One of the most difficult parts of learning a new language, especially if you’ve never done so before, is having a good idea of just what exactly it is that you’re in for. Here we’ll take a look at the various stages of
One of the most difficult parts of learning a new language, especially if you’ve never done so before, is having a good idea of just what exactly it is that you’re in for. Here we’ll take a look at the various stages of language learning and how many European language teachers talk about these stages.
To many people (Americans especially) you either know: a) none of a language, b) a little of a language or c) you are fluent. There is actually, however, a vast spectrum of language learning stages that everyone goes through on a journey from learning their first word to being comfortably fluent.
I feel that knowing how to talk about language learning is valuable when you’re planning to tackle a new language. There is a long journey between knowing a little of a language and being fluent. If you’re not prepared for this journey, it can seem like you’re not making progress on the way.
So let’s take a look at that what this trip will look like, what you can expect to do at each of the different stages along the way and how long it will generally take to reach each point.
The CEFR Scale
While there are many language proficiency scales and testing services that all have their own systems, I find it pretty valuable to talk about language stages using the 6 point scale referred to as the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, or the CEFR scale (I pronounce this “See-Fur”). It’s simple, widely recognized throughout Europe, and pretty easy to follow.
In the CEFR scale, there are six stages of language learning - A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2.
In a nutshell, the A levels are beginning speakers, the B levels are intermediate, and the C levels are advanced. Let’s take a closer look.
Level A1: Super Beginner
“Hulk Smash” - the Hulk at A1
When you reach the A1 level, you will have a rough working vocabulary of about 700 words. Some will be derivatives (“run” and “running”), some you will be able to recall quickly and others only slowly and with a lot of effort, but it’s a good ballpark number.
Grammatically, you should be able to understand some really simple past and future constructions, some comparatives and superlatives (“this is larger than that”, “this is the biggest”), basic questions, modal verbs (“could”, “should”) and a little more, but overall it’s pretty basic. The ability to consistently produce all of this is even more limited, if you can produce many coherent sentences at all.
Now, 700 words and superlatives may sound like a lot, but in a spoken language, it’s a surprisingly limited set. You’ll be able to explain simple things in a very basic way and interact with native speakers only if they really are willing to slow down and work with you.
This is a super important point. At A1, you’re not having really sophisticated conversations with people. Think Paulo, Rachel’s Italian boyfriend from the first season of Friends. Or, from another of Jennifer Aniston’s former love interests, Brad Pitt’s Italian in Inglorious Basterds. Perhaps the Hulk from the Avengers movies. Hulk smash. You can get things across, but it’s not going to be easy on anyone involved.
It will take you about 80-120 hours of work to get here from zero, depending on what you count and how you do it. For example, if you take an Alliance Française intensive course, it’s 80 hours of class time plus probably another 20-40 hours of home study, which can be done in four weeks, but that’s all day, every day. If you’re spending maybe an hour a day on it, it will take closer to four months or so.
Level A2: Slightly Less Beginner
“the Hulk likes to smashes things” - the Hulk at A2
When you reach the A2 level, you should have a working vocabulary of about 1500 words and far more grammar than at A1.
Here you can have some real conversations, but they’re still simpler and every sentence is sprinkled with “um’s” while you search for the word. Now you can talk very basically about your family, your past, a movie you saw, your favorite foods, things like this. You’re still pretty dependent on your speaking partner slowing down and working with you a lot, but it’s not quite so painful for them.
Think maybe Tom Hanks’s English around the end of The Terminal.
It will take about another 100-150 hours to get here from A1 so let’s say 250 hours from absolute zero. All of these estimates are for somewhat similar languages like English to Spanish, French or Dutch. At an hour a day, this means about 8 months of work from zero. If it’s 4-6 hours a day, we’re talking about 3 months total.
Level B1: Intermediate
“Both the advantages and disadvantages of being the Hulk is the constantly need to smash things” - the Hulk at B1
At B1, you’re getting more comfortable. You now have a working knowledge of around 2500 words total, maybe half of which you can recall and use pretty quickly.