Romania revealed as easiest European country to navigate linguistically for tourists and expats
Romania is the least challenging European country to navigate linguistically for tourists and expats, according to the global language learning marketplace Preply.
Romania has only three official spoken languages (Romanian, Hungarian, and German), and also the least number of regional dialects, namely the ones in Wallachia, Moldova, and Banat. A private language lesson in Romania is also the third cheapest in Europe, at around EUR 15, allowing expats ample opportunities to learn.
Following in second and third places are Ireland, Portugal, and Serbia - the latter two ranking joint third. The Irish only speak English and Gaelic, but also have four regional dialects. A Gaelic lesson will also cost around EUR 23.
Portugal, on the other hand, has only one spoken language, Portuguese, but ten different regional variations. The country also makes the top ten for the cheapest places in Europe to get a language lesson, at an average of EUR 21 per session. In joint third is Serbia, with cheaper language lessons (EUR 19) and only two official languages – Serbian (primary) and Albanian.
On the other side of the spectrum is the Czech Republic, the most challenging country as far as linguistic hurdles go. Private language lessons can cost up to an average of EUR 72 and although the country only registers one language (Czech), the Czech Republic has 26 spoken dialects and accents in total.
France and Switzerland complete the most challenging top three. The former has 40 unique regional dialects and accents, while the latter recognizes four different official languages (German, French, Italian, and Romansch), and also scores poorly for its English proficiency.
Other countries present a challenge for those eager to integrate linguistically. The Netherlands has 70 different regional accents and dialects, followed by Norway (60), and the UK and Turkey jointly (each with 52).
Founded in 2012, Preply is a global language learning marketplace, connecting 140,000 tutors with tens of thousands of students from all over the world.
(Photo source: Preply.com)
