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Spined Devils have 11 intelligence and they don't know common. Can they learn common language from a NPC/PC?
For reference, I'm a player in this game. The DM said he remembers something like you have to have 1+int modifier for learning a language with normal ways (ı mean just by from normal teaching, not linguist feat etc.) but we don't remember clearly.
The DM has complete freedom over every aspect of world building, from designing geography and cultures, down to the details of any particular NPC. The Dungeon Master’s Guide says:
The world where you set your campaign is one of countless worlds that make up the D&D multiverse, a vast array of planes and worlds where adventures happen. Even if you’re using an established world such as the Forgotten Realms, your campaign takes place in a sort of mirror universe of the official setting where Forgotten Realms novels, game products, and digital games are assumed to take place. The world is yours to change as you see fit and yours to modify as you explore the consequences of the players’ actions.
And this particular change makes plenty of sense. 11 intelligence is smarter than the average human (the commoner stat block has 10 intelligence). Spined devils aren’t dumb.
I generally operate on the principle that NPCs and PCs must abide by the same rules as much as possible.
The downtime rules allow a character to learn a tool or language, so I would allow an NPC to do so as well, if it was capable. There's nothing that says a devil would be incapable.
The DMG and XGtE have different rule options for how long it takes and how much it costs; I'd say to use whichever rules for the spined devil that you are using for the PCs for that.
