What languages are closely related to spanish?

* Portuguese: Portuguese is the closest language to Spanish, and the two languages are mutually intelligible to a large extent. This is because both languages evolved from Vulgar Latin, the spoken form of Latin that was used by the Roman soldiers and settlers who conquered the Iberian Peninsula. Portuguese and Spanish share many similarities in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.

* Italian: Italian is also closely related to Spanish, and the two languages share many similarities in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. However, Italian is not as mutually intelligible with Spanish as Portuguese is. This is because Italian has undergone some changes in pronunciation that have made it more difficult for Spanish speakers to understand.

* Catalan: Catalan is a Romance language that is spoken in Catalonia, a region in northeastern Spain. Catalan is closely related to Spanish, and the two languages share many similarities in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. However, Catalan is not mutually intelligible with Spanish.

* French: French is a Romance language that is spoken in France, Belgium, Switzerland, and other parts of the world. French is more distantly related to Spanish than Portuguese, Italian, or Catalan. However, French and Spanish still share many similarities in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation.