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This is a list of languages, ordered by the number of native-language speakers, with some data for second-language use. Languages are listed for secondary locations only when spoken by more than 1% of the population.
Since the definition of a single language is to some extent arbitrary, some mutually intelligible idioms with separate national standards or self-identification have been listed separately, depending on conventional use, for example Scandinavian, Hindustani, Dutch and Afrikaans, Indonesian and Malay.
The relevant estimate for the number of native speakers for the purposes of this list is that of SIL Ethnologue. Other estimates may vary, and the numbers should not be taken as more than indicating the rough order of magnitude of a linguistic community.
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Contents |
Top 20
- Further information: Ethnologue list of most spoken languages
| Language | Family | Ethnologue (2005 estimate)[1] | Encarta estimate[2] | Other estimates | Ranking by Ethnologue estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mandarin | Sino-Tibetan, Chinese | 873,000,000 | 1,210,000,000†[2] | 882,000,000 native, 178,000,000 second language = 1,050,000,000 total[3] †Encarta estimate includes all Chinese dialects |
1 |
| Hindustani | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan | 366,000,000[4] | 366,000,000 | Standard Hindi 325,000,000, Ancient Hindi 100,000,000; A total of 650,000,000 including Urdu and secondary speakers, does not include Maithili. All Hindi dialects are mutually intelligible. | 2 |
| Spanish | Indo-European, Italic, Romance | 322,300,000[5] | 322,000,000 - 358,000,000[6] | Total of 417 million including second-language speakers (1999).[7][8] | 3 |
| English | Indo-European, Germanic, West | 309,350,000[9] | 341,000,000 | Over 1,500,000,000 worldwide.[10] Also see List of countries by English-speaking population which numbers 850,000,000 worldwide (as a total of first and additional language spoken). | 4 |
| Arabic | Afro-Asiatic, Semitic | 206,000,000[11] | 422,039,637 |
It is also one of the six official languages of the United Nations.[12] |
5 |
| Portuguese | Indo-European, Italic, Romance | 177,500,000 | 191,000,000 | 215 millions native, 20 second language = 235 millions total[citation needed] | 6 |
| Bengali | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan | 171,000,000 | 207,000,000 | 196 million native (2004 CIA) (includes 14 million Chittagonian and 10.3 million Sylheti). | 7 |
| Russian | Indo-European, Slavic, East | 145,000,000 | 167,000,000 | 165 million native, 110 million second language = 275 million total | 8 |
| Japanese | Japanese-Ryukyuan | 122,400,000 | 125,000,000 | 128 million native, 2 million second language = 130 million total | 9 |
| German | Indo-European, Germanic, West | 95,400,000 | 100,100,000 | 101 million native (88 million Standard German, 5 million Swiss German, 8 million Austrian German), 60 million second language in EU[13] + 5 - 20 million worldwide. | 10 |
| Punjabi | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan | 88,000,000 | 57,000,000 | 61–62 million (2000 WCD) (taken together with Eastern Punjabi (28 million) and Siraiki (14 million): 104 million total) | 11 |
| Wu | Sino-Tibetan, Chinese | 77,200,000 | -- | 77 million native | 12 |
| Javanese | Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Sunda-Sulawesi | 75,500,000 | 75,600,000 | 70-75 million | 13 |
| Telugu | Dravidian, South Central | 69,700,000 | 69,700,000 | 70 million native, 5 million second language, = 75 million total (2001)[14] | 14 |
| Marathi | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan | 68,000,000 | 68,000,000 | 68 million native, 3 million second language, = 71 million total | 15 |
| Vietnamese | Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Vietic | 67,400,000 | 68,000,000 | 70 million native, perhaps up to 16 million second language, = ~ 86 million total | 16 |
| Korean | Considered either language isolate or Altaic | 67,000,000 | 77,000,000 | 79 million if including secondary and non-native speakers.[15] | 17 |
| Tamil | Dravidian, Southern | 66,000,000 | 66,000,000 | 68 million native, 9 million second language, = 77 million total[14] | 18 |
| French | Indo-European, Italic, Romance | 64,860,000[16] |
78,000,000 |
113 million “native and real speakers”[17] (includes 64,473,140 French people), 250 million second language (worldwide including Africa and North Africa) = 363 million (as a total of first and additional language spoken) and up to 500 million total with significant knowledge of the language (2008).[18] | 19 |
| Italian | Indo-European, Italic, Romance | 61,500,000 | 62,000,000 | Regarded as fourth or fifth most studied language in the world, therefore there are about 120 million Italophones in the world. | 20 |
10 to 60 million native speakers
| Language | Family | Ethnologue (2005 estimate)[19] | Encarta estimate[20] | Other estimates | Ranking by Ethnologue estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cantonese | Sino-Tibetan, Chinese | 54.8 million | -- | 66 million | 21 |
| Sindhi | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan | Official in India, Pakistan. Significant communities in People’s Republic of China (Hong Kong) ?, Oman? and Gibraltar. | 54.5 million (2006) | 41.5 million native, 13 million second language, = 30 million total (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk) | 22 |
| Turkish | Altaic, Turkic, Oghuz | 50 million | 61 million | 74 million (2006 estimate)[21] + 15 million second language = 89 million | 23 |
| Min | Sino-Tibetan, Chinese | 46.2 million | -- | Southern Min: 49m, Northern Min 10.43m | 24 |
| Gujarati | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan | 46.1 million | 46.1 million | -- | 25 |
| Maithili | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan | 45 million | (included in "Hindi") | 26 | |
| Polish | Indo-European, Slavic, West | 42.7 million | 52 million | -- | 27 |
| Ukrainian | Indo-European, Slavic, East | 39.4 million | 47 million | -- | 28 |
| Persian | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian | 39.4 million [22] | 31.3 million | ca. 72 million;[23] sometimes taken to include all of Southwestern Iranian (Luri, Tati, and other); ca. 62 million second language[citation needed], ca. 134 million total | 29 |
| Malayalam | Dravidian, Southern - India | 35.8 million | 35.7 million | 38 million native, 10 million second language = 48 million | 30 |
| Kannada | Dravidian, Southern | 35.4 million | 35.4 million | 55 million native, 9 million second language, = 64 million total[citation needed] | 31 |
| Tamazight (Berber) | Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern | National language in Algeria, Mali and Niger (Tuaregs); unrecognized in Morocco, Libya and Tunisia. Large migrant communities in France, Benelux, Spain and Germany . | 32.3 million (2006) | 37+ million (1998) | 32 |
| Oriya | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan | 31.7 million | 32.3 million | -- | 33 |
| Azerbaijani | Altaic, Turkic, Oghuz | 31 million | 31.4 million | 25–35 million native, including Qashqai (data for Iran uncertain); 8 million second language (outside Iran) | 34 |
| Hakka | Sino-Tibetan, Chinese | 29.9 million | -- | 34 million | 35 |
| Bhojpuri | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan | 26 million | (included in "Hindi") | 126 million total | 36 |
| Burmese | Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Lolo-Burmese | 22 million (1996) | 32.3 million (2006) | 32 million native, 10 million second language, = 42 million total | 37 |
| Gan | Sino-Tibetan, Chinese | 21 million | -- | 48 million, 29 million in Jiangxi[24] | 38 |
| Thai | Tai-Kadai, Kam-Tai, Be-Tai, Tai-Sek, Tai | 20.05 million (1996) | 46.1 million (2006) | ~31 million native (1983 SIL, 1990 Diller, 2000 WCD) (dated data), = ~60 million first and second language (2001 A. Diller). Includes Southern Thai, Northern Thai/Western Lao, but not Shan, Isan, or Lao. | 39 |
| Language | Family | Official status and where spoken natively, or as an immigrant language, by more than 1% of the population | SIL estimate[2] | Other estimates | Ranking by SIL estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sundanese | Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Sunda-Sulawesi | Native to Indonesia (origin in western Java) | 27 million (2006) | 27 million (1990) | 40 |
| Romanian | Indo-European, Italic, Romance | Official in Moldova, Romania, Serbia (Vojvodina). Significant communities in Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Spain, Ukraine, USA. | 26.3 million (2006) | 26 million native,[2] 4 million second language. The total is about 30 million.[25] | 41 |
| Hausa | Afro-Asiatic, Chadic, West | Official in Niger, north Nigeria. Significant communities in Chad, Benin, Ghana, Sudan | 24.2 million (2006) | 24 million native, ~15 million second language, = ~40 million total | 42 |
| Pashto | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Eastern | Official in Afghanistan. Native to Pakistan. Significant communities in Iran, United Arab Emirates. | 60 million (2006) | 65-70 million (data uncertain; ethnic population ~60 million) | 43 |
| Serbo-Croatian | Indo-European, Slavic, South | Official in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia, under names Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin and Serbian respectively. Significant communities in Austria, Germany, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia. | 21.1 million (2006) | 17 million | 44 |
| Uzbek | Altaic, Turkic, Eastern | Official in Uzbekistan. Native to Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan | 20.1 million (2006) | 20 million (1995) | 45 |
| Dutch | Indo-European, Germanic, West | Official in Belgium, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Suriname. Significant communities in South Africa, Bonaire island and Sint Maarten island | 20 million (2006) | 25 million[26][13] | 46 |
| Yoruba | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Defoid, Yoruboid | Official in Nigeria. | 20 million (2006) | 19 million native, 2 million second language, = 21 million total (1993) | 47 |
| Amharic | Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, South | Official in Ethiopia. Significant communities in Israel. | 17.4 million (2006) | 27 million native (32.7% Ethiopia [1994 census] and 2.7 million emigrants), 10% (7 million) as a second language = 34 million total | 48 |
| Oromo | Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East Cushitic | National language of Ethiopia. Significant communities in Kenya | 17.2 million (2006) | 24 million native (31.6% of Ethiopia [1994 census]), ~2 million second language, = 26 million total (1998 census) | 49 |
| Indonesian | Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian | 23.1 million, national language in Indonesia | 17.1 million | 140 million second language | 50 |
| Filipino | Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Borneo-Philippines | Official and Native in Philippines. Significant communities in Canada, People’s Republic of China (Hong Kong), Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States (Alaska, California, Guam, Hawaii, Northern Mariana Islands). | 17 million (2006) | 22 million native (2000 census), ~65 million second language, = 85 million total | 51 |
| Kurdish | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern | Official in Iraq. Native to Armenia, Iran, Syria, Turkey. Significant communities in Germany, Lebanon. | 16 million (all varieties) | ~31,417,000[citation needed] (see article for full list) | 52 |
| Language | Family | Official status and where spoken natively, or as an immigrant language, by more than 1% of the population | SIL estimate[2] | Number of speakers | Ranking by number of native speakers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somali | Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East | Official in Somalia. Native to Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya. Significant communities in Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Yemen. | 9.8 million (2006) | 10-16 million native and at least 500,000 second-language speakers.million (2004 WCD) | 49 |
| Lao | Tai-Kadai, Kam-Tai, Tai | Official in Laos. Native to Thailand. | 3.2 million (2006) | ~19 million Lao-Phutai dialects (including Isan) (data dated) | 50 |
| Cebuano | Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Borneo-Philippines | Native to Philippines | 15 million (2006) | 18.5 million native, ~11.5 million second language, = 30 million total (2000 census) | 51 |
| Greek | Indo-European, Greek | Official in Cyprus, Greece. Significant communities in Albania, Australia, Canada, Egypt, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA. | 15 million (2007) | 12 million (2004), up to 10–12 million more second language | 52 |
| Malay | Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Sunda-Sulawesi, Malayic | Official in Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore. Native to Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand. Significant communities in Australia, Bahrain. | 23.6 million (2006) | 18 million native, 3 million second language, = 21 million total (not counting Indonesian) | 53 |
| Igbo | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Igboid | Official in Nigeria | 18 million (2006) | 18 million native (1999 WA), unknown number second language. | 54 |
| Malagasy | Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Borneo-Philippines, Barito | Official in Madagascar. Significant communities in Mayotte, RĂ©union. | 10.5 million (2006) | 17 million | 55 |
| Nepali | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan | Official in Nepal, India (Sikkim). Significant communities in Bhutan. | approx. 30 million in Nepal, 16 million as native tongue and 15 million as a second language (2006) | 40 million (2006) | 56 |
| Assamese | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan | Official in India (Assam). Significant communities in Bhutan and Bangladesh. | 15.4 million (2006) | 15 million (1997). Assamese is spoken and/or understood by most everyone in the state of Assam. Assam had a population of 26.7 million in 2003-04. So, Assamese has another 8-10 million second language speakers. Assamese is also understood and spoken widely in Arunachal Pradesh with a population of 1.1 million. These are mostly second or third language speakers. Various tribes in Nagaland with a population 2 million use Nagamese, a variant of Assamese, for communication. Thus, a total of approximately, 28-30 million people speak and understand Assamese. | 57 |
| Shona | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu | National language of Zimbabwe. Significant communities in Botswana, Mozambique. | 14 million (2006) | 15 million native, 1.8 million second language, = 16–17 million total, including Ndau, Manyika (2000 A. Chebanne) | 58 |
| Khmer | Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Khmer | Official in Cambodia. Significant communities in Thailand, United States (California), Vietnam | 8 million (2006) | 14 million native, 1 million second language, = 15 million total (2004) | 59 |
| Zhuang | Tai-Kadai, Kam-Tai, Tai | Official in People's Republic of China (Guangxi) | 14 million (2006) | 14 million native (1992), unknown number second language | 60 |
| Madurese | Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Sunda-Sulawesi | Native to Indonesia (Originally Java, Madura) | 13.7 million (2006) | 14 million (1995) | 61 |
| Hungarian | Uralic, Finno-Ugric, Ugric | Official in Hungary, Serbia (Vojvodina), Slovenia, Austria. Significant communities in Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, United States, Israel | 14.5 million (2006) | 14 million native (1995) | 62 |
| Sinhalese | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan | Official in Sri Lanka. Significant communities in United Arab Emirates | 13.2 million (2006) | 13 million native, 2 million second language, = 15 million total (1993) | 63 |
| Fula | Niger-Congo, Atlantic, Northern, Senegambian | Official in Niger, Nigeria. National language in Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal. Significant communities in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Sierra Leone. | 11.4 million (2006) | ~13 million (all varieties) | 64 |
| Czech | Indo-European, Slavic, West | Official in Czech Republic. | 12 million (2006) | 12 million (1990 WA). | 65 |
2 to 10 million native speakers
| Language | Family | Official status and where spoken natively by more than 1% of the population | SIL estimate[27] | Number of speakers | Ranking by number of native speakers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zulu | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu | Official in South Africa. Significant communities in Lesotho, Swaziland | 9.6 million (2006) | 9.6 million native, ~16 million second language, = ~25 million total (1996 census) | 68 |
| Quechua | Quechuan | Official in Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru. Significant communities in Argentina | 8.3 million (2006) | 10.4 million, all varieties | 69 |
| Kazakh | Altaic, Turkic, Northwestern, Southern | Official in Kazakhstan. Significant communities in People's Republic of China (Xinjiang), Russia, Mongolia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan | 8.2 million (2006) | 12 million | 70 |
| Tibetan | Sino-Tibetan, Northwestern, Southern | Official in Tibet. Significant communities in India, People's Republic of China | 7.1 million (2006) | 7.6 million | 71 |
| Tajik | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian | Official in Tajikistan. Significant communities in Uzbekistan | 4.4 million. | 7.9-17 million native (estimates vary due to lack of official data, moreover these exclude Tajiks of Afghanistan) | 72 |
| Chichewa (Nyanja) | Niger-Congo, Benue-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 | 73 | |
| Haitian Creole | Indo-European, Romance, Creole | Official in Haiti. Significant communities in Bahamas, Canada (Quebec), Cuba, Cayman Islands (UK), Dominican Republic, France (Guadeloupe), United States (Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York). | 7.4 million (2006) | 12 million (2005) | 74 |
| Belarusian | Indo-European, Slavic, East | Official in Belarus. Significant communities in Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Poland, Russia | 10.2 million (2006) | 9.1 million (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk) | 75 |
| Lombard | Indo-European, Romance | Native to Italy | -- | 5 million Western Lombard + 3 million Eastern Lombard + others = 9.13 million (Ethnologue 2006) | 76 |
| Hebrew | Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, North Central | Official in Israel. Significant communities in USA (New York, California) and Gibraltar. | 9.42 million (2006) | 97 | |
| Swedish | Indo-European, Germanic, North | National language of Sweden. National language in Finland. | 9 million (2006) | 8.8 million (1986), ~9 million (2005) | 78 |
| Kongo | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu | National language in Angola, Congo-Brazzaville (Kituba), Congo-Kinshasa. | 4.7 million (2006) | 8.7 million, all varieties, including Yombe and creolized Kituba (1986–2002) (dated data) | 79 |
| Akan | Niger-Congo, Kwa | National language in Ghana | 7 million (2006) | 8.3 million native, ~1 million second language, = ~10 million total (2004 SIL) | 80 |
| Albanian | Indo-European, isolate | Official in Albania, Macedonia, Republic of Kosovo . Significant communities in Greece, Italy. | 6.0 million | 3.6 million (data from Albania) | 79 |
| Hmong | Hmong-Mien | China. Significant communities in France (French Guiana), Laos, United States (Minnesota, Wisconsin), Vietnam | 2.8 million (2006) | ~4 million (Lemoine, 2005) | 80 |
| Yi | Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Burmic | People's Republic of China | 4.2 million (2006) | 7.8 million ethnic Yi (2000 census) | 81 |
| Tshiluba | Niger-Congo, Benue-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. | 82 | |
| Ilokano | Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Borneo-Philippines | Philippines. Significant communities in United States (Hawaii). | 8 million (2006) | 7.7 million native (2000 census), ~2.3 second language = 10 million total | 83 |
| Uyghur | Altaic, Turkic, Southeastern, Eastern | Official in People's Republic of China (Xinjiang). Significant communities in Kazakhstan | 7.6 million (2006) | 7.6 million | 84 |
| Neapolitan | Indo-European, Romance | Native to Italy | -- | 7.5 million native | 85 |
| Bulgarian | Indo-European, Slavic, South | Official in Bulgaria. Significant communities in Moldova, Ukraine, the Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, USA | 9 million (2006) | 7.7 million in Bulgaria (2005) and ~1 million abroad = 8.5 million native | 86 |
| Kinyarwanda | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu | Official in Rwanda. Significant communities in Congo-Kinshasa, Uganda | 7.3 million (1998) | 87 | |
| Xhosa | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu | Official in South Africa. Significant communities in Lesotho | 6.9 million (2006) | 7.2 million (1996 census) | 88 |
| Balochi | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian | Native to Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan. Significant communities in Oman, United Arab Emirates | 7 million (2006) | 7.0 million (1998) | 89 |
| Hiligaynon | Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Borneo-Philippines | Philippines | 7 million (2006) | 6.9 million (2000 census), est. 4.1 million second language = ~11 million total | 91 |
| Tigrinya | Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, South | Official in Eritrea, Ethiopia | 5.1 million (2006) | 4.5 million in Ethiopia (6% of population (1994 census)), ~2.25 million in Eritrea (50% of population (CIA)), = 6.75 million native, 146,934 as second language (1994 census), = 6.9 million total | 92 |
| Catalan | Indo-European, Romance | Official and Native to Andorra, Spain (Balearic Islands, Catalonia, Valencia),Aragon (La Franja), France (Pyrénées-Orientales), Italy (Alghero). | 6.6 million (2006) | 6.7 million native, ~5 million second language, = ~12 million total (1996) (includes Valencian) | 93 |
| Armenian | Indo-European, isolate | Official in Armenia. Significant communities in Russia, USA, Georgia, Lebanon, Syria, France. | 6 million (2006) | 6.7 million (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk, etc.) | 94 |
| Minangkabau | Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Sunda-Sulawesi, Malayic | Indonesia (Sumatra) | 6.5 million (2006) | 6.5 million (1981 Moussay) (dated data) | 95 |
| Turkmen | Altaic, Turkic, Southwestern, Eastern | Official in Turkmenistan. Significant communities in Afghanistan, Iran. | 6.4 million (2006) | 6.4 million (1995) | 96 |
| Makhuwa | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu | Major language of Mozambique. Significant communities in Tanzania | 2.5 million (2006) | 6.4 million, all varieties, including Lomwe | 97 |
| Santali | Austro-Asiatic, Munda | Official in India | 6.2 million (2006) | 6.2 million (1997) | 98 |
| Batak | Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Sunda-Sulawesi, Northern Sumatra | Indonesia | 2 million (2006) | ~6.2 million, all varieties (c. 1991 UBS) (dated data). Includes Toba, Dairi, Simalungun, etc. | 99 |
| Afrikaans | Indo-European, Germanic, West Germanic | Official in South Africa. Significant communities in Namibia,Botswana, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and United Kingdom. | 6.0 million (2006) | 6.0 million native, 10.3 million second language, = 16 million total (1996 census) | 100 |
| Mongolian | Altaic, Mongolian | Official in People's Republic of China (Inner Mongolia), Mongolia | 5.7 million (2006) | 5.7 million | 101 |
| Bhili | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan | India | 1.3 million (2006) | 5.6 million, all varieties (1994). Includes 1.6 million Wagdi, etc. | 102 |
| Danish | Indo-European, Germanic, North | Official in Denmark, Faroe Islands (Denmark), Greenland (Denmark). Significant communities in Germany (Southern Schleswig) | 5.3 million (2006) | 5.6 million (2006?) | 103 |
| Finnish | Uralic, Finno-Ugric, Finnic | Official in Finland. Significant communities in Sweden and Estonia. | 6.1 million (2006) | 5.4 million (1993) | 104 |
| Tatar | Altaic, Turkic, Northwestern, Northern | Official in Russia (Tatarstan). Significant communities in Bashkortostan, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan | 5.7 million (1989 USSR census)[28][29], at least 5.34 milllion (2002 census: ethnic Tatars in Russia only)[30] | 105 | |
| Gikuyu | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu | Major language of Kenya | 5.4 million (2006) | 5.3 million (1994 I. Larsen BTL) | 106 |
| Slovak | Indo-European, Slavic, West | Official in Slovakia. | 5.6 million (2006) | 5.0 million (1990 WA) | 107 |
| More | Niger-Congo, Gur | National language of Burkina Faso | 5.1 million (2006) | ~5 million (1991) | 108 |
| Swahili | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu | Official in Congo-Kinshasa, Kenya, Tanzania. Significant communities in Comoros, Mayotte, Oman, RĂ©union. | 5 million (2006) | ~5 million native, ~80 million second language | 109 |
| Southern Quechua | Quechuan | Official in Peru, Bolivia | ~5,000,000 | 110 |
| Language | Family | Official status and where spoken natively by more than 1% of the population | SIL estimate[27] | Number of speakers | Ranking by number of native speakers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guarani | Tupi | Official in Paraguay. Significant communities in Argentina. | 5.1 million (2006) | 4.9 million (1995) | 110 |
| Kirundi | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu | Official in Burundi. | 4.9 million (1986) (dated data) | 111 | |
| Sesotho (southern) | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu | Official in Lesotho, South Africa. | 4.9 million (1996 census) | 112 | |
| Romani | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan | Significant communities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Iran, Macedonia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey | 3.1 million (2006) | 4.8 million, all varieties, including Domari (data for Vlax 2002–2004; for Domari 2000 WCD). | 113 |
| Norwegian | Indo-European, Germanic, North | Official in Norway. | 5 million (2006) | 4.7 million (2006, Statistics Norway) | 114 |
| Tibetan | Sino-Tibetan,Tibeto-Burman, Bodic | Official in People's Republic of China (Tibet, Qinghai, parts of Sichuan, Gansu) | 1.3 million (2006) | 4.6 million, all varieties | 115 |
| Tswana | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu | Official in Botswana, South Africa. National language of Namibia | 4 million (2006) | 4.4 million native, 200,000 second language, = 4.6 million total (1993 Johnstone) (dated data) | 116 |
| 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) | 117 | |
| Kashmiri | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan | Official in and native to India. | 4.5 million (2006) | 4.6 million (1997) | 118 |
| Bikol | Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Borneo-Philippines | Philippines | 3.3 million (2006) | 4.5 native, all varieties (2000 census), unknown number second language | 119 |
| Georgian | Kartvelian | Official in Georgia. Significant communities in Israel. | 4.1 million (2006) | 4.2 million (1993 UBS) | 120 |
| Qusqu-Qullaw | Quechuan | Official in Peru (Cusco and Puno departments) Also spoken in Bolivia, Argentina | 4 million | 121 | |
| Umbundu | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu | National language of Angola | ~4 million native, unknown number second language (1995 WA) | 122 | |
| Konkani | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan | Official in India (Goa).Significant communities in Uttara Kannada,Dakshina Kannada. | 6 million (2006) | ~4 million (1999 WA) | 123 |
| Balinese | Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Sunda-Sulawesi, Bali-Sasak | Indonesia (Bali, Lombok) | 3.8 million (2006) | 3.9 million (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk) | 124 |
| Northern Sotho (sePedi) | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu | Official in South Africa. Significant communities in Botswana | 3.7 million (1996 census) | 125 | |
| Luyia | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu | Kenya | 3.6 million (2006) | 3.6 million (1989 census) (dated data) | 126 |
| Wolof | Niger-Congo, Atlantic | National language in Mauritania, Senegal. Significant communities in The Gambia. | 3.4 million (2006) | 3.6 million native (2002), unknown number second language | 127 |
| Bemba | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu | National language of Zambia | 2.2 million (2006) | 3.6 million native, unknown number second language (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk) | 128 |
| Buginese | Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Sunda-Sulawesi, South Sulawesi | Indonesia | 3.5 million native, 0.5 million second language, = ~4 million total (1991 SIL) | 129 | |
| Luo (Dholuo) | Nilo-Saharan, Eastern Sudanic, Nilotic | Kenya | 3.4 million (2006) | 3.5 million (1994 I. Larsen BTL) (dated data) | 130 |
| Maninka | Niger-Congo, Mande | National language of Guinea, Mali. Significant numbers in Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone. | 2.5 million (2006) | 3.3 million, all varieties | 131 |
| Mazanderani | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western | Iran | 3.3 million (2006) | 3.3 million (1993) (dated data) (numbers may be confused with or include Gilaki) | 132 |
| Gilaki | Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western | Iran | 3.3 million (2006) | 3.3 million (1993) (dated data) (numbers may be confused with or include Mazanderani) | 133 |
| Shan | Tai-Kadai, Kam-Tai, Tai | Myanmar | 3 million (2006) | 3.3 million | 134 |
| Tsonga | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu | Official in South Africa. Significant communities in Mozambique, Swaziland. | 3.2 million (2006) | 3.3 million (1989, 1996) (dated data) | 135 |
| Galician | Indo-European, Romance. | Official in Galicia, Spain. | 3.2 million (2006) | 3.2 million (1986) (data dated) | 136 |
| Sukuma | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu | Tanzania | 5 million (2006) | 3.2 million (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk) | 137 |
| Yiddish | Indo-European, Germanic, West | official in Russia (Jewish Autonomous Oblast) Significant communities in Belarus, Israel, Latvia, Ukraine. | 3 million (2006) | 3.2 million | 138 |
| Jamaican Creole | Indo-European, Germanic, West, Creole | Jamaica. Significant communities in Panama, Costa Rica | 2.8 million (2006) | 3.2 million (2001) | 139 |
| Piemonteis | Indo-European, Italic, North | Italy (official in the Piedmont region), Argentina | 3.1 million (2000) | 3.1 million (2000), might not include speakers in Latin America | 139 |
| Kyrgyz | Altaic, Turkic, Northwestern, Southern | Official in Kyrgyzstan. Native to Tajikistan | 3.1 million (2006) | 3.1 million (1993 UBS) (dated data) | 140 |
| Waray-Waray | Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Borneo-Philippines | Philippines | 2.4 million | 3.1 native (2000 census), unknown number second language | 141 |
| Ewe | Niger-Congo, Kwa | Official in Togo. National language of Ghana. | 2.5 million (2006) | 3.1 million native, 500,000 second language, = 3.6 million total (2003) | 142 |
| South Bolivian Quechua | Quechuan | Official in Bolivia, also spoken in Argentina | 3,637,500 (ethnologue)sout | 143 | |
| Lithuanian | Indo-European, Baltic | Official in Lithuania. Significant communities in Latvia. | 4 million (2006) | 3.1 million (1998) | 144 |
| Luganda | Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu | Major language of |