When it comes to learning Spanish: how long does it take to be fluent?
Some may say it can take up to three weeks to speak Spanish fluently. However, others argue it takes around three years to achieve fluency.
Could you imagine yourself practicing Spanish for years and years? I hope you do.
In this article, I’ll tell you what I think about the time it takes to become fluent and what I think helps the most if you want to learn Spanish ASAP.
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How Long Does It Take to Learn a Language?
In my opinion, there is no correct answer to this question. How long it takes to learn Spanish and achieve fluency is really up to you!
For some people, the question of how long it takes to reach their learning goals can only be answered based on three factors.
From my personal experience as a language student and teacher, I have a theory that there are three factors that influence how long it takes to be fluent.
Being aware of these three factors is the key to master the Spanish language in no time!
Three Key Factors to Master the Spanish Language
I strongly believe that there are three factors you should consider to answer the question: how long does it take to learn Spanish?
The factors are: dedication, practice, and will.
Dedication
How much time of your week can you dedicate to learn the language?
There is no room for excuses like “I am too busy/tired” or “I couldn’t find the time” when you learn the Spanish language.
One way or another, you must immerse yourself in Spanish language and culture. Otherwise, it’d be almost impossible to be able to learn anything beyond beginner’s level.
Think about your schedule and answer this question with honesty: How many hours can you really spend taking Spanish lessons with a teacher?
Additionally, take into account that to become fluent in Spanish you’ll also need time to strengthen your Spanish skills on your own. This might include working with a grammar book, writing essays or stories, creating flashcards, going through notes, listening to a podcast, watching a movie in Spanish, etc.
To learn Spanish fast is a workout for the brain!
Speaking a second language is a form of workout for the brain. Think of speaking Spanish as going to the gym or brushing your teeth.
If you want a six-pack in a short time, then you will have to dedicate several hours a week to working out those abs!
White teeth is what you desire? You’ll have to dedicate 5 to 15 minutes to brush and floss those teeth every day!
The same goes for language learning. If you want to be fluent in Spanish in a short time, you will have to put in the hours to working out your brain by speaking the language.
Dedication and consistency go hand in hand. That’s why Easy Argentine Spanish offers weekly practice to those who join our membership. Learn more about our membership by subscribing to our newsletter below!
Practice
The fastest way to become a fluent Spanish speaker is to speak!
The amount of speaking practice you get per week will also be a crucial factor to determine your language learning speed.
If you only practice your speaking skills once a week, I highly recommend you start using apps like HelloTalk where you can speak to natives on a daily basis.
You can also join group conversational lessons that match your level of Spanish. Subscribe to learn more about Easy Argentine Spanish’s conversational lessons for beginner and intermediate learners.
Will
In my opinion, this is the most important factor to answer the question: how long does it really take to learn Spanish?
What motivates you to learn Spanish? Think of your answer and see some examples below.
“If I learn this language, I will be able to speak to my girlfriend’s family in Spanish.”
“If I understand the Spanish language, I can improve my relationship with my Spanish speaking coworkers.”
While a strong motivation is crucial, it is not essentially the same as a strong will to learn.
No will, no success
You need to be willing to learn! If there is no will, there is no success.
When you continue repeating in your head “I need to improve my Spanish” and you fail to take action, you only get further from your goal.
What does a student with a strong will do?
This student:
- takes action,
- practices constantly,
- never skips a lesson,
- does not let frustration take over,
- shows enthusiasm to learn,
- celebrates small achievements,
- enjoys the language learning journey
Would you like to learn more about student success? Check out this blog post.
Now that you know these three key factors, you should have a better idea of how long it takes to learn Spanish language.
How much dedication and practice can you put in to achieve conversational fluency in Spanish?
Do you have the strong will it takes to achieve your language goals?
Learning Spanish Online
Learning Spanish online can speed up your language learning process. However, the internet is an island full of hidden treasures.
There’s an abundance of Spanish courses for English speakers, tons of Spanish classes to join, and many other resources to study Spanish.
Wouldn’t it be awesome to have a trustworthy list of the best Spanish learning resources online?
Well today is your lucky day! I have outlined this list for you.
Save all these websites as your favorites to keep them handy (click on the star next to the link on your browser’s search bar).
- The most reliable monolingual dictionary: diccionario de la Real Academia Española.
- Try to avoid Google Translate, use WordReference instead.
- Find lots of Spanish grammar practice here: Aprender Español.
- Here is a mini application for learning Spanish vocabulary items: Spanish in Flow.
- My favorite website with Spanish lessons for all levels: ProfedeEle.es
- A website that uses Youtube videos to help you improve your pronunciation: YouGlish
- And, of course, subscribe to Easy Argentine Spanish’s newsletter, the best way to learn and improve your Rioplatense Spanish. We’ll provide you with blog posts, podcast episodes, and weekly conversational lessons with a native Spanish speaker. Subscribe below to learn more about how we can help you with your Spanish.
Conclusion
Here is my answer to the question: How long does it take to learn Spanish fluently? It is up to you!
If you want to speed up the process, take into consideration these three important factors: dedication, practice and will.
Dedicate as much time as you can to engage with the language using the numerous resources available online.
Practice speaking, ideally, on a daily basis; there are many ways to reach out to native speakers. You are always welcome to join Easy Argentine Spanish conversational lessons (subscribe for more info on this).
And the last and most important: be willing to learn! Be consistent, show enthusiasm, don’t let frustration take over, and enjoy the language learning process.
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