You have just started a new language course from a good language course vendor but you don't know what to expect. How quickly can you learn a language? 

Naturally the course or journey towards speaking a new language will be very different for every individual and these goals are only a guide.

It will take months to begin to feel even a little bit comfortable with your new language.

It will take years to master it. 

 

But here is some advice about how quickly you should expect to progress and some tips on what you should be doing at each stage.

It is possible to progress at the following rate if you just work for an hour or two, every day.

 

 

 

 

You can now:- 

You can not speak the new language and even reading the simplest phrase takes a lot of hard work with a dictionary.

 

To progress you might try:-

Read comic books. The pictures will help you.

Find a dictionary that is fast and easy to use, an electronic or web based dictionary for example.

Use flash cards to practice words, minipauker is free and a great way to do this is on your phone.

Join a course, and if it's no good switch to another until you find a good one.

Advertise for a language exchange.

 

 

Month Three and Four of Learning the New Language,

 

You can now:-

Speaking is still very very hard and you don't seem to be learning the vocabulary. Reading is still very hard work with a lot of dictionary time required, a page can take over an hour to read.

 

To progress you might try:-

Listen to mp3s or cds, you will understand very little but it is good to challenge yourself.

Start to learn some grammar.

 

 

 

 

You can now:-

You can speak a little bit and you can now read a grown up chapter book, although it takes an very long time and you are not sure you understand it all.

 

To progress you might try:-

Having news reports emailed to you every day.

Read books that you find fun, books that you can not put down. If you like science fiction then read science fiction.

Watch movies on DVD first in your language and then in the new language.

 

 

 

 

You can now:-

Sometimes you can guess words from context instead of always having to look them up. You can sometimes understand a converstion if it is slow and easy.

 

To progress you might try:-

Reading a big complicated book. You can now read quickly enough to finnish it inside a month and understand most of it. It will give your confidence a boost. If, like me, you don't make it past the first few chapters throw it away and try another one by a different author, you need to find one with a style that fits.