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While most other countries have citizens who speak at least two languages, most born in the United States only know English. Learning a new language can be exhilarating. However, we often end up wondering, how long does it take to learn a new language?
Whether you’re interested in learning a new language because of travel plans, wanting to connect with friends and family, or another reason, you can learn a new language. A great class you might be interested in is this class, Spanish Language 101.
But, realistically, how long does it take to learn a new language? In this article, we’ll break down some of the many reasons why it’s essential to learn common problems encountered and time-management strategies regarding learning a new language. Let’s talk about it!
How Many Hours a Day Should You Study a Foreign Language?
You should spend as many hours a day practicing the language you’re trying to learn. Unfortunately, that’s only realistic for some people. You should spend at least 20 minutes practicing the language you’re learning daily.
Ideally, if you spend at least an hour a day, that will help you learn the language faster than if you practice less.
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You should spend at least 20 minutes practicing the language you're learning daily.
Can You Learn a Language in Three Months?
You can learn a new language in three months if you use applied learning techniques. Now, when we say learn a new language, you’ll likely only be able to understand most of the language and fall within the 95% understanding threshold.
That will be more than satisfactory for more people, but it can take up to ten years to push that to a higher understanding. Remember, how long it will take you to learn a new language can differ from another person for various reasons.
Is It Hard To Learn a New Language After 25?
Many people think that once you hit 25, learning a new language is almost impossible because your brain is fully developed. You can learn a new language after turning 25, but how difficult or easy it is to learn depends on each person.
As you get older, you learn things differently than you did when you were younger or a child, making it more difficult. Even though it’s more complicated, it’s still possible to learn the language of your choice with the right tools and instructors and plenty of motivation and dedication.
You might also like: How to Learn a New Language By Yourself.
How Long Does it Take to Learn a New Language?
How long it will take you to learn a new language will vary from person to person. Plus, the definition of “learn” will change. You can learn the basics of a new language, more advanced sayings, or a more experienced understanding of a language’s written and verbal aspects.
Of course, a higher level of understanding will take longer than learning the basics. The language you’re trying to learn will also factor into how long you can learn a new language and what languages you already know.
It can take anywhere from 480 to 720 hours to reach basic fluency in a new language, depending on what group the language belongs to. That comes out to about 16 to 24 weeks.
Easier languages (French, Spanish, Italian, etc.) take less time to learn than more difficult languages (Arabia, Hebrew, etc.).
To reach more proficiency in a language and mastery of it, it will take far longer than 480 to 720 hours. Many people need between 2,400 to 2,750 hours to have advanced skills in the language. That looks more like 80 to 92 weeks.
If you’re wondering how long it takes for children to learn a new language, it’s far less time than for adults. Since children are in their critical period, they pick up on languages faster than adults because their brains are trying to learn as much as possible.
Even speaking a new language to a child a little bit a day will help them understand the new language within a few days compared to an adult.
What Effects How Long It Takes To Learn a New Language?
Several things will affect how long you will take to learn a new language. The main things that can contribute to taking more or less time to learn a new language are:
- The language you choose (some are easier to learn than others)
- How often do you study per day
- If you listen to music or watch movies in the language you’re trying to learn
- If you can speak the language with someone in person to practice
- Your age
- Your persistence and dedication to learning the language
- If you already know how to speak a similar language to the one you’re learning
Final Thoughts
Learning a new language can be an exciting time. Depending on how proficient you want to be in the language, how often you study, and more will determine how long it takes you to learn the language. So, how long does it take to learn a new language?
Generally, most people can become proficient in the basics of a language by studying for three months aggressively or 16 to 24 weeks studying a smaller amount per day. How fast you learn will be up to you, but as long as you stay persistent, you’ll learn a new language quickly.
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