List of languages by number of native speakers

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This is a list of languages, ordered by the number of native-language speakers, with some data for second-language use. Languages are listed for secondary locations only when spoken by more than 1% of the population.

Since the definition of a single language is to some extent arbitrary, some mutually intelligible idioms with separate national standards or self-identification have been listed separately, depending on conventional use, for example Scandinavian, Hindustani, Dutch and Afrikaans, Indonesian and Malay.

The relevant estimate for the number of native speakers for the purposes of this list is that of SIL Ethnologue. Other estimates may vary, and the numbers should not be taken as more than indicating the rough order of magnitude of a linguistic community.

Current distribution of Human Language Families

Further information: Ethnologue list of most spoken languages
Language Family Ethnologue (2005 estimate)[1] Encarta estimate[2] Other estimates Ranking by Ethnologue estimate
Mandarin Sino-Tibetan, Chinese 873,000,000 1,210,000,000†[2] 982,000,000 native, 179,000,000 second language = 1,151,000,000 total[3]
†Encarta estimate includes all Chinese dialects		 1
Hindustani Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan 366,000,000[4] 366,000,000 Standard Hindi 325,000,000, Ancient Hindi 100,000,000; A total of 650,000,000 including Urdu and secondary speakers, does not include Maithili. All Hindi dialects are mutually intelligible. 2
Spanish Indo-European, Italic, Romance 322,300,000[5] 322,200,000[6] Total of 417 million including second-language speakers (1999).[7][8] 3
English Indo-European, Germanic, West 309,350,000[9] 341,000,000 Over 1,500,000,000 worldwide.[10] Also see List of countries by English-speaking population which numbers 850,000,000 worldwide (as a total of first and additional language spoken). 4
Arabic Afro-Asiatic, Semitic 206,000,000[11] 422,000,000

It is also one of the six official languages of the United Nations.[12]

 5
Portuguese Indo-European, Italic, Romance 177,500,000 176,000,000 215 million native, 20 million second language = 235 million total[citation needed] 6
Bengali Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan 171,000,000 207,000,000 196 million native (2004 CIA) (includes 14 million Chittagonian and 10.3 million Sylheti). 7
Russian Indo-European, Slavic, East 145,000,000 167,000,000 165 million native, 110 million second language = 275 million total 8
Japanese Japanese-Ryukyuan 122,400,000 125,000,000 130 million native, 2 million second language = 132 million total 9
German Indo-European, Germanic, West 95,400,000 100,100,000 101 million native (88 million Standard German, 5 million Swiss German, 8 million Austrian German), 60 million second language in EU[13] + 5–20 million worldwide. 10
Punjabi Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan 88,000,000 57,000,000 61–62 million (2000 WCD) (taken together with Eastern Punjabi (28 million) and Siraiki (14 million): 104 million total) 11
Wu Sino-Tibetan, Chinese 77,200,000 — 77 million native 12
Javanese Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Sunda-Sulawesi 75,500,000 75,600,000 70–75 million 13
Telugu Dravidian, South Central 69,700,000 69,700,000 70 million native, 5 million second language = 75 million total (2001)[14] 14
Marathi Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan 68,000,000 68,000,000 68 million native, 3 million second language = 71 million total 15
Vietnamese Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Vietic 67,400,000 68,000,000 70 million native, perhaps up to 16 million second language, = ~86 million total 16
Korean Considered either language isolate or Altaic 67,000,000 77,000,000 79 million if including secondary and non-native speakers.[15] 17
Tamil Dravidian, Southern 66,000,000 66,000,000 68 million native, 9 million second language = 77 million total[14] 18
French Indo-European, Italic, Romance 64,860,000[16]
 78,000,000
 113 million “native and real speakers”[17] (includes 64,473,140 French people), 250 million second language (worldwide including Africa and North Africa) = 363 million (as a total of first and additional language spoken) and up to 500 million total with significant knowledge of the language (2008).[18] 19
Italian Indo-European, Italic, Romance 61,500,000 62,000,000 20

Language Family Ethnologue (2005 estimate)[19] Encarta estimate[20] Other estimates Ranking by Ethnologue estimate
Cantonese Sino-Tibetan, Chinese 54.8 million -- 66 million 21
Sindhi Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan Official in India, Pakistan. Significant communities in People’s Republic of China (Hong Kong) ?, Oman? and Gibraltar. 54.5 million (2006) 41.5 million native, 13 million second language, = 30 million total (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk) 22
Turkish Altaic, Turkic, Oghuz 50 million 61 million 74 million (2006 estimate)[21] + 15 million second language = 89 million 23
Min Sino-Tibetan, Chinese 46.2 million -- Southern Min: 49m, Northern Min 10.43m 24
Gujarati Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan 46.1 million 46.1 million -- 25
Maithili Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan 45 million (included in "Hindi") 26
Polish Indo-European, Slavic, West 42.7 million 52 million -- 27
Ukrainian Indo-European, Slavic, East 39.4 million 47 million -- 28
Persian Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian 39.4 million [22] 31.3 million ca. 72 million;[23] sometimes taken to include all of Southwestern Iranian (Luri, Tati, and other); ca. 62 million second language[citation needed], ca. 134 million total 29
Malayalam Dravidian, Southern - India 35.8 million 35.7 million 38 million native, 10 million second language = 48 million 30
Kannada Dravidian, Southern 35.4 million 35.4 million 55 million native, 9 million second language, = 64 million total[citation needed] 31
Tamazight (Berber) Afro-Asiatic, Berber, Northern National language in Algeria, Mali and Niger (Tuaregs); unrecognized in Morocco, Libya and Tunisia. Large migrant communities in France, Benelux, Spain and Germany . 32.3 million (2006) 37+ million (1998) 32
Oriya Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan 31.7 million 32.3 million -- 33
Azerbaijani Altaic, Turkic, Oghuz 31 million 31.4 million 25–35 million native, including Qashqai (data for Iran uncertain); 8 million second language (outside Iran) 34
Hakka Sino-Tibetan, Chinese 29.9 million -- 34 million 35
Bhojpuri Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan 26 million (included in "Hindi") 126 million total 36
Burmese Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Lolo-Burmese 22 million (1996) 32.3 million (2006) 32 million native, 10 million second language, = 42 million total 37
Gan Sino-Tibetan, Chinese 21 million -- 48 million, 29 million in Jiangxi[24] 38
Thai Tai-Kadai, Kam-Tai, Be-Tai, Tai-Sek, Tai 20.05 million (1996) 46.1 million (2006) ~31 million native (1983 SIL, 1990 Diller, 2000 WCD) (dated data), = ~60 million first and second language (2001 A. Diller). Includes Southern Thai, Northern Thai/Western Lao, but not Shan, Isan, or Lao. 39
Sundanese Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Sunda-Sulawesi Native to Indonesia (origin in western Java) 27 million (2006) 27 million (1990) 40
Romanian Indo-European, Italic, Romance Official in Moldova, Romania, Serbia (Vojvodina). Significant communities in Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Spain, Ukraine, USA. 26.3 million (2006) 26 million native,[2] 4 million second language. The total is about 30 million.[25] 41
Hausa Afro-Asiatic, Chadic, West Official in Niger, north Nigeria. Significant communities in Chad, Benin, Ghana, Sudan 24.2 million (2006) 24 million native, ~15 million second language, = ~40 million total 42
Pashto Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Eastern Official in Afghanistan. Native to Pakistan. Significant communities in Iran, United Arab Emirates. 60 million (2006) 65-70 million (data uncertain; ethnic population ~60 million) 43
Serbo-Croatian Indo-European, Slavic, South Official in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia, under names Bosnian, Croatian, Montenegrin and Serbian respectively. Significant communities in Austria, Germany, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Slovenia. 21.1 million (2006) 17 million 44
Uzbek Altaic, Turkic, Eastern Official in Uzbekistan. Native to Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan 20.1 million (2006) 20 million (1995) 45
Dutch Indo-European, Germanic, West Official in Belgium, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Suriname. Significant communities in the United States, Canada, Australia, Indonesia and South Africa (excluding Afrikaans). 20 million (2006) 25 million[26][13] 46
Yoruba Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Defoid, Yoruboid Official in Nigeria. 20 million (2006) 19 million native, 2 million second language, = 21 million total (1993) 47
Amharic Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, South Official in Ethiopia. Significant communities in Israel. 17.4 million (2006) 27 million native (32.7% Ethiopia [1994 census] and 2.7 million emigrants), 10% (7 million) as a second language = 34 million total 48
Oromo Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East Cushitic National language of Ethiopia. Significant communities in Kenya 17.2 million (2006) 24 million native (31.6% of Ethiopia [1994 census]), ~2 million second language, = 26 million total (1998 census) 49
Indonesian Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian 23.1 million, national language in Indonesia 17.1 million 140 million second language 50
Filipino Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Borneo-Philippines Official and Native in Philippines. Significant communities in Canada, People’s Republic of China (Hong Kong), Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United States (Alaska, California, Guam, Hawaii, Northern Mariana Islands). 17 million (2006) 22 million native (2000 census), ~65 million second language, = 85 million total 51
Kurdish Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western, Northwestern Official in Iraq. Native to Armenia, Iran, Syria, Turkey. Significant communities in Germany, Lebanon. 16 million (all varieties) ~31,417,000[citation needed] (see article for full list) 52
Language Family Official status and where spoken natively, or as an immigrant language, by more than 1% of the population SIL estimate[2] Number of speakers Ranking by number of native speakers
Somali Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East Official in Somalia. Native to Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya. Significant communities in Canada, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Yemen. 9.8 million (2006) 10-16 million native and at least 500,000 second-language speakers.million (2004 WCD) 49
Lao Tai-Kadai, Kam-Tai, Tai Official in Laos. Native to Thailand. 3.2 million (2006) ~19 million Lao-Phutai dialects (including Isan) (data dated) 50
Cebuano Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Borneo-Philippines Native to Philippines 15 million (2006) 18.5 million native, ~11.5 million second language, = 30 million total (2000 census) 51
Greek Indo-European, Greek Official in Cyprus, Greece. Significant communities in Albania, Australia, Canada, Egypt, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA. 15 million (2007) 12 million (2004), up to 10–12 million more second language 52
Malay Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Sunda-Sulawesi, Malayic Official in Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore. Native to Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand. Significant communities in Australia, Bahrain. 23.6 million (2006) 18 million native, 3 million second language, = 21 million total (not counting Indonesian) 53
Igbo Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Igboid Official in Nigeria 18 million (2006) 18 million native (1999 WA), unknown number second language. 54
Malagasy Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Borneo-Philippines, Barito Official in Madagascar. Significant communities in Mayotte, Réunion. 10.5 million (2006) 17 million 55
Nepali Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan Official in Nepal, India (Sikkim). Significant communities in Bhutan. approx. 30 million in Nepal, 16 million as native tongue and 15 million as a second language (2006) 40 million (2006) 56
Assamese Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan Official in India (Assam). Significant communities in Bhutan and Bangladesh. 15.4 million (2006) 15 million (1997). Assamese is spoken and/or understood by most everyone in the state of Assam. Assam had a population of 26.7 million in 2003-04. So, Assamese has another 8-10 million second language speakers. Assamese is also understood and spoken widely in Arunachal Pradesh with a population of 1.1 million. These are mostly second or third language speakers. Various tribes in Nagaland with a population 2 million use Nagamese, a variant of Assamese, for communication. Thus, a total of approximately, 28-30 million people speak and understand Assamese. 57
Shona Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu National language of Zimbabwe. Significant communities in Botswana, Mozambique. 14 million (2006) 15 million native, 1.8 million second language, = 16–17 million total, including Ndau, Manyika (2000 A. Chebanne) 58
Khmer Austro-Asiatic, Mon-Khmer, Khmer Official in Cambodia. Significant communities in Thailand, United States (California), Vietnam 8 million (2006) 14 million native, 1 million second language, = 15 million total (2004) 59
Zhuang Tai-Kadai, Kam-Tai, Tai Official in People's Republic of China (Guangxi) 14 million (2006) 14 million native (1992), unknown number second language 60
Madurese Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Sunda-Sulawesi Native to Indonesia (Originally Java, Madura) 13.7 million (2006) 14 million (1995) 61
Hungarian Uralic, Finno-Ugric, Ugric Official in Hungary, Serbia (Vojvodina), Slovenia, Austria. Significant communities in Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, United States, Israel 14.5 million (2006) 14 million native (1995) 62
Sinhalese Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan Official in Sri Lanka. Significant communities in United Arab Emirates 13.2 million (2006) 13 million native, 2 million second language, = 15 million total (1993) 63
Fula Niger-Congo, Atlantic, Northern, Senegambian Official in Niger, Nigeria. National language in Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal. Significant communities in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Sierra Leone. 11.4 million (2006) ~13 million (all varieties) 64
Czech Indo-European, Slavic, West Official in Czech Republic. 12 million (2006) 12 million (1990 WA). 65

Language Family Official status and where spoken natively by more than 1% of the population SIL estimate[27] Number of speakers Ranking by number of native speakers
Zulu Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu Official in South Africa. Significant communities in Lesotho, Swaziland 9.6 million (2006) 9.6 million native, ~16 million second language, = ~25 million total (1996 census) 68
Quechua Quechuan Official in Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru. Significant communities in Argentina 8.3 million (2006) 10.4 million, all varieties 69
Kazakh Altaic, Turkic, Northwestern, Southern Official in Kazakhstan. Significant communities in People's Republic of China (Xinjiang), Russia, Mongolia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan 8.2 million (2006) 12 million 70
Tibetan Sino-Tibetan, Northwestern, Southern Official in Tibet. Significant communities in India, People's Republic of China 7.1 million (2006) 7.6 million 71
Tajik Indo-European, Indo-Iranian Official in Tajikistan. Significant communities in Uzbekistan 4.4 million. 7.9-17 million native (estimates vary due to lack of official data, moreover these exclude Tajiks of Afghanistan) 72
Chichewa (Nyanja) Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu Official in Malawi, Zambia. Significant communities in Mozambique, Zimbabwe. 9.3 million native (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk), 0.4 million second language (1999 WA), = 9.7 million total 73
Haitian Creole Indo-European, Romance, Creole Official in Haiti. Significant communities in Bahamas, Canada (Quebec), Cuba, Cayman Islands (UK), Dominican Republic, France (Guadeloupe), United States (Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York). 7.4 million (2006) 12 million (2005) 74
Belarusian Indo-European, Slavic, East Official in Belarus. Significant communities in Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Poland, Russia 10.2 million (2006) 9.1 million (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk) 75
Lombard Indo-European, Romance Native to Italy -- 5 million Western Lombard + 3 million Eastern Lombard + others = 9.13 million (Ethnologue 2006) 76
Hebrew Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, North Central Official in Israel. Significant communities in USA (New York, California) and Gibraltar. 9.42 million (2006) 77
Swedish Indo-European, Germanic, North National language of Sweden. National language in Finland. 9 million (2006) 8.8 million (1986), ~9 million (2005) 78
Kongo Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu National language in Angola, Congo-Brazzaville (Kituba), Congo-Kinshasa. 4.7 million (2006) 8.7 million, all varieties, including Yombe and creolized Kituba (1986–2002) (dated data) 79
Akan Niger-Congo, Kwa National language in Ghana 7 million (2006) 8.3 million native, ~1 million second language, = ~10 million total (2004 SIL) 80
Albanian Indo-European, isolate Official in Albania, Macedonia, Republic of Kosovo . Significant communities in Greece, Italy. 6.0 million 3.6 million (data from Albania) 79
Hmong Hmong-Mien China. Significant communities in France (French Guiana), Laos, United States (Minnesota, Wisconsin), Vietnam 2.8 million (2006) ~4 million (Lemoine, 2005) 80
Yi Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Burmic People's Republic of China 4.2 million (2006) 7.8 million ethnic Yi (2000 census) 81
Tshiluba Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu National language of Congo-Kinshasa 7.8 million native, 0.7 million second language, = 8.5 million total (1991 UBS). Includes 1.5 million Kiluba. 82
Ilokano Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Borneo-Philippines Philippines. Significant communities in United States (Hawaii). 8 million (2006) 7.7 million native (2000 census), ~2.3 second language = 10 million total 83
Uyghur Altaic, Turkic, Southeastern, Eastern Official in People's Republic of China (Xinjiang). Significant communities in Kazakhstan 7.6 million (2006) 7.6 million 84
Neapolitan Indo-European, Romance Native to Italy -- 7.5 million native 85
Bulgarian Indo-European, Slavic, South Official in Bulgaria. Significant communities in Moldova, Ukraine, the Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, USA 9 million (2006) 7.7 million in Bulgaria (2005) and ~1 million abroad = 8.5 million native 86
Kinyarwanda Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu Official in Rwanda. Significant communities in Congo-Kinshasa, Uganda 7.3 million (1998) 87
Xhosa Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu Official in South Africa. Significant communities in Lesotho 6.9 million (2006) 7.2 million (1996 census) 88
Balochi Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian Native to Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan. Significant communities in Oman, United Arab Emirates 7 million (2006) 7.0 million (1998) 89
Hiligaynon Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Borneo-Philippines Philippines 7 million (2006) 6.9 million (2000 census), est. 4.1 million second language = ~11 million total 91
Tigrinya Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, South Official in Eritrea, Ethiopia 5.1 million (2006) 4.5 million in Ethiopia (6% of population (1994 census)), ~2.25 million in Eritrea (50% of population (CIA)), = 6.75 million native, 146,934 as second language (1994 census), = 6.9 million total 92
Catalan Indo-European, Romance Official and Native to Andorra, Spain (Balearic Islands, Catalonia, Valencia, Aragon (La Franja)), France (Pyrénées-Orientales), Italy (Alghero). 6.6 million (2006) 6.7 million native, ~5 million second language, = ~12 million total (1996) (includes Valencian) 93
Armenian Indo-European, isolate Official in Armenia. Significant communities in Russia, USA, Georgia, Lebanon, Syria, France. 6 million (2006) 6.7 million (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk, etc.) 94
Minangkabau Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Sunda-Sulawesi, Malayic Indonesia (Sumatra) 6.5 million (2006) 6.5 million (1981 Moussay) (dated data) 95
Turkmen Altaic, Turkic, Southwestern, Eastern Official in Turkmenistan. Significant communities in Afghanistan, Iran. 6.4 million (2006) 6.4 million (1995) 96
Makhuwa Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu Major language of Mozambique. Significant communities in Tanzania 2.5 million (2006) 6.4 million, all varieties, including Lomwe 97
Santali Austro-Asiatic, Munda Official in India 6.2 million (2006) 6.2 million (1997) 98
Batak Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Sunda-Sulawesi, Northern Sumatra Indonesia 2 million (2006) ~6.2 million, all varieties (c. 1991 UBS) (dated data). Includes Toba, Dairi, Simalungun, etc. 99
Afrikaans Indo-European, Germanic, West Germanic Official in South Africa. Significant communities in Namibia,Botswana, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and United Kingdom. 6.0 million (2006) 6.0 million native, 10.3 million second language, = 16 million total (1996 census) 100
Mongolian Altaic, Mongolian Official in People's Republic of China (Inner Mongolia), Mongolia 5.7 million (2006) 5.7 million 101
Bhili Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan India 1.3 million (2006) 5.6 million, all varieties (1994). Includes 1.6 million Wagdi, etc. 102
Danish Indo-European, Germanic, North Official in Denmark, Faroe Islands (Denmark), Greenland (Denmark). Significant communities in Germany (Southern Schleswig) 5.3 million (2006) 5.6 million (2006?) 103
Finnish Uralic, Finno-Ugric, Finnic Official in Finland. Significant communities in Sweden and Estonia. 6.1 million (2006) 5.4 million (1993) 104
Tatar Altaic, Turkic, Northwestern, Northern Official in Russia (Tatarstan). Significant communities in Bashkortostan, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan 5.7 million (1989 USSR census)[28][29], at least 5.34 milllion (2002 census: ethnic Tatars in Russia only)[30] 105
Gikuyu Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu Major language of Kenya 5.4 million (2006) 5.3 million (1994 I. Larsen BTL) 106
Slovak Indo-European, Slavic, West Official in Slovakia. 5.6 million (2006) 5.0 million (1990 WA) 107
More Niger-Congo, Gur National language of Burkina Faso 5.1 million (2006) ~5 million (1991) 108
Swahili Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu Official in Congo-Kinshasa, Kenya, Tanzania. Significant communities in Comoros, Mayotte, Oman, Réunion. 5 million (2006) ~5 million native, ~80 million second language 109
Southern Quechua Quechuan Official in Peru, Bolivia ~5,000,000 110
Language Family Official status and where spoken natively by more than 1% of the population SIL estimate[27] Number of speakers Ranking by number of native speakers
Guarani Tupi Official in Paraguay. Significant communities in Argentina. 5.1 million (2006) 4.9 million (1995) 110
Kirundi Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu Official in Burundi. 4.9 million (1986) (dated data) 111
Sesotho (southern) Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu Official in Lesotho, South Africa. 4.9 million (1996 census) 112
Romani Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan Significant communities in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Iran, Macedonia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey 3.1 million (2006) 4.8 million, all varieties, including Domari (data for Vlax 2002–2004; for Domari 2000 WCD). 113
Norwegian Indo-European, Germanic, North Official in Norway. 5 million (2006) 4.7 million (2006, Statistics Norway) 114
Tibetan Sino-Tibetan,Tibeto-Burman, Bodic Official in People's Republic of China (Tibet, Qinghai, parts of Sichuan, Gansu) 1.3 million (2006) 4.6 million, all varieties 115
Tswana Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu Official in Botswana, South Africa. National language of Namibia 4 million (2006) 4.4 million native, 200,000 second language, = 4.6 million total (1993 Johnstone) (dated data) 116
Kanuri Nilo-Saharan, Saharan Official in Niger, Nigeria. Significant communities in Chad (Kanembu) 4.4 million native, 0.5 million second language, = 4.9 million total (data mostly from 1985) (dated data) 117
Kashmiri Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan Official in and native to India. 4.5 million (2006) 4.6 million (1997) 118
Bikol Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Borneo-Philippines Philippines 3.3 million (2006) 4.5 native, all varieties (2000 census), unknown number second language 119
Georgian Kartvelian Official in Georgia. Significant communities in Israel. 4.1 million (2006) 4.2 million (1993 UBS) 120
Qusqu-Qullaw Quechuan Official in Peru (Cusco and Puno departments) Also spoken in Bolivia, Argentina 4 million 121
Umbundu Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu National language of Angola ~4 million native, unknown number second language (1995 WA) 122
Konkani Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan Official in India (Goa).Significant communities in Uttara Kannada,Dakshina Kannada. 6 million (2006) ~4 million (1999 WA) 123
Balinese Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Sunda-Sulawesi, Bali-Sasak Indonesia (Bali, Lombok) 3.8 million (2006) 3.9 million (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk) 124
Northern Sotho (sePedi) Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu Official in South Africa. Significant communities in Botswana 3.7 million (1996 census) 125
Luyia Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu Kenya 3.6 million (2006) 3.6 million (1989 census) (dated data) 126
Wolof Niger-Congo, Atlantic National language in Mauritania, Senegal. Significant communities in The Gambia. 3.4 million (2006) 3.6 million native (2002), unknown number second language 127
Bemba Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu National language of Zambia 2.2 million (2006) 3.6 million native, unknown number second language (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk) 128
Buginese Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Sunda-Sulawesi, South Sulawesi Indonesia 3.5 million native, 0.5 million second language, = ~4 million total (1991 SIL) 129
Luo (Dholuo) Nilo-Saharan, Eastern Sudanic, Nilotic Kenya 3.4 million (2006) 3.5 million (1994 I. Larsen BTL) (dated data) 130
Maninka Niger-Congo, Mande National language of Guinea, Mali. Significant numbers in Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone. 2.5 million (2006) 3.3 million, all varieties 131
Mazanderani Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western Iran 3.3 million (2006) 3.3 million (1993) (dated data) (numbers may be confused with or include Gilaki) 132
Gilaki Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian, Western Iran 3.3 million (2006) 3.3 million (1993) (dated data) (numbers may be confused with or include Mazanderani) 133
Shan Tai-Kadai, Kam-Tai, Tai Myanmar 3 million (2006) 3.3 million 134
Tsonga Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu Official in South Africa. Significant communities in Mozambique, Swaziland. 3.2 million (2006) 3.3 million (1989, 1996) (dated data) 135
Galician Indo-European, Romance. Official in Galicia, Spain. 3.2 million (2006) 3.2 million (1986) (data dated) 136
Sukuma Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu Tanzania 5 million (2006) 3.2 million (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk) 137
Yiddish Indo-European, Germanic, West official in Russia (Jewish Autonomous Oblast) Significant communities in Belarus, Israel, Latvia, Ukraine. 3 million (2006) 3.2 million 138
Jamaican Creole Indo-European, Germanic, West, Creole Jamaica. Significant communities in Panama, Costa Rica 2.8 million (2006) 3.2 million (2001) 139
Piemonteis Indo-European, Italic, North Italy (official in the Piedmont region), Argentina 3.1 million (2000) 3.1 million (2000), might not include speakers in Latin America 139
Kyrgyz Altaic, Turkic, Northwestern, Southern Official in Kyrgyzstan. Native to Tajikistan 3.1 million (2006) 3.1 million (1993 UBS) (dated data) 140
Waray-Waray Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Borneo-Philippines Philippines 2.4 million 3.1 native (2000 census), unknown number second language 141
Ewe Niger-Congo, Kwa Official in Togo. National language of Ghana. 2.5 million (2006) 3.1 million native, 500,000 second language, = 3.6 million total (2003) 142
South Bolivian Quechua Quechuan Official in Bolivia, also spoken in Argentina 3,637,500 (ethnologue)sout 143
Lithuanian Indo-European, Baltic Official in Lithuania. Significant communities in Latvia. 4 million (2006) 3.1 million (1998) 144
Luganda Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu Major language of Uganda 3.0 million native (1991 census), ~1 million second language (1999 WA), = ~4 million total 145
Lusoga Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu Major language of Uganda, official status unclear/pending +/- 3 million native speakers (2002 census), +/- 100,000 second-language speakers (dated data) 146
Acehnese Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Sunda-Sulawesi, Malayic Indonesia 3 million (2006) ~3 million (1999 WA) 147
Kimbundu Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantu National language of Angola ~3 million (1999 WA) 148
Hindko Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan Pakistan 2.5 million (2006) ~3 million (1993) (dated data) 149
Ibibio-Efik Niger-Congo, Benue-Congo, Cross River Efik official in Nigeria 1.5 million (2006) ~3 million, including Anaang (1990; 1998 B. Connell) (dated data) 150
Language Family Official status and where spoken natively, or as an immigrant language, by more than 1% of the population Number of speakers Ranking by number of native speakers
Rajbangsi Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan India 3.0 million (1991 census) 151
Garhwali Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan India 2.9 million (2000) 152
Bambara Niger-Congo, Mande National language of Mali 2.8 million native, 10 million second language, = 13 million total 153
Ometo Afro-Asiatic, Omotic Ethiopia 2.8 million, all varieties, including Welayta (1998 census) 154
Indian Sign Language Language isolate (Sign language) Bangladesh, India, Pakistan 2.7 million in India, plus unknown number in Bangladesh, Pakistan (2003). Same language as Pakistani Sign Language 155
Betawi creole Austronesian, Malayo-Polynesian, Sunda-Sulawesi, Creole Indonesia 2.7 million (1993 Johnstone) 156
Karen Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto-Burman, Karenic Myanmar, Thailand, India 2.6 million, all varieties (dated data) 157
Gondi Dravidian India 2.6 million (1997) 15