Which of the following is currently the most commonly spoken language in the world when measured by number of native speakers?

Introduction / Context:
Language statistics are a standard part of world general knowledge. Examinations often ask which language has the highest number of native speakers or which language is most widely spoken globally. This question focuses on the most commonly spoken language in the world when measured by number of native or first language speakers rather than by how many countries use it officially.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Four languages are listed: Mandarin Chinese, English, Spanish and Hindi.
• We are concerned with native speakers, that is, people who speak the language as their first language at home.
• We assume current general patterns where China has a very large population sharing a common standard language.

Concept / Approach:
Mandarin Chinese is the official standard language of China and is also spoken in Taiwan and among Chinese communities elsewhere. Because China has the largest population of any country and a significant majority uses Mandarin as a first language, the number of native Mandarin speakers is higher than that of any other language. English and Spanish are widely spoken across many countries, and Hindi has many speakers in India, but none of these equal Mandarin in the count of native speakers. Therefore, the correct choice is Mandarin Chinese.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that China population is the largest in the world and that Mandarin Chinese is the main official and educational language there.Step 2: Understand that most people in China learn Mandarin as their first or primary language, giving it a huge base of native speakers.Step 3: Compare this with English, which is spoken as a native language by people in several countries but with fewer total native speakers than Mandarin.Step 4: Consider Spanish, which is the main language in many Latin American countries and Spain, yet the combined native speaker count remains below that of Mandarin.Step 5: Recognise that Hindi has many speakers in India and its neighbourhood but still does not surpass Mandarin in native speaker numbers.Step 6: Therefore, identify Mandarin Chinese as the most commonly spoken language by native speakers.

Verification / Alternative check:
Language statistics presented in encyclopedias and reference books consistently show Mandarin Chinese at the top of the list of first language speakers, followed by languages such as Spanish and English. Even though English is often described as the global lingua franca due to its presence in business, science and technology, its native speaker count is lower than that of Mandarin. This distinction between global use and native speakers confirms that Mandarin is the correct answer in the specific context of this question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
English: Widely used internationally and official in many countries, but it ranks lower than Mandarin in number of native speakers.Spanish: Has a large number of native speakers across Spain and Latin America, yet still fewer than Mandarin Chinese.Hindi: Important in India and neighbouring areas, but its native speaker base is less than the Mandarin speaking population of China.

Common Pitfalls:
Many candidates confuse global spread with native speaker count and may choose English because they hear and see it frequently in media, or Spanish due to its wide presence in the Americas. The key is to focus on how many people speak the language as their first language. Remembering that Mandarin Chinese is the primary language of the largest national population on the planet will help avoid this common misunderstanding.

Final Answer:
The most commonly spoken language in the world by number of native speakers is Mandarin Chinese.