How long does it take to learn French? Hours per level
By Thierry Gustin
Published
Updated
3 min read
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How long does it take to learn French? It's the question I'm asked most often in a first lesson. The honest answer is: it depends on your goal, your pace and your native language. But there are reference figures that allow a realistic estimate.
How many hours do you need for each level?
The levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) range from A1 (beginner) to C2 (mastery). The Alliance Française de Leeds publishes an estimate of the total learning hours needed to reach each level from scratch:
| Level | What you can do | Cumulative hours |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | Introduce yourself and cope in very simple situations | 60 to 100 h |
| A2 | Communicate in everyday tasks | 160 to 200 h |
| B1 | Get by in most situations and give your opinion | 360 to 400 h |
| B2 | Argue fluently and understand complex texts | 560 to 650 h |
| C1 | Use French flexibly at work or at university | 810 to 950 h |
| C2 | Master the language in any context | 1,060 to 1,200 h |
Source: Alliance Française de Leeds. These are hours of guided learning; personal study speeds up the process considerably.
What does the US State Department say?
The Foreign Service Institute, which trains US diplomats, ranks French among the most accessible languages for an English speaker: about 30 weeks of intensive training (around 750 class hours) to reach a professional level. Bear in mind that these are full-time classes, with several hours of personal study every day.
Why can an English speaker progress faster?
English and French share a large part of their vocabulary: information, possible, important, la question, le restaurant… That is why an English speaker usually understands written texts very early on. The difficulties lie elsewhere:
- Pronunciation: the nasal vowels, the u, the r and the letters that aren't pronounced. I explain this in how to improve your French pronunciation.
- Listening: spoken French links words together and drops sounds.
- Spelling: lots of silent letters and accents you can't hear.
How long will it take at your pace?
To turn hours into months, add up your class hours and your quality personal study (listening, reading, reviewing, writing). These calculations are based on the lower end of the estimates:
| Weekly commitment | A2 (about 160 h) | B1 (about 360 h) | B2 (about 560 h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 hours | around 1 year | about 2 years and 4 months | about 3 and a half years |
| 5 hours | about 7 months | about 16 months | about 2 years and 2 months |
| 8 hours | about 5 months | about 10 months | about 16 months |
If you already have a foundation, the calculation is the same but starting from your current level: for example, going from B1 to B2 takes about 200 extra hours.
What speeds up (and slows down) learning?
Speeds up:
- Listening to real French every day.
- Speaking from the start and getting corrections.
- Having a concrete goal, such as passing the DELF.
- Immersion: a trip or a stay in a French-speaking country.
Slows down:
- Studying only grammar, or only with apps.
- Long breaks: after a month without practice, you lose part of what you've learned.
- Mentally translating from English.
You'll find a complete method in how to learn French in 6 steps.
Frequently asked questions
Can you learn French in 3 months?
In three months of intensive work, you can reach a solid A2 or, with some prior knowledge, prepare for a B1-level exam. Speaking with complete fluency takes longer.
How long does it take to reach B2 in French?
About 560 to 650 learning hours from scratch, according to the Alliance Française. At 5 hours a week, around two years.
Is French a hard language for an English speaker?
According to the Foreign Service Institute, it is among the most accessible languages for English speakers. The vocabulary is close to English; pronunciation, spelling and verb conjugation have their own difficulties.
How many lessons a week does it take to see progress?
With one or two private lessons a week and some daily practice, you'll notice progress within a few weeks, especially in speaking.
Want to know exactly how far you are from your goal? In the first lesson we do a level test and I give you an honest estimate. See how my private online French lessons work.
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