List of languages by total number of speakers

For number by native speakers, see List of languages by number of native speakers.

These are lists of languages by the number of first and second language speakers. However, particularly because of large uncertainties in estimating the number of secondary speakers, all such lists should be used with caution. In particular, the lists below should be seen as tentative.

Estimations

Ethnologue.com estimates

Top 10 most-spoken primary languages^[1]

1. Mandarin Chinese (845 million)

2. English (563 million)

3. Spanish (329 million)

4. Arabic (221 million)

5. Hindi/Urdu (182 million)

6. Bengali (181 million)

7. Portuguese (178 million)

8. Russian (144 million)

9. Japanese (122 Million)

10. German (90.3 million)

George H. J. Weber's estimate

In an article published in December 1997, Weber posted estimates of primary and secondary speakers (this only includes the main land). Adding these, it is possible to obtain estimates for total speakers. However, since only graphs and not numerical figures are listed, readers are referred to his article.^[2]

George H. J. Weber's report on the number of native speakers of the top languages.

1. Mandarin Chinese (1.1 billion)

2. English (580 million)

3. Spanish (300 million)

4. Hindi/Urdu (250 million)

5. Portuguese (220 million)

6. Arabic (200 million)

7. Bengali (185 million)

8. Russian (160 million)

9. Persian (149 million)

10. Punjabi (130 million)

11. Japanese (125 million)

12. German (90 million)

13. Javanese (80 million)

14. French (75 million)

George H. J. Weber's report on the number of secondary speakers of the top languages.

1. English (250 million)

2. French (190 million)

3. Russian (125 million)

4. Portuguese (28 million)

5. Arabic (21 million)

6. Spanish (20 million)

7. Persian (20 million)

8. Chinese (20 million)

9. German (9 million)

10. Japanese (8 million)

Total number of native and secondary speakers of top languages.

1. Mandarin Chinese (1.12 billion)

2. English (1.01 billion)

3. Spanish (320 million)

4. Russian (285 million)

5. French (270 million)

6. Hindi/Urdu (250 million)

7. Arabic (221 million)

8. Portuguese (188 million)

9. Bengali (185 million)

10. Persian (169 million)

11. Japanese (133 million)

12. Punjabi (130 million)

13. German (100 million)

See also

• List of languages by number of native speakers
• Linguistic demography
• Lists of languages

Notes

1. ^ http://www.ethnologue.com/ethno_docs/distribution.asp?by=size
2. ^ The World's 10 most influential Languages

Sources

• Most Widely Spoken Languages
• The World’s 10 most influential Languages by George Weber
• (French) Qu'est-ce que la Francophonie?