Learning a new language is quite an overwhelming task. If you are intrigued by picking up a new language, it is easier to get the motivation to know how long you are up for. For many learners, it can take months, but for some, it might even take years.
It is quite challenging to put the finger on exactly how much time you will need. But with this guide, you might be able to get some ideas.
There are three main factors which will determine how fast you can pick up the language:
- Your attitude towards learning
- The total time you are willing to spend with the language learning process
- Howattentive you are with the language
Getting to a stage of conversational language is more effortless. But if you are looking for fluency, you might just have to take a language course abroad! Did you know that if you start practicing a new language before turning 18, your chances of obtaining fluency are more likely?
Learn About The Different Language Levels
There are so many languages that you might want to learn (there are over 6000 languages! Amazing, right?), and each of them has a different difficulty level. The difficulty level is analyzed, keeping in mind a native English speaker.
For a native English person, languages like German, Spanish, Italian, or Portuguese are relatively easy to grasp. But other languages with entirely different symbols and alphabets might be a wee bit more complicated. This section includes Chinese, Arabic, Korean, and others.
Keeping in mind the difficulty of learning, three levels are easily identifiable. We will break down the levels for you so it becomes easy to understand. Each level has its own importance, and its mastery takes varying times.
Beginner Level
Beginner or elementary level learning is your primary step. If you can learn up to the basic step, then you can engage in simple conversations. This level can be further broken down into lower, mid and high.
At the lower beginner level, you can greet people. You can identify a handful of words while you are reading or listening to something in that language.
After this comes the mid beginner level. At this level, you can gain a bit more confidence. You can speak out a few phrases and start considering the responses you are giving.
At the high beginner level, you can start understanding proper sentences out of a text you read. When you hear a conversation, you can pick out phrases rather than words. At this stage, you might be more confident engaging in a proper conversation. You will be ready to inquire questions or give answers to the questions being asked you.
Beginners usually cannot form exact sentences beyond future or past tenses. If you are at the novice level, there are high chances that colloquial terms or local slang might just go high above your head.
There are chances of miscommunication and misunderstanding of metaphors. But this stage will suffice for the basic courtesy needs or travel needs.
Intermediate Level
At the intermediate level, you can handle situations like ordering food or discussions about familiar topics. This stage can also be broken into three phases, lower, mid, and high.
In the lower intermediate level, you can start a straightforward conversation. You will feel more comfortable sharing information about yourself.
In the mid intermediate level, you will be able to do very well in conversations or debates on familiar topics. You would not have to memorize stuff!
In the high intermediate level, the fluency of your conversation will boost up. From advanced tasks to uncommon topics, you can tackle anything now!
Advanced Level
Take some language courses abroad for a long time if you want to reach up to this level. This level is of ease, and the language will flow freely within you! You will become fluent and will be able to catch up to the colloquial language traits. Here also, you might find three possible breakdowns.
At the lower advanced level, you will be able to make some fluent conversations (though it might be for a limited time) with the native speakers of that language.
In the advanced mid-level, you will feel the growth in the limited vocabulary. The ease with which you can speak the language will also get a boost.
The advanced high level is the topmost level. At this level, you will be capable of carrying on a conversation (fluent, obviously!) for as long as you want. You will be able to tell the differences between various accents (ex: British English and American English) and correctly understand several metaphors.
How Much Time Should You Devote?
If you are an indigenous English talker, you might need approximately 575 to 600 hours to learn languages like Dutch or Italian. But for Indonesian or Swahili, this time can extend up to 720 to 750 hours (30 weeks) (This is the standard estimation by FSI or US Foreign Service Institute).
If you are willing to invest 10 hours a day (don’t be scared already!), it will take you as less as 60 days only for the easier languages! For languages like Burmese, Nepali, Pashto, you should be willing to invest at least 1100 hours (44 weeks). The complicated languages, like Chinese, Arabic, Korean, or Japanese, will take a lot more dedication and time. The time range can be estimated to be about 2200 hours (88 weeks).
Which Platform To Learn From?
Deciding which platform to go for is quite crucial. From different language apps to online programs, you might come across many options. But do you know the best and the fastest option? It is Ynsitu!
Ynsitu is a fantastic platform that gives you numerous language courses abroad. Discover the languages you can learn and you can choose anyone you like! You can also select the course type, whether you would like to learn as a student or work. They offer courses in many countries. You are available to choose your favorite location and take the much-awaited course!
Let us know which language you are learning!