This blog post is AI-generated by Claude and inspired by the original PolyTripper video linked below.
Hi Language Buddy!
I hope you had a productive week. This week I want to tackle another age-old question: "How long does it take to learn a language?"
I've heard so many variants of this—"How long to learn German?" "How long for Vietnamese?" I'm going to say that in almost every case, this is the wrong question.
The only time I consider this a valid question is when you have a specific time constraint. For example: "I need to travel to Vietnam next week—can I learn Vietnamese in a week?" The answer is probably no, but you could learn a few useful phrases.
Basically, it's only worth asking if you need to determine whether it's worth trying to learn a language given your time constraints.
Typically, when people ask this question, they want to know how long they have to "suffer" before they get the "prize" of fluency. They're asking: "How much time do I have to endure before I don't have to endure anymore?"
The other reason is planning: "If it takes six months to learn this language, I could learn five languages in 30 months."
A lot of this stems from impatience. People want the end result without embracing the process.
Instead of "How long does it take?" ask: "What can I do to make my language learning experience enjoyable so it becomes a daily part of my life rather than something I have to suffer through?"
Stop thinking about some utopian end goal where you don't have to "suffer" anymore and everything will be roses and unicorns.
When people insist on numbers, here's what research shows:
Foreign Service Institute data: For English speakers, Category I languages (Spanish, French, Italian) require about 600-750 hours of study to reach proficiency. Category III languages (Russian, Arabic) need 1,100+ hours.
Individual variation is enormous: Some people reach conversational ability in 6 months, others take 3 years for the same language, depending on study intensity, method, aptitude, and motivation.
"Fluency" is poorly defined: Are we talking about basic conversation, business proficiency, or native-level mastery? The timeline varies dramatically.
Learning never really "ends": Even native speakers continue expanding their vocabulary and improving their communication throughout their lives.
Take my Russian learning. Yes, Russian is difficult, but it's tempered by the fact that I'm having wonderful exchanges with my teachers. They're great people, I'm learning about the country and culture, and I look forward to our sessions each week.
I don't want this to end. I don't want to short-circuit the process or find shortcuts. I'm enjoying every step of the way.
When you have online language instruction with patient, expert teachers who you see regularly—people you develop rapport with and genuine relationships with—that's what makes the process worthwhile.
That's what allows you to spend two years learning a language and have it feel like it went by in a flash. Suddenly you're in Italy speaking fluently with locals, and the entire journey was enjoyable from start to finish.
Here are strategies to make the process inherently rewarding:
Choose interesting content: Study topics you're genuinely curious about in your target language.
Build relationships: Connect with teachers and conversation partners as real people, not just language practice tools.
Celebrate small wins: Acknowledge progress regularly rather than waiting for some distant "fluency" milestone.
Integrate with interests: Use your target language to pursue hobbies, consume entertainment, or explore subjects you care about.
Focus on communication: Prioritize real conversations over abstract grammar drills.
Instead of seeing language learning as a temporary hardship leading to a reward, see it as an ongoing enrichment of your life. The process itself should be rewarding.
When you approach it this way, questions about timelines become irrelevant. You're not trying to get through language learning as quickly as possible—you're trying to make it as rewarding as possible for as long as it takes.
This is the experience I wish for everyone who hasn't had the privilege of discovering this yet: instead of asking "How long does it take to learn a language?" ask yourself "How can I make this experience more enjoyable and integrated into my everyday life?"
Make it something you look forward to rather than something you have to suffer through to get some prize at the end.
That's my advice. Focus on building a sustainable, enjoyable learning process rather than racing toward some arbitrary finish line.
See you next week!
