AI-Powered PDF Translation now with improved handling of scanned contents, handwriting, charts, diagrams, tables and drawings. Fast, Cheap, and Accurate! (Get started for free)
What languages are most commonly used for reading books?
The most widely read language for books is English, with over 55% of all books published globally being written in English.
The second most common language for reading books is Mandarin Chinese, with around 10% of all books published being written in this language.
The majority of books translated into English are originally written in French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese.
In the United States, the top five languages for reading books are English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian.
According to a study by the European Commission, 72% of European readers prefer to read books in their native language.
The most translated author of all time is Agatha Christie, with her works being translated into over 100 languages.
The language with the most literary awards is Arabic, with the International Prize for Arabic Fiction being one of the most prestigious awards.
The highest percentage of books translated from English to another language are translated into Spanish, with over 20% of all translations being into Spanish.
In India, the most widely read languages for books are Hindi, English, and Marathi.
The world's largest publisher of children's books is the Soviet Union's Malysh Publishing House, which publishes books in over 15 languages.
The oldest surviving book in the world is the Epic of Gilgamesh, written in cuneiform script on clay tablets in ancient Sumeria around 2100 BCE.
The language with the longest written history is Chinese, with written records dating back over 3,500 years.
The most widely spoken language in the world, Mandarin Chinese, has the largest number of native speakers but ranks only 5th in the number of books published.
The top five languages for e-book sales are English, Japanese, German, French, and Spanish.
According to a study by the publishing industry's largest trade association, the Association of American Publishers, the most popular genre for translated books is romance, followed by thriller/mystery and science fiction/fantasy.
AI-Powered PDF Translation now with improved handling of scanned contents, handwriting, charts, diagrams, tables and drawings. Fast, Cheap, and Accurate! (Get started for free)