How Long Does it take to Learn a Language?

Wondering how much time it takes to learn another language? I get these questions all the time. In this post, I’ll attempt to answer this question.

One of the things that I enjoy doing is teaching languages and passing on the knowledge I’ve gained over the years.

While I still don’t consider myself a language expert, I love sharing, studying, teaching, writing, and talking about different languages.

I am often asked two common questions: Best foreign language to learn? And How much time does it take to learn a new language?

These are tricky questions to answer; unfortunately, there’s no easy way to do so.

However, we all deserve the answer.

No?

After all, how can we start our fascinating language-learning journey without knowing which language to study and the time required to learn it?

While I wrote several articles for the first question, I think the time has come to answer the second one.

Suppose you’re planning to start learning a new language, or you’re already learning one. In that case, you might wonder how much time you’ll devote to accomplishing your goals.

It is one of the most troubling questions for most language learners.

You’ll surely want to know when you’ll get there, right?

The answer, of course, is tricky since several factors come into play.

The short answer to your question is, which no one likes, “It depends.”

Several factors influence how long it takes to learn a language.

The answer can vary significantly depending on your choice of language, techniques, person, objectives, time devoted to it, learning style, and many other factors.

“If you are interested in something, you will focus on it, and if you focus attention on anything, it is likely that you will become interested in it. Many of the things we find interesting are not so by nature, but because we took the trouble of paying attention to them.”

― Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

The Truth — Language Learning Takes Time

People can be very impatient. Everybody wants a quick solution for everything!

Many people want to be experts at studying a new language as soon as they start learning it.

Then, it will enable us to get a high-paying language job in India and abroad, or maybe some extra points by clearing the French TEF or TCF exam for Canada PR.

Whatever may be the reason to learn a language, most people want to achieve success as fast as possible!

The one thing that often comes to our mind is, “Shouldn’t I be fluent by now?”

Or “do I have a career in foreign languages” since I am already studying for the last few months?

Or maybe “How do you become a professional translator or interpreter in 1 year?”

No matter where you look, you’ll find many answers to these never-ending questions that are either unhelpful, exaggerated, inaccurate, or downright misleading.

The internet is full of such rubbish claims.

There are two main reasons for this.

(i) Everyone wants to learn another language quickly!

Let’s face it: No one wants to spend considerable time in language learning.

Think about this: Which would you prefer to read, “How to learn any language in 3 months?” or “Why does learning a language take several years?”

I guarantee that at least 95% of you will choose the former.

Why?

The person seeks answers such as “You can do it in two months” or “It takes about six months to get a job.”

In short, it is a precise and small amount of time.

The search engine suggestion is also based on how frequently queries are asked.

It’s a natural trait of human psychology to look for quick and easy solutions to problems that arise during language learning.

Suppose we don’t achieve any meaningful competency level fast enough. Then, we usually say, “I think I’m not very good at languages.” Or “Language learning is not my cup of tea.”

And then we give up!

Underestimating the time required is one primary reason we fail in language learning.

Thus, they write about what you want to hear, not the ugly truth.

It may look outrageous. However, they are not entirely to blame for following the interests of most people.

(ii) A quick path to success always sells!

Have you ever googled

“Tricks to learn a new language fast?”

Or “Magical books to learn a foreign language?” or “Best Apps to learn any language quickly?” or “Secrets about How to Learn a New Language in 3 Months?”

You might have seen plenty of companies that sell learning books, online courses, products, language apps, or software.

They may claim their unique techniques, proven methods, or exclusive study materials will guarantee fluency in a few months.

The funny thing is that many of these products are “research-backed.” They all offer a strong track record and convincing testimonials to convince you they are the real secret deal.

But as always, in most cases, this over-exaggeration is just their marketing way of selling their products.

This is one of the language learning myths and causes of failure.

If Something Sounds Too Good to Be True, It Probably Is.

Don’t be fooled by these aggressive and clickbait advertisements and promotions that promise you can learn a foreign language briefly.

The last thing you should waste your time on is endlessly searching and researching the internet for the best language tricks that can help you acquire any specific language quickly.

Unfortunately, there is no such method—I have never found one. Don’t fall into the trap of innovative sales and marketing strategies.

The truth of the matter is that learning a new language takes a long time.

I’m not talking about months but years! So, arm yourself with plenty of patience, persistence, and determination.

How long does it take to learn a language from scratch?

The acquisition of a new language is a complex phenomenon that differs for each individual based on multiple factors.

In my experience, the required time depends mainly on Language Difficulty, Proficiency level, and how you learn!

There are various ways to estimate the long it takes to learn a new language.

And when you can reasonably expect to reach your language learning goals.

This article will give you some rough estimates and the time required to learn a foreign language.

But before I get to that, I’ll try to explain how I came up with my estimates as clearly as possible.

1. Language Difficulty Level Variation

Even if all languages are equally complex, all are not equally hard to study.

Some languages are harder than others.

Your first or mother tongue can also determine which languages will be most straightforward or challenging.

For example, a Korean student will probably take much longer to become fluent in Portuguese than someone from Spain or Argentina.

This is because there are more similarities between Spanish and other Romance languages, such as Portuguese.

The writing system also makes a significant difference.

It will be easier to learn German if your native language uses a Romanised script.

Suppose you know how to write in Japanese, Korean, Chinese characters, Persian, Turkish, Arabic, Russian, Hindi, Thai, or Bahasa. In that case, learning an entirely different writing style will eventually take more time.

The most popular, widely quoted opinion on Earth is from the FSI, the US Foreign Service Institute.

The FSI study reflects their 70 years of experience in teaching various languages.

They have divided into five groups of difficult and easiest languages for English speakers.

Since most Indians interested in pursuing a foreign language already speak English, at least most people can understand elementary-level English.

Thus, FSI research helps explore the Foreign language difficulty level for aspirants looking forward to learning a new language in India.

This list is based on students’ average time to achieve lower advanced-level proficiency. However, the actual time can vary depending on several factors.

I have only considered vital and widespread foreign languages in India to keep it as simple as possible!

* Usually more complex than other languages in the same category.

The total number of hours is based on an approximate 1:1 ratio between time spent in the classroom and time spent practicing or studying independently.

Remember, that’s to get to Advanced Proficiency like CEFRL C1.

How do you calculate the required time?

Imagine you spend 12 to 15 hours per week focussed effectively on your language, including classroom training.

Then, it will take almost two years to learn Spanish, Italian, or Portuguese.

It takes three years to acquire French or German, four years to learn Russian, Tibetan, or Turkish, and approximately five years to study Arabic, Mandarin, Japanese, or Korean.

Of course, this is just a rough estimate.

The above list is based on the average time it takes for a student to achieve higher proficiency. However, the actual time can vary depending on many factors.

2. What Level of Fluency Are You Trying to Achieve?

Everything starts and ends with this question.

What are the reasons for starting to learn a new language?

You can learn how to say Good Morning. How are you? Goodbye, thank you, and have essential conversations in your target language in a day or two!

Or a conversational or survival phrase for a better travel experience, or perhaps make some small talk or confidence enough to order meals, book a hotel room, or ask for directions?

What about learning a language as a long-forgotten hobby?

You can learn the Korean Alphabet Hangul in just one day.

Suppose you want to enjoy the enthralling and entertaining K-Drama or K-Movies without subtitles. I would say 4 to 5 years!

It may seem significant to most of us, but learning a language like Korean takes time!

Do you need to learn to work in any MNC or BPO or any export-house as a language specialist?

It might take 2 to 4 years, depending upon the language difficulty!

Estimate about 25% less of that allotted time from the above list of difficulty levels.

Are you trying to reach near-native fluency to make a career as a translator or Interpreter?

Or, may you want to know how long it will take me to speak “fluently”?

My answer for both is at least three to five years, maybe more.

The lower the level you’re trying to achieve, the less time it will take for you to reach there.

Of course, you could learn just the elementary part and call it quits or to native proficiency and become a successful language expert.

You can try these three most commonly used scales of language attainment.

• CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages),
• ILR (Interagency Language Roundtable), and
• ACTFL – (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages).

It will help you decide where your desired proficiency falls.

The time needs to be measured in hours, not months or years.

It is necessary to define your learning goal. What do you want to do? And then to explain that in linguistic terms, i.e., what levels of proficiency do you need.

Setting the right expectations upfront increases your chances of achieving your goals.

But don’t let all this research and statistics scare you!

The statistics don’t count the human factor. Millions of people globally learn and assimilate new languages every day.

If you think about it, three to five years to study any language isn’t long.

Think about the future.

A few years later, you might be well along toward mastering the language of your choice or whether it will still be only a dream.

Well, the selection is natural!

3. How you study the language – Method, Guidance, and Tools

The more time you spend, the quicker you learn, which is not always true!

While self-study or online language courses do help, there is no doubt that we need language teachers.

Of the hundreds of people I’ve seen learning various languages, only about 10% succeeded in achieving a higher competency level.

Guess what?

Almost all of them studied in an on-campus classroom, either in a University or an Institute. The bitter truth is that online courses are not practical.

Most people who try online or distance learning courses quit sooner rather than later before achieving any meaningful proficiency.

There can be various reasons, such as lack of discipline, right guidance, too many choices thanks to an ever-expanding digital world, classroom interaction, and competition.

It can be frustrating, but it’s important not to get discouraged.

Speaking reasonably fluently in any language requires patience, practice, and perseverance, but the advantages are well worth it!

What you need is an experienced teacher and an easy-to-understand language learning methodology.

Having a good foreign language teacher either through group classes or one-on-one tutoring speeds up your learning process immensely.

Are you ready to get started?

Find a reputed learning center or an experienced language trainer.

Successful language learners know there’s no silver bullet to language learning, so they don’t waste time searching for it.

There is no perfect technique for you.

I have seen many wasting too much time in finding the perfect method.

People try to locate the right source, book, blog, YouTube video, or podcast. Still, after amassing them, they never sit down to get started, not to mention get beyond the first few pages.

When you keep procrastinating, you will never come close to achieving your goals, even as you keep rotating in the ‘failure’ corridor.

You just need a few good books, audio and video lessons, a zeal to learn a language, and a great teacher. That’s it!

You must determine your language journey to success by employing SMART goal-setting — whatever that means.

Besides, I’d say focus on developing the habit of learning a little every day.

You must ensure that you have enough interest and passion and build confidence and motivation. Create steady learning habits, engage in new material, seek your teacher’s help, and practice regularly.

Then, eventually, you will learn the language.

If you do those things and keep them up, you will inevitably learn to express them with confidence and fluency sooner or later.

I’ve seen these traits first-hand in a diverse set of successful people.

The Conclusion

The answer to how long it takes to learn a language depends mostly on you. It is the question you should be asking.

Some people have a knack for learning languages. But for most of us, learning a language takes time, effort, dedication, and hard work, regardless of how it is done.

It is always better to be realistic about how much time you can spend learning.

All these estimates and research are only a guideline, and it doesn’t consider several other factors.

Learning any language is not walking in a park, and it does take a lot of time, but it is entirely achievable.

As Paulo Coelho once said, ‘When you want something, all the universe conspires to help you achieve it.’

So, the path may be steep and uphill, but certainly not impossible.

If you want to learn any language because you feel you should do it from inside your heart, you might reach your goal earlier.

With the right attitude, passion, dedication, and motivation, any language is within your reach.