5 of the World’s Least Spoken Languages in 2026

Linguistically, the world is dominated by a small group of major languages spoken by billions, like Chinese, English, Arabic, Hindi, and Urdu. But with over 7,150 languages spoken globally today, not every language has millions of speakers. In fact, some are spoken by just one person.

These languages, often passed down orally through generations, face extinction as their final speakers age without successors. But thanks to the efforts of linguists and cultural preservationists, the stories behind these rare tongues still survive for now.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the world’s least spoken languages in 2026, many of which are on the verge of disappearing entirely.

Quick Summary: 5 of the World’s Least Spoken Languages (2026)

• Ongota (Ethiopia) – Estimated <10 speakers (Possibly extinct)
  
• Taushiro (Peru) – 1 speaker
  
• Tanema (Solomon Islands) – 1 speaker
  
• Lemerig (Vanuatu) – 2 speakers
  
• Njerep (Nigeria) – Possibly extinct
  

What are the world’s least spoken languages?

Taushiro (Peru)

Taushiro is a critically endangered language of the Peruvian Amazon. The current speaker count for Taushiro is one person, Amadeo García García. The documented vocabulary of the language consists of 1,500 words and 27 stories.

Tanema (Solomon Islands)

Tanema is a nearly extinct language located on Vanikoro Island. The sole native speaker of Tanema is Lainol Nalo. The total island population is 150 individuals, with most inhabitants utilizing Tetau as a primary language.

Lemerig (Vanuatu)

Lemerig features two fluent speakers on the island of Vanuatu. The Lemerig language belongs to the Torba province linguistic group. Current data shows that Mwotlap and Vera’a have replaced Lemerig for daily communication.

Njerep (Nigeria)

Njerep is the spoken language of an ethnic group of the same name living in Nigeria. Nigeria is one of Africa’s most ethnically diverse countries, with many small ethnic groups, and the Njerep people are among the smallest, according to recent estimates, comprising just six members. 

Because of the diminutive size of the group and its position relative to the much larger dominant Mambilla ethnolinguistic group, Ethnologue has classified Njerep as “nearly extinct.”

Ongota (Ethiopia)

Ongota is one of the rarest and most endangered languages in the world. Spoken in a small agrarian village along the west bank of the Weito River in southern Ethiopia, Ongota has long been at risk of disappearing.

As of 2025, the language is considered critically endangered, with estimates suggesting that only one or two semi-fluent speakers may still be alive, although this has not been officially confirmed in recent field reports.

In earlier decades, the language was spoken by a small ethnic community, but Ts’amakko, the dominant regional language, has largely replaced it. The Ongota people themselves now use Ts’amakko for daily communication, and the younger generations do not speak Ongota at all.

Although researchers have documented the language’s structure and vocabulary, Ongota is now regarded as moribund, with its last traces preserved in linguistic archives rather than spoken conversation.

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