This question is difficult to answer because every student is different. In short, some students find it easy to learn languages in general, while for others it takes extra effort. However, I can give you some leads based on my own experience and the results of my students or those of my non-French speaking entourage concerning the hours needed to learn French. Also, note that an apprenticeship at school (in a high school, for example), in a private language school (with a difference if the school is in a French-speaking or non-French-speaking country) or in private one-on-one lessons with a teacher, will significantly influence the speed of your learning.
Table des matières
Classes in a language school (non-French speaking country)
I’m not really going to talk here about learning in classical schools like middle school, high school, or university because many of you have already had this experience and in my opinion, this is the method that requires the most time, not to say years. Unfortunately, it is difficult to learn French in this environment where other subjects are often more important to pass for the students making it hard to concentrate on learning French. Of course, the students also have much less speaking time, as the teacher has to manage a whole class. I will therefore focus in this first part on the hours needed to learn French in private language schools.
I will first explain about the language schools located in the learner’s country of origin, that is to say in a non-French-speaking country:
The Foreign Service Institute (FSI), which is an institution whose main activity is to train diplomats of the United States or other nationalities to promote US interests abroad, gives a rather realistic estimate of the number of hours necessary for a learner, depending on his nationality, to learn a language, including French, and reach an advanced level (between B2 and C1). Keep in mind that these diplomats spend the majority of their time learning the language and then are sent to the country. So it’s an intensive program that they follow. So I adapted the data from the FSI to learning French.
Distribution of hours needed to learn French by language
French is not a very difficult language to learn for speakers whose language is of Latin origin (such as Spanish):
| Languages of Latin origin | Learning weeks | Total learning hours | Learning hours per week |
| Spanish, Italian, Romanian, Portuguese, etc. | About 30 weeks | Between 600 and 750 hours | Between 20 and 30 hours |
Speakers whose language is of Germanic origin (such as English) will need slightly more time:
| Languages of Germanic origin | Learning weeks | Total learning hours | Learning hours per week |
| English, German, Dutch, Swedish, etc. | About 36 weeks | About 900 hours | About 25 hours |
Additionally, this gets complicated for speakers whose language is considered difficult. Many languages fall into this category:
| Difficult languages | Learning weeks | Total learning hours | Learning hours per week |
| Russian, Slovak, Hungarian, Mongolian, Polish, Hebrew, Hindi, Vietnamese, etc. | About 44 weeks | About 1,100 hours | About 25 hours |
Finally, there are the languages considered very difficult. Therefore, native speakers in this category will need a lot more hours to master French (the same goes for French people trying to master these languages):
| Very difficult languages | Learning weeks | Total learning hours | Learning hours per week |
| Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese or even Arabic. | About 88 weeks | About 2,200 hours | About 25 hours |
Classes in a language school (French-speaking country)
Then there are the language schools located in a French-speaking country. This means that the learner is in total immersion where they can learn and speak French at school and outside of learning hours.
Distribution of hours needed to learn French by language
| Languages of Latin origin | Learning weeks | Total learning hours | Learning hours per week |
| Spanish, Italian, Romanian, Portuguese, etc. | 20 weeks | Between 320 and 400 hours | Between 16 and 20 heures |
| Languages of Germanic origin | Learning weeks | Total learning hours | Learning hours per week |
| English, German, Dutch, Swedish, etc. | About 24 weeks | 480 hours | 20 hours (about 27 lessons of 45 minutes per week) |
| Difficult languages | Learning weeks | Total learning hours | Learning hours per week |
| Russian, Slovak, Hungarian, Mongolian, Polish, Hebrew, Hindi, Vietnamese, etc. | About 30 weeks | About 587 hours | About 20 hours |
| Very difficult languages | Learning weeks | Total learning hours | Learning hours per week |
| Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese or even Arabic. | About 57 weeks | About 1,174 hours | About 21 hours |
I would say that generally if the learner is a complete beginner (A0), the learner will come out of this total immersion at the beginning of an advanced level (the beginning of a B2 level). However, if the learner arrives at school with a beginner level (A1), he or she will have more chances to master the B2 level at the end of the stay, or even to reach the C1 level depending on their mother tongue. But, it should be taken into account that outside of the lessons, the learner will spend time doing homework and talking with native speakers. Therefore, the tables only count the learning hours needed in class, and in classes of 8 to 12 students maximum.
🔷 On average, how long will it take for an English-speaking learner to pass each level in a French language school in total immersion?
| Levels** (from → to) | Cumulative number of hours*** | Total learning hours | Validated exam |
| A0 → A1 – language discovery | 77 | DELF A1 | |
| A1 → A2 – elementary | → 115 | 192 | DELF A2 |
| A2 → B1 – threshold | → 128 | 320 | DELF B1 |
| B1 → B2 – advanced | → 160 | 480 | DELF B2 |
| B2 → C1 – autonomous | → 240 | 720 | DALF C1 |
| C1 → C2 – master’s | → 160 + | 880 + | DALF C2 |
** According to the Cadre Européen Commun
*** Hours needed to learn French: for example, if the learner reaches level A1, it will take an additional 115 hours of learning to reach level A2. Accordingly, if the learner reaches level A2, it will take an additional 128 hours of learning to reach level B1, etc.
🔶 On average, how long will it take for a learner with a very difficult mother tongue to pass each level in French language school in total immersion?
| Levels** (from → to) | Cumulative number of hours*** | Total learning hours | Validated exam |
| A0 → A1 – language discovery | 185 | DELF A1 | |
| A1 → A2 – elementary | → 276 | 461 | DELF A2 |
| A2 → B1 – threshold | → 307 | 768 | DELF B1 |
| B1 → B2 – advanced | → 406 | 1 174 | DELF B2 |
| B2 → C1 – autonomous | → 554 | 1728 | DALF C1 |
| C1 → C2 – master’s | → 384 + | 2 112 + | DALF C2 |
** According to the Cadre Européen Commun
*** For example, if the learner reaches level A1, it will take an additional 276 hours of learning to reach level A2. Accordingly, if the learner reaches level A2, it will take an additional 307 hours of learning to reach level B1, etc.
The one-on-one lessons with a private teacher
In my opinion, private one-to-one lessons with a teacher are the most effective. I will therefore give you the results that I obtained with my students, in private lessons (so one student) or in a class of 4 students maximum with learners who are not in a French-speaking country.
I am going to rely on the results of my students having Germanic languages and difficult to very difficult languages as mother tongues (like Mongolian, Slovak, Russian, and Chinese) because the majority of my students fall into these categories.
Please keep in mind that these students take lessons regularly, that is to say, several times a week: they do not take long breaks lasting several weeks. They also do their homework before each lesson and spend about 20 minutes a day reading, listening to the radio, or watching a video in French every day. The students who are in the second scenario progress less quickly, because they forget certain concepts or vocabulary in the meantime.
🔷 Number of hours of private lessons required per level for students with a Germanic mother tongue (like English):
| Levels** (from → to) | Cumulative number of hours*** | Total learning hours | Validated exam |
| A0 → A1 – language discovery | 54 | DELF A1 | |
| A1 → A2 – elementary | → 79 | 133 | DELF A2 |
| A2 → B1 – threshold | → 94 | 222 | DELF B1 |
| B1 → B2 – advanced | → 111 | 333 | DELF B2 |
| B2 → C1 – autonomous | → 167 | 500 | DALF C1 |
| C1 → C2 – master’s | → 111 + | 611 + | DALF C2 |
** According to the Cadre Européen Commun
*** For example, if the learner reaches level A1, it will take an additional 79 hours of learning to reach level A2. Accordingly, if the learner reaches level A2, it will take an additional 94 hours of learning to reach level B1, etc.
🔶 Number of hours of private lessons required per level for students with a very difficult mother tongue:
| Levels** (from → to) | Cumulative number of hours*** | Total learning hours | Validated exam |
| A0 → A1 – language discovery | 97 | DELF A1 | |
| A1 → A2 – elementary | → 142 | 239 | DELF A2 |
| A2 → B1 – threshold | → 161 | 400 | DELF B1 |
| B1 → B2 – advanced | → 160 | 560 | DELF B2 |
| B2 → C1 – autonomous | → 340 | 900 | DALF C1 |
| C1 → C2 – master’s | → 200 + | 1 100 + | DALF C2 |
** According to the Cadre Européen Commun
*** For example, if the learner reaches level A1, it will take an additional 142 hours of learning to reach level A2. Accordingly, if the learner reaches level A2, it will take an additional 161 hours of learning to reach level B1, etc.
Schedule suggestion for learning French (private individual online lessons)
Intensive French learning program
By sticking to this intensive schedule (around 23 hours of French per week), you will notice rapid progress. I often have learners who apply this method for one or two months during summer vacation (regardless of their level), to accelerate their progress. If you have the time, I advise you to try this method, it is very rewarding to notice a rapid progression and it will motivate you to continue your learning in the long run.
🔷 Progression table with the intensive program (for a Germanic mother tongue)
| Levels** (from → to) | Cumulative number of weeks*** | Total learning weeks | Validated exam |
| A0 → A1 – language discovery | 3 | DELF A1 | |
| A1 → A2 – elementary | → 3 | 6 | DELF A2 |
| A2 → B1 – threshold | → 4 | 10 | DELF B1 |
| B1 → B2 – advanced | → 4 | 14 | DELF B2 |
| B2 → C1 – autonomous | → 8 | 22 | DALF C1 |
| C1 → C2 – master’s | → 5 + | 27 + | DALF C2 |
** According to the Cadre Européen Commun
*** For example, if the learner reaches level A1, it will take an additional 3 weeks of learning to reach level A2. Accordingly, if the learner reaches level A2, it will take an additional 4 weeks of learning to reach level B1, etc.
The duration is based on students with a German mother tongue or who have a talent for learning a foreign language. As you can see, the progression is slightly faster than learning with an intensive program in a French-language school based in a French-speaking country. Therefore, if you have a Latin mother tongue, which is more similar to French, your progress will be even faster.
🔶 Progression table with the intensive program (for a very difficult mother tongue)
| Levels** (from → to) | Cumulative number of weeks*** | Total learning weeks | Validated exam |
| A0 → A1 – language discovery | 4 | DELF A1 | |
| A1 → A2 – elementary | → 6 | 10 | DELF A2 |
| A2 → B1 – threshold | → 7 | 17 | DELF B1 |
| B1 → B2 – advanced | → 7 | 24 | DELF B2 |
| B2 → C1 – autonomous | → 15 | 39 | DALF C1 |
| C1 → C2 – master’s | → 9 + | 48 + | DALF C2 |
** According to the Cadre Européen Commun
*** For example, if the learner reaches level A1, it will take an additional 6 weeks of learning to reach level A2. Accordingly, if the learner reaches level A2, it will take an additional 7 weeks of learning to reach level B1, etc.
The duration is based on students with a very difficult mother tongue or have difficulty learning a foreign language. As you can see, the progression is slightly faster than learning with an intensive program in a French-language school based in a French-speaking country. Therefore, if you have a mother tongue more similar to French or have already learned a similar language, your progress will be that much faster.
Moderate French learning program
This moderately-paced schedule is much more accessible to people who don’t have a lot of time. By following this timetable, the learner studies approximately 10 hours of French per week. It’s a rhythm that allows you not to devote too much time to French daily while making visible progress from one week to the next.
With this moderately-paced schedule, you will notice relatively rapid progress. In fact, the majority of my students follow a schedule similar to this one. You will find hereunder the detail on the hours needed to learn French.
🔷 Progression table with the moderate program (for a Germanic mother tongue)
| Levels** (from → to) | Cumulative number of weeks*** | Total learning weeks | Validated exam |
| A0 → A1 – language discovery | 5 | DELF A1 | |
| A1 → A2 – elementary | → 8 | 13 | DELF A2 |
| A2 → B1 – threshold | → 9 | 22 | DELF B1 |
| B1 → B2 – advanced | → 11 | 33 | DELF B2 |
| B2 → C1 – autonomous | → 16 | 49 | DALF C1 |
| C1 → C2 – master’s | → 11 + | 60 + | DALF C2 |
** According to the Cadre Européen Commun
*** For example, if the learner reaches level A1, it will take an additional 8 weeks of learning to reach level A2. Accordingly, if the learner reaches level A2, it will take an additional 9 weeks of learning to reach level B1, etc.
The duration is based on students with a Germanic mother tongue or who have natural talent at learning a foreign language. As you can see, the progression is longer compared to the intensive learning pace. However, progress remains rapid.
🔶 Progression table with the moderate program (for a very difficult mother tongue)
| Levels** (from → to) | Cumulative number of weeks*** | Total learning weeks | Validated exam |
| A0 → A1 – language discovery | 10 | DELF A1 | |
| A1 → A2 – elementary | → 13 | 23 | DELF A2 |
| A2 → B1 – threshold | → 16 | 39 | DELF B1 |
| B1 → B2 – advanced | → 16 | 55 | DELF B2 |
| B2 → C1 – autonomous | → 33 | 88 | DALF C1 |
| C1 → C2 – master’s | → 19 + | 107 + | DALF C2 |
** According to the Cadre Européen Commun
*** For example, if the learner reaches level A1, it will take an additional 13 weeks of learning to reach level A2. Accordingly, if the learner reaches level A2, it will take an additional 16 weeks of learning to reach level B1, etc.
The duration is based on students with a very difficult mother tongue or who have difficulty learning a foreign language. As you can see, the progression is slightly longer compared to the intensive learning pace. However, students who adopt a moderate pace make rapid and noticeable progress from week to week.
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