How long does it take to learn the French language

How long does it take to learn the French language?

“Une langue differente es une vision differente de la vie.”

 The French famously say that a different language is a different vision of life. One of the best ways to attain this new vision is to learn French, the language of arts, literature, fashion, love, and cooking!

Learning French is always an advantage. An important language for communication, it is the second most widely learned language, after English. Moreover, it is the sixth most commonly spoken language in the world. Over 220 million speak French. It is a gateway to a cultural voyage of fashion, gastronomy famous poets like Charles Baudelaire and Prevert, and writers such as Hugo and Proust.

A working language of the United Nations, proficiency in French provides many career opportunities in international organizations. Do you know that 40-50% of the English vocabulary is derived from French?  Knowledge of this language is always an ace up your sleeve.  Think about the job opportunities globally! Also do note that admission to a foreign university becomes easier being bilingual. That is why Inlingua, New Delhi’s French language courses are highly sought after.

There is a general misconception that French is a difficult language to learn. If one is an English speaker, about 24 weeks is good enough to understand it, full time. This is the same for other European languages such as Spanish, Italian, and German.

Can one learn French in three months?  It is safe to say that one can converse within this time frame. However, like other languages, it takes a while longer to know more about the grammatical structures and attain lexical skills.

If one studies for six months, one can understand announcements and exchange details, and in a year one can understand television serials and make oneself understood.

Learning French for beginners does take time but as and when students get used to the language and advance, they become more efficient. Our expert French teachers at Inlingua, New Delhi are very confident when they assure students that it takes about 400 hours to reach an intermediate level. Of course, this is an estimate because everything depends on the student and his ear for languages. 

How long it takes to learn French also depends upon many key variables. These are a learner’s goals, prior knowledge, motivation levels, and the right language method. This applies to all languages.

Many beginners ask this question, little knowing that language learning is infinite. At no time does a learning stage end. There is no ending. French culture is so intertwined with the language that learning the language without focusing on the cultural aspect is only half the battle. There is no point in time that one decides one fine day that you wish to learn a language and after some time you assume that you have achieved your goal. No language learning has such a trajectory. To support this statement. Think of how many of us still struggle with the appropriate Hindi or English words to convey our meaning.

There are levels of fluency. Is it to be able to communicate in a foreign land, a requirement to live abroad, to get your way across, or to use it in business communication? Language acquisition is about nuance, but does an expert know all the words? Therefore, it is easier to answer the question; How long does it take to be conversational? It is best not to add stress. Define your goals and learn accordingly.

Naturally, taking an active approach is paramount to the number of hours that determine how long it takes to learn the language. Instruction from a language school, such as Inlingua, New Delhi, and passive learning such as watching movies and listening to the language help.

According to language schools, it takes between 60-100 hours to complete the A1 level, which is the beginner level, and 100 hours to complete the A2 level. To progress to a B2 level an additional 200-250 hours are required. This is the intermediate level of proficiency. These are estimated figures and depend upon individual to individual. Of course, lessons can be tailored according to one’s needs. People generally need a plan and motivation to learn the language so that they can see it through. The bigger question is do want to learn it or do you have to learn it?  The former approach makes it easier for a beginner.

The exposure to the language, your current level, the intensity of your efforts, the number of hours you put in, methods of study, your overall motivation level, exposure to the language outside the language school, and your reason for learning it all determine the number of hours. In a nutshell what you require is dedication, effort, and time.

In conclusion, do remember that acquisition of a language is always a pleasure and an asset. Some people have a natural aptitude whereas others struggle through it. Keeping small-term realistic goals always helps. A little bit of effort will always be rewarding.

“La lingue francaise est comme une melode delicatequi enchante l’oreille de celue que l’ecoute”

The French language is like a delicate melody that enchants the ears of those who listen to it.

Allez-y et bonne chance. Go for it, and all the very best!