teach yourself spanish course how long

by Dariana Fadel 3 min read

You can expect to learn Spanish comfortably on a variety of topics with 168 hours of focused studying and 336 hours of low-intensity immersion to the Spanish language. That’s 504 hours of time spent with Spanish, of which only 30% active studying! On a normal, easy, schedule, that’d take you about 48 weeks.

If you start out as a beginner and spend an average of 1 hour per day working on your Spanish, you should able to reach conversational fluency within 8 – 12 months. That translates to roughly 250 – 350 hours of time spent.

Full Answer

How long does it take to learn Spanish?

Reduce your Spanish time to one hour a day and, according to FSI, it will take about 1.5 years to learn. Courtesy of Fummy/Reddit. As you can see, Spanish is one of the most accessible languages for English speakers.

How to learn Spanish by yourself?

The world's most popular way to learn Spanish online. Learn Spanish in just 5 minutes a day with our game-like lessons. Whether you’re a beginner starting with the basics or looking to practice your reading, writing, and speaking, Duolingo is scientifically proven to work. Bite-sized Spanish lessons. Fun, effective, and 100% free.

Is it possible to learn Spanish for free?

How quickly will I be able to teach myself Spanish? This depends on your commitment and eagerness to learn Spanish. If you devote yourself, you'll have a much greater command of the language after only a few months of study. Your Current Spanish Level You should start by determining your current level of Spanish knowledge.

How long does it take to learn Spanish on Duolingo?

3. Learn Spanish vocabulary the right way. Grammar would be useless without words, so learning vocabulary while you teach yourself Spanish should also be a priority for you. When you start teaching yourself Spanish, you need to also teach yourself how to learn in an efficient way. Start by learning Spanish core words.

How long does it take to learn Spanish?

You can expect to learn Spanish comfortably on a variety of topics with 168 hours of focused studying and 336 hours of low-intens ity immersion to the Spanish language. That's 504 hours of time spent with Spanish, of which only 30% active studying! On a normal, easy, schedule, that'd take you about 48 weeks. Table of Contents.

How to learn Spanish in a week?

Step 1: learn at least the 300 most frequent words (this is still intuitive)…. Step 2 (here’s the catch): after that, learn no more Spanish word lists, ever! Step 3: use chunking to systematically tackle important topics you want to be fluent in. Conclusion.

How long does it take to get to intermediate level in Spanish?

Based on the data in our courses: If you learn Spanish by yourself, focus on learning chunks native Spanish speakers use, and you commit to studying 30 minutes a day, 7 days a week, you can get to an intermediate level in 48 weeks.

What is the problem with traditional approaches to language learning?

You see, the problem with traditional approaches to language learning (learn lots of words, then learn grammar rules to combine these words into sentences) is that, as you might have experienced already, you’re almost always too slow and clumsy to string together sentences this way in actual conversations!

What does "classroom hours" mean?

Which, in most schools, means: Hours spent listening to a teacher explaining grammar rules; Doing some grammar drills; Reading some texts; and maybe saying a sentence or two each hour.

Is Italian related to Spanish?

Structure- and vocabulary-wise, French and Italian are so closely related to Spanish that you’ll be able to learn it much faster. Consistency/motivation: no matter the learning materials or method you use to learn Spanish, you’ll still have to put in the work over an extended period of time.

What Is the Best Way to Learn Spanish?

Since I’m about to share my tips on how to learn Spanish by yourself, you might be thinking about whether a self-taught program is the best way to go about learning the language.

1. Spend an hour a day on grammar exercises from a textbook

I found a really simple grammar book and CD for beginners called “ Hugo Spanish in 3 Months .” It’s full of short explanations and exercises.

2. Read, underline, look up new words and read again

Reading at home was, without a doubt, the single most useful activity I made time for in the early stages. I read anything I could get my hands on, but I loved reading novels by Paulo Coelho, translated from Portuguese to Spanish.

4. Listen to the radio in Spanish

Listening to the radio in Spanish is something you’ll find enjoyable after about two years of being fairly fluent. I found it impossible at first, but I recommend sticking with it. Understanding what someone says in a foreign language without seeing their lips can be tricky.

5. Travel to Spanish-speaking countries

Travel, travel and keep on traveling. I spent around seven years traveling to Spanish-speaking countries before I made the move to Venezuela and it gave me lots of confidence. I got better at sharing with locals and recognizing through context what they were trying to say to me.

6. Spend time in Spanish-speaking environments

If you can’t travel abroad, travel to places in your hometown where Spanish-speaking people hang out. Before leaving London, I used to go to a lot of salsa clubs, and I remember having a really great time.

7. Volunteer for a long-term project in a Spanish-speaking country

When I first visited Argentina I volunteered for The South American Explorers, an NGO dedicated to raising money for local charities and projects. I volunteered for about eight months and particularly enjoyed working to support Fundación Ph15, a volunteer photography organization for children in Villa 15 of Buenos Aires.

How to teach yourself Spanish?

A fun and efficient way to teach yourself Spanish is to label your house. In other words, buy a ton of post-its and stick them to as many items as you can with their names written in Spanish. Resist the temptation of adding any translation. The purpose of this strategy is to only see Spanish words wherever you look at!

Why is it important to learn Spanish?

You love Spanish culture and literature. It’ll come in handy if you decide to study abroad. Learning Spanish will make learning other Romance languages easier.

About the Author

Juan Kattan-Ibarra is an experienced teacher of Spanish and the author of a number of very successful Spanish books.

Top reviews from the United States

I learnt Spanish almost entirely from this book alone. It's very well arranged and presented. Its structure and explanations are comprehensive enough for anyone (with the slightest interest in learning spanish) to easily pick it up. No linguistic expertise is necessary.

Is Rosetta Stone Spanish the most expensive language?

Rosetta Stone Spanish is the most well-known and also the most expensive option for language-learning. I personally like it because it helps you learn new words and phrases intuitively (without direct translation). You can get different language levels a la carte or bundle levels 1 through 5 in a package.

Is Google Translate good?

Google Translate is great for looking up unknown words quickly. I even paste in phrases I’ve composed in Spanish and see how they come out in English, just to see if I’ve put them together correctly.

What is Spanish pod 101?

Spanish Pod 101 offers three different packages for learning Spanish, with prices to suit most budgets. It delivers lessons through audio and video, with quizzes and performance testers to help you memorize Spanish and use it in a natural way.

What is Myngle language training?

Myngle.com provides language training for businesses, institutions and individuals. It links you with private tutors with specializations to suit your particular needs, allowing you to arrange 1 on 1 or group sessions each week, using webcams and microphones to deliver lessons. This is probably as close as you’ll get to face to face language lessons, online. You can choose your desired language, current proficiency, number...

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