Pfft. I never in a million years would have uttered the sentiment that learning English was easy as a second language.
Never.
I have high respect for ANYONE for whom it is not their native language, yet speaks it intelligently.
Only an ignoramus would say English is easy.
I absolutely agree.
It is relatively easy to get a working knowledge of English, yes, but as your learning advances, it gets more and more difficult.
The richness and fine nuances of English vocabulary are one, the orthography is another difficult matter, as well as the highly sophisticated system of tenses which the English language has at its disposal, present, past, future, progressive, simple…and on and on. An extremely intricate, complex system indeed. Admirably so but easy…not so much 😀