Learning French from A0 to C2

One of the most popular questions we receive at Learn French with Alexa is "how soon after starting your subscription course, can I jump from CEFR level A0 to C2?" It seems you all want to learn French as fast as lightning. Whether for a holiday, career prospects or a move, everyone is in a hurry. Unfortunately, French is a language that takes time to learn effectively.

Do not be fooled by all the "learn French in thirty days" headlines you may come across online. The promise of speed will sell, but it will not deliver quality. Learn French with Alexa's subscription course is comprised of forty lessons, lessons for which we recommend purchasing a one-year subscription to immerse yourself in the teaching. You cannot rush when learning a language, especially the Latin-based ones. Many grammatical rules must be mastered at each level, and you will be doing yourself a disservice by taking shortcuts.

To give you a little background on CEFR levels, you can read one of our old articles here. Below is an illustration showcasing the different levels and what they mean.

According to Alliance Française, below is how long it will take you to learn French.

As you can see, to reach the level A2 will take between 220-300 hours of studying. That's for someone who has zero French knowledge and wants to reach the first stage towards fluency and become a basic French language user. At level A1, you can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases. You can introduce yourself and maybe others too. At A2, you can understand sentences and frequently used expressions. You can also describe in simple terms aspects of your background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

When you reach level B1, you can deal with most situations likely to arise. You can describe experiences, events, dreams and ambitions with a decent level of detail. At level B2, you start to communicate with a degree of fluency and spontaneity. You can now converse with native speakers without (or with very little) strain for either party. Your sentences are clear and detailed.

Finally, when you reach level C1, you can use the language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. At C2, you can understand virtually everything you hear and read. You can express yourself very fluently and precisely, even in the most complex of situations.

Level C2 seems impossible to reach, not just for learning French, but for every language. Getting there takes an enormous amount of commitment. Those who reach that level learn a language for career or immigration purposes. Our Learn French with Alexa course is designed to take you from A0 to C2. You have to put in the work, do the exercises, pay close attention to the videos, practice daily. Another tip is to immerse yourself in the language. Read French articles (that you know the context of). Listen to French radio or podcasts and try to understand it. Read your favourite books and watch your favourite movies in French. Doing so will help you understand the idioms and other slangs natives use.

Your attitude to learning will also play a significant role in how fast you reach your French language goals. Approaching it with a positive attitude will make you more open to learning. You'll be motivated to study and learn as much as possible. If you can, find a language exchange buddy. Having someone who you can practice with is one of the fastest ways to learn a language. You can join a language class or club, find a Skype buddy online, or speak to native speaking family members.

Try to dedicate at least one hour of French language training per day, at least five times per week. We believe in you; you can do it! As always, the Learn French with Alexa team is here to answer your questions. Feel free to contact us at support@learnfrenchwithalexa.com.

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