Have you ever think about what are the things which make languages the hardest languages to learn? Words are grouped in grammar to produce sentences that make sense. Getting used to a language with very different grammar is an important part of learning it.
Japanese, unlike the English alphabet, uses three different sets of characters (hiragana, katakana, and Japanese Kanji). Each symbol or picture has its unique meaning and sound.
A native English speaker used to their ABCs ma`y need a bit of time to get used to this! It is also interesting to consider the effects of changing the order of words.
A person used to language with a subject-verb-object structure (for example, I ate an ice cream) will have to adjust to Korean’s subject-object-verb structure, for example: (I ice cream ate). Grammatical errors can be frightening for some people.
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Sound, Tone, and Pronunciation
If you want to use the language, you need to speak it. Developing new sounds, tones, and pronunciation is involved. Learn to speak in sounds that are different from your native language, it’s a challenge you will love! It is more challenging to learn a new language when your native language’s sounds differ greatly from that of your target language.
A period of adjustment is also included. You must loosen up and embrace errors to achieve this. The way you pronounce a word determines its meaning in Mandarin Chinese.
Those who speak Romance languages may have difficulty with this. A Norwegian trying to understand Scandinavian or Danish may be able to grasp it. However, Norwegian, Danish and Swedish has a similar tone.
Differences in Culture
Culture is defined by its language. You can speak a language appropriately if you understand the culture’s language nuances. Depending on the context – such as who you’re talking to – you might choose a different word or phrase.
In Asian cultures, politeness is important, so learn Japanese by considering this. Other differences exist as well. Korea’s cultural norm is that people don’t use sarcasm or make jokes in verbal communication. Instead, they become physically active! So be careful if you usually perform jokes in your native language.
3 Hardest Languages to Learn
1. Chinese
The Chinese language (including its main dialects Cantonese and Mandarin) is the most widely spoken in the world. No Surprise, it’s a very useful language. Particularly in business.
However, it isn’t easy! There are a lot of characters you have to recognize and know their meanings and pronunciations. It is also important for new speakers to think about the tone in which they use words and phrases because it influences their understanding.
2. Arabic
With a lot of distinct sounding sounds, Arabic is a unique language and the hardest language to learn. Some are getting used to in terms of pronouns, nouns, verbs, and adjectives of singular, dual, and plural forms.
Its written script is also impressive. Words in Arabic are also devoid of vowels. Is this something we’re selling? Here is what you need to know. With over 422 million speakers, Arabic is a great language for business communication.
Also, it allows you to talk to people in more than 25 countries! You will learn how to introduce yourself, get around, and use colloquial expressions to communicate.
3. Japanese
It is not only about watching anime with no subtitles and ordering sushi that you should learn Japanese. It is fascinating to learn about Japanese culture.
Therefore, to learn it properly, you need to spend some time listening to native speakers in context, practicing yourself, and memorizing a few Japanese Kanji. It’s fun to take on these challenges.
