Factors to consider:
* Grammar: Sentence structure, word order, use of articles, verb tenses.
* Vocabulary: Number of shared words, cognates (words with common origins).
* Pronunciation: Phonetic similarities, sounds that are present in both languages.
* Cultural influence: Shared history, literature, or media.
Languages often considered close to English:
* German: Shares a common Germanic ancestor with English and has significant similarities in grammar and vocabulary. Many English words are derived from German, especially technical terms.
* Dutch: Another Germanic language with a lot of shared vocabulary and similar grammar to English, particularly in word order.
* Scandinavian Languages (Swedish, Norwegian, Danish): These languages, while distinct, share some grammatical features with English and have a fair number of cognates.
* French: While less similar in grammar than the Germanic languages, French has had a significant influence on English vocabulary and has many cognates.
* Spanish: While not as closely related in grammar, Spanish shares some basic word order and has many cognates with English.
It's important to remember:
* Language families: While some languages are closer to English than others, all languages are part of a larger family tree.
* Individual differences: There are variations within language families, so even within a single language group, some languages may be closer to English than others.
* Learning difficulty: While some languages may share similarities with English, this doesn't necessarily mean they are easy to learn.
Ultimately, the "most like" designation is subjective and depends on what aspects of language similarity you prioritize.