Many people tend to have an idea that their own language is the most difficult among all languages, and based on my observation, people who have not learned a foreign language are more likely to think that way.

I think the idea that they have the ability to understand and master the most difficult and sophisticated language might make them proud.

However, as a foreign language learner, I don’t think any one specific language is more difficult or easier than the others. As you all may know, it really depends on your interest and the relationship between your native language and the target language you want to learn.

Take me as an example, learning Chinese is much easier than English as I’m Japanese and there are a lot of similarities between Chinese and Japanese. As an Asian, I also feel that we’re sharing a common sense with Chinese people, which makes the language more understandable to me .

But with that said, the fact that Chinese is easier for me doesn’t necessarily mean Chinese is an easy language compared to English or any other languages.

So that’s why I have mixed feelings whenever I hear someone speaking to foreigners like “how amazing you are to be able to understand and speak Japanese, which is the most difficult language in the world!”