I’ve been teaching Spanish as a second / third language for over four years now. When I meet my students for the first time and we talk about what they’re looking for in class, these questions always come up: How much time does it take to learn Spanish? When am I becoming fluent?
If you’re asking yourself the same, I’ll tell you what I always tell them: there’s no straightforward answer. It depends on many factors, such as your starting point, learning methods, and dedication.
However, today I’ll give you an estimation by experts on the average time it takes to become fluent in Spanish. Plus a few tips to fasten the process based on my experience as a Spanish tutor.
Depending on your goal, it’s the time will take
Determining your goals is crucial to estimating how much time it will take you to learn Spanish. For instance, if you are only looking to be fluent in touristic contexts, such as ordering food for your next vacation in Mexico, it will take you less time as it’s only a matter of memorizing a few sentences. But if you’re expecting to become fully fluent in Spanish -meaning, having the ability to speak, understand, read, and write the language with ease and accuracy as you have in your native language- that will take a bit longer than the first scenario.
That being said, you need to ask yourself, why do you want to learn Spanish? What’s the specific outcome you’re expecting?
- Do you want to learn Spanish to talk to your Latino friends?
- Do you need it for work?
- Do you live in a community with a high Hispanic population and you want to perform in basic small talk?
- Do you want to talk with locals and staff while traveling?
- Do you want to move to Latin America or Spain?
- Is it a simple hobby, just to challenge yourself?
An estimated time, according to experts
According to the U.S. Foreign Service Institute, the amount of time it will take you to learn Spanish is approximately 24–30 weeks or roughly 600–750 class hours.
However, once again, “ be fluent” can mean different things from person to person. You can be fluent by learning only what you need for work or for a tourist, for instance.
So based on your answer from the previous section “What’s your goal by learning Spanish?”, look at the following sheet to find out a more accurate estimation:
Take into consideration that -as with everything in life- we never stop learning. Take me for example. Being born and raised in Mexico, I learned English as my second language. Even after many years of studying and practicing it, there are still times when I discover new slang I wasn’t aware of; a new word, a difference between British English and American English I didn’t know.
Don’t feel overwhelmed with this. On the contrary, constant learning is one of the best parts of learning a new language! You’re continuously marveling about new discoveries. There’s a sea of words, sayings, idioms, slang, and more out there for you to uncover.
Factors that can fasten or slow your process
As a Spanish tutor, these are the factors that I have seen influence the most my students’ journey speed:
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Starting Point
If you already have a background in Romance languages like French or Italian, you may find it easier to learn Spanish as they have a lot of linguistic similarities.
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Prior experience learning another language
People who have already learned another language besides their mother tongue are my fastest students because they already know the drill. They already know what studying techniques work best for them, which skill makes them struggle the most, which ones are the easiest for them, etc. On the other hand, if Spanish is your first foreign language ever, the learning curve may be a bit steeper. But don’t worry. It’s still possible! Our brains are literally designed to learn languages. Everyone can do it.
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Your social environment
Where you live or work also plays a significant role. For instance, my students who live in neighborhoods with a high Hispanic population, such as Texas, California or Chicago, find it way easier to practice and master their skills, as they can talk with Spanish-speakers friends, co-workers, or neighbors.
Tips to Learn Spanish Faster
If you’re eager to expedite your journey to Spanish fluency, consider these tips:
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Immerse Yourself
Whenever possible, surround yourself with the language. I always recommend my students movies, books, podcasts, and music in Spanish so they can take a look into them in their spare time. Even if you feel you’re not actually studying, it’s in fact “planting the seed” for you to get used to the Spanish sounds and practicing your vocabulary list.
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Practice speaking, not just memorizing words
Speaking is often the most challenging skill to develop, so I always recommend creating conversations with every new vocabulary you get to practice it, rather than just memorizing the list and like a parrot simply repeating sounds.
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Travel or Study Abroad
Next time you go to Cancún, Puerto Vallarta, or other all-inclusive vacation spots, try to get out of your comfort zone! Talk to other people. Make an effort to talk to the staff in Spanish rather than expecting them to talk to you in English. Besides helping you with conversation skills, the effort will be greatly appreciated!
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STUDY!
I wish I could say there’s a magic fairy dust that makes you become fluent in Spanish in the blink of an eye. The reality is, as with everything in life, it’s a matter of consistent work.
If you’re already taking Spanish classes, study what you reviewed last class before your next session. You don’t have to study for many hours. 15 minutes per day is more than enough. Or whatever your adult life allows you: you can browse your notes at lunch for 5 minutes; or while being stuck in traffic; or when you’re waiting for the rest of the participants to join your Zoom meeting.
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Choose a school/teacher that makes you feel comfortable
Learning Spanish – or any other language- doesn’t have to be an insufferable process. In fact, having a teacher or a school that really gets your learning style and your goals can make you feel motivated. That being said, try different learning methods, approaches, and different people, and see what works for you.
In conclusion
According to estimates, the time that will take you to learn Spanish will depend: it takes 6 months to one year if your goal is to perform in basic conversations, and 3-ish years if you’re looking to achieve more complex conversations.
Try to implement the tips I gave you in this blog so you can speed up the process. And if you’re looking for a native-speaker tutor who can help you with your Spanish, feel free to contact me!
Private lessons start at 25 USD. Check out all the details here.