How Long Does It Take to Learn Spanish?
Episode #3 of the course How to speak Spanish fluently for beginners by Rype
Welcome back :)
Today, we’re going to answer what I’m sure most of you are thinking: how long does it take to learn Spanish?
The time it takes to learn Spanish or any other language depends on three things:
1. Your method
This is by far the most important part of the equation and is the one that is least understood. With so many solutions out there that promise to teach you a language, including:
• Duolingo,
• Rosetta Stone,
• Language schools, and
• conversation exchange,
it’s hard to know which ones are right for you and what will help you get to your end goal faster, especially when each company is spending thousands of dollars trying to push their marketing message onto you.
2. Your time spent learning
Benny Lewis, a polyglot and founder of Fluentin3months.com, one of the most popular language blogs online, has this to say about time spent learning a language:
“I don’t spend my three months studying the language, I spend them living the language. As well as this, I’m never learning a language full-time.”
Ultimately, what Benny is pointing out is that instead of studying the language, you should focus on actually immersing yourself in the language by speaking with other locals, understanding the culture, etc. More importantly, instead of binge learning a language, we should make it fit into our lifestyle.
3. What language do you already speak?
As we mentioned, certain languages like Spanish are easier to learn if you already know how to speak English.
Bestselling author and polyglot Tim Ferriss says that you should consider a new language like a new sport.
“There are certain physical prerequisites (height is an advantage in basketball), rules (a runner must touch the bases in baseball), and so on that determine if you can become proficient at all, and—if so—how long it will take.”
Think about what languages you already know how to speak, and the more similar a language you can find, the easier time you’ll have learning it in less time.
So how long does it take to learn Spanish?
As Benny quotes in his post:
“How much time does it take “the average person” to learn a language? Who bloody cares!”
What’s more important is that you keep these key factors in mind:
• Make sure you have an end goal and a bigger purpose for learning the language (e.g., connect with family, advance your career, travel, etc.)
• You’re using the right method to learn (e.g., learning from native speakers instead of studying it)
• You’re making it a part of your lifestyle and busy schedule
Take some time now to think about your end goal and purpose for learning Spanish. This will set you up to stay more persistent when times get tough.
Tomorrow, we’re going to talk about how to create more time in your schedule to learn Spanish (or anything). Lack of time is one of the biggest excuses we make, and it will be one of the most important lessons we’ll share in this course. See you tomorrow!
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