How long does it take to learn Spanish?
How long does it take to learn Spanish?
15 Answers
I learned some Spanish in one day, actually it was only a few hours. Then the next day I learned some more. And the day after that......
How long does it take to learn Spanish?
Vamos a ver!
98 years studying grammar + 78 years pronunciation + 978 years structure + 78 to revise what you studied again + 80 to learn some tricks and tips
that would be about 1312 years! not too long! l'm sure you can do it! 
What is your goal?
Based only on my experience, here are some rough estimates:
Survival level - days to weeks (intense study)
Impress-your-friends-at-dinner level - months (very regular study)
Able-to-read-Spanish-newsprint-without-running-to-the-dictionary-every-fourth-word - up to a year or more, depending on your study habits and motivation. You should be able to write in Spanish albeit with somewhat less complex grammar.
Able-to-converse - 2 years, depending on available native speakers for practice
Fluent - depends on what you mean and comfort level desired - 2 to 5 years.
Given where I am now I'd say more than 38 years.
Kidding. Welcome to the forum. This question is asked about once a week, so if you search here you'll find hundreds of answers. Good luck!
6 years.
Alejandra, all the other people make very good points. I will only add that it also depends a little on where you live. I live in a small town in England. There are no Spanish immigrants ( there are very few indeed in the entire region). There are hardly any courses. There is no Spanish on TV, any Spanish speaking film would be dubbed into English, modern digital radios no longer pick up Spanish radio. Some years ago one could listen to northern Spain sometimes.. All in all, I get no exposure to the language whatsoever except if I go on holiday, when I have to be very pro-active and engage strangers into conversation. I can buy or hire DVD's of course etc. and read BBC Mundo. I do go to a course in a neighbouring small town but there are only 4 of us on the course, which means constant cancellations as our professora wants at least 3 people to teach. I do have private chat with a profesora from Venezxuela, as and when I can afford it. If you live in the USA it may be a lot easier to listen to spoken Spanish.
It depends on the individual and if you have a passion for it. It is better to immerse yourself in it. I have been studying for years and I am at a intermediate level. It is also depends on how well you comprehend things. Good luck.
It depends on how hard you work. I had a friend that learned to speak Spanish (almost fluently) in about 9 months.
I have been studying for years on and off, and I still have problems... I am very shy, though.
If you make some friends with native speakers, watch TV / movies in Spanish and do some reading you should learn in no time... as long as you practise, practise, practise! =)
To speak Spanish like Speedy Gonzalez, about an hour.
To speak Spanish like Cervantes, about 30 years.
For a visit to Spain as a tourist BBC has a very pleasant interactive video-course online:' Mi vida loca'. In 12 weeks' time or less you can learn enough to get by as a visitor. And you get an impression of your holiday destination as a bonus.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/index.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/mividaloca/
Welcome to the forum Alejandra
This question has already been asked many time before so we would encourage you to enter the question into the search box and explore the many answers that are already available on this forum I have posted a direct link to the box so you can re enter your question here: link text
I hope this helps
I think it can be done in two years if you work 1/2 hour a day, everyday. The keys are sticking with it, pushing yourself, and really wanting to do it. A half hour a day because you really want to is better then an hour a day because you have to pass a class. You also have to immerse yourself in the language, either through travel or through foreign media (esp., tv, and movies to get listening down which is probably the hardest part).
If you already know a second language, especially a romance language then you can probably do it in a year.
8 weeks, for Basic Survival. There is a method to do it and it is pretty simple. If you have the right material, the right teacher and a heart to want to master it.
http://www.bridgesa.net/:earnSpanish.html
Well English is my first language and I am still learning and yet I will be 78 yrs old
in a couple of weeks , if that depresses you son let me say it depresses the hell out
of me because I don't have another 78 yrs in me to learn Spanish , but I am sure
going to give it one heck of a try , as the man said one word a day amigo.
Depends on the level you want to reach. A perfectionist would say a lifetime.
As far as the vocabulary is concerned, English can be very helpful, because it derives about half of its vocabulary from the same source. And it's true that a reasonable knowledge of another romance language or Latin is an asset in studying the grammar. Much more than English, because in spite of its vocabulary English is after all without any doubt a Germanic language.
