How Long Does It Take To Learn A Language?


Are you hoping to learn a foreign language and want to know how long it will take?

This language learning calculator has been meticulously designed to receive your input and compute a likely timeframe for your goal completion. To determine this answer, we've sourced official language and survey data, and implemented our own algorithmic tweaks to determine an accurate estimate.

If you have any suggestions for improvement, contact me here.


Important: it isn't possible to take into consideration everyone's individual circumstances, aptitude and familiarity with related languages. It's important that you take this tool's result and make your own personalized adjustments where necessary.

What language are you learning?

Language you're learning...

What's your current level?

BeginnerYou're a complete beginner in this language. You want to learn it, but you can barely even say hello. You also can't read or write this language.
ElementaryYou've covered the basics. You can introduce yourself, ask for directions and survive. You have rudimentary grammar and very limited comprehension. As far as literacy goes, you know the alphabet and can read basic words.
Low IntermediateYou've moved well beyond the basics of the language and simple survival language. You can now describe things in greater detail, share your opinions and comprehend when spoken to. You have a more functional literacy at this point.
Upper IntermediateAt this stage, you're very confident in the language and have no problem with most general topics of conversation. Your comprehension is very good, and you're now able to discuss more complex topics. You have middle school literacy skills.
Low AdvancedYou can discuss and comprehend most topics now, including quite advanced ones with relative ease. You're now able to explore complex areas of discussion and understand implicit meaning. You can read advanced material like newspapers.

What level do you want to reach?

ElementaryYou've covered the basics. You can introduce yourself, ask for directions and survive. You have rudimentary grammar and very limited comprehension. As far as literacy goes, you know the alphabet and can read basic words.
Low IntermediateYou've moved well beyond the basics of the language and simple survival language. You can now describe things in greater detail, share your opinions and comprehend when spoken to. You have a more functional literacy at this point.
Upper IntermediateAt this stage, you're very confident in the language and have no problem with most general topics of conversation. Your comprehension is very good, and you're now able to discuss more complex topics. You have middle school literacy skills.
Low AdvancedYou can discuss and comprehend most topics now, including quite advanced ones with relative ease. You're now able to explore complex areas of discussion and understand implicit meaning. You can read advanced material like newspapers.
High AdvancedYou're basically near-native at this level. You've mastered the use of the language, including very advanced vocabulary and grammar. You comprehend advanced topics without effort. You may still have an accent when speaking. You can read pretty much anything.

Your language learning experience:

I haven't learned or studied anything since school

How motivated are you?

I'm really not looking forward to this

How often you expect to study:

1 study period per week

I'll spend around 10 minutes per day studying.

"The limits of my language mean the limits of my world."
- Ludwig Wittgenstein
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