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This is a list of languages ordered by number of first-language speakers, with some data for second-language use. Only languages spoken natively by more than one million are listed. Some listings are not single languages in the sense of being mutually intelligible (e.g. Chinese, Arabic), while in other cases mutually intelligible idioms with separate national standards, or separate self identification, have been listed separately (e.g. Scandinavian, Hindustani, Malay). Data are not all up to date.
For a comparison of various estimates, see Language speaker data.
100 million native speakers or more
| Language |
Family |
Official status and where spoken natively, or as an immigrant language, by more than 1% of the population |
Number of speakers |
| Chinese |
Sino-Tibetan |
Official in People's Republic of China, Republic of China, Singapore. Significant communities in Australia, Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, French Polynesia, Indonesia, Jamaica, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mongolia, Nauru, Philippines, Réunion, Surinam, Thailand, United States (California, Guam, Hawaii, New York?, Northern Mariana Islands), Venezuela, Vietnam |
All Chinese, 1080 million native (1999): Mandarin 873 million native, 178 million second language, = 1,051 million total (1999 WA); Shanghainese (Wu) 77 million (1984: no recent data); Cantonese (Yue) 55 million (1984: no recent data); Southern Min (Taiwanese) 46 million (1984: no recent data); Jin 45 million (1995); Xiang 36 million (1984: no recent data); Hakka 30 million (1984: no recent data); Gan 21 million (1984: no recent data); Northern Min (Fuzhou) 10.3 million (1984: no recent data); Eastern Min 9.1 million (2000 WCD); Hui 3.2 million; Pu-Xian Min 2.6 million (2000 WCD). |
| Hindi |
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan |
Official in India, Fiji. Significant communities in Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Mauritius, Nepal, South Africa, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago, Yemen |
370 million native, 120 million second language, = 490 total (Indiana University 2003, WA 2004); 495 million total (WA 2005). Western and Eastern Hindi, including Awadhi (21 million, 1999), Bhojpuri (27 million, 1997), Chhattisgarhi (11 million, 1997), Haryanvi (13 million, 1992), Kanauji (6 million, 1977), Marwari (13 million, 2002), Magahi (13 million, 2002), Maithili (25 million, 1981). (Note: Maithili is the official language of Bihar, but often considered a dialect of Hindi) |
| Spanish |
Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Iberian |
Official in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, United States (New Mexico, Puerto Rico), Uruguay, Venezuela. Significant communities in Andorra, Aruba, Belize, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Israel, Netherlands Antilles, Switzerland, Virgin Islands |
~350 million native, 70 million second language, = 420 million total (Indiana University 2003); ~360 million native (new WA 2004 figure); 320 million native, 425 million total (WA 2005 [reverted to 1999 data]) |
| English |
Indo-European, Germanic, West, Anglic |
Official in American Samoa, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Cook Islands, Dominica, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas), Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guam, Guernsey, Guyana, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Isle of Man, Jamaica, Jersey, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia, Montserrat, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Puerto Rico, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States (national language; official in some states), Vanuatu, Virgin Islands, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Significant communities in Andorra, Aruba, Israel, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, Switzerland. |
340 million native, 510 million total (Indiana University 2003, WA 2004); 310 million native, 515 million total (WA 2005 [reverted to 1999 data]) |
| Arabic |
Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South Central |
Modern Standard Arabic is official in Algeria, Bahrain, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt (along with Egyptian Arabic as the national language), Eritrea, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Niger, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Western Sahara, Yemen. Hassaniya Arabic is official in Mauritania, Senegal; and a national language of Mali. Significant communities in Australia, Belgium, Central African Republic, France, Gibraltar, Iran, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, Spain (Ceuta & Melilla). |
206 million native, 24 million second language, = 230 million total, for all varieties of Arabic (WA 1999); 255 million total (2005 WA). Egyptian Arabic: 46 million native. Hassaniya: 2.8 million native. Modern Standard Arabic is a second language only. |
| Portuguese |
Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Iberian |
Official in Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, East Timor, Guinea-Bissau, Macau, Mozambique, Portugal, and São Tomé e Príncipe. Significant communities in Andorra, Antigua, France, India (Daman and Goa), Luxembourg, Namibia, Paraguay, South Africa, Switzerland |
203 million native (196 million, 2005 WA, plus 60% Angola), 10 million second language, = 213 million total (not counting 4 million Galician) |
| Bengali |
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Magadhan, Assamese-Bengali |
Official in Bangladesh, India (Tripura, West Bengal). Significant communities in Burma, Oman, United Arab Emirates |
196 million native, counting 14 million Chittagonian, 10.3 million Sylheti (1994 UBS); 211 million total (1999 WA); 215 million total (2005 WA) |
| Russian |
Indo-European, Slavic, East |
Official in Abkhazia (de jure part of Georgia), Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Transnistria (de jure part of Moldova). Significant communities in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan |
145 million native (1999 WA), 110 million second language, = 255 million total (2000, WCD) |
| Japanese |
Japonic |
Official in Japan. Significant communities in United States (Hawaii, Guam) |
122 million native (1999 WA), 1 million second language (Ryukyuan) |
| Punjabi |
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central Zone (Eastern Punjabi) or North-Western Zone (Western Punjabi) |
Official in India (Panjab). National language in Pakistan. Significant communities in Canada, Fiji, Mauritius, United Kingdom |
Western: 61–62 million (2000, WCD); Eastern: 28 million; Siraiki 14 million, = 104 million total |
30–100 million native speakers
| Language |
Family |
Official status and where spoken natively, or as an immigrant language, by more than 1% of the population |
Number of speakers |
| German |
Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German |
Official in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Switzerland. Significant communities in Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Paraguay, Poland. |
95 million native, 28 million second language, = 123 million total (not including Swiss German) |
| Javanese |
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Western Sundic |
Indonesia (especially Java). Significant communities in Malaysia, New Caledonia, Suriname |
76 million |
| Korean |
Language isolate |
Official in North Korea, South Korea. Native to China. Significant communities in Japan, Mauritania, United States (Guam, Hawaii, Northern Mariana Islands) |
71 million |
| Vietnamese |
Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Viet-Muong |
Official in Vietnam. Significant communities in Australia, Cambodia, Laos, New Caledonia, Norway, United States (California), Vanuatu. |
70 million native, perhaps up to 16 million second language, = ~ 86 million total |
| Telugu |
Dravidian, South Central |
Official in India (Andhra Pradesh). Significant communities in Bahrain, Fiji, Mauritius |
70 million native, 5 million second language, = 75 million total (1997) |
| Marathi |
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central Zone |
Official in India (Daman and Diu, Goa, Maharashtra). Significant communities in Mauritius. |
68 million native, 3 million second language, = 71 million total |
| Tamil |
Dravidian, Southern |
Official in India (Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry), Singapore, Sri Lanka. Significant communities in Bahrain, Fiji, Malaysia, Mauritius, Réunion. |
68 million native, 9 million second language, = 77 million total |
| French |
Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Oïl |
Official in Belgium, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo-Brazzaville, Congo-Kinshasa, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, France, French Guiana, French Polynesia, Gabon, Guadaloupe, Guinea, Haiti, India (Pondicherry), Italy, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Mali, Martinique, Mauritius, Mayotte, Monaco, New Caledonia, Niger, Réunion, Rwanda, Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, Senegal, Seychelles, Switzerland, Togo, United Kingdom (Guernsey, Jersey), United States (Louisiana), Vanuatu. |
67 million native (2005 estimate); 130 million total (2005 WA) |
| Persian |
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Southwestern |
Official in Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan. Significant communities in Bahrain, France, Germany, Iraq, Israel, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, USA, Uzbekistan |
61-71 million native (including 50-60% of Iran, 40% of Afghanistan, 15-30% of Uzbekistan), may include Mazanderani and Gilaki; ~50 million second language, 110 million total (2005)2 |
| Urdu |
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central Zone |
Official in India (Jammu and Kashmir), Pakistan. Significant communities in Bahrain, Botswana, Fiji, Malawi?, Mauritius, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa? |
61 million native, 43 million second language, = 104 million total |
| Italian |
Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italian |
Official in Croatia, Italy, San Marino, Slovenia, Switzerland, Vatican City. Significant communities in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Uruguay |
61 million native (all varieties) |
| Turkish (Osmanli) |
Altaic, Turkic, Southwestern, Oghuz |
Official in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Turkey. Significant communities in Austria, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iran, Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Netherlands. |
60 million native, 15 million second language, = 75 million total (2005 estimate). Total for Oghuz Turkish, including Azeri, Turkmen, and Qashqai, is 100 million native. |
| Gujarati |
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central Zone |
Official in India (Gujarat, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli). Significant communities in Fiji. |
46 million |
| Polish |
Indo-European, Slavic, West |
Official in Poland. Significant communities in Belarus, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine. |
46 million |
| Ukrainian |
Indo-European, Slavic, East |
Official in Ukraine, Transnistria (de jure part of Moldova). Significant communities in Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Slovakia |
39 million |
| Malayalam |
Dravidian, Southern |
Official in India (Kerala, Lakshadweep). Significant communities in Bahrain, United Arab Emirates |
36 million (1997) |
| Kannada |
Dravidian, Southern |
Official in India (Karnataka). |
35 million native, 9 million second language, = 44 million total (1997) |
| Azeri |
Altaic, Turkic, Southwestern, Oghuz |
Official in Azerbaijan. Native to Iran. Significant communities in Armenia, Estonia, Georgia, Iraq. |
33 million native, 8 million second language (not counting Iran), = 41+ million total, including Qashqai |
| Oriya |
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Magadhi |
Official in India (Orissa). |
32 million native (1997) |
| Burmese |
Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Lolo-Burmese |
Official in Myanmar. |
32 million native, 10 million second language, = 42 million total |
| Thai |
Tai-Kadai, Kam-Tai, Be-Tai, Tai-Sek, Tai |
Official in Thailand. |
~31 million native (1983 SIL, 1990 Diller, 2000 WCD) (dated data), = ~60 million first & second language (2001 A. Diller). Includes Southern Thai, Northern Thai/Western Lao, but not Shan, Isan, or Lao. |
10–30 million native speakers
| Language |
Family |
Official status and where spoken natively, or as an immigrant language, by more than 1% of the population |
Number of speakers |
| Sundanese |
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Western, Sundic |
Indonesia (western Java) |
27 million (1990) |
| Pashto |
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Eastern, Southeastern |
Official in Afghanistan. Native to Pakistan. Significant communities in Iran, United Arab Emirates. |
21–27 million (data uncertain; ethnic population ~30 million) |
| Hausa |
Afro-Asiatic, Chadic, West |
Official language of Niger, north Nigeria. Significant communities in Chad, Sudan |
24 million native, ~ 15 million second language, = ~ 40 million total |
| Romanian |
Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Eastern |
Official in Moldova, Romania. Significant communities in Greece, Hungary, Israel, Serbia and Montenegro. |
23–24 million (2002) |
| Indonesian |
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Western, Sundic, Malayic |
Official in Indonesia. Significant communities in Netherlands, Timor-Leste |
23 million native, 140+ million second language, = 165 million total; 175 million total all Malay (2005 WA) |
| Oromo |
Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic |
National language of Ethiopia. Significant communities in Kenya |
18 million native (ethnic group 30 million), perhaps 2 million second language, = 20 million total (1998 census) |
| Uzbek |
Altaic, Turkic, Eastern |
Official in Uzbekistan. Native to Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan |
20 million (1995) |
| Sindhi |
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan |
Official in India, Pakistan. Significant communities in Hong Kong?, Oman?. |
20 million native, 1 million second language, = 21 million total (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk) |
| Cebuano |
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, West, Central Philippine |
Philippines |
20 million (1995 census) |
| Yoruba |
Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Defoid, Yoruboid |
Official in Nigeria. Significant communities in Benin |
19 million native, 2 million second language, = 21 million total (1993) |
| Lao |
Tai-Kadai, Kam-Tai, Tai |
Official in Laos. Native to Thailand. |
~19 million Lao-Phutai dialects (including Isan) (data dated) |
| Malaysian |
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Western, Sundic, Malayic |
Official in Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore. Native to Indonesia, Thailand. Significant communities in Bahrain. |
18 million native, 3 million second language, = 21 million total |
| Igbo |
Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Igboid |
Official in Nigeria |
18 million native (1999 WA), unknown number second language. |
| Dutch |
Indo-European, Germanic, West, Low German, Low Franconian |
Official in Aruba, Belgium, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, Suriname. |
17 million native, 4 million second language in Netherlands, = 21+ million total (2000) |
| Amharic |
Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, South |
Official in Ethiopia. Significant communities in Israel. |
17 million native, 4 million second language, = 21 million total (1998 census) |
| Malagasy |
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, West |
Official in Madagascar. Significant communities in Mayotte, Réunion. |
17 million |
| Tagalog |
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, West |
Official in Philippines. Significant communities in Canada, Hong Kong?, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States (Alaska, California, Guam, Hawaii, Northern Mariana Islands). |
17 million native, ~68 million second language, = 85 million total |
| Nepali |
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan |
Official in India (Sikkim), Nepal. Significant communities in Bhutan. |
17 million native (2001 census), perhaps 10–15 million second language? |
| Kurdish |
Indo-European, Iranian, Western, Northwestern |
Official in Iraq. Native in Armenia, Iran, Syria, Turkey. Significant communities in Germany, Lebanon. |
16 million |
| Assamese |
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan |
Official in India (Assam). Significant communities in Bhutan. |
15 million (1997) |
| Hungarian |
Uralic, Finno-Ugric, Ugric |
Official in Hungary, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovenia. Significant communities in Israel, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine |
15 million |
| Shona |
Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu |
National language ofZimbabwe. Significant communities in Botswana, Mozambique. |
15 million native, 1.8 million second language, = 16-17 million total, including Ndau, Manyika (2000 A. Chebanne) |
| Khmer |
Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer |
Official in Cambodia. Significant communities in Thailand, Vietnam |
14 million native, 1 million second language, = 15 million total (2004) |
| Zhuang |
Tai-Kadai, Kam-Tai, Tai |
Official in China |
14 million native (1992), unknown number second language |
| Madura |
Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, West |
Indonesia |
14 million (1995) |
| Sinhala |
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan |
Official in Sri Lanka. Significant communities in United Arab Emirates |
13 million native, 2 million second language, = 15 million total (1993) |
| Fulani |
Niger-Congo, Atlantic, Northern, Senegambian |
Official in Niger, Nigeria, Senegal. National language of Guinea, Mali. Significant communities in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Sierra Leone. |
~13 million (all varieties) |
| Somali |
Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic |
Official in Somalia. Native to Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya. Significant communities in United Arab Emirates, Yemen |
13 million (2000 WCD) |
| Tamazight |
Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern |
National language inAlgeria (Kabyle), Morocco. Significant communities in France, Netherlands, Spain (Ceuta & Melilla). |
13+ million (1998) |
| Czech |
Indo-European, Slavic, West Slavic |
Official in Czech Republic. |
12 million (1990 WA). |
| Greek |
Indo-European, Greek |
Official in Cyprus, Greece. Significant communities in Albania, Australia, Egypt, Georgia. |
12 million (1986) |
| Serbian |
Indo-European, Slavic, South |
Official in Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Significant communities in Sweden, Switzerland. |
11 million (1981 WA) |
| Quechua |
Quechuan |
Official in Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru. Significant communities in Argentina |
10.4 million, all varieties |
3–10 million native speakers
| Language |
Family |
Official status and where spoken natively, or as an immigrant language, by more than 1% of the population |
Number of speakers |
| Zulu |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
Official in South Africa. Significant communities in Lesotho, Swaziland |
9.6 million native, ~16 million second language, = ~25 million total (1996 census) |
| Chichewa (Nyanja) |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
Official in Malawi, Zambia. Significant communities in Mozambique, Zimbabwe. |
9.3 million native (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk), 0.4 million second language (1999 WA), = 9.7 million total |
| Belarusian |
Indo-European, Slavic, East |
Official in Belarus. Significant communities in Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania |
9.1 million (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk) |
| Bulgarian |
Indo-European, Slavic, South |
Official in Bulgaria. Significant communities in Moldova. |
9.0 million (1986) |
| Swedish |
Indo-European, Germanic |
National language of Sweden. Official in Finland |
8.8 million (1986) |
| Kongo |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
National language in Angola, Congo-Brazzaville (Kituba), Congo-Kinshasa. |
8.7 million, all varieties, including Yombe and creolized Kituba (1986-2002) (dated data) |
| Akan |
Niger-Congo, Kwa |
National language in Ghana |
8.3 million native, ~1 million second language, = ~10 million total (2004 SIL) |
| Kazakh |
Altaic, Turkic |
Official in Kazakhstan. Significant communities in China (Xinjiang), Mongolia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan |
8.2 million |
| Ilocano |
Austronesian |
Philippines. Significant communities in United States (Hawaii). |
~8 million native, unknown number second language (1991 UBS) (dated data) |
| Hmong |
Hmong-Mien |
China. Significant communities in French Guiana, Laos, Vietnam |
~8 million, all varieties (1999 Li Yunbing) |
| Yi |
Tibeto-Burman |
China |
7.8 million ethnic Yi (2000 census) |
| Tshiluba |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
National language of Congo-Kinshasa |
7.8 million native, 0.7 million second language, = 8.5 million total (1991 UBS). Includes 1.5 million Kiluba. |
| Uyghur |
Altaic, Turkic |
Official in China. Significant communities in Kazakhstan |
7.6 million |
| Haitian Creole |
Indo-European, Romance, Creole |
Official in Haiti. Significant communities in Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe. |
7.4 million (2001) |
| Kinyarwanda |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
Official in Rwanda. Significant communities in Congo-Kinshasa, Uganda |
7.3 million (1998) |
| Xhosa |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
Official in South Africa. Significant communities in Lesotho |
7.2 million (1996 census) |
| Balochi |
Indo-European, Iranian |
Native to Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan. Significant communities in Oman, United Arab Emirates |
7.0 million (1998) |
| Hiligaynon |
Austronesian |
Philippines |
~7 million (1995), unknown number second language |
| Catalan |
Indo-European, Romance |
Official in Andorra, Spain (Balearic Islands, Catalonia, Valencia). Native to France (Pyrénées-Orientales). |
6.7 million native, ~5 million second language, = ~12 million total (1996) (includes Valencian) |
| Armenian |
Indo-European, isolate |
Official in Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh (de jure part of Azerbaijan). Significant communities in Georgia, Lebanon, Syria. |
6.7 million (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk, etc.) |
| Minangkabau |
Austronesian |
Indonesia |
6.5 million (1981 Moussay) (dated data) |
| Turkmen |
Altaic, Turkic |
Official in Turkmenistan. Significant communities in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq. |
6.4 million (1995) |
| Makua |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
Major language of Mozambique. Significant communities in Tanzania |
6.4 million, all varieties, including Lomwe |
| Croatian |
Indo-European, Slavic, South |
Official in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia. Significant communities in Austria, Slovenia |
6.2 million |
| Santali |
Austro-Asiatic, Munda |
Official in India |
6.2 million (1997) |
| Batak |
Austronesian |
Indonesia |
~6.2 million, all varieties (c. 1991 UBS) (dated data). Includes Toba, Dairi, Simalungun, etc. |
| Albanian |
Indo-European, isolate |
Official in Albania, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro (Kosovo). Significant communities in Greece. |
6.0 million (data from Albania dated) |
| Afrikaans |
Indo-European, Germanic |
Official in South Africa. Significant communities in Namibia. |
6.0 million native, 10.3 million second language, = 16 million total (1996 census) |
| Swiss German |
Indo-European, Germanic |
Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany (Schwaben), France (Alsace). |
6.0 million in Switzerland (1990 census) (dated data) |
| Mongolian |
Altaic, Mongolian |
Official in China, Mongolia |
5.7 million |
| Bhili |
Indo-European, Indic |
India |
5.6 million, all varieties (1994) (dated data). Includes 1.6 million Wagdi, etc. |
| Finnish |
Uralic, Finnic |
Official in Finland, Russia (Republic of Karelia). Significant communities in Sweden. |
5.4 million (1993) (dated data) |
| Gikuyu |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
Major language of Kenya |
5.3 million (1994 I. Larsen BTL) |
| Danish |
Indo-European, Germanic |
Official in Denmark, Faroe Islands, Greenland. Significant communities in Germany (Southern Schleswig) |
5.3 million (1980) (dated data) |
| Hebrew |
Afro-Asiatic, Semitic |
Official in Israel. Significant communities in West Bank. |
5.1 million (1998) |
| Slovak |
Indo-European, Slavic, West |
Official in Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia. |
5.0 million (1990 WA) |
| Mòoré |
Niger-Congo, Gur |
National language of Burkina Faso |
~5 million (1991) |
| Swahili |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
Official in Congo-Kinshasa, Kenya, Tanzania. Significant communities in Comoros, Mayotte, Oman, Réunion. |
~5 million native, ~ 30–50 million second language |
| Guarani |
Tupi |
Official in Paraguay. |
4.9 million (1995) |
| Kirundi |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
Official in Burundi. |
4.9 million (1986) (dated data) |
| Sesotho (southern) |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
Official in Lesotho, South Africa. |
4.9 million (1996 census) |
| Sicilian |
Indo-European, Romance |
Native to Italy. |
4.8 million (2000 WCD) |
| Romani |
Indo-European, Indic |
Official in Netherlands. Significant communities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Iran, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Turkey |
4.8 million, all varieties, including Domari (data for Vlax 2002–2004; for Domari 2000 WCD). |
| Norwegian |
Indo-European, Germanic |
Official in Norway. |
4.6 million [Wikipedia figure; needs confirmation] |
| Tibetan |
Tibeto-Burman |
Official in China |
4.6 million, all varieties |
| Kanuri |
Nilo-Saharan, Saharan |
Official in Niger, Nigeria. Significant communities in Chad (Kanembu) |
4.4 million native, 0.5 million second language, = 4.9 million total (data mostly from 1985) (dated data) |
| Tswana |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
Official in Botswana, South Africa. National language of Namibia |
4.4 million native, 0.2 million second language, = 4.6 million total (1993 Johnstone) (dated data) |
| Kashmiri |
Indo-European, Indic |
Official in India (Jammu and Kashmir), Native to Pakistan. |
4.6 million (1997) |
| Tigrinya |
Afro-Asiatic, Semitic |
Official in Eritrea, Ethiopia |
4.5 million native, 0.1 million second language, = 4.6 million total (1998 census) |
| Georgian |
Kartvelian |
Official in Georgia. Significant communities in Israel. |
4.2 million (1993 UBS) |
| Umbundu |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
National language of Angola |
~4 million native, unknown number second language (1995 WA) |
| Konkani |
Indo-European, Indic |
Official in India (Goa) |
~4 million (1999 WA) |
| Balinese |
Austronesian |
Indonesia (Bali) |
3.9 million (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk) |
| Northern Sotho (sePedi) |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
Official in South Africa. Significant communities in Botswana |
3.7 million (1996 census) |
| Luyia |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
Kenya |
3.6 million (1989 census) (dated data) |
| Wolof |
Niger-Congo, Atlantic |
Official in Senegal. Significant communities in The Gambia. |
3.6 million native (2002), unknown number second language |
| Bemba |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
National language of Zambia |
3.6 million native, unknown number second language (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk) |
| Buginese |
Austronesian |
Indonesia |
3.5 million native, 0.5 million second language, = ~4 million total (1991 SIL) |
| Luo |
Nilo-Saharan, Nilotic |
Kenya |
3.5 million (1994 I. Larsen BTL) (dated data) |
| Bikol |
Austronesian |
Philippines |
3.5 million all varieties (1990 census) |
| Maninka |
Niger-Congo, Mande |
National language of Guinea, Mali. Significant numbers in Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone. |
3.3 million, all varieties |
| Mazanderani |
Indo-European, Iranian |
Iran |
3.3 million (1993) (dated data) (numbers may be confused with or include Gilaki) |
| Gilaki |
Indo-European, Iranian |
Iran |
3.3 million (1993) (dated data) (numbers may be confused with or include Mazanderani) |
| Shan |
Tai-Kadai |
Myanmar |
3.3 million |
| Tsonga |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
Official in South Africa. Significant communities in Mozambique, Swaziland. |
3.3 million (1989, 1996) (dated data) |
| Galician |
Indo-European, Romance |
Official in Spain |
3.2 million (1986) (data dated) |
| Sukuma |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
Tanzania |
3.2 million (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk) |
| Yiddish |
Indo-European, Germanic |
Significant communities in Belarus, Israel, Latvia, Ukraine. |
3.2 million |
| Jamaican Creole |
Indo-European, Germanic, Creole |
Jamaica. Significant communities in Panama, Costa Rica |
3.2 million (2001) |
| Kyrgyz |
Altaic, Turkic |
Official in Kyrgyzstan. Native to Tajikistan |
3.1 million (1993 UBS) (dated data) |
| Ewe |
Niger-Congo, Kwa |
Official in Togo. National language of Ghana. |
3.1 million native, 0.5 million second language, = 3.6 million total (2003) |
| Lithuanian |
Indo-European, Baltic |
Official in Lithuania. Significant communities in Latvia. |
3.1 million (1998) |
| Luganda |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
Major language of Uganda |
3.0 million native (1991 census), ~1 million second language (1999 WA), = ~ 4 million total |
| Achinese |
Austronesian |
Indonesia |
~3 million (1999 WA) |
| Kimbundu |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
National language of Angola |
~3 million (1999 WA) |
| Hindko |
Indo-European, Indic |
Pakistan |
~3 million (1993) (dated data) |
| Ibibio-Efik |
Niger-Congo, Cross River |
Efik official in Nigeria |
~3 million, including Anaang (1990; 1998 B. Connell) (dated data) |
1–3 million native speakers
| Language |
Family |
Official status and where spoken natively, or as an immigrant language, by more than 1% of the population |
Number of speakers |
| Rajbangsi |
Indo-European, Indic |
India |
3.0 million (1991 census) (dated data) |
| Garhwali |
Indo-European, Indic |
India |
2.9 million (2000) |
| Bambara |
Niger-Congo, Mande |
National language of Mali |
2.8 million native, 10 million second language, = 13 million total |
| Ometo |
Afro-Asiatic, Omotic |
Ethiopia |
2.8 million, all varieties, including Wolaytta (1998 census) |
| Indian Sign Language |
Language isolate (Sign language) |
Bangladesh, India, Pakistan |
2.7 million in India, plus unknown number in Bangladesh, Pakistan (2003). Same language as Pakistani Sign Language |
| Betawi creole |
Austronesian |
Indonesia |
2.7 million (1993 Johnstone) (dated data) |
| Karen |
Tibetan-Burman |
Myanmar, Thailand |
2.6 million, all varieties (dated data) |
| Gondi |
Dravidian |
India |
2.6 million (1997) |
| Senoufo |
Niger-Congo, Gur |
National language of Mali. Native to Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire. |
2.6 million, all varieties (1991, 1993, 2001) (dated data) |
| Kalenjin |
Nilo-Saharan, Nilotic |
Kenya |
2.5 million (1989 census) (dated data) |
| Kumauni |
Indo-European, Indic |
India |
2.4 million in India (1998) |
| Kamba |
Niger-Congo, Bantu |
Kenya |
2.4 million native, 0.6 million second language, = 3.0 million total (1989 census) (dated data) |
| Waray-Waray |
Austronesian |
Philippines |
2.4 native (1990 census), unknown number second language |
| Luri |
Indo-European, Iranian |
Iran |
2.4 million (1999, 2001) |
| Quiché |
Mayan |
Guatemala |
2.3 million (2000 SIL) |
| Bosniak |
Indo-European, Slavic, South |
Official in Bosnia and Herzegovina |
1.8–2.7 million (2004) [needs verification] |
| Aymara |
Aymaran |
Official in Bolivia, Peru. Significant numbers in Argentina. |
2.2 million Central Aymara (1987), plus unknown number Southern Aymara in Peru (dated data; needs confirmation) |
| Tiv |
Niger-Congo, Bantoid |
Nigeria |
2.2 million native, unknown number second language (1991 UBS) (dated data) |
| Brahui |
Dravidian |
Pakistan, Afghanistan |
2.2 million |
| Gbaya |
Niger-Congo, Ubangian |
Central African Republic, Congo-Kinshasa< | |