HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO ACHIEVE LANGUAGE FLUENCY?

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One of the questions first-time language learners ask themselves is how long it will take to become fluent. That question has several variables. How much time per day will you dedicate to studying? Is it necessary to learn a different alphabet first? What is your definition of fluency? All these factors influence the amount of time you’ll need to master a new language.

To start with, what does fluency mean? For some, it means being comfortable enough with a language to converse without much difficulty. For others, fluency is being able to hold any conversation just like a native speaker. Others will consider themselves fluent if they can pass an official language test. Neither of these answers are inherently wrong. What’s important is your goals and motivation. Whatever “fluent” means for you, focus on attaining that level. Keep in mind that languages are a means of communication. You should learn a language so you can speak to other people, not so you can pass tests.

The time you set aside per day for learning is also important. Even fifteen minutes of active learning count. Active learning means studying from a textbook, language learning app, or reading an article/watching a movie or show. Listening to the radio without focusing on what is said is passive learning. I would recommend studying a language for at least half an hour per day. That’s what experts agree on, though I didn’t know this when I started learning French. It’s just that 30 minutes a day worked really well for me. It was enough to learn new words without getting burned out. That last part is crucial. Studying too much is as ineffective as studying too little. If you burn yourself out, you may forget what you learned.

Another factor to consider is which language you’re learning. For anglophones, some languages are easier to pick up than others. French, Italian, and Spanish are just a few examples. They have several words that sound similar and have the same meaning. Sharing the same alphabet or script helps, though it’s not necessary. Mastering a new alphabet is the least difficult part of learning a language. For instance, teaching yourself Cyrillic should take a week at most. More complex scripts, like Arabic or Hanzi, will take more time to learn.

For learners who wish to track their fluency level, there are official scales. My preferred one is the CEFR, or Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. It has six levels: A1 (beginner), A2 (elementary), B1 (intermediate), B2 (upper intermediate), C1 (advanced), and C2 (proficient). A learner at the C2 level would be as good as a native speaker. The CEFR was created by the Council of Europe and is internationally recognized as a measure of language mastery. You can take tests to certify your language level, which would look great on a resume. There are various official exams for different languages.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I’ve been bilingual in English and Spanish my whole life. My English level is C2, though, while my Spanish level is C1. The reason is that I prefer English, as I’m more comfortable with it. Almost all reading and auditory material I consume (books, music, movies) is in English as well. Now some of it is in French. At the start of 2016, I began teaching myself that language. Knowing English and Spanish gave me an edge. I didn’t consciously track my progress, though I’d say it took me a few months to get to A2 level. Right now, four years later, I’m between B2 and C1. Don’t let this worry you, though. I could easily be at a higher level, but I’ve been learning at my own leisure. One thing has held me back a bit, though: I have no one to speak to. I know there are language exchange apps where you can talk with a language partner. The idea doesn’t appeal to me very much, though. I’m a somewhat private person, so I prefer talking to someone face to face.

To sum it up, there’s no sure-fire way of knowing how long it will take you to master a language. Everyone learns differently. And I’ll reiterate again: being super smart is not key to learning a language. It does help to be young, but the advantage is marginal. It also doesn’t matter where you are. You could learn Polish in Hawaii if you so desire. For more on the topic, I highly recommend Fluent in 3 Months by Benny Lewis. The book is a great resource for language learners. Its author is a well-known polyglot who runs a blog. I wish I’d found the book earlier during my language learning journey.