How Long Does It Take to Learn Spanish?

How long does it take to learn Spanish? How long does it take to learn any language? I hear these questions quite often. There is no simple answer. Ultimately, this depends on you. 

The US Foreign Service Language institute published some numbers, estimating how many hours are required to learn different languages. For Spanish, an English speaker will need 480 hours of classroom instruction. This number is helpful, but it doesn’t take into account that language learning isn’t limited to a classroom setting. Personally, most of my learning occurs outside of the classroom. 

There are five questions to consider. Your answers to these questions will help you better understand how it long it takes to learn Spanish. 

How many hours a day do you spend learning Spanish?

How much time do you spend listening, reading, speaking, or writing in Spanish? What can you do to increase the amount of time with the language? Listening to podcasts, watching movies, or speaking with a Spanish tutor are all great ways to engage with the language. Learning Spanish does not have to be one-on-one instruction. It doesn’t even have to feel like traditional, in-classroom learning. 

Simply put, the more time you spend with the language, the more quickly you’ll progress. If we use the number from the FSI, someone who spends three hours a day with Spanish should reach an intermediate-high level within six months. Someone who spends an hour per day, on the other hand, will need about a year and a half. 

In summary, if you want to learn Spanish more quickly, you’ll need to maximize the daily amount of exposure and interaction with the language.

Do you speak a language that is similar to Spanish?

If you know a language similar to Spanish, you’ll learn the language more quickly. Similarities in vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation are a significant advantage. Portuguese, for example, is very similar to Spanish. Someone who speaks Portuguese will surely find Spanish more intuitive than someone who speaks a more distant language, such as Greek or Japanese.  

Is English similar to Spanish? Well, Spanish and English share a lot of vocabulary. Most common words between English and Spanish are of Latin origin. This is fortunate for English speakers because acquiring new vocabulary is time-consuming. Of course, Spanish and English pronunciation differ, and this can cause confusion. However, over time, the brain adapts to Spanish and the common vocabulary becomes increasingly obvious. 

Grammatically, Spanish may seem a bit more foreign to the English speaker. The tenses, conjugations, and gendered nouns may seem odd, and English speakers will need ample reading and listening to get used to these new concepts. A French or Italian speaker, on the other hand, will not find this structures foreign, and will adapt to Spanish faster.

Do you actually enjoy learning Spanish?

What do you like about the language? Is this a hobby? A requirement for school? Are you fascinated by Spanish history? Do you have Spanish-speaking friends? Motivation matters. Whether you study Spanish for the TV programs and music or for travel abroad, success as a language learner relies heavily on your motivation. 

Passionate, avid learners will reach fluency in Spanish faster. Discover what drives you to learn Spanish. A clear reason and emotional commitment help you learn more consistently and effectively. You’ll spend more time with the language if you see it as a source of pleasure instead of an obligation. 

Are you immersed in the language?

This connects to the first question, but it’s important to distinguish. Are you immersed in a Spanish-speaking country? Do you have a Spanish-speaking network? There is nothing quite like being plunged into the language. Using the language authentically and spontaneously on a daily basis not only supplies ample input, but helps you more regularly self-assess your skills, identify gaps in communication, and renew your determination to improve.

I have always found it beneficial to go the country where the language is spoken after I have reached an intermediate level. If I go as a beginner, I’m not able to take full advantage of the circumstances. I see trips abroad as opportunities to build on an already strong foundation.

Tip: Build Up Your Spanish with LingQ

There are many resources available on the web such as Unlimited Spanish and LingQ to get started with Spanish. LingQ helps you read and listen to Spanish more smoothly. Look up words, phrases and whole sentences. Your searches are automatically added to your Spanish dictionary and reinforced through exposure in future lessons and vocabulary activities. LingQ is available for both iOS and Android.

The Spanish Mini-Stories are a great place to start. They are available in both European and Latin American Spanish. There are 60 stories that depict everyday situations. Common structures in Spanish are repeated and there are questions with answers at the end of each story. 

I’d recommend dedicating at least six months to learning Spanish on your own, and then reward yourself with a trip to a Spanish-speaking country. Why not sign up for a language course abroad?

Do you believe that you can become fluent in Spanish?

Do you think that you can become a fluent speaker? Make sure that you have the right mindset. Your attitude will have a determining influence on your language learning progress. Experienced language learners often do better in new languages because they’ve been through the process before. They know they can learn another language. 

Trust the process. Your determination to succeed and your commitment to staying the course will pay off. Visualize yourself achieving fluency. Have a clear picture of the end result. Imagine yourself conversing freely with Spanish speakers, enjoying books and movies in Spanish, etc..

If you have not yet had the experience of having become fluent in another language, give yourself the benefit of the doubt. It’s much harder to climb a mountain if, from the beginning, you don’t even think you can make it to the top.

Final Thoughts:

How long does it take to learn Spanish? It’s mostly up to you. We might not be able to choose our native language, but a lot of factors that determine our success (and speed) as language learners are fully within our control. Put in the time, seek immersion, and trust the process. Happy learning!

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Planning a trip to a Spanish speaking Country? Check out this LingQ blog post to learn some fun Spanish pick up lines!