The following is a list of the 172 most spoken languages in 2011.[1]
Rank |
Language |
Primary Country |
Total Countries |
Speakers (millions)
|
1 |
Chinese |
China |
31 |
1,213
|
|
Chinese, Gan |
China |
1 |
20.6
|
|
Chinese, Hakka |
China |
17 |
30.0
|
|
Chinese, Huizhou |
China |
1 |
4.6
|
|
Chinese, Jinyu |
China |
1 |
45.0
|
|
Chinese, Mandarin |
China |
20 |
845
|
|
Chinese, Min Bei |
China |
2 |
10.3
|
|
Chinese, Min Dong |
China |
7 |
9.1
|
|
Chinese, Min Nan |
China |
10 |
47.3
|
|
Chinese, Min Zhong |
China |
1 |
3.1
|
|
Chinese, Wu |
China |
2 |
77.2
|
|
Chinese, Xiang |
China |
2 |
36.0
|
|
Chinese, Yue |
China |
20 |
55.5
|
2 |
Spanish |
Spain |
44 |
329
|
3 |
English |
United Kingdom |
112 |
328
|
4 |
Arabic |
Saudi Arabia |
57 |
221
|
|
Arabic, Algerian Spoken |
Algeria |
6 |
22.4
|
|
Arabic, Egyptian Spoken |
Egypt |
10 |
54.0
|
|
Arabic, Gulf Spoken |
Iraq |
10 |
3.6
|
|
Arabic, Hijazi Spoken |
Saudi Arabia |
2 |
6.0
|
|
Arabic, Libyan Spoken |
Libya |
3 |
4.3
|
|
Arabic, Mesopotamian Spoken |
Iraq |
5 |
15.1
|
|
Arabic, Moroccan Spoken |
Morocco |
10 |
21.0
|
|
Arabic, Najdi Spoken |
Saudi Arabia |
7 |
10.0
|
|
Arabic, North Levantine Spoken |
Syria |
16 |
14.4
|
|
Arabic, North Mesopotamian Spoken |
Iraq |
4 |
6.3
|
|
Arabic, Sa'idi Spoken |
Egypt |
1 |
19.0
|
|
Arabic, Sanaani Spoken |
Yemen |
1 |
7.6
|
|
Arabic, South Levantine Spoken |
Jordan |
9 |
6.2
|
|
Arabic, Sudanese Spoken |
Sudan |
6 |
16.8
|
|
Arabic, Ta'izzi-Adeni Spoken |
Yemen |
8 |
7.1
|
|
Arabic, Tunisian Spoken |
Tunisia |
5 |
9.4
|
5 |
Hindi |
India |
20 |
182
|
6 |
Bengali |
Bangladesh |
10 |
181
|
7 |
Portuguese |
Portugal |
37 |
178
|
8 |
Russian |
Russian Federation |
33 |
144
|
9 |
Japanese |
Japan |
25 |
122
|
10 |
German, Standard |
Germany |
43 |
90.3
|
11 |
Javanese |
Indonesia |
5 |
84.6
|
12 |
Lahnda |
Pakistan |
8 |
78.3
|
|
Panjabi, Western |
Pakistan |
7 |
62.6
|
|
Seraiki |
Pakistan |
3 |
13.8
|
13 |
Telugu |
India |
10 |
69.8
|
14 |
Vietnamese |
Viet Nam |
23 |
68.6
|
15 |
Marathi |
India |
5 |
68.1
|
16 |
French |
France |
60 |
67.8
|
17 |
Korean |
South Korea |
33 |
66.3
|
18 |
Tamil |
India |
17 |
65.7
|
19 |
Italian |
Italy |
34 |
61.7
|
20 |
Urdu |
Pakistan |
23 |
60.6
|
21 |
Turkish |
Turkey |
36 |
50.8
|
22 |
Gujarati |
India |
20 |
46.5
|
23 |
Polish |
Poland |
23 |
40.0
|
24 |
Malay |
Malaysia |
14 |
39.1
|
|
Malay |
Malaysia |
7 |
10.3
|
25 |
Bhojpuri |
India |
3 |
38.5
|
26 |
Awadhi |
India |
2 |
38.3
|
27 |
Ukrainian |
Ukraine |
27 |
37.0
|
28 |
Malayalam |
India |
11 |
35.9
|
29 |
Kannada |
India |
3 |
35.3
|
30 |
Maithili |
India |
2 |
34.7
|
31 |
Sunda |
Indonesia |
1 |
34.0
|
32 |
Burmese |
Myanmar |
5 |
32.3
|
33 |
Oriya |
India |
2 |
31.7
|
34 |
Persian |
Iran |
29 |
31.4
|
|
Farsi, Eastern |
Afghanistan |
3 |
7.6
|
|
Farsi, Western |
Iran |
27 |
23.9
|
35 |
Marwari |
India |
3 |
31.1
|
|
Dhundari |
India |
1 |
9.0
|
|
Marwari |
India |
3 |
5.6
|
|
Merwari |
India |
1 |
3.9
|
|
Shekhawati |
India |
1 |
3.0
|
36 |
Panjabi, Eastern |
India |
12 |
28.2
|
37 |
Filipino |
Philippines |
1 |
25.0
|
38 |
Hausa |
Nigeria |
13 |
25.0
|
39 |
Tagalog |
Philippines |
8 |
23.9
|
40 |
Romanian |
Romania |
20 |
23.4
|
41 |
Indonesian |
Indonesia |
6 |
23.2
|
42 |
Dutch |
Netherlands |
12 |
21.7
|
43 |
Sindhi |
Pakistan |
8 |
21.4
|
44 |
Thai |
Thailand |
5 |
20.4
|
45 |
Pushto |
Pakistan |
9 |
20.3
|
|
Pashto, Central |
Pakistan |
1 |
7.9
|
|
Pashto, Northern |
Pakistan |
7 |
9.7
|
46 |
Uzbek |
Uzbekistan |
14 |
20.3
|
|
Uzbek, Northern |
Uzbekistan |
12 |
18.8
|
47 |
Rajasthani |
India |
3 |
20.0
|
|
Hadothi |
India |
1 |
4.7
|
|
Malvi |
India |
1 |
10.4
|
48 |
Yoruba |
Nigeria |
6 |
19.4
|
49 |
Azerbaijani |
Iran |
17 |
19.1
|
|
Azerbaijani, North |
Azerbaijan |
10 |
7.5
|
|
Azerbaijani, South |
Iran |
8 |
12.6
|
50 |
Igbo |
Nigeria |
1 |
18.0
|
51 |
Amharic |
Ethiopia |
6 |
17.5
|
52 |
Chhattisgarhi |
India |
1 |
17.5
|
53 |
Oromo |
Ethiopia |
4 |
17.3
|
|
Oromo, Borana-Arsi-Guji |
Ethiopia |
3 |
3.8
|
|
Oromo, Eastern |
Ethiopia |
1 |
4.5
|
|
Oromo, West Central |
Ethiopia |
2 |
8.9
|
54 |
Assamese |
India |
4 |
16.8
|
55 |
Serbo-Croatian |
Serbia |
28 |
16.4
|
|
Croatian |
Croatia |
14 |
5.5
|
|
Serbian |
Serbia |
22 |
7.0
|
56 |
Kurdish |
Iraq |
32 |
16.0
|
|
Kurdish, Central |
Iraq |
2 |
3.7
|
|
Kurdish, Northern |
Turkey |
32 |
9.3
|
|
Kurdish, Southern |
Iran |
2 |
3.0
|
57 |
Cebuano |
Philippines |
2 |
15.8
|
58 |
Sinhala |
Sri Lanka |
8 |
15.6
|
59 |
Rangpuri |
Bangladesh |
2 |
15.0
|
60 |
Thai, Northeastern |
Thailand |
1 |
15.0
|
61 |
Zhuang |
China |
2 |
14.9
|
62 |
Malagasy |
Madagascar |
4 |
14.7
|
|
Malagasy, Plateau |
Madagascar |
4 |
7.5
|
63 |
Nepali |
Nepal |
5 |
13.9
|
64 |
Somali |
Somalia |
13 |
13.9
|
65 |
Khmer, Central |
Cambodia |
7 |
13.6
|
66 |
Madura |
Indonesia |
2 |
13.6
|
67 |
Bavarian |
Austria |
4 |
13.3
|
68 |
Greek |
Greece |
38 |
13.1
|
69 |
Chittagonian |
Bangladesh |
1 |
13.0
|
70 |
Haryanvi |
India |
1 |
13.0
|
71 |
Magahi |
India |
1 |
13.0
|
72 |
Deccan |
India |
1 |
12.8
|
73 |
Hungarian |
Hungary |
14 |
12.5
|
74 |
Fulah |
Senegal |
19 |
12.3
|
|
Pulaar |
Senegal |
6 |
3.7
|
75 |
Catalan-Valencian-Balear |
Spain |
18 |
11.5
|
76 |
Shona |
Zimbabwe |
5 |
10.8
|
77 |
Zulu |
South Africa |
6 |
10.3
|
78 |
Sylheti |
Bangladesh |
10 |
10.3
|
79 |
Quechua |
Peru |
6 |
10.1
|
|
Quechua, South Bolivian |
Bolivia |
2 |
3.6
|
80 |
Kanauji |
India |
1 |
9.5
|
81 |
Czech |
Czech Republic |
12 |
9.5
|
82 |
Lombard |
Italy |
3 |
9.1
|
83 |
Bulgarian |
Bulgaria |
16 |
9.1
|
84 |
Uyghur |
China |
15 |
8.8
|
85 |
Nyanja |
Malawi |
6 |
8.7
|
86 |
Belarusan |
Belarus |
16 |
8.6
|
87 |
Kazakh |
Kazakhstan |
14 |
8.3
|
88 |
Swedish |
Sweden |
8 |
8.3
|
89 |
Akan |
Ghana |
1 |
8.3
|
90 |
Xhosa |
South Africa |
3 |
7.8
|
91 |
Bagheli |
India |
2 |
7.8
|
92 |
Haitian |
Haiti |
10 |
7.7
|
93 |
Konkani |
India |
4 |
7.6
|
|
Konkani |
India |
2 |
4.0
|
|
Konkani, Goan |
India |
3 |
3.6
|
94 |
Rwanda |
Rwanda |
4 |
7.5
|
95 |
Gikuyu |
Kenya |
1 |
7.2
|
96 |
Napoletano-Calabrese |
Italy |
1 |
7.0
|
97 |
Baluchi |
Pakistan |
8 |
7.0
|
|
Balochi, Southern |
Pakistan |
4 |
3.4
|
98 |
Ilocano |
Philippines |
2 |
7.0
|
99 |
Varhadi-Nagpuri |
India |
1 |
7.0
|
100 |
Turkmen |
Turkmenistan |
14 |
6.6
|
101 |
Tatar |
Russian Federation |
19 |
6.5
|
102 |
German, Swiss |
Switzerland |
5 |
6.5
|
103 |
Hmong |
China |
10 |
6.5
|
104 |
Armenian |
Armenia |
30 |
6.4
|
105 |
Luba-Kasai |
Democratic Republic of the Congo |
1 |
6.3
|
106 |
Venetian |
Italy |
4 |
6.2
|
107 |
Santali |
India |
4 |
6.2
|
108 |
Flemish |
Belgium |
5 |
6.1
|
109 |
Sotho, Southern |
Lesotho |
4 |
6.0
|
110 |
Thai, Northern |
Thailand |
2 |
6.0
|
111 |
Lambadi |
India |
1 |
6.0
|
112 |
Kongo |
Democratic Republic of the Congo |
3 |
6.0
|
|
Koongo |
Democratic Republic of the Congo |
3 |
5.0
|
113 |
Albanian |
Albania |
18 |
5.8
|
|
Albanian, Gheg |
Serbia |
9 |
4.2
|
|
Albanian, Tosk |
Albania |
10 |
3.0
|
114 |
Tigrigna |
Ethiopia |
6 |
5.8
|
115 |
Hiligaynon |
Philippines |
2 |
5.8
|
116 |
Mongolian |
Mongolia |
6 |
5.7
|
|
Mongolian, Peripheral |
China |
2 |
3.4
|
117 |
Kashmiri |
India |
4 |
5.6
|
118 |
Danish |
Denmark |
8 |
5.6
|
119 |
Minangkabau |
Indonesia |
1 |
5.5
|
120 |
Sukuma |
Tanzania |
1 |
5.4
|
121 |
Hebrew |
Israel |
8 |
5.3
|
122 |
Mòoré |
Burkina Faso |
7 |
5.1
|
123 |
Slovak |
Slovakia |
12 |
5.0
|
124 |
Finnish |
Finland |
7 |
5.0
|
125 |
Mewati |
India |
1 |
5.0
|
126 |
Afrikaans |
South Africa |
12 |
4.9
|
127 |
Guarani |
Paraguay |
5 |
4.9
|
|
Guaraní, Paraguayan |
Paraguay |
2 |
4.8
|
128 |
Mainfränkisch |
Germany |
1 |
4.9
|
129 |
Rundi |
Burundi |
4 |
4.9
|
130 |
Bikol |
Philippines |
1 |
4.8
|
131 |
Sicilian |
Italy |
1 |
4.8
|
132 |
Norwegian |
Norway |
1 |
4.6
|
133 |
Mandingo |
Guinea |
8 |
4.5
|
134 |
Tswana |
Botswana |
4 |
4.5
|
135 |
Thai, Southern |
Thailand |
1 |
4.5
|
136 |
Tajiki |
Tajikistan |
8 |
4.5
|
137 |
Dholuo |
Kenya |
2 |
4.4
|
138 |
Georgian |
Georgia |
13 |
4.3
|
139 |
Kituba |
Democratic Republic of the Congo |
1 |
4.2
|
140 |
Ganda |
Uganda |
1 |
4.1
|
141 |
Sotho, Northern |
South Africa |
2 |
4.1
|
142 |
Umbundu |
Angola |
2 |
4.0
|
143 |
Wolof |
Senegal |
6 |
4.0
|
144 |
Kamba |
Kenya |
1 |
4.0
|
145 |
Kanuri |
Nigeria |
6 |
4.0
|
|
Kanuri, Central |
Nigeria |
6 |
3.2
|
146 |
Domari |
Iran |
14 |
4.0
|
147 |
Musi |
Indonesia |
1 |
3.9
|
148 |
Dogri |
India |
1 |
3.8
|
149 |
Mina |
India |
1 |
3.8
|
150 |
Tsonga |
South Africa |
4 |
3.7
|
151 |
Bemba |
Zambia |
4 |
3.6
|
152 |
Banjar |
Indonesia |
2 |
3.5
|
153 |
Aceh |
Indonesia |
1 |
3.5
|
154 |
Bugis |
Indonesia |
2 |
3.5
|
155 |
Bali |
Indonesia |
1 |
3.3
|
156 |
Shan |
Myanmar |
3 |
3.3
|
157 |
Gilaki |
Iran |
1 |
3.3
|
158 |
Mazanderani |
Iran |
1 |
3.3
|
159 |
Jamaican Creole English |
Jamaica |
7 |
3.2
|
160 |
Galician |
Spain |
2 |
3.2
|
161 |
Lao |
Laos |
7 |
3.2
|
162 |
Lithuanian |
Lithuania |
19 |
3.2
|
163 |
Tamazight, Central Atlas |
Morocco |
3 |
3.2
|
164 |
Kabyle |
Algeria |
3 |
3.1
|
165 |
Hassaniyya |
Mauritania |
8 |
3.1
|
166 |
Éwé |
Ghana |
2 |
3.1
|
167 |
Piemontese |
Italy |
3 |
3.1
|
168 |
Makhuwa |
Mozambique |
1 |
3.1
|
169 |
Godwari |
India |
1 |
3.0
|
170 |
Hunsrik |
Brazil |
5 |
3.0
|
171 |
Kimbundu |
Angola |
1 |
3.0
|
172 |
Tachelhit |
Morocco |
3 |
3.0
|
References and notes