Netherlands, Croatia, Greece: Where it's easiest to chat to locals if you're an English speaker

Learning a new language doesn’t happen overnight, so many people choose to move to a different country while still trying to master its native tongue. 

With English being the world’s most common second language, it’s often the de facto fallback while you’re still learning.

So where in Europe will you be best understood - and in which countries do you need some local language proficiency from the get-go?

Each year, global education company Education First (EF) pulls together the top (and bottom) countries when it comes to English speaking in its English Proficiency Index (EPI). 

Analysing the results of 2.1 million non-native English speakers who took EF’s Standard English Tests in 2023, it gives each country a ranking out of 800 points.

This year, the results showed a general decline in English proficiency, with women and students having the weakest skills.

Here’s how Europe fared in 2024.

In the 2024 results, nine out of 10 of the most English-proficient countries in the world are European. 

As in 2023, the Netherlands once again took the top spot with 636 points, having the best second-language English skills both in Europe and of 116 countries globally.

But there are plenty of other places in Europe where you’re likely to be understood if you speak English.

Also among the top countries boasting ‘very high proficiency’ were Norway, which made it to second place globally with 610 points and Sweden, which took fourth place with 608 points. 

Croatia, Portugal, Denmark, Greece and Austria made up the rest of the top level category. 

European countries with a ‘high proficiency’ in English included Germany, Romania, Belgium, Finland and Poland. 

Some of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations, however, only have ‘moderate proficiency’