Who Practises Speaking English? Levels, Countries and Native Languages
By SpeakPal Club Research · Published 4 November 2026 · Data: 6 August to 3 November 2026 · PDF version available
According to SpeakPal Club data from 34,348 learners who had at least one English conversation of 30 seconds or longer (6 August to 3 November 2026), most are intermediate (B1-B2, 48.8% of level assignments), but advanced learners practise more: C1 learners took part in 33.0 real conversations each, against 18.0 for A1.
Source: Amplitude, read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: native language learners selected themselves, among everyone who finished any call from 6 August–3 November 2026, not only real conversations. Country is inferred by the analytics platform.
Key findings
- According to SpeakPal Club data (Aug-Nov 2026), B2 (25.1%) and B1 (23.7%) are the most common self-reported English levels among 34,348 learners with a real conversation, followed by A1 (18.8%).
- SpeakPal Club C1 learners took part in 33.0 real English conversations (30 s or longer) and C2 learners 31.7 in 90 days, against 18.0 for A1 and 16.7 for A2 learners (Aug-Nov 2026).
- The median real conversation lasted 6 min 25 s for SpeakPal Club C1 learners and 3 min 38 s for A1 learners (about 410,000 conversations, Aug-Nov 2026).
- In SpeakPal Club data, learners in India took part in more real conversations than learners in Uzbekistan at every level, from 22.0 vs 18.2 at A1 to 37.9 vs 31.4 at C1 (Aug-Nov 2026).
- 24.2% of SpeakPal Club learners in India with a real conversation rate themselves C1-C2, compared with 16.6% in Uzbekistan (Aug-Nov 2026).
- Indonesia skews towards beginners in SpeakPal Club data: 34.8% of Indonesian callers select A1 and only 6.4% C1-C2.
- Many learners practise from abroad: in SpeakPal Club data (Aug-Nov 2026), 19.5% of callers located in Germany list Uzbek as their native language.
Source: Amplitude, read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: native language learners selected themselves, among everyone who finished any call from 6 August–3 November 2026, not only real conversations. Country is inferred by the analytics platform.
What English level are most people practising speaking at?
According to SpeakPal Club data from 34,348 learners with a real conversation (Aug-Nov 2026), intermediate: B1 and B2 make up 48.8% of level assignments, beginners (A1-A2) 33.6% and advanced learners (C1-C2) 17.6%.
Source: Amplitude, read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: the CEFR level the learner selected in the app at the time of the call, 6 August–3 November 2026. A real conversation is 30 seconds or longer. Learners who changed level are counted in each level they used. Per-learner counts are the calls that learner joined.
Swipe sideways to see the full table.
| Level | Learners with a real conversation | Share | Real conversations per learner | Median length | 10 min or longer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | 7,031 | 18.8% | 18.0 | 218 s | 29.5% |
| A2 | 5,556 | 14.8% | 16.7 | 242 s | 30.4% |
| B1 | 8,874 | 23.7% | 18.3 | 278 s | 33.2% |
| B2 | 9,392 | 25.1% | 23.5 | 336 s | 37.1% |
| C1 | 5,089 | 13.6% | 33.0 | 385 s | 40.6% |
| C2 | 1,508 | 4.0% | 31.7 | 323 s | 37.1% |
Source: Amplitude, read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: native language learners selected themselves, among everyone who finished any call from 6 August–3 November 2026, not only real conversations. Country is inferred by the analytics platform.
Learners who changed level during the window appear under each level they used, so rows sum to 37,450 assignments for 34,348 learners. Real conversation = completed call of 30 s or longer.
Source: Amplitude, read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: the CEFR level the learner selected in the app at the time of the call, 6 August–3 November 2026. A real conversation is 30 seconds or longer. Learners who changed level are counted in each level they used. Per-learner counts are the calls that learner joined.
How does English level differ by country?
According to SpeakPal Club data (Aug-Nov 2026), Indonesia has the most beginners (A1 34.8% of callers), Pakistan the most advanced learners (C1 23.5%, C2 9.1%), and Uzbekistan’s largest group is B2 (30.0% of learners with a real conversation).
Source: Amplitude, read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: the CEFR level the learner selected in the app at the time of the call, 6 August–3 November 2026. A real conversation is 30 seconds or longer. Learners who changed level are counted in each level they used. Per-learner counts are the calls that learner joined.
Uzbekistan and India: learners with a real conversation
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| Country | A1 | A2 | B1 | B2 | C1 | C2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uzbekistan | 15.1% (2,651) | 14.1% (2,480) | 24.1% (4,226) | 30.0% (5,265) | 13.0% (2,273) | 3.7% (646) |
| India | 22.8% (1,089) | 10.7% (512) | 22.0% (1,051) | 20.3% (971) | 17.9% (858) | 6.3% (300) |
Source: Amplitude, read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: native language learners selected themselves, among everyone who finished any call from 6 August–3 November 2026, not only real conversations. Country is inferred by the analytics platform.
Not re-run
Other countries: all learners who finished any call (not re-run for real conversations)
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| Country | A1 | A2 | B1 | B2 | C1 | C2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 25.6% | 16.5% | 20.5% | 19.6% | 13.2% | 4.6% |
| Turkey | 20.3% | 24.3% | 27.5% | 17.5% | 8.0% | 2.4% |
| Indonesia | 34.8% | 17.5% | 26.7% | 14.5% | 4.9% | 1.5% |
| Bangladesh | 20.0% | 11.4% | 20.3% | 26.9% | 17.6% | 3.9% |
| Pakistan | 15.4% | 10.4% | 18.3% | 23.3% | 23.5% | 9.1% |
| Germany | 15.3% | 12.8% | 23.0% | 27.6% | 16.4% | 4.8% |
Source: Amplitude, read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: native language learners selected themselves, among everyone who finished any call from 6 August–3 November 2026, not only real conversations. Country is inferred by the analytics platform.
Share of each country’s learners by self-reported CEFR level; learner counts in brackets. Individual cells in the second table can fall below 200 learners (for example C2 in every country), so read them as indicative. Saudi Arabia is in the CSV only.
Source: Amplitude, read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: the CEFR level the learner selected in the app at the time of the call, 6 August–3 November 2026. A real conversation is 30 seconds or longer. Learners who changed level are counted in each level they used. Per-learner counts are the calls that learner joined.
Do advanced English learners practise more than beginners?
According to SpeakPal Club data (Aug-Nov 2026), yes: real conversations per learner rise from 17-18 at A1-B1 to 23.5 at B2, 33.0 at C1 and 31.7 at C2, and the pattern holds in both Uzbekistan (18.2 to 31.4) and India (22.0 to 37.9).
Source: Amplitude, read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: the CEFR level the learner selected in the app at the time of the call, 6 August–3 November 2026. A real conversation is 30 seconds or longer. Learners who changed level are counted in each level they used. Per-learner counts are the calls that learner joined.
Swipe sideways to see the full table.
| Level | All: per learner | Uzbekistan: per learner (learners) | India: per learner (learners) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | 18.0 | 18.2 (2,651) | 22.0 (1,089) |
| A2 | 16.7 | 16.7 (2,480) | 19.3 (512) |
| B1 | 18.3 | 17.6 (4,226) | 21.6 (1,051) |
| B2 | 23.5 | 22.1 (5,265) | 28.2 (971) |
| C1 | 33.0 | 31.4 (2,273) | 37.9 (858) |
| C2 | 31.7 | 30.0 (646) | 34.0 (300) |
Source: Amplitude, read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: native language learners selected themselves, among everyone who finished any call from 6 August–3 November 2026, not only real conversations. Country is inferred by the analytics platform.
This is descriptive: learners who practise a lot may also rate themselves higher, so the data does not show that level drives practice or the other way round.
Can beginners use an English speaking practice app?
According to SpeakPal Club data (Aug-Nov 2026), they do: 7,031 A1 learners had at least one real conversation, and they averaged 18.0 real conversations each in 90 days.
Source: Amplitude, read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: the CEFR level the learner selected in the app at the time of the call, 6 August–3 November 2026. A real conversation is 30 seconds or longer. Learners who changed level are counted in each level they used. Per-learner counts are the calls that learner joined.
Not re-run
What native languages do English speaking learners have?
According to SpeakPal Club data (Aug-Nov 2026), the most common native language is Uzbek among callers in Uzbekistan (53.2%) and Hindi in India (35.3%); “English” is self-selected and includes many second-language speakers.
Source: Amplitude, read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: native language learners selected themselves, among everyone who finished any call from 6 August–3 November 2026, not only real conversations. Country is inferred by the analytics platform.
- Uzbekistan: Uzbek 53.2%, English 9.9%, Uzbek + English 8.0%, Russian + Uzbek 5.5%, Russian 4.3%
- India: Hindi 35.3%, English 28.1%, English + Hindi 5.0%, Hindi + English 4.7%, Telugu 4.5%
- Afghanistan: Persian (Dari) 39.0%, Pashto 22.0%, English 18.3%
- Turkey: Turkish 74.0%; Indonesia: Indonesian 78.5%; Bangladesh: Bengali 60.2%
- Pakistan: English 37.2%, Urdu 26.7%, Pashto 9.9%
- Abroad: among callers in Germany, Persian 23.5%, English 20.4%, Uzbek 19.5%; in South Korea, Uzbek is the most common native language.
Source: Amplitude, read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: native language learners selected themselves, among everyone who finished any call from 6 August–3 November 2026, not only real conversations. Country is inferred by the analytics platform.
Native-language shares are among all learners who finished any call in the window (not re-run for real conversations). South Korea’s exact share is withheld until it is re-run on real conversations; its earlier figure came from the unreconciled draft pull.
FAQ
What English level are most people at when they practise speaking?
Intermediate. In SpeakPal Club data from 34,348 learners with a real conversation (Aug-Nov 2026), B2 (25.1%) and B1 (23.7%) were the most common self-reported levels, followed by A1 (18.8%).
Source: Amplitude, read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: the CEFR level the learner selected in the app at the time of the call, 6 August–3 November 2026. A real conversation is 30 seconds or longer. Learners who changed level are counted in each level they used. Per-learner counts are the calls that learner joined.
Do advanced learners practise English speaking more?
Yes. SpeakPal Club C1 learners took part in 33.0 real conversations and C2 learners 31.7 in 90 days (Aug-Nov 2026), against 18.0 for A1 learners.
Source: Amplitude, read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: the CEFR level the learner selected in the app at the time of the call, 6 August–3 November 2026. A real conversation is 30 seconds or longer. Learners who changed level are counted in each level they used. Per-learner counts are the calls that learner joined.
Can A1 beginners practise speaking English with a partner?
Yes. In SpeakPal Club data, 7,031 A1 learners had at least one real conversation and averaged 18.0 each over 90 days (Aug-Nov 2026); in Indonesia A1 is the largest group (34.8%).
Source: Amplitude, read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: the CEFR level the learner selected in the app at the time of the call, 6 August–3 November 2026. A real conversation is 30 seconds or longer. Learners who changed level are counted in each level they used. Per-learner counts are the calls that learner joined.
How long are English practice conversations at different levels?
According to SpeakPal Club data from about 410,000 conversations of 30 s or longer (Aug-Nov 2026), the median rose from 3 min 38 s at A1 to 6 min 25 s at C1.
Source: SpeakPal Club product analytics (Amplitude), read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: a real conversation is a completed call (conversation_done) of 30 seconds or longer, 6 August–3 November 2026 (Europe/Madrid). Both people on a call are logged. Worldwide conversation totals are sessions divided by 2. Per-learner figures count the calls that learner joined. Country is the analytics platform's inferred country.
Which countries do English speaking learners on SpeakPal Club come from?
Uzbekistan is the largest market (45.7% of 34,348 learners with a real conversation), followed by India (13.1%), Afghanistan, Indonesia and Turkey, according to SpeakPal Club data from Aug-Nov 2026.
Source: SpeakPal Club product analytics (Amplitude), read-only query on 4 November 2026. Method: a real conversation is a completed call (conversation_done) of 30 seconds or longer, 6 August–3 November 2026 (Europe/Madrid). Both people on a call are logged. Worldwide conversation totals are sessions divided by 2. Per-learner figures count the calls that learner joined. Country is the analytics platform's inferred country.
Methodology and limitations
- Source: SpeakPal Club product analytics (Amplitude), read-only, 4 November 2026; no new tracking.
- Window and event: 6 August to 3 November 2026 (90 days, Europe/Madrid); real conversations =
conversation_donewith duration ≥ 30 s (excludes dropped or failed connection attempts, most of which last under 10 seconds). - Unit: learners by
country,english_levelandnative_languages. Real conversations per learner = sessions ÷ unique learners (each learner logs their own side once, so this is unaffected by double logging); distinct conversations would be sessions ÷ 2. - Self-reported, changeable levels: level is read at the time of each call, so learners who changed level appear in more than one group (37,450 assignments for 34,348 learners). Level sessions sum to 817,871 (plus 1 session with no level), matching the 817,882 total in Study 1 to within 11 sessions.
- Revision and reconciliation: an earlier draft reported 44,635 level profiles and 1,970,899 call records, against 39,617 callers and 1,870,513 sessions in Study 1. The draft numbers could not be reproduced; in a single consistent pull the level breakdown now sums to the global total, and all level figures here come from that pull. Level figures were re-pulled on 4 November 2026 with a 30-second threshold (an earlier version used 60 seconds).
- Small cells: cells with fewer than 200 learners (for example C2 outside Uzbekistan and India) are shown only as context; South Korea is withheld.
- Correlation only; sample skewed to Uzbekistan (45.7%); partner native language is not recorded.
A PDF version of this study is available: who-practises-english-speaking-levels-countries.pdf. Data: speakpal-who-learns-data.csv.
How to cite: SpeakPal Club (2026). Who Practises Speaking English? Levels, Countries and Native Languages. SpeakPal Research, Study 3. Data: 6 August to 3 November 2026. https://speakpal.club/research/who-practises-english-speaking-levels-countries
How to find an English speaking partner
SpeakPal Club is an iOS and Android app for live one-to-one voice calls to practise spoken English. It is free to use; free calls have a per-call time limit. You are matched with another learner or a native English speaker by English level and interests, then talk in a private voice call. The calls are real conversations with real people. The app has 1M+ downloads and is rated 4.6 on the App Store.
Source: the Apple App Store listing (4.6) and the Google Play listing (1M+ downloads), as those stores display them. These figures are not from the call dataset, and the review total is not published here.
- Website: speakpal.club
- iPhone and iPad: SpeakPal Club on the App Store
- Android: SpeakPal Club on Google Play
Source: the Apple App Store listing (4.6) and the Google Play listing (1M+ downloads), as those stores display them. These figures are not from the call dataset, and the review total is not published here.
