What are the Easiest Asian Languages to Learn?
The term ‘Asian languages’ is incredibly broad and likely evokes a slightly different understanding from one person to the next. For many people, languages like Chinese, Japanese, and Hindi, are among the first languages that pop into their head because of how widely spoken they are across the continent.
But Asia is much more than a handful of widely spoken languages. More than 2,000 languages are spoken across the world’s most populous continent, from the frigid hinterlands of Siberia down to the Indian Ocean, from the European border in Istanbul all the way to Japan’s east coast.
Among this considerable linguistic diversity, you might wonder, “what is the easiest Asian language to learn?” We won’t cover the thousands of languages across the region. Honestly, an article that detailed would make “War and Peace” look like a quick read! Plus, many of those languages aren’t spoken by enough people to make them practical for most learners.
For this article, we’ll explore the easiest Asian languages to learn for English speakers.
When you decide which Asian language to learn, Pimsleur is the perfect place to get started. Our language library includes over a dozen of the most popular Asian languages, each one with top-quality audio language instruction, informative and entertaining exercises, and proven techniques to help you acquire any language quickly.
Why Learn Asian Languages?
What’s a good reason to learn an Asian language, or even multiple Asian languages?
One answer is that roughly three out of every five people on the planet live in Asia. So, finding the easiest Asian language to learn can open a world of personal and professional possibilities, including:
- Conversing with relatives, colleagues, and co-workers
- Staying on top of current events in any Asian country
- Enriching yourself with a better understanding of foreign cultures
- Embarking on stress-free travel to the world’s biggest continent
- And much more
What Makes a Language Easier to Learn?
For native English speakers, there’s not one element alone to determine which Asian language is the easiest to learn. Rather, it’s a combination of characteristics that make a language easier or more challenging for native English speakers to acquire. So, when figuring out which Asian language is easiest for English speakers, make sure to keep these key factors in mind:
- Sounds and tones. Every language has its own unique sounds. The smallest “sound building blocks” are known as phonemes, which help distinguish words within a language. Some languages use these tones to emphasize a single syllable, which can completely change the meaning of a word. While English is a stress-accent language, many Asian languages (including Thai, Chinese, and Vietnamese) are tonal languages. These are generally harder for English speakers to acquire.
- Sentence structure. English follows a subject – verb – object (SVO) word order. For example, “Bob played baseball.” It’s easier for English speakers to learn an SVO language. Malaysian, Vietnamese, and Chinese are some Asian languages that follow the SVO format.
- Vocabulary. This is a tricky one. While some languages have exact translations of English words, there are cases where an exact translation does not exist and an approximate equivalent is used. Japanese is well-known for its vast vocabulary, which includes words without an exact English translation, such as 渋い shibui (meaning to age gracefully). The lack of an exact translation for certain vocabulary words provides an extra element of complexity when learning a language.
- Writing system. Stylized scripts, complex symbols, right-to-left reading format: Asia is home to numerous languages that leave many English speakers (and writers) scratching their heads. Choosing a writing system that more closely resembles English’s writing system helps with the learning curve. Korean and Vietnamese both have alphabet writing systems, which can help flatten the learning curve as you embark on a language acquisition journey.
Asian Languages with Easier Pronunciation Systems
Pronunciation is also at the top of the list when trying to figure out what is the easiest Asian language to learn. For English speakers, the following languages tend to be easier to pronounce:
- Malaysian
- Indonesian
- Burmese
- Vietnamese
- Thai
- Tagalog
Why? Because relative to other Asian languages, they have a simpler syllable structure, a consistent spelling-sound relationship, short words, fewer sounds to master, and most of them have a familiar script (the Latin alphabet).
A Quick Word on the Written Word: Writing Systems in Asian Languages
To truly master a language, you must be able to write, read, and comprehend written words and sentences.
Most Asian languages don’t adhere to the familiar Latin alphabet familiar to English speakers. Chinese (both Cantonese and Mandarin), Japanese, Thai, Bengali, and many others have their own intricate alphabet, comprised of a complex mix of scripts and symbols.
To give you an idea of how different Asian language scripts and sentences differ from English, consider the English phrase, “I walked the dog yesterday.” Here’s how that translates in a few Asian languages:
- Modern Standard Arabic (MSA): أنا مشيت الكلب أمس.
- Mandarin Chinese (different than Cantonese): 我昨天遛狗了。
- Japanese: 私は昨日犬を散歩させました。
- Hindi: मैंने कल कुत्ते को घुमाया।
- Bengali: আমি গতকাল কুকুরটা হাঁটালাম।
- Thai: ฉันพาสุนัขไปเดินเมื่อวานนี้
For a native English speaker new to Asian languages, these scripts can look quite daunting due to their unfamiliarity. A benefit of Pimsleur’s courses is the reading lesson component. Pimsleur’s reading lessons help familiarize native English speakers with a new writing system, providing practice that goes hand-in-hand with listening and speaking.
Factors to Consider Before Starting to Learn an Asian Language
Whether it’s personal connections like friends and family, or cultural factors that spark your interest, let your curiosity guide you in choosing which Asian language to study.
It’s important to follow your passion, and with the type of focused learning Pimsleur offers, you’ll see how quickly and naturally you progress. Pimsleur is here to guide you along your journey – sign up today.