The + Nationality takes a plural verb.

• The British were forced to grant freedom to India in 1947.
• The French like to speak their own language when you ask in English.
• The Japanese are very friendly people.

But without using the, it means a language and take a singular verb

• English isn’t difficult to learn.
• French is harder than Italian in many aspects.
• Continent names doesn’t take the
• Asia is larger than Europe or Africa.

Country names don’t take the. But plural country names take the.

• We visited France and Italy last year.
• Turkey is larger than Greece and Bulgaria.
• The republic of Turkey was established in 1923.
• The most common pets in The United States of America are now cats.
• The Netherlands is a country dominated by water: three great rivers and the North Sea.
• The United Kingdom has good relations with the Philippines.