Why Are Some Languages Harder to Learn? A Guide for International Students

The prospect of mastering a foreign language can be daunting, often causing prospective international students to reconsider their study abroad plans. This anxiety is frequently amplified when targeting a language that has a reputation for extreme difficulty.

But don’t let a challenging language hold you back—with the right mindset, consistent patience, and strategic learning techniques, any language is within your reach. 

Key takeaways

• When considering studying overseas, not knowing the local language should not dissuade you from pursuing the best options – even if the language has a reputation for being difficult to learn.
• When experts talk about a language being hard to learn, a lot depends on how different it is from your first language, the language’s complexity, and cultural elements such as writing systems.
• Online Result has previously identified the top languages for international students to learn – we explore what’s so hard about them.
• Any language can be mastered with tenacity, patience and smart learning strategies. Here are some practical techniques.

While studying internationally is an exciting prospect, the requirement of learning a new language often feels like a barrier. Native English speakers may find comfort in English-taught programs, but true immersion requires stepping beyond the classroom to engage authentically with the local community and culture.

Online Result has previously researched the best countries for a Master’s degree, as well as the top languages to learn for global careers, evaluating them by market demand and professional ROI. We also analyzed these languages by their learning curve for English speakers—a topic we explore in depth throughout this guide.

The burning question for any aspiring international student is: should a language's difficulty rating dictate where you study? The answer is a resounding no.

No language is impossible to learn. While a "difficult" language may require a more disciplined, long-term approach, the right study methodology will bridge the gap between where you are and your fluency goals.

Why some languages are harder than others

The Taleninstituut Nederland has conducted research into which languages are the most challenging for English speakers. Generally, difficulty is assessed across three primary criteria:

Level of similarity: How your first language makes a difference

"The level of similarity between adopted and mother tongues governs how tricky a new language is to learn," explains Professor Antonella Sorace, Professor of Developmental Linguistics at the University of Edinburgh. "It’s primarily the linguistic distance from your native tongue that dictates whether a language is perceived as 'easier' or 'harder.'"

Naturally, this assessment is subjective and depends entirely on your linguistic background.

Mechanics: Grammar, tones, and sounds that can be tricky

The mechanical variations across languages—particularly regarding grammar—are immense. Challenges can usually be categorized into the following:

• Complexity: Certain languages feature highly intricate grammatical structures. For instance, Hungarian and Finnish utilize agglutination, where suffixes are attached to words to denote tense, location, and possession. Hungarian alone uses nearly 20 grammatical cases, compared to English’s simplified structure.

• New Mechanics: Some languages incorporate concepts completely foreign to English speakers, such as tonal systems in Mandarin, which are essential for basic communication. These pervasive features require fundamental rewiring of how you listen and speak.

Culture and writing systems can make it harder too

Even with advanced vocabulary, nuances of tone and formality can be elusive. Furthermore, access to high-quality learning resources significantly impacts progress. Languages with more global speakers and robust media representation provide more opportunities for natural language acquisition.

Writing systems pose another hurdle. "Most languages use alphabets that are relatively intuitive," notes the team at Instarem. "However, languages like Japanese complicate the process with two distinct syllabaries (hiragana and katakana) alongside thousands of kanji characters."

Six languages that are tough but worth learning

Below are six of the most challenging languages for English speakers, all of which offer exceptional professional and educational opportunities:

Tips on how to start learning the hardest languages in the world

1. Start strong

To build a strong foundation, start with core concepts. Language experts at Preply recommend the following core practices:

• Prioritise learning the writing system.
• Prioritise learning pronounciation and start speaking as soon as you can.
• Start simple: learning material for beginners may seem simplistic, but the vocabulary and grammar used will likely be the ones you’ll use the most.

2. Stay motivated

Learning a new language is a marathon, not a sprint. When your studies begin to feel like a chore, focus on maintaining your motivation.

• Work the language into your interests. Look for media on your favourite subjects in your target language, such as books, movies, podcasts, blogs and videos. Preply recommends focusing on “language islands” that consist of particular subjects, because if you keep encountering the same vocabulary you’ll learn it faster.
• Set goals. Give yourself milestones you can focus on when it seems like there’s too much to learn, and which you can celebrate when you achieve them.
• Be consistent. There will definitely be times when you lack enthusiasm for language learning or are priortising something else. When that happens, a routine can help you keep your momentum going. There’s also the danger of forgetting what you’ve learned in one lesson if you wait too long for the next one. Having to redo the work will be a strong demotivator, so avoid this if you can.

3. Learn better

To maximize your efficiency, implement these strategies:

• Practise, practise, practise! There are supplementary study materials available on the internet that can help you here.
• Make your own vocabulary lists: Get a dictionary and look up unfamiliar words you encounter, or words you’ve wanted to use but don’t know.
• BUT don’t worry about learning every single word in the language. That’s an impossible goal. Alongside your vocabulary, also develop your ability to work out meaning from context.
• Practise thinking in the language. For example, when you go grocery shopping practise naming products and working out sentences explaining how you plan to use them.
• Read material in your goal language and practice active reading to help you analyse and master how the language works.

4. Talk to people

Prioritize real-world interaction. While reading and grammar exercises are vital, they differ significantly from the nuances of listening and speaking in real-time.

Initial conversations with native speakers can feel intimidating due to fast-paced delivery and authentic phrasing, which may differ from textbook examples.

However, consistent exposure is exactly how you adapt to natural speech patterns and refine your communication skills.

Use these methods to accelerate your spoken proficiency:

• Socialise: Join group activities, clubs and extra-curriculars to get the chance to socialise with other students.
• Take advantage of audio media: Once again, watching TV shows or listening to podcasts is a good way to get exposure to spoken language. You won’t be called on to speak, but you can practise understanding speech.
• Don’t be afraid to make mistakes: It’s a vicious circle: you want to be confident in your ability to speak the language before you interact with native speakers, but you’ll never reach that level of confidence if you don’t interact. Don’t let self-consciousness get the better of you. In academic environments, pretty much everyone you meet will know what it’s like to be learning something new.

Do you need a language test to study abroad?

Before finalizing your program, verify if your school requires specific language proficiency exams for admission. Common examples include the TOEFL for English or the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi (HSK) for Mandarin.

These certifications provide a structured goal and are often backed by rigorous coursework—pursuing one is a great way to validate your skills, even if it isn't strictly mandatory.

You can learn any language with time and effort

Even the most challenging languages are fully attainable with the correct approach. Rest assured, the effort you invest will yield long-term personal and professional rewards that make the journey deeply worthwhile.