How long does it take to learn a language? There are a few factors to consider when answering this question. No matter what language you are learning, it will take certain amount of time to master it. However, some languages can take longer to learn than others.
The similarity of the language can be an important factor. If you are an English speaker who wants to learn French or Spanish for example, then you can happily start without having to learn the entire alphabet from scratch. But if Japanese is your target language, you’ve got three different writing systems to brush up on before you can start putting words together.
The amount of time you dedicate per day can be a factor as well. The effectiveness of your method will also plays a part a lot. That is why you should make use of the best ways to learn a language.
How long does it take to learn a language? This article will discuss the different factors that affect how fast it takes to learn a language from the similarity to native tongue, your goals and methodology.
FSI Rating System
The FSI language rating system, which ranks languages according to how long it typically takes English speakers to acquire them, is one often cited source. The FSI has access to a unique collection of factual data on the topic because the Foreign Service Institute has been teaching diplomats a wide range of languages over the course of over 70 years. Although these category lists don’t necessarily answer the question, they are a good starting point.
FSI classified the languages based on the average amount of time it takes to achieve Professional Working Proficiency, which is the B2 or upper intermediate level.
Category 1 Languages: Easy Languages
These are the easiest languages to learn for English speakers, who may achieve reading and speaking proficiency in approximately a half-year of intensive study. Languages in category 1, such as Spanish, French, Italian, will take between 23 and 24 weeks to learn, or 600 to 750 class hours, if you want to be fluent.
This group comprises Dutch, Swedish, French, Spanish, and Italian, and is mostly made up of Romance and Germanic languages. This should come as no surprise since Romance sources contribute significantly to the English vocabulary.
Category 2 Languages: Medium Languages
Category 2 languages are also quite similar to English but with enough differences to make them a tier harder. We mentioned that English was heavily derived from German. While German does indeed contain many similarities with English, there are several grammar differences, like cases, that make it more challenging to pick up. According to FSI, becoming competent in category 2 languages would require at least 30 or more weeks (900 class hours) of study.
Category 3 Languages: Hard Languages
These languages are set apart as having linguistic and/or cultural differences from English. You’ll notice this category has most of the South Asian and South East Asian Languages such as Bengali, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. The hard languages in category 4 would require around 44 weeks to learn or 1100 class hours.
Category 4 Languages: “Extremely Hard” Languages
Category 4 is with the most difficult for English speakers to learn since their scripts and cultural background are different. These are most frequently languages in Asia and the Middle East.
While Mandarin and Arabic are difficult to understand, Japanese has a reputation for being the most difficult in this category. The languages of extremely difficulty in this category take 88 weeks or 2200 class hours to learn.
How Long Does it Take to Learn a Language: Other Factors
If you’re still deciding which language you should learn, keep in mind that the distance between your target language and your native language will influence how quickly you pick up the language. The mentality you bring into your efforts to learn and your motivation for learning are also important factors.
Knowing a language also does not always imply mastering it. Many people simply aim to be able to have a conversation and function in their target language even if it isn’t at a native level.
So, it can take more or less time to achieve your objective depending on how you define fluency, the level of difficulty of the language you’ve selected, and the resemblance between your native and target languages. Aside from these though, there are still not many certainties for the typical length of time required to learn various languages.
Similarity of Your Choice of Language Matters
The distance between your target language’s culture, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and writing system and what you currently speak will determine how steep or flat the learning curve you have to face will be. If you are learning a language similar to your mother tongue, or you are already familiar with another language that is closer to your target language, you can learn faster because more words will be easier to recognize as you relate them to familiar sounds and concepts.
Time You Put in Matters
It’s important to keep in mind that FSI students take part in tough study programs in nearly ideal learning settings. The FSI’s findings are based on subjects who devote 10 hours a day to learning a new language. Do not be in a rush or become frustrated if you do not pick up your language as quickly as anticipated. Under normal conditions, it is unrealistic to expect to acquire such a high level of skill in such a short period of time. Instead, decide how much you can work per day and stick to that schedule. No matter how much time you do per day whether it is half an hour or three hours, make the most of that time. Make sure you spent as much of that time as you can immersed in that language.
Your Mindset Matters
It is not always a smooth journey when it comes to learning a language. You get frustrated from time to time. The struggle is a natural part of growth. Know why you’re learning. Use the resources you have around you as motivation. If you aren’t learning your language voluntarily but as part of a requirement for school or work then try to look for a friend who speaks your target language or a piece of media that you would like to enjoy by deepening your understanding of such as music, movies, or TV shows. Live your target language. Sing songs, make arguments, tell stories, and laugh at jokes in it. Enjoy it.
Language Learning Methodology Matters
You should select a learning methodology that works best for you because everyone learns differently. One of the best methods to learn a language is through immersion, which involves spending as little time as possible speaking your mother tongue and focusing entirely on the new language. Additionally, there is the grammar-translation approach, in which students learn grammatical principles and then apply them by translating phrases between the target language and their mother tongue.
How long does it take to learn a language doesn’t matter
There are a lot of factors to decide the timeline of your language learning, such as your choice of language, mindset, and methodology. In the end, how long does it take to learn a language will be up to you. You will decide how long it will take every time you use the language, set a new goal, and choose your own schedule to practice. Still, there is no need to rush because your only competitor is yourself. So, why not try to get better than you were yesterday? Learn how to say hello in different languages now!
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