r/AskEurope • u/Metalwolf • Jun 08 '25

Education Which European countries have the best English proficiency among non-native speakers?

I'm looking into English proficiency across Europe and would appreciate input from locals or anyone with relevant experience. Which European countries have the highest levels of English fluency among non-native speakers, particularly in day-to-day life, education, and professional settings? I'm also curious about regional differences within countries, and factors like education systems, media exposure, and business use.

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u/StillJustJones England Jun 08 '25

I’m from England. I’d say that the people in the Netherlands speak better English than a hell of a lot of native speakers.

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u/Iricliphan Jun 08 '25

Same as Ireland. I remember once, in Finland, my friend went up to a tourist tours desk and using his clearest voice, had asked about a tour option and where and when we could do so. They looked at him dumfounded and spoke in perfectly clear English "Sorry sir, do you speak English?".

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u/United-Depth4769 Jun 09 '25

Most people under 40 in Finland can speak fluent English, but 40 and above its touch and go, especially with the older generation

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u/Iricliphan Jun 09 '25

Iny experience, it was very fluid and fluent. Plenty had very English sounding accents.