I am often asked, “how long does it take to learn Spanish?” I’m afraid this is basically a million dollar question and one for which there is no generic response.
Unfortunately there are simply far too many variables concerned, in that so much relies on how much effort a person is prepared to put into learning the language, and also which strategy or program they’ll be using. Add to that the incontrovertible fact that while some people may opt to use the services of a personal tutor, others will select a classroom environment instead. In fact, some individuals will rather choose using one or other home study program which makes use of books, multimedia, software, and audio recordings. You also have to ask yourself whether the scholar will be learning the language in a land where it’s spoken as the native language, or whether they will be learning it in their home country. Similarly, the standard of a program or the expertise of a teacher will also influence the end result.
Because these variables will have such a direct effect on how long does it take to learn Spanish, it is simply not feasible to provide a single answer to this question. In fact, I have personally been involved with scholars who after six months, were able to communicate confidently in conversational Spanish, but also , I’ve known folks who have studied the Spanish language for a number of years, frankly on an on and off basis, and yet after many years they can barely get by.
Rather than attempt to provide a simple response to this question, I’d rather discuss what I feel to be the fastest way of learning Spanish. The most important step of all, is for a person to seize each possible opportunity regarding interacting in the language they want to learn, regardless of what language that might be.
While you certainly do get those that are firm believers in the classroom approach, I personally feel it takes too long unless it is done with another technique. In my viewpoint, a self study method of high quality is easily superior in that it permits a student to move forward at their own pace rather than being tied down to the average lecture room pace. This is very true regarding individuals who are truly intent on learning the Spanish language.
In this situation, I might suggest a student to go for a reputable program which includes a selection of audio lessons, multimedia lessons, and of course, written Spanish. In addition, they should select a program which allows for lessons to be downloaded onto a mobile device so that the student can listen on their iPod for example. Remember, if you’re serious about learning a language, then you should aim for being able to not only speak it and write it, but also to read it and understand it. Unless a program covers all 4 of these areas, it should be avoided or at least, you will need some extra material.
As you could have already heard, Rocket Spanish is an intensely popular program, and not without reason. Considering that it addresses all four of the area’s discussed, it has gained a reputation for providing students with aclass] foundation for basic Spanish which in turn will ensure that you’re able to communicate confidently in Spanish within a comparatively short space of time. Similarly, Rosetta Stone is thought to be quite as good, in that it also addresses the 4 areas mentioned above. Furthermore, it is available in two versions so that people can choose between the “Spain” version and the Latin American Spanish version. Judging by testimonials, it would appear that the Rosetta Stone program takes slightly longer to work thru, which of course means it’ll take you a little longer before you develop conversational Spanish but in general, it ranks right up there with Rocket Spanish. Also, Rosetta Stone is significantly more expensive.
As you can see, there are too many variables involved for me or anyone else to be able to give a simple response with regards to “how long does it takes to learn Spanish. However, you have probably also gathered by this time that there are a few things you can do in order to speed up the method. In fact, many scholars go as far as using both the programs mentioned in conjunction with each other in order to develop conversational talents as rapidly as possible. However, unless you are steadily exposed to the Spanish language, no program will be capable of making you 100 percent smooth. On the other hand, providing you’re at an intermediate-to-advanced level, you might want to consider subscribing to Puerta del Sol Audio magazine which is a Spanish language talents Magazine. Furthermore, you’d be surprised at how much you can get benefits from joining a Meetup group in your area that is focused on learning the Spanish language.