TL;DR Summary

Conversational fluency depends requires strong comprehension skills. You can’t really hold a conversation if you can’t understand what’s said to you. Therefore, don’t rush into speaking. Prioritize building up your comprehension skills through listening and reading, emphasizing speaking more gradually as you become more advanced.

Your rate of progress depends on your prior language experience and how closely related the new language is to ones you already know. Regardless, with steady exposure, you can expect to reach a conversational level within several months for related languages, but 1-2 years for more distant ones.

Conversation is bidirectional. First, you need to understand what is being said to you. Then, you need to respond. Reaching a conversational level in a language, therefore, requires both a high level of comprehension and spoken fluency. In this post, I’ll share how long it takes to achieve a conversational level in a language and some tips to get there.

Sufficient Exposure to the Language

I believe very much in the importance of input. In other words, you need to read and listen to the language sufficiently enough to develop a sense for the language. Whether studying German, Italian, Cantonese, or Russian, the principle is the same. Achieving a conversational level in a language requires ample exposure to the language.

It is impossible to continue a conversation if you cannot understand the other speaker. If you cannot understand, communication breaks down quickly. You need to give your brain the time and exposure it needs to adjust to the sounds, cadence, and flow of the language.

Sure, you can navigate basic transactions with memorized phrases and a limited vocabulary. You’ll probably be able to order food, purchase a ticket, or seem more courteous. However, if you want to have prolonged, in-depth conversations with people, your ability to comprehend the language is the foundation.

Don’t Rush Into Speaking

This may seem counterintuitive, but improving your conversational ability does not mean that you need to emphasize speaking practice. This point is best exemplified by my experience learning Portuguese.

Many years ago, I spent a few months trying to learn Portuguese. Working with starter books, I didn’t give myself enough exposure to the language to prepare myself for spontaneous conversation. When I went to Portugal, I found it difficult to have any meaningful conversations with Portuguese people. I couldn’t follow what the Portuguese were saying. In the end, I ended up speaking a lot of English in Portugal.

Despite my previous knowledge of Spanish and French, I couldn’t just pick up Portuguese and give it a go. I still needed to invest a certain amount of time with the language, primarily listening and reading. I studied the language more systematically for three months. I pushed myself past the phrase books and dove into more interesting content: podcasts, books, and articles. We had better content in our Portuguese library at LingQ, which I devoured. I didn’t prioritize speaking. I just focused on more input.

The next time I went to Portugal, I had enough exposure to the language to converse with people. Imperfectly, I could communicate on quite a wide variety of topics. I could actually understand what people were saying, and it wasn’t necessary to switch to English mid-conversation. I had developed a large passive vocabulary, and I was able to activate this knowledge easily while in Portugal. This trip was a personal milestone for me as a Portuguese learner.

When Should I Start Speaking?

This depends on you, your circumstances, and your tolerance for error. Some learners feel inclined to start speaking sooner than others. Personally, I prefer to keep speaking a low priority until I’m consuming more intermediate-level content (3-6 months later). I emphasize speaking more and more as I become more advanced in the language.

Speaking is a great use of time. It’s an opportunity for meaningful input and feedback. You’re listening to your speaking partner, identifying areas of growth, and becoming more comfortable using the language spontaneously. Some language learners find that speaking with tutors or language exchange partners gives their confidence (and motivation) a boost.

Inevitably, becoming conversational in a language requires a lot of speaking practice. When to emphasize this, however, depends on you.

How Much Time Does it Take to Become Conversational?

The time it takes depends largely on your target language language and your prior experience. If you already know Spanish, for example, you could reach a conversational level in Portuguese within six months studying an hour a day. But for more distant languages—like Russian—a conversational level can require years of steady listening and reading.

Ultimately, conversation is built on understanding. Speaking may feel clumsy at first, but if you can follow what others are saying, your ability to respond will develop naturally. Develop your comprehension skills through massive input. Keep listening and reading consistently, and trust that your conversational skills will follow.

You can accelerate your progress with more speaking practice, but ultimately comprehension is the foundation of successful communication.

Here you can read: How long does it take to learn a language

FAQs

How much input do I need before I can converse?

This depends on the language and your background. If you’re learning a similar language, you might be able to reach a conversational level within 3 to 6 months. More distant languages, however, typically require 1-2 years.

Can I start speaking right away?

Sure, but understand that your conversations are limited by how much you can understand. Speaking early is fine, but the topics may be more limited than you anticipate. Strong comprehension precedes good conversation.

Why is input more important than output at the start?

Communication requires understanding. If you can’t follow what others are saying, your ability to reply won’t matter much.

What happens if I only learn phrases and grammar?

You might handle basic situations well, but you’re not prepared for meaningful conversation.

When will people stop switching to English?

Native speakers often switch to English because they are not easily or immediately understood. Staying in the target language is feasible when you show that you understand the other person without difficulty.

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