In 2026, there were around 1.49 billion people worldwide who spoke English either natively or as a second language, slightly more than the 1.18 billion Mandarin Chinese speakers at the time of the survey. Hindi and Spanish accounted for the third and fourth most widespread languages that year.Â
Languages in the United States
The United States does not have an official language, but the country uses English, specifically American English, for legislation, regulation, and other official pronouncements. The United States is a land of immigration, and the languages spoken in the United States vary as a result of the multicultural population. The second most common language spoken in the United States is Spanish or Spanish Creole, which is spoken by more than 43 million people at home in 2023. There were also 3.5 million Chinese speakers (including both Mandarin and Cantonese),1.8 million Tagalog speakers, and 1.57 million Vietnamese speakers counted in the United States that year.Â
Different languages at home
The percentage of people in the United States speaking a language other than English at home varies from state to state. The state with the highest percentage of population speaking a language other than English is California. About 45 percent of its population spoke a language other than English at home in 2023.Â
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Ethnologue. (April 14, 2026). The most spoken languages worldwide in 2026 (by speakers in millions) [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Retrieved July 26, 2026, from /statistics/266808/the-most-spoken-languages-worldwide/
Ethnologue. "The most spoken languages worldwide in 2026 (by speakers in millions)." Chart. April 14, 2026. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Accessed July 26, 2026. /statistics/266808/the-most-spoken-languages-worldwide/
Ethnologue. (2026). The most spoken languages worldwide in 2026 (by speakers in millions). ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 26, 2026. /statistics/266808/the-most-spoken-languages-worldwide/
Ethnologue. "The Most Spoken Languages Worldwide in 2026 (by Speakers in Millions)." ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc., 14 Apr 2026, /statistics/266808/the-most-spoken-languages-worldwide/
Ethnologue, The most spoken languages worldwide in 2026 (by speakers in millions) ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, /statistics/266808/the-most-spoken-languages-worldwide/ (last visited July 26, 2026)
The most spoken languages worldwide in 2026 (by speakers in millions) [Graph], Ethnologue, April 14, 2026. [Online]. Available: /statistics/266808/the-most-spoken-languages-worldwide/