What is the most widely spoken language in the world?

Mandarin Chinese is recognized as the most widely spoken language in the world, primarily due to the large population of China, where it is the official language. With over a billion native speakers, Mandarin surpasses all other languages in terms of the number of individuals who speak it as their first language.

While English is often cited as the global lingua franca, it does not have as many native speakers as Mandarin. Instead, English's global presence is largely attributed to its status as a second language and its extensive use in international business, diplomacy, and media. Spanish and Hindi, although significant in terms of the number of speakers and cultural influence, do not reach the same level of prevalence as Mandarin Chinese. This demographic factor makes Mandarin the most widely spoken language globally.