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May 16, 2024 · According to the Foreign Service Institute, it takes around 750 hours for English learners to reach fluency in Spanish. However, depending on why you want to learn Spanish, it could take you a lot less. For example, reaching the B1 level can take you around half the time!
- How Long Does It Take to Learn Spanish: The Short Answer
- How Long Does It Take to Reach A Certain Skill Level in Spanish?
- How Long Does It Take to Achieve Your Goals in Spanish?
- How Long Does It Take to Learn Spanish by Your Preferred Method?
- How Long Does It Take to Learn Spanish Based on Your Native Language?
- FAQ About Learning Spanish
The answer is very nuanced, but to simplify things somewhat, it takes around 1000 hours to reach Spanish fluency. So for native English speakers, this usually takes around 1.5-3 years. To reach a conversational, upper-intermediate level (B2), you can expect to spend 540-620 hours learning (between 11 months and 3 years). However, as we’re about to ...
A1 level
Total number of hours: 70 – 80 (between two and three months total) Best learning tool for this level: Free Spanish online resources The A1 level covers very basic grammar and vocabulary topics. It’s meant to just be a foundation upon which you’ll build the rest of your Spanish knowledge. Between 70 and 80 hours of study should be enough to reach the A1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages(CEFR). Depending on the learning method you choose and the intensity of you...
A2 level
Total number of hours from A1: 150 – 180 (between four and seven months total) Best learning tool for this level: Spanish textbooks Reaching the A2 level means you’ll be able to understand and produce basic Spanish sentences in simple, everyday situations. To reach this level, you’ll need between 80 and 100 additional hours of study after achieving the A1 level. Depending on your learning method, this could take you between two (intensive pace) and four (normal pace) months.
B1 level
Total number of hours from A1: 300 – 360 (between seven and 13 months total) Best learning tool for this level: Spanish language apps The B1 level is where you actually start being conversational in Spanish. This and the next level are going to take the longest to complete because they include the whole “meat” of your language-learning journey. Starting from the A2 level, you’ll need approximately 150-180 study hours to reach B1. If you’re following an intensive path, this amount of hours can...
To pass an official exam
Time estimate:1 month – 3 years (depending on the level) The time you’ll need to study to pass an official exam like the DELE examwill depend on the level of the exam. You can find time estimates for the different CEFR proficiency levels in the previous section.
To be conversational
Time estimate:11 months – 2 years You’ll start being conversational in Spanish somewhere between the A2 and the B1 levels, for which you’ll need between four months and one year of study. If you want to be comfortable in any kind of situation, you’ll need to reach the B2 level at the very least.
To be truly fluent
Time estimate:1.5 – 3 years To become fluent in Spanish, you need to reach the C2 level, which will take you between 1.5 and three years.
Learning by yourself
Time estimate:~1.5 years With the right resources, this can be a rather fast learning method. If everything goes according to plan, you can study Spanish on your own and reach fluency in around 1.5 years.
Attending a traditional course
Time estimate:3 – 4 years Just speaking personally, traditional Spanish courses are my least favorite learning method because you have to follow a specific curriculum, which has normally been created to make the courses last as long as possible. If you prefer this way of learning, you’ll need at least three to four years to reach fluency.
Learning with a tutor
Time estimate:~1 year Learning with a tutor is one of the best ways to learn quickly and efficiently while having a specific goal in mind (like wanting to find a job abroad). If you’re meeting with your tutor three times a week, one year should be enough to reach the C1 level.
For native speakers of a Germanic language
Time estimate:18 – 24 months If you speak a Germanic language (like English, Dutch or German), you’ll learn at a “normal” pace as far as the FSI estimates are concerned. This means you’ll possibly have some difficulties with topics such as Spanish conjugation and the Spanish subjunctive. But, overall, learning Spanish shouldn’t be an impossible task for you and should be doable in 18-24 months.
For native speakers of a Romance language
Time estimate:9 – 12 months If your native language is a Romance language (like French, Italian or Portuguese), then you’re in luck! Spanish is a Romance language itself, so a lot of the vocabulary and grammar you learn will probably look veryfamiliar to you. Learning Spanish will take you half the amount of hours an English speaker would need. If you study hard, you could easily reach fluency in nine to 12 months.
For native speakers of a Slavic language
Time estimate:2 – 4 years Slavic languages include Russian, Polish and Croatian. I’ve been teaching Spanish to Polish students for over a decade, and in general, they put Spanish on the easy-to-learn list. My Polish students tend to need from two to four years to reach fluency, but the learners who come to my one-on-one classes reach the C2 level (fluency) in around 1.5 years.
How long does it take to learn basic Spanish?
If you want to learn enough Spanish to have basic, beginner-level conversations, it should take around 150-180 (between four and seven months total). This will get you to an A2 level. However, if you just want to know enough to be able to travel, around two to three months is enough to reach A1.
How long does it take the average person to learn Spanish?
Since it takes 540-620 hours to reach a B2 conversational level, it should take the average person between 11 months and two years.
Can you learn Spanish in 3 months?
In 3 months, you can realistically achieve an A1-A2 level. But with several hours of studying a day, it could be possible to achieve B1. Check out this postfor an idea of how you can learn Spanish within 3 months.
FSI might not be the the be-all and end-all of language learning, but it certainly gives you an idea of how long it will take you to learn Spanish as someone who can speak English: about 24 weeks (575-600 hours). Summary: According to FSI, if you spend 3 hours per day learning Spanish, you’ll achieve fluency in around six months.
Jan 14, 2022 · 1,320 hours x 60min = 79,200. And if I dedicate 30min a day to my Spanish a day: 64,800 ÷ 30 = 2,160 days at a low end. 79,200 ÷ 30 = 2,640 days at a high end. But that’s too long for me, so let’s see what I can do with 60min a day: 64,800 ÷ 60 = 1,080 days at a low end. 79,200 ÷ 60 = 1,320 days at a high end.
- How many hours a day you will spend with Spanish. This is perhaps the most important consideration and does not refer to how many hours do you spend in a Spanish language classroom.
- You speak a language that is similar to Spanish. Similarity can apply to vocabulary, grammar or pronunciation. Portuguese is very similar to Spanish in terms of vocabulary and grammar, but somewhat different in terms of the sounds.
- How much you like Spanish. Do you like the sounds of Spanish? Something about the history or the culture of countries where they speak Spanish?
- You have had the opportunity to live surrounded by Spanish. Are you going to visit and spend some time, and not just a couple of weeks, in a Spanish-speaking country?
The time to achieve Spanish fluency varies depending on several factors, including your learning intensity and prior language experience. On average, it takes about 600-750 hours of study to reach fluency, which could translate to 6-12 months of intensive study or 2-3 years of regular practice.
People also ask
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But I think that you can learn Spanish in 6 month with a little less effort than FSI is putting forth. If you were to spend 2,5-4 hours each day spread out over 3-4 sessions during the day, I think that could do it too.
