It will take approximately 580 hours or 23 weeks of study to reach complete French fluency. Which we could break down as the following: If you study for 1 hour every day, you can learn French in 1.5 years. If you spend 6 hours every day learning French, you can learn it in less than 100 days.
If you want a short answer, yes, you can become fluent in French in one year (or even less), especially if you follow the 10 steps included in the next section. However, your success will depend on a series of aspects you need to take into account.
For a dedicated and motivated student studying in France and speaking French every day, the lower end of the timescale may start at about six months. But it could take up to a year or more to reach this level, depending on other factors.
Depending on your goals, native language, study method and time, and motivation, within 6 months to 3 years you should be able to speak French at a good level. It will take longer if you're following a secondary school curriculum or want to totally master French for a career in something like interpreting.
If you are an English speaker, learning French requires 575-600 hours of study (or 23-24 weeks full- time). It is the same for other European Romance languages (French, Italian, Spanish etc) and the Germanic ones (Danish, Swedish, Dutch/Afrikaans Norwegian – not German).
B2 is the level where a student is considered fluent since their knowledge is advanced but not proficient.
Instead stick to a regular schedule: Start with 30 minutes or 1 hour per day, ideally every day or at least 5 days a week. Consistency is key when it comes to language learning. By the way, if you're thinking about cramming all your study time in one single day instead, that's not a good idea.
Estimates say it takes about 90 hours of study to reach a basic level of proficiency in French. This averages out to about 30 minutes a day for six months. Of course, this is just a general estimate and your mileage may vary. Some people may be able to learn French quickly, while others may take a long time.
Our Duolingo French review in a nutshell
As our Duolingo review reveals, it is a viable tool for beginners and moderately helpful for intermediate learners. If fluency is your goal, you'll need more than Duolingo. But Duolingo French is a lot of fun. With a free subscription, you can have no complaints.
Across multiple sources, Mandarin Chinese is the number one language listed as the most challenging to learn. The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center puts Mandarin in Category IV, which is the list of the most difficult languages to learn for English speakers.
Many people who move to France do so without being able to speak any French. Although it might be acceptable for certain professions, most expats will find that their having more fun as they pick up the language. Generally, people develop their language skills out of necessity.
Why are more people speaking French? French is spoken in many countries in Africa, which currently have some of the largest rates of population growth, and it's this that makes French one of the fastest-growing languages in the world.
C1 and C2 French Levels
Communication is fluent, appropriate and well organized—you develop ideas in speech clearly and coherently.
French is a Category I language, so it's relatively easy to learn for native English speakers. It will take approximately 580 hours or 23 weeks of study to reach complete French fluency. Which we could break down as the following: If you study for 1 hour every day, you can learn French in 1.5 years.
In fact, adult brains have a number of great qualities that might actually make learning easier. Adults can often learn languages faster than children simply because they have experience learning in general. The concept of learning to learn might sound a bit strange at first, but it makes sense.
C2 level: 1000 to 1200 hours of learning.
Sooooo, on Duolingo French there's 155 modules. At 2.5 hours per module, that's 387.5 hours to complete one language.
At Duolingo, we're developing our courses to get you to a level called B2, at which you can get a job in the language you're studying. Reaching that kind of proficiency requires dedication, varied practice opportunities, and a lot of time.
When it comes to listening and reading, they found that 5 units of Duolingo is comparable to 4 university semesters. As for speaking, they found that at least 50% of learners that had completed 5 units of the French and Spanish courses reached at least an A2 level of speaking.
But research shows that learning a second language offers proven benefits for intelligence, memory, and concentration, plus lowered risks of dementia and Alzheimer's. So what if you are over 40 and want to learn a second language? The good news is, it can be done. I learned French in my 50s.
French is relatively easy to learn but it does take some time and effort. As French is closely related to English, I have to agree with the Foreign Language Institute that says that French belongs to the easiest group of languages to learn for English speakers. Having so much common vocabulary helps a lot!
The Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR) estimates it takes between 60 and 100 hours to reach A1 French and a further 100 hours to reach A2. But, honestly, there is no one-size-fits-all answer because it depends on YOU!
They found that French people spend close to nine hours sleeping each night, which was slightly higher than the hours Americans were found to sleep. The question is whether you really need nine hours of sleep every night.
B1 – Threshold (or intermediate): When a user reaches the B level of CEFR, he can: Identify the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly used in work, school, leisure, etc. Can handle travel situations in areas where the language is spoken. Can write or create texts on personal interest topics'
According to the Alliance Française, it will take you about 5 months of intensive study to reach level B1 and know the basics. In addition, to reach proficiency, a motivated adult will need to study between 730 and 1450 hours. And, in order to master French and be fluent, you will need to persevere for years.