Which language is spoken by the greatest number of people globally?

Chinese Mandarin is recognized as the language spoken by the greatest number of people globally. This is primarily due to the large population of China, where Mandarin is the official language, as well as its widespread use among Chinese communities around the world. With over a billion native speakers, Mandarin surpasses other languages in terms of total number of speakers.

The expansive population base of Mandarin speakers reflects not only the size of China but also the growth of Chinese communities in various countries. This makes it the most widely spoken language. Additionally, Mandarin's significance transcends mere numbers; it plays a crucial role in international business and diplomacy due to China's increasing economic influence globally.

The other languages listed, while also widely spoken, have fewer native speakers compared to Mandarin. Spanish, English, and Hindi each have millions of speakers globally but do not reach the same level of prevalence as Mandarin. Hence, the data clearly supports that Chinese Mandarin is the language spoken by the greatest number of people worldwide.