Language is a key medium that has been set for human communication since its inception. It comprises words that people use to communicate their needs and feelings and to express themselves. According to the research and surveys, there are over 7000 languages that people speak globally. These languages have been grouped into 142 language families.
Interestingly, 90% of these languages are only spoken by 100,000 or fewer people. The research also shares that around 150–200 languages are more in demand and spoken.
Language is the basic medium of communication. It certainly becomes a barrier when people of two different languages cross their ways and cannot communicate with each other because they come from different ethnicities. This is what led to the need for translation.
With the passage of time and more advancements, other reasons for seeking translation also started to emerge, with globalization and localization at the top of the list. In fact, the rise of globalization has made translation services more crucial than ever before.
The most-translated language is one that has been translated into the largest number of other languages. This can be determined by factors such as:
The number of translations may vary with the needs and causes. For instance, Arabic, Aramaic, and Hebrew can be considered the most translated because these languages represent religious books, i.e., the Quran and Bible. Likewise, there could be different reasons that make a language most translated.
In the corporate world, however, the most translated language or language pair is the one that is demanded by businesses, individuals, and researchers to meet their organizational or personal goals.
The more regions a language belongs to, the more demand for translation. Languages that belong to more than one country and state are usually the most sought-after for translation. These languages may include:
Likewise, the economic significance of a language also decides its fate and future for translation. Chinese, for instance, is a language that has billions of speakers and is the world’s most spoken language.
It also has a greater economic significance. People from across the business world consider China a dream market to tap, which cannot be accomplished without Chinese translation services.
Cultural influence is another important factor that plays a vital part in adding value to a language in terms of translation. A lot of researchers and students who study cross-cultural and comparative analysis often seek translation services for a better understanding of customs and traditions.
A few of the languages that are rich in culture and also popularly translated for cultural exchange are as follows:
As we proceed further and dig into the most translated languages, it is important primarily to understand the need for translation and the basic reasons that compelled people to opt for translation.
The translation history dates back to ancient civilizations. Translations were required in every era for different reasons. It has particularly played a great role in reshaping the world and is even more crucial these days to reshape the modern business dynamics.
With the help of translation, communication has become more transparent, cultural exchange is better than ever, and the exchange of knowledge is getting boosted like never before.
Some of the earliest translation records tell that it took place during the Mesopotamian era, which was to translate the Sumerian poem “Gilgamesh” into an Asian language.
This incident dates back to the second millennium BC. Some historians also claim that the oldest translation dates back to the 3rd century, and it was carried out for the most translated book in the world, the Bible.
Though the exact date is yet to be found, historians do agree that the translation originated more than 2000 years ago. A few other recorded documents also tell that translation probably originated in China when Buddhist monks translated the Buddhist literature from Indian languages to Chinese to preach in China.
Fast forward to 2024, the translation industry today stands at around 61 billion USD and is gradually growing with a CAGR of 5.94%. Large-scale and big companies have started to allocate a particular budget for translation services, which varies from 0.25% to 2.5 of their turnover annually.
With so many widely spoken languages, it has become challenging to list a few languages as the most translated ones. Languages get ranked as per their usage, historical background, economic significance, and cultural values.
Many languages are not considered important on the global front, but they are quite popular and in demand in their specific region.
Here is the segregation of languages in terms of translation and overall importance across the continents.
Europe is one of the seven continents that constitute the world. It has its connections through landmass with Asia and is also connected to Africa.
It is the second-smallest continent but one of the most popular and most important ones. There are 50 countries in Europe. However, if we talk in terms of sovereign states and nations, these are 44.
A few of the most translated European languages are as follows:
English is considered one of the most spoken and translated languages on the planet without any second thought. It is also called a universal language.
And there are assumptions among people that make them think that everyone can speak or understand language, which is not true to its claim though. With over 1.1 billion speakers, it is undoubtedly an important and leading member of the Indo-European language family, specifically within the West Germanic sub-branch. But there are conflicts when it comes to categorizing the English language as European.
Coming from Germanic roots, English slowly and gradually strengthened its roots in Britain, which exists in northwestern Europe. England has remained the undisputed origin of the English language. However, today, it is a widely spoken and dominant language in the USA, UK, Australia, Canada, and more than 20 countries officially.
Overall, this language belongs to 186 countries, and these statistics are pretty much proof why this is the most translated language in the world. There could be regional variations in each dialect and variant, however, the basic composition of the language remains the same.
Also known as the global language, and a language of international relations and diplomacy, it is pretty clear how the world cannot survive without English and its translation. The main reason for English being most translated is due to the influence of the British Empire.
Over the centuries, British colonization spread the language all over the world, making it a household name in every continent. Businesses, researchers, collaborators, and students have to learn this language or seek English translation for a smooth learning and expansion process.
It is one of the highly paid languages for translation, and most of the languages are paired with this language. Moreover, it has emerged as one of the biggest lingua franca of the modern world.
French is the world’s most celebrated language. Being at the spot of official and unofficial languages of up to 29 countries, the language tells itself why it stands in the list of most translated European languages. Spoken by 300 million people, French also works as a modern-day lingua franca.
The language is commonly spoken across all continents. It is part of the most useful languages for businesses and the diplomacy world. It is one of the official languages of NATO, EU, WTO, and UN. French is also considered a language without borders, indicating its accessibility and popularity among all languages.
Individuals, businesses, researchers, and scholars demand french language translations on a broader level, and French translators are one of the highest-paid translators. English to French and French to English is quite a hot pair to deal with. It also works as the language of cinema, and the world’s most prolific producers have worked on French movies and shows.
Coming from a hub of fashion, beauty, and rich culture, French enjoys undivided attention in the realm of translation. French is also a popular choice among new language learners due to the significance and opportunities it holds.
Spanish is another popular language. It is one of the most demanded languages for translation, making it stand in the top ten list of most translated European languages. Spanish is becoming a globally important language as well, being a popular choice among language enthusiasts.
With 500 million speakers across the globe, learning Spanish can open a plethora of opportunities. It is an official language in around 21 countries and one of the leading in Europe, which speaks volumes about why it is one of the most demanded and translated languages in the business world and otherwise.
It has an amazing global reach as it’s the second most spoken native language. There are Spanish speakers spread in different regions.
Spanish culture has also been one of the reasons many researchers, analysts, and students of culture studies require translation. All the Spanish-speaking countries have rich cultural heritage.
Spanish literature, music, cuisine, and cinema have special recognition and acknowledgment all across the world. The cultural influence of Spanish is also obvious in many other cultures.
Spanish is a popular language among the people who travel to Spain and other surrounding regions. Spain offers the world’s best heritage and cultural sites due to its rich and centuries-long history.
Moreover, literary and scientific work in Spain has also attracted many artists and scientists across the globe, and they have to demand Spanish translation for the scientific contributions of Spanish scientists.
Russian is another important Slavic and European language that is in demand and has always been one of the most translated languages. Russia is the largest country in Europe. It covers 40% of the European continent. It shares its eastern borders with Asia.
Russia, being an emerging superpower and home to the world’s finest electronics, automobiles, arms, and ammunition, has been the center of attraction for many entrepreneurs and businesses.
With over 120 million speakers, Russian comes with the Cyrillic alphabet, whereas other European languages use the Latin alphabet. It is widely spoken across European countries. It also works as the official language of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Belarus.
The Russian translation has been in demand, particularly because the country is also a hub of fine fertilizers and is a big exporter to countries like the USA, Canada, and others. Russia has managed to grow sustainability since 2017 in almost every sector.
Additionally, it has the eighth-biggest reserve of oil and gas, and this is what makes the Russian language a popular European language for translation.
German, which is part of the Germanic group of Indo-Europeans, holds great significance as a language. It is an important European language that belongs to Germany. Germany is one of the world’s most sorted economies.
Being home to the world’s popular automobiles such as BMW, Mercedes, and Audi which revolutionized the automobile industry, electronics, and others, it is quite obvious how translating into this language can allow and empower businesses to tap the world’s most competent market.
This language is one of the most translated European languages. German and French are particularly popular in the European sphere. The German language is also popular among language learners. It, along with English, is one of the most translated language pairs.
Swedish is the north Germanic language, a descendant of old Norse. It comes from a Nordic language background. However, it is part of the Indo-European language family. With 10 million native speakers, the language is a popular member among its Nordic countries overall. It is the official language of Sweden. The language is also popularly spoken in a few parts of Finland.
The Swedish language is a popular language in the world of translation. Sweden is a developed country that offers great business potential. People in Sweden are experts in manufacturing and engineering.
The life sciences industry is also quite strong and the scientists and companies have collaborated with the Swedish pharma and healthcare industry post-pandemic COVID-19. They had to seek translation services to understand and process the business mechanism in Sweden.
Online work and digital solutions are quite popular and successful in terms of business in Sweden. They consider Sweden an ideal market for investing in technology, despite an expensive one. It is important to mention that other than the Swedish language, English is also an important language in the country.
Often referred to as the fifth most native language and an important part of the Indo-European languages with around 300 million speakers, Portuguese has come a long way. There are two main variants of the Portuguese language. One is popularly spoken in Portugal, one of the oldest European states, and the other is the official language of Brazil, Cape Verde, and the surrounding regions. This language is also widely spoken in South America.
The language is mainly translated in Brazil due to a great influx of tourists. The total number of tourists in Brazil and Portugal, according to reports, surpasses the number in countries like France and Italy. The historians also report that after English, Portuguese is the only language that has a growth of going higher. The Portuguese culture from Portugal and Brazil is also one of the reasons that researchers and students have to seek Portuguese translation.
Asian languages have experienced significant growth in translation demand due to economic development, cultural influence, and globalization.
Here are some of the most translated Asian languages:
The world’s most spoken language, Chinese, happens to be Asian. It belongs to one of the largest language families. It belongs to the Sino-Tibetan language family. The Chinese language has more than 1 billion speakers. It is part of the world’s Asian superpower, an unofficial thought.
Chinese products are all over the world and have reached every possible market. China is also considered an economic powerhouse. China’s economic growth has also driven the demand for Chinese translations in multiple fields.
Chinese technology, business, and culture are the main reasons that businesses have to seek Chinese translation. Chinese being an ancient language has a great connection and is rooted in fellow Asian languages, such as Korean and Japanese in particular.
The main reason for acquiring Chinese translation services often includes Chinese businesses' dominance in the global market. It is one of the most expensive languages for translation because it is a tough language and there are no defined alphabets, it's rather tonal.
The world’s fourth-largest economy with a nominal GDP behind the USA, China, and Germany is Japan, with Japanese as its official language. Not only this, but Japan happened to be the first Asian country to gain the status of a developed country. Thus, Japanese translation became evident for foreign businesses to tap the Japanese market, which offers enormous potential for trade.
The automobile manufacturing industry of the country is second largest globally, with Toyota holding the status of being the largest manufacturer of cars. The Fortune Global 500’s 2022 release says that there are 47 out of 500 companies based in Japan.
There are never-ending technological advancements in Japan, and every business wants to tap the Japanese market, particularly electronics, gaming, and software development, which is why the language ranks higher in the list. Anime and pop culture are also integral parts of Japanese culture, and people with similar interests often look to explore these subjects with the help of translation.
Native to around 81 million people, the Korean language is the official language of North and South Korea. The writing system of the Korean language is called hangul. Part of the Koreanic language family, it is also taken as a somewhat isolated language because of limited to zero mutual intelligibility with other languages. The Korean language influences the Chinese language because it is a related language that dates back centuries and has its characters in the Hangul writing system.
The Korean economy is sorted and is one of the largest Asian economies globally. Korea is particularly acknowledged for the struggle it put in to become a significant economic power from being an underdeveloped nation within a few generations. The fact that the World Bank mentions it as the fastest-growing major economy of the next generation has shifted the focus of many companies toward Korea, and they cannot make it happen without Korean translation.
Hindi is one of the fastest-growing Asian languages. The main reason is India’s achievements on the global front in recent years. Hindi is a popular member of the Indo-Aryan language. It is written in Devnagari script and is an official language of India with English. Hindi is also the fastest language in the region. It is considered the third most spoken language in the world.
Hindi is common in Urdu-speaking regions of the country, which is why it has a massive number of speakers and following. India is the second most populated country. So Hindi language is spoken by a majority of these people along with the Hindi diaspora in the world.
India has been doing pretty well with rapid economic growth in international trade and investment which is also accelerating the need for translation in the Hindi language. Indian culture and cuisine are one of the important reasons that people have to opt for translation in the local language. Yoga and medication processes that initiate from this soil have become popular globally and are also a driving factor for translation.
Hindi cinema known as Bollywood has a strong market and fanbase globally. There is a separate franchise for Netflix called Netflix India where they have translated all their shows into different languages to meet the massive demand for translation.
Indonesian is an official language of Indonesia and one of the most significant Asian languages. This language belongs to the world's largest Muslim-majority nation, which has a population of around 250 million. Understanding this language often opens up a gateway of opportunities for the people. They have to seek Indonesian translations for the literary work and also go through the history, comparative literature, and anthropology studies.
Additionally, Indonesia is very popular due to a few of its tourist attractions. Many travel groups and companies often demand translation services to deal with a diverse group of travelers. Moreover, the economic growth of the Indonesian region and its large population has made it a significant market for businesses to tap and expand their operations into.
Lastly, it is important to consider that this language has a great influence on Malay, Chinese, and Dutch which makes it a fascinating language to learn and translate for the surrounding regions too.
Vietnamese is the native language of around 85 million speakers. It is the primary language of Vietnam and is considered as the official language of the country. The language is tonal and has around 6 tones. Being part of the Austroasiatic language families, the rich historical background and the cultural heritage of the language make learning the language an enriching experience. It provides a great insight into Vietnam’s traditions, literature, and cuisine.
Vietnamese is particularly of great help and sought translation for online business into South Asia. Vietnamese is also one of the reasonably translated languages that is commonly spoken in different countries, including China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Translating into this language helps with catering to the people from these regions as well. It is particularly evident in business, travel, and education. The Vietnamese language has been most translated for business expansions, cultural collaborations, and travel purposes.
The official language of Thailand having more than 61 million speakers, Thai is the Tai language and is part of the Kra-Dai language family. Around 60 languages are spoken in Thailand, and the Thai language is one of the most spoken and translated in the region.
Thailand is a developed economy and a well-functioned country. It is particularly called heaven for tourists. The country offers the world’s most exotic beaches and islands and the most stunning sights. Thai cuisine is also quite famous which accelerates translation needs for the people visiting bustling local markets. A lot of Buddhists also visit the region for the monasteries and relevant buildings.
Thailand is home to digital marketing, real estate, and import and export businesses. It is particularly interesting to mention that translation services are a thriving business in Thailand. With a huge number of foreigners and international traders in the country, Thai translation services are important to consider.
The Middle East is the region that surrounds the Arabian peninsula including Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Iraq, and others. Though Arabic is the predominantly spoken language of this region, a few others are also important in the translation world.
Arabic is one of the most translated languages in the world. With an estimated 379 million speakers, it stands in the top five, when it comes to translated languages. The Arabic language comes from the Afroasiatic language family and it is spoken in the Arab world. There are two main variants of the language which are classic Arabic and modern standard Arabic. ISO acknowledges the Arabic language and its code and has assigned 32 varieties of Arabic. The language also holds the status of being one of the official languages of the United Nations.
Arabic is the language of the Quran, a holy book that belongs to the religion of Islam. The Holy Quran has been translated into 114 languages which also makes Arabic a popular and famous language as well. The language holds the status of official language of around 28 countries, which is why Arabic translation helps connect with a diverse audience.
The Arab world comes with the world’s best natural reservoirs including oil and palm and hence has emerged as the best trading giant, which is why Arabic translators are also well paid. Native speakers of Arabic definitely can make more money as translators because it is a complex language and particularly tough for speakers of Indo-European languages, hence increasing the demand for native speakers as translators.
Persian is one significant, somewhat religious, and important language of central Asia and the Middle East. The other name for Persian is Farsi. People in Afghanistan call it Dari while people in Tajikistan speak it as the Tajik. With up to 62 million speakers, the language ranks among the top 20 widely spoken languages.
Persian has been influenced by the Arabic language on many grounds. There are similarities in the font as well. Farsi has been one of the most translated languages in the region because it allows people to peek and delve into the era of the great Persian poets Ferdowsi, Hafez, and Rumi.
The miniatures and paintings are a few of the other important reasons to explore the translation of this language. Being home to oil and gas reservoirs, agriculture, renewable energy, construction, and tourism sectors, Iran also offers enormous opportunities to businesses, thus making Persian translation a critical role player.
Turkish is one of the important Middle Eastern languages. It is originally the official language of Turkey, a European country that has its borders in Asia as well as Europe. The language works as a door to business opportunities for Turkey. The country offers a blend of Eastern and Western cultures. Istanbul, which is the largest city in the country has Europe’s second-busiest airport, which is particularly busy due to the destination for a lot of connecting flights. .
Turkish being the language of Turkey is a popular language being spoken in the Middle Eastern countries and a few European countries other than Turkey. It has up to 100 million speakers and belongs to the Turkic group of languages. The language is a top choice for translation services and hence is the most translated Middle Eastern language, especially due to the enormous business opportunities and potential Turkey offers.
In a country with a rich historical background and a center of diverse dynasties and sultanates, the cultural and historical details are a lot to handle in Turkey. The researchers and collaborators have to seek translation services to offer their literary content to people overseas or to work with them. Turkey is also one of the countries which has a great tourist influx. The country received more than 49 million tourists in 2023, which surpassed the previous highest which was 45 million. This tourist industry also greatly increases the demand for Turkish translation services.
Coming from the Afroasiatic language family with native speakers of up to 9 million, not many know but the language is an important Middle Eastern language. Also, native to Israel, the language works as a liturgical language of Judaism. It was revived in the 19th century. The language works as one big-scale example of linguistic revival, and it was set as a proper Jewish national language in Palestine. This revival went well for the modern Hebrew, and they called it Ivrit.
The Hebrew language is mainly translated for the religious text and to facilitate the Jewish communities in their seminars and gatherings. Many Jews have to ask for translation while visiting abroad. Hebrew has also enjoyed great privilege and prominence due to being the original language of the Bible, which is the most translated book and has been translated to more than 3000 different languages.
Kurdish is a northwestern Iranian language, and people from Kurdistan particularly named Kurds speak it in Turkey, northern Iraq, Iran, and Syria. The language is quite popular in Iran. It is the third most spoken after Persian and Pashto. The language also has considerable speakers in Turkey and is referred to as Kurmanji there. The Kurdish language is widely translated across the region due to the two important agriculture books written in the Kurdish language. These books were also translated from Kurdish to Arabic language during the early 9th century.
Africa is the second largest and most populous continent. The first one is Asia. Africa is a linguistically diverse continent. It is home to 1000 to 2000 languages, which are spread across the continent. According to historians, Africa hosts one-third of the total languages of the world.
A few important and most translated languages in this region are as follows:
Swahili is an African language that holds great significance in the region. It is part of the Niger-Congo language family. There are around 89 million speakers of this language. This language contains many words from Arabic, Portuguese, English, and others. Interestingly, the language has around 40% of the Arabic loanwords. It works as one of the official languages of the East African community, and it won't be wrong to claim that it is the most translated and in-demand African language.
Swahili’s famous phrase Hakuna Matata is quite popular, and it means no worries. Swahili also works as the official and administrative language and the language of diplomacy. Knowing the language helps in working with African NGOs as well as dealing with immigrants all across the world. The business operations and expansions in Kenya, Uganda, and eastern and Central Africa get easier with the Swahili translation.
Swahili is the lingua franca of the African region. BBC and Voice of America air radio programs in this language. Hence, the translation services in the language are evident to survive in Africa.
Amharic is the language of Ethiopia. It is part of the Ethiopian Semitic language. It serves as a lingua franca among all populations of Ethiopia. There are around 60 million speakers of the Amharic language. It is a widely spoken language of Ethiopia and a second native language of the region.
Amharic is also considered the second most spoken Semitic language globally, only after Arabic. The language is quite famous in the African region. Businesses looking to enter Africa have to overcome the language barriers with the help of translation.
Amharic has historically served as the language of trade in Africa. It is the only official language of Ethiopia, and organizations like the United Nations often find it useful to have Amharic linguists onboard to understand and communicate with people in Ethiopia. The language carries a rich literary tradition and is commonly used in cultural and religious contexts. This is another factor that increases the demand for Amharic translations.
Yoruba is the language of Nigeria. It is spoken in West Africa. The people who speak it are referred to as Yoruba people. More than 47 million people speak the Yoruba language. It is part of the Niger-Congo language and is commonly spoken across 10 states in southwestern Nigeria. Apart from these states, the language is also spoken in Benin and Togo.
Translation in this language paves the way to smooth business and trade opportunities between Nigeria and the outer world. The people from Western countries get better insight with the help of translation. They get to be aware of consumer preferences, business practices, and varying market demands. All this becomes easy with the help of Yoruba translation.
The European languages take the cake when it comes to the most translated languages. However, other languages such as Arabic, Turkish, and Persian from the Middle East, Swahili, Amharic, and Yoruba from the African continent, and Chinese, Japanese, and Korean from Asian languages are also extremely important in terms of translation demand. A lot of factors play a key role in accelerating the demand for a language in the translation world. Mostly these are business opportunities and the travel and tourism sector that need translation the most for overcoming the language barrier.
Here, at Mars Translation, we provide professional translation services in 230+ languages for a range of business industries. 20+ years of experience, native and industry-specific experts, the latest tools and technologies, and affordable rates make us the best choice for language translation services. Get in touch for a free quote now!
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