How long does it take to learn French?

It depends on what you mean by learn. Ordering a coffee takes weeks. Following a fast film takes years. This guide gives a realistic range for English speakers and shows where your time goes.

What the numbers say

The US Foreign Service Institute trains diplomats. It groups French with the languages closest to English. It estimates about 600 to 750 class hours to reach professional working level. That is roughly 24 to 30 weeks of full-time study.

Most of us study part-time. At five hours a week, 600 hours is over two years. At ten hours a week, it is just over a year.

What speeds you up

• Little and often. Try twenty minutes a day.
• Speaking early. Reading and listening do not train your mouth. Book a weekly chat with a French speaker.
• Using what you learn. Say the new word to someone within a day.
• Keeping going after the first few weeks, when progress feels slower.

What slows you down

• Only using an app and never speaking to a person.
• Waiting until you feel ready.
• Learning long word lists with no sentences.

A simple plan

Study for 15 to 20 minutes on four days. Add one hour of speaking each week. Meet a native speaker for a coffee. See how to find a language partner and how often to practise.

Ready to start? Read about French on Nearly Fluent.