1. Thomas Jefferson

• Languages Known: French, Greek, Italian, German, Spanish (and interest in others).

• Details: Jefferson was a lifelong linguist, fluent in several classical and modern languages. He claimed to have taught himself Spanish during a 19-day voyage to France using only Don Quixote and a grammar guide. He also collected Native American vocabulary for Lewis and Clark. Wikipedia

2. James Madison

• Languages Known: Greek, Latin, Hebrew (proficient in classical languages, especially Greek and Latin).

• Details: Madison studied Latin from a young age and became proficient in Greek by high school. He also learned Hebrew during his university years. babbel.comLanguage ConnectionsTIME

3. John Quincy Adams

• Languages Known: Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Latin, Russian, Spanish.

• Details: Often regarded as the most polyglot president ever, he reportedly spoke eight languages fluently and remains the only president who could converse in Russian. Wikipediapotus.com

4. Martin Van Buren

• Languages Known: Dutch (native), English (learned later).

• Details: Van Buren was unique among U.S. presidents in that English was not his first language—he was the only one raised speaking Dutch. Wikipediapotus.com

5. Theodore Roosevelt

• Languages Known: French, German, Italian, Latin (reading ability; conversational French, limited German speech).

• Details: Roosevelt read extensively in multiple languages but spoke French conversationally (though not grammatically perfect) and had more difficulty with German. Wikipediababbel.comLanguage Connections

6. Herbert Hoover

• Languages Known: Latin, some Mandarin.

• Details: Hoover and his wife translated the Latin mining text De re metallica. While serving in China, they picked up basic Mandarin—enough for private conversation when they wanted privacy. Wikipedia+1Language Connections

7. Franklin D. Roosevelt

• Languages Known: French, German (with a strong accent), limited Latin.

• Details: Taught by European governesses and having spent summers in Germany, FDR became fluent enough for public addresses in French and German. He even delivered a bilingual speech in Quebec City in 1936. Wikipediababbel.comTIME

8. Jimmy Carter

• Language Known: Spanish (functional level).

• Details: Carter studied Spanish in the Navy and continued practicing it throughout his life. As president, he delivered speeches in Spanish, albeit with a South Georgia accent and occasional grammatical slips. Wikipediababbel.comTIME

9. Bill Clinton

• Language Known: German (basic proficiency).

• Details: Studied German at Georgetown University and even used a German sentence during a speech at the Brandenburg Gate in 1994. Wikipediababbel.com

Quick Facts & Trends

• Prevalence: About 44% of U.S. presidents have spoken at least one foreign language. potus.com

• Most Common Second Language: Latin, followed by Greek, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Arabic, Chinese, Hebrew, and Russian. potus.com

• Notable Highlights:

  • John Quincy Adams stands out with the highest linguistic range among presidents.

  • FDR is recognized as the last truly multilingual president in the modern era.