Languages of Europe

Norwegian, Swedish, Dutch, Spanish and Italian top the list, and US diplomat training data shows why. Here is how they compare and which one suits you.

Hungarian, Finnish, Estonian and Polish top the list for English speakers. Here is what the US Foreign Service Institute’s training hours say, and why these languages take so long.

Low German (Plattdeutsch) and Frisian share a coastline and a lot of history, but they are separate languages. Here is how they differ, where each is spoken, and why the name East Frisian confuses everyone.

Luxembourgish started as a German dialect and became a national language. Here is how that happened and why the question still comes up.

Is Flemish its own language? Why does Belgium have three official languages? A clear guide to what people speak in Belgium.

Scandinavians can often talk in their own languages and still follow each other. But not equally well, and Norwegians have the easiest job.

Danish reads fine but sounds like one long swallowed word. Here are the sound changes that make spoken Danish so tricky.

Dutch and German are close relatives, but not twins. Here is what they share, where they split, and who understands whom better.

German gets called angry, harsh and aggressive. The sounds behind that reputation are real, but the verdict says more about the listener.

Dutch is one of the easiest languages for English speakers on paper. Here is what is actually easy, what is hard, and how long it takes.

English, German, Dutch, Swedish, Frisian and Icelandic all come from one ancestor. Here is how the Germanic family tree fits together.

Dutch looks like English on paper and sounds like German after midnight. Here is where that strange mix comes from.