How Long Does It Take to Learn French?
The US State Department estimates 30 weeks of full-time study to reach a professional level. What that means at an hour a day, and what speeds you up.
For an English speaker, reaching a professional level in French takes about 1,200 hours of study, according to US government figures. At an hour a day, that's a little over three years. You'll be able to hold simple conversations and read easy books much sooner than that.
What the official figures say
The US State Department publishes how long its staff usually take to reach a professional level (a score of 3 on the ILR scale):
| Language | Typical training time | Class hours |
|---|---|---|
| Italian, Portuguese | 24 weeks | About 552 |
| French, Spanish | 30 weeks | About 690 |
| German | About 36 weeks | 828 |
| Russian, Turkish | About 44 weeks | 1,012 |
| Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin | 88 weeks | 2,200 |
A typical week there is 23 hours in class plus 17 hours of self-study. So 30 weeks of French comes to about 1,200 hours in total.
What that means for you
| Study per day | Time to 1,200 hours |
|---|---|
| 30 minutes | About 6.5 years |
| 1 hour | About 3.3 years |
| 2 hours | About 20 months |
Please take these as rough estimates. The State Department's students are full-time, with professional teachers, and their goal is high. It also says that time varies with ability and experience. A self-taught learner may need longer per level, while someone who only wants to travel or read needs far less.
What speeds you up
- You speak a related language. If you know Spanish, Italian or Portuguese, you have a big head start. English helps as well, since it shares many words with French.
- You study every day. Small, regular sessions beat occasional long ones.
- You spend time with real French. Reading and understandable listening build vocabulary and instinct.
- You have a clear goal. Choosing an exam like DELF B2 gives you something definite to work toward.
What takes the longest
- Pronunciation and listening. Silent letters and words running together make spoken French hard to follow, even after you can read it.
- Noun gender. Every noun is masculine or feminine, so learn the two together.
- Verbs. There are many irregular verbs, and the subjunctive takes time.
Start today
You can begin right now with our free French grammar lessons and word lists with audio, with no account needed. When you're ready, see the best books to learn French.
Our Learn French app takes you from vocabulary and grammar through graded reading to Flaubert and Maupassant, with a translation under every line. It's free to download, though some books and extra content need diamonds you earn while learning, or Premium.