Top 15 Most Popular Languages in the World by Number of Speakers

Here is a list of some of the most popular languages in the world based on the number of speakers (both native and total speakers):

English

Native speakers: ~370 million
Total speakers: ~1.5 billion
English is widely spoken as both a first and second language, and it serves as a global lingua franca in business, science, and international communication.
Mandarin Chinese

Native speakers: ~900 million
Total speakers: ~1.1 billion
Mandarin is the most spoken language in the world in terms of native speakers, primarily spoken in China, Taiwan, and among Chinese communities worldwide.
Hindi

Native speakers: ~600 million
Total speakers: ~700 million
Hindi is one of the official languages of India and is widely spoken in northern and central India.
Spanish

Native speakers: ~460 million
Total speakers: ~560 million
Spanish is the second most spoken native language in the world, with speakers in Spain, Latin America, and the United States.
French

Native speakers: ~80 million
Total speakers: ~300 million
French is spoken in many countries across Europe, Africa, and the Americas, and is one of the official languages of many international organizations.
Arabic

Native speakers: ~310 million
Total speakers: ~310 million
Arabic is spoken across many countries in the Middle East and North Africa, with several dialects.
Bengali

Native speakers: ~230 million
Total speakers: ~250 million
Bengali is the official language of Bangladesh and is spoken by millions in India as well.
Portuguese

Native speakers: ~220 million
Total speakers: ~250 million
Portuguese is spoken in Portugal, Brazil, and several African countries, and is the official language of several nations.
Russian

Native speakers: ~150 million
Total speakers: ~260 million
Russian is spoken in Russia and many countries in the former Soviet Union, and it is one of the six official languages of the United Nations.
Urdu

Native speakers: ~70 million
Total speakers: ~230 million
Urdu is the national language of Pakistan and is widely spoken in parts of India.
Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia)
Native speakers: ~40 million
Total speakers: ~200 million
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia, one of the most populous countries in the world.
Japanese
Native speakers: ~125 million
Total speakers: ~130 million
Japanese is spoken almost exclusively in Japan.
Punjabi
Native speakers: ~125 million
Total speakers: ~130 million
Punjabi is spoken in Pakistan and India, particularly in the Punjab region.
German
Native speakers: ~80 million
Total speakers: ~120 million
German is spoken primarily in Germany, Austria, and parts of Switzerland.
Korean
Native speakers: ~80 million
Total speakers: ~80 million
Korean is spoken primarily in South and North Korea.
These languages are popular due to their vast number of speakers and the global regions where they are spoken. Some languages, like English, Mandarin, and Spanish, have spread globally, while others are more region-specific.