Is it possible to learn a new language in a few months?
How long does it take to learn a new language? Many of us have seen those advertisements on the internet or on television that promise to become fluent in a language after a few months, or with “just a few hours of study,” or a “minimal investment.” But is such a thing possible?
Those of us who have studied another language other than our native language know the amount of time and dedication we must have if we want to master a certain level of the language in question. We know it was several years and not just “a few months”!
Sources consulted to assure that, on average, to reach a good level of the studied language, approximately 1,000 hours of study are needed. So, if we calculate with about 4 hours of study per week (following the program of most language training institutes), multiplied by 52 weeks per year – this being an exaggeration since we are not considering the breaks from summer and winter-, we have a result of 208 hours per year. In other words, following this schedule, we would need at least 250 weeks with 4 hours of study each, which gives us approximately five years of study. And, we know that it will be more than five years since it is complicated for us to go to classes 52 weeks a year without a break.
Personally, I spent about ten years learning the language!
Another different thing is if, for example, we are going to live in another country where a specific language is spoken. In that case, we will inevitably become familiar with the language much faster after a few weeks or months.
Do you mean that it is impossible to learn a language in a short time?
Considering these calculations, how is it that so many companies offer to learn English (or other languages) in such a short time? At what level do they train their clients?
Most likely, those who decide to enroll in these courses are aware that they will not achieve an expert level in such a short time. But perhaps, they have a scheduled trip to a destination where a language unknown to them is spoken, for example, and they decide to take the course to have the essential tools and function during their trip. In such cases, these “express” courses will be the best option if you do not have the possibility of hiring a personal language tutor. Why not?
And you, have you ever taken this type of course to learn a language? Tell us about your experience in the comments!
