How Long Does It Really Take to Learn a New Language?

You’ve probably seen the charts: “Spanish takes 600 hours,” “Japanese takes 2200,” and so on. They’re neat, organized, and give the illusion that language learning is some kind of tidy math problem. Study X hours, speak fluently, collect your prize.

But here’s the truth: language learning is messier, more personal, and more interesting than that.

So, how long does it really take?

It depends. There’s no fixed timeline because we all learn differently. Some people love grammar drills. Others would rather chew glass than study a conjugation table. 

For example, I’ve tried a bit of everything: reading blog posts in my target language, flipping through novels I already own (even if I only get through two pages at a time), and watching videos until I recognize a pattern or phrase. At one point, I even took a few lessons on iTalki. They were great until I stopped. 

But that’s kind of the point. There are so many ways to learn. You just need to figure out what actually fits your life.

Here are a few things that actually do shape your timeline:

1. What does “learn” mean to you?

Do you want to:

• Watch Netflix without subtitles?
• Order confidently at a restaurant?
• Have a deep chat about politics?
• Just survive a two-week trip?

These are very different goals. “Fluent” means something different to everyone. And you don’t need to be fluent to use a language well.

2. Your consistency matters more than your talent.

There’s this idea that some people are just “naturally good” at languages. Maybe, but those who make steady progress usually just have one thing in common: they show up consistently, even when life gets busy or motivation dips.

10 minutes a day > 3 hours once a month. Always.

This is something I still struggle with. I’ll go through bursts where I’m really into it. I’m reading articles, listening to interviews, and even talking to myself in the mirror. Then other weeks, nothing. But every time I come back, I’m a little better than I was before. It all adds up.

3. It’s not about hours—it’s about active hours.

Watching a Spanish soap opera while scrolling your phone is not the same as listening, rewinding, and repeating what the characters say. Language input is great, but interaction and recall are what help you move forward.

4. There’s no finish line.

This one might sound discouraging, but it’s actually freeing: there’s no point where you’re “done.” Even native speakers learn new words and phrases every day.

So instead of chasing some imaginary endpoint, enjoy the process. Celebrate the tiny wins:

• You understood a joke in another language.

• You held a 3-minute conversation without switching back to English.

• You said a sentence and didn’t even realize it was in your target language until later.

That’s huge.

So how long will it take you?

It’ll take:

• Less time than you think to feel confident ordering coffee.

• More time than you expect to master jokes and sarcasm.

• A lifetime to keep discovering what you can do with the language.

And that’s part of the fun.

PS: If you’re learning a language and want a tool to help you practice speaking (yes, even for 2 minutes a day), check us out. Try a free chat designed to fit into real life even if you’re short on time or not living abroad.