non-native speaker

Meanings

nounnon-native speaker (plural non-native speakers)

plural non-native speakers · alternative initialism NNS

human sciencesSomeone who has another native tongue than the language being used.
Although double modality is outside the scope of Standard English and is not addressed in the school syllabus, it is a widespread phenomenon which non-native speakers of English might find confusing and should at least be aware of.
2019, Irina S. Lebedeva, Svetlana N. Orlova, “Semantics and pragmatics of the double modal ‘might could’”, in Training, Language and Culture, volume 3, number 2, →DOI
Synonyms: allophone · Antonyms: native speaker

nounSomeone who has another native tongue than the language being used.

Similar

Opposite

Afrikaans nie-moedertaalspreker

nie-moedertaalsprekersomeone who has another native tongue than the language being used

Chinese Mandarin 非母語人士 /非母语人士

非母語人士 /非母语人士 (fēi-mǔyǔ rénshì)someone who has another native tongue than the language being used

Dutch niet-moedertaalspreker, niet-moedertaalspreekster

niet-moedertaalsprekersomeone who has another native tongue than the language being used
niet-moedertaalspreekstersomeone who has another native tongue than the language being used

Finnish ei-syntyperäinen puhuja

ei-syntyperäinen puhujasomeone who has another native tongue than the language being used

French locuteur non-natif

locuteur non-natifsomeone who has another native tongue than the language being used

German Nichtmuttersprachler, Nichtmuttersprachlerin

Nichtmuttersprachlersomeone who has another native tongue than the language being used
Nichtmuttersprachlerinsomeone who has another native tongue than the language being used
Nicht-Muttersprachlersomeone who has another native tongue than the language being used
Nicht-Muttersprachlerinsomeone who has another native tongue than the language being used

Polish nierodzimy użytkownik języka, nierodzima użytkowniczka języka

nierodzimy użytkownik językasomeone who has another native tongue than the language being used
nierodzima użytkowniczka językasomeone who has another native tongue than the language being used

Portuguese falante não-nativo

falante não-nativosomeone who has another native tongue than the language being used

Spanish hablante no nativo

hablante no nativosomeone who has another native tongue than the language being used

Cite this entry

APA

non-native speaker. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/non-native%20speaker

MLA

“non-native speaker.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/non-native%20speaker. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “non-native speaker,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/non-native%20speaker.