,000, which is pronounced “mahn”. Let's begin with numbers rounded at the thousands, which progress with the same basic pattern as we saw earlier.
For most people interested in learning Korean, the goals are more realistic: Travel/survival Korean: 3 to 6 months (100-200 hours of study) Everyday conversations: 6-12 months (300-500 hours) Watch Korean drama without subtitles: 1-2 years (500-1000 hours)
While the similarities between the two languages are noticeable, Chinese and Korean aren't mutually intelligible. Korean and Chinese people couldn't understand each other if they only used their native language in a conversation. That's because they're from different language families.
In conclusion, Korean is medium difficulty. Russian is much much harder, lots of languages are easier.
The Japanese 80/20 rule refers to Hara Hachi Bu (腹八分目), a Confucian teaching meaning "eat until you are 80% full," a mindful practice from Okinawa linked to longevity, where you stop eating before feeling completely stuffed to avoid overconsumption and promote health. It encourages slowing down, listening to your body's hunger cues, and leaving some space in your stomach, leading to lower calorie intake and reduced risk of chronic diseases.
Yes, you can achieve conversational fluency in Japanese in two years with intense, consistent study and immersion, but reaching professional or near-native fluency, especially in reading and writing (Kanji), typically takes 3-5 years or more, as Japanese is a Category IV language for English speakers, requiring around 2,200 hours of study. Success depends heavily on your daily time commitment, study methods (like SRS for Kanji/vocab), immersion level (living in Japan helps immensely), and defining what "fluent" means to you (travel vs. professional use).