Have you ever caught yourself wondering, “How long until I can actually speak this language?” You’re not alone! The answer isn’t one-size-fits-all and depends on what you’re hoping to achieve.
Need enough Spanish to order tapas in Madrid? That’s a different journey than preparing to study abroad in Berlin for a year. Your personal language learning timeline depends on your goals, mindset, previous language experience, and the language itself.
At ILI, we’ve guided thousands of students through their language journeys—from ordering their first espresso in Italian to navigating complex work conversations in French. What we’ve learned is that the most important question isn’t how long it takes to “learn a language” but rather “How much of the language do you need to achieve your dreams?”