Power of an Hour | Language
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By Peter Rubinstein and Bryan Lufkin19th February 2019
Being bilingual has vast benefits – but getting there needn’t be a lifelong slog.
Learning a new language is an inherently scary idea. Thousands of unfamiliar words, an entirely different grammatical structure and the high potential for embarrassment are enough to intimidate many of us. With a busy work life, finding the time to commit to a new language can be a challenge in itself.
But experts agree that it’s more than possible to make meaningful progress in just one hour a day. Not only that, the skills gained from practicing a new language can feel like superpowers in the workplace and beyond.
Research shows there is a direct correlation between bilingualism and intelligence, memory skills and higher academic achievement. As the brain more efficiently processes information, it is even able to stave off age-related cognitive decline.
Depending on your native tongue and which new language you’re learning, you can develop a diverse toolkit of both short-term and lifelong cognitive benefits. Of course, the further apart the language the tougher the challenge (think Dutch and Vietnamese), but focusing on a specific application can drastically narrow the practice time.
Whether it’s for a new job, for literary competence or for making casual conversation, you can sharpen language skills no matter your age or previous exposure.
'Intercultural competence' - knowing how to build relationships across cultures - can be a valuable skill (Credit: Getty Images)
The most difficult languages
The US Foreign Service Institute (FSI) divides languages into four tiers of difficulty for native English speakers to learn. Group 1, the easiest of the bunch, includes French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish and Swahili. According to FSI research, it takes around 480 hours of practice to reach basic fluency in all Group 1 languages.
The US Foreign Service Institute divides languages into four tiers of difficulty. The easiest take around 480 hours of practice to reach basic fluency
The difficulty begins to spike as we move down the list. It takes 720 hours to achieve the same level of fluency in Group 2 languages, which include Bulgarian, Burmese, Greek, Hindi, Persian and Urdu. More difficult are Amharic, Cambodian, Czech, Finnish and Hebrew, which places them in in Group 3. Group 4 is comprised of some of the most challenging languages for English speakers to grasp: Arabic, Chinese, Japanese and Korean.
Despite the daunting timeframe, experts say it’s worth learning a second language for the cognitive benefits alone. Doing so naturally develops our executive functions, “the high-level ability to flexibly manipulate and utilise information, and hold information in the mind and suppress irrelevant information,” says Julie Fiez, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh’s department of neuroscience. “It’s called executive functions because it’s thought of as skills of a CEO: managing a bunch of people, juggling a lot of information, multitasking, prioritising.”
Bilingual brains rely on executive functions – things like inhibitory control, working memory and cognitive flexibility – to maintain balance between two languages, according to a study from Northwestern University. Because both language systems are always active and competing, the brain’s control mechanisms are constantly strengthened.
At an hour a day's practice, a native English speaker could learn a Group 1 language in two years (Credit: Getty Images)
Lisa Meneghetti, a data analyst from Treviso, Italy, is a hyperpolyglot, meaning she is fluent in six or more languages - in her case English, French, Swedish, Spanish, Russian and Italian. When embarking on a new language, especially one with a lower difficulty curve that requires less cognitive stamina, she says her biggest challenge is to avoid mixing words.
“It’s normal for the brain to switch and use shortcuts,” she says. “This happens more often and more easily with languages that belong to the same family… because the similarities are great but so are the false friends!”
The best way to avoid this issue, Meneghetti says, is to learn one language at a time, and to differentiate the linguistic families.
An hour of difference
Learning the basics of any language is a quick task. Programmes like Duolingo or Rosetta Stone can guide you through a few greetings and simple phrases at lightning speed. For a more personal experience, polyglot Timothy Doner recommends reading and watching material that you already have an interest in.
“If you like cooking, buy a cookbook in a foreign language; if you like soccer, try watching a foreign game,” he says. “Even if you’re only picking up a handful of words per day - and the vast majority continue to sound like gibberish - they will be easier to recall later on.”
Learning a new language becomes much easier if you combine it with something else you enjoy – for instance, watching a football game with foreign commentary (Credit: Getty Images)
Before you go too far, however, it’s important to consider exactly how you plan to use the language in the future. And which language you learn depends on your personal motivations, says Beverly Baker, an associate professor and director of language assessment at the University of Ottawa.
“A busy professional might see Mandarin as important to learn because they have business contacts, or it could be a language your family spoke and you lost, or you’re in love with someone who spoke that language”, she says. “Maybe you’re just interested in saying a few things to your in-laws.”
Once your intentions for the new language are defined, you can begin planning out a productive hourly schedule for daily practice
Once your intentions for the new language are defined, you can begin planning out a productive hourly schedule for daily practice that includes multiple learning methods.
Advice on how to best spend this time varies depending on which polyglot or linguistics expert you’re speaking to. But there’s one tip they all seem to stand behind: devote at least half of your hour to stepping away from the books and videos to practice with a speaker face to face, be it someone who's native or highly fluent in the language. “To go over questions and do activities, to talk together in the language, and to discuss the culture,” Baker says. “I would not skip that part, because learning about the people and culture will motivate me to keep up with the rest of my learning.”
“Adults, some of them do their language learning trying to memorise words and practice pronunciation, all in silence and to themselves. They don’t actually take the leap to try and have a conversation actually using the language,” Fiez says. “You’re not really learning another language, you’re just learning picture-sound associations.”
Language-learning programmes are important, but spending time with a native or skilled speaker is the most effective method (Credit: Getty Images)
Just like exercise or musical instruments, people recommend a shorter amount of practice time on a regular basis rather than larger chunks on a more sporadic basis. Baker says this is because without a consistent schedule the brain fails to engage in any deep cognitive processes, like making connections between new knowledge and your previous learning. “An hour a day five days a week is therefore going to be more beneficial than a five-hour blitz once a week.”
According to the FSI index, it would take 96 weeks at this pace to achieve basic fluency in a Group 1 language, or nearly two years. But by following the advice from experts, narrowing down your lessons for specific applications rather than general fluency, new speakers will be able to shave off significant time towards reaching their desired level.
IQ and EQ
“Learning a second language can satisfy an immediate need but it will also help you become a more understanding and empathic person by opening the doors to a different way of thinking and feeling,” says Meneghetti. “It’s about IQ and EQ combined.”
Communicating and empathising across language barriers can lead to a high-demand skill called ‘intercultural competence’. According to Baker, intercultural competence is the ability to build successful relationships with a variety of people from other cultures.
Dedicating one hour of your day towards learning a new language can be thought of as practice in bridging gaps between people. The result is a more malleable communication skillset that brings you closer to your peers at work, home or abroad.
“You’re faced with a different worldview with someone from a different culture. You don’t rush to judgment and are more effective at resolving the clashes in the world that come up,” Baker says.
“Just learning one language, any language in any culture, helps you to develop that adaptability and flexibility when faced with other cultures, period.”
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FAQs
How to learn a language in an hour a day? ›
With a busy work life, finding the time to commit to a new language can be a challenge in itself. But experts agree that it's more than possible to make meaningful progress in just one hour a day. Not only that, the skills gained from practicing a new language can feel like superpowers in the workplace and beyond.
Is 1 hour a day enough to learn a language? ›With a busy work life, finding the time to commit to a new language can be a challenge in itself. But experts agree that it's more than possible to make meaningful progress in just one hour a day. Not only that, the skills gained from practicing a new language can feel like superpowers in the workplace and beyond.
Is 2 hours a day enough to learn a language? ›The short answer is as much as possible.
Realistically, however, at least 20 minutes per day should be dedicated to learning a new language. The ideal amount of time to spend on daily study, if you can find the time, is an hour, but you don't need to cram it all in at once.
FSI research indicates that it takes 480 hours to reach basic fluency in group 1 languages, and 720 hours for group 2-4 languages. If we are able to put in 10 hours a day to learn a language, then basic fluency in the easy languages should take 48 days, and for difficult languages 72 days.
How many hours a day should I study a language to learn it? ›For most people, around 30 minutes of active study and 1 hour of language exposure a day is a schedule that will give you great results. It's a model that's sustainable over a long period to help you reach fluency.
Can duolingo make you fluent? ›We see this question a lot and the answer is: yes. Duolingo is a free language-learning platform, and every language and lesson is totally free!
How do CIA agents learn languages? ›The Defense Language Institute (Where CIA Spies Study Languages) The Defense Language Institute (“DLI”), located in Monterey, California, is where the CIA, members of the U.S. armed forces and various other government agencies go to learn foreign languages.
At what age does it get harder to learn a language? ›They concluded that the ability to learn a new language, at least grammatically, is strongest until the age of 18 after which there is a precipitous decline. To become completely fluent, however, learning should start before the age of 10.
How do spies learn languages? ›Intelligence agents are made to concentrate solely on their pursuit of mastering both the language and accent of the country they plan to infiltrate. Spies-in-training spend up to eight hours a day in language classes, along with at least a couple of hours of homework per night.
What is the fastest way to learn a language? ›- Take risks and speak the language whenever you can.
- Read children's books and comic books in the foreign language.
- Consume foreign language media.
- Immerse yourself in the local culture.
- Make use of free foreign language podcasts and apps.
Can 15 minutes a day teach you a language? ›
Make a habit of daily learning
Even if it's just 10 minutes, it's better than nothing because you made connections.” While spending a full 15 minutes on lessons and taking time to review should be the goal for language learning, the key to proficiency in another language is daily practice.
Across multiple sources, Mandarin Chinese is the number one language listed as the most challenging to learn. The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center puts Mandarin in Category IV, which is the list of the most difficult languages to learn for English speakers.
Does Duolingo really work? ›Duolingo generally does a good job of balancing the four essential skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing. It doesn't remedy the fact that we might not be pronouncing the words correctly, but the ability to make and speak our own sentences is a great step toward really learning to use the language.
Can you learn a language in 30 minutes a day? ›Learning a language has a lot of similarities to learning to play an instrument, and many music teachers advise practicing for about 30 minutes per day. Shorter periods of learning have the added bonus of making you more likely to stick with it and keep up a consistent schedule.
What language takes the most hours to learn? ›Mandarin is the most difficult language to learn. Like Arabic, Mandarin takes 22 months and 2200 hours to reach proficiency. However, there is one important factor that sets Mandarin apart as the most difficult language in the world to learn: their symbols. The Mandarin language has over 50,000 characters.
How many hours does it take to become fluent in a language? ›| Length of Training | Minimal Aptitude | Superior Aptitude |
|---|---|---|
| 16 weeks (480 hours) | Novice High | Intermediate Low/Mid |
| 24 weeks (720 hours) | Intermediate Low/Mid | Intermediate High |
| 44 weeks(1320 hours) | Intermediate High | Advanced Mid/High |
| 80-92 weeks (2400-2760 hours) | Advanced High | Superior |
The biggest difference between Babbel and Duolingo is the approach to language learning. Babbel is a better option if you want traditional language instructions through modules and lessons. By contrast, Duolingo works great if you need a playful, gamified experience.
What is the success rate of Duolingo? ›The effectiveness measure showed that on average participants gained 8.1 points per one hour of study with Duolingo. The 95% Confidence Interval for the effectiveness is from 5.6 points to 10.7 points gained per one hour of study.
Which is better Duolingo or Rosetta Stone? ›Duolingo vs Rosetta Stone, which is better for travel? If you are going to be travelling and want to learn a language at a beginner to intermediate level, we believe Rosetta Stone is a better option than Duolingo. Their lessons are more comprehensive and you will learn more quickly.
What language does FBI need? ›Language skills and cultural knowledge, specifically in Arabic, Bosnian, Chinese, Farsi, Russian, Somali, Uzbek, Korean or another language are highly sought after by the FBI. All applicants must pass the FBI's Foreign Language Test Battery.
What are Level 5 languages? ›
5 – Native / Bilingual Proficiency
Someone at this language proficiency level was either raised speaking the language as their native tongue or has been speaking it so long that they are completely fluent. They have little or no accent.
- Arabic.
- Korean.
- Pashto.
- Chinese.
- Dari.
- Russian.
- Persian/Farsi.
- Somali.
Are you ever too old to learn a new language? Well, the good news is that experts say you are never too old. Studies show that anyone at any age can learn a new language. In fact, it is even easier to start speaking in a foreign language now with all the advanced technology available on the market.
Is 30 too old to learn a language? ›No matter how old you are, you're never too old to learn a new language. However, because your brain's ability to adapt and change decreases over time, you'll probably have to practice more.
How many languages is a polyglot? ›How many languages do you have to speak to be a polyglot? If you speak even more than three, you might be known as a polyglot. And if you're any of the above, you can also describe yourself as multilingual.
Is there a secret to learning a language? ›The secret to successful language learning lies in finding that same sense of motivation. You need to have a real stake in the outcome of your language education, just like you had in your driver's ed classes—and just like you once had, without even realizing it, in learning your first language.
Does the CIA have a language school? ›The Intelligence Language Institute (ILI) is the premier language school in the Intelligence Community. The ILI supports CIA's intelligence mission by enabling and enhancing foreign language skills anytime, anywhere.
What are the most spoken languages in the world CIA? ›most-spoken language: English 18.8%, Mandarin Chinese 13.8%, Hindi 7.5%, Spanish 6.9%, French 3.4%, Arabic 3.4%, Bengali 3.4%, Russian 3.2%, Portuguese 3.2%, Urdu 2.9% (2022 est.)
What is the 1 easiest language to learn? ›1. Norwegian. This may come as a surprise, but we have ranked Norwegian as the easiest language to learn for English speakers. Norwegian is a member of the Germanic family of languages — just like English!
What is the 3 easiest language to learn? ›Easiest (about 600 hours of study)
Of these, Spanish and Italian are the easiest for native English speakers to learn, followed by Portuguese and finally French.
How can I make my brain learn a language faster? ›
- Create a sense of urgency. A common complaint when learning a new language? Lack of time. ...
- Make your learning as personal as possible. Our brains tend to forget things we don't need. ...
- Learn to repeat in a way that actually works.
For around 1 hour of learning and 30 minutes or less testing (so no more than 1 and a half hours a day, maybe less if you become efficient at this), you can EASILY learn 100+ words.
How many words a day to become fluent? ›People who know 250 to 500 words are beginners. Those who know 1,000 to 3,000 words can carry on everyday conversations. Knowing 4,000 to 10,000 words makes people advanced language users while knowing more than 10,000 words puts them at the fluent or native-speaker levels.
How many words should I memorize a day to learn a language? ›Learning 50 words a day is impressive, learning each word will take you about 10 seconds, but you need to practice it, so if you spend just 1 hour a day, you can pick up a lot of vocabulary and be confident in conversation with native speakers!
What is the 2 hardest language to speak? ›- Mandarin Chinese. Interestingly, the hardest language to learn is also the most widely spoken native language in the world. ...
- Arabic. ...
- Polish. ...
- Russian. ...
- Turkish. ...
- Danish.
- Frisian. ...
- Dutch. ...
- Norwegian. ...
- Spanish. ...
- Portuguese. ...
- Italian. ...
- French. ...
- Swedish.
Japanese is slightly easier to learn. But, Chinese is much more widely spoken. Both languages have their pros and cons. Ultimately whichever language pulls on your heartstrings the most is the winner.
Is Rosetta Stone actually good? ›Is Rosetta Stone really worth it? Rosetta Stone is worth it if you're a beginner and want to immerse yourself in a new language. Rosetta Stone teaches you vocabulary using audio and images and it helps you actively practice the language. It's not really a good option for more intermediate or advanced learners though.
Can you really learn a language while you sleep? ›Second, this study showed people may be able to aid vocabulary learning in their sleep, but picking up a new language involves much more than that. More complex parts of a language, such as grammar and conjugation rules, are out of reach, so it's probably not possible to learn an entire new language this way.
How far can Duolingo take you? ›When it comes to listening and reading, they found that 5 units of Duolingo is comparable to 4 university semesters. As for speaking, they found that at least 50% of learners that had completed 5 units of the French and Spanish courses reached at least an A2 level of speaking.
Is 500 hours enough to learn a language? ›
True language fluency requires consistent effort and time, and while 500 – 1,000 hours may seem like a lot, a typical person could probably invest that level of time over 12 – 18 months, with the right study schedule.
Can you learn a language in 10,000 hours? ›How Many Hours of Practice Do You Need? Generally speaking the many hours of practice necessary in Extensive Listening, Extensive Reading and Study Abroad to achieve language mastery is 10,000 hours. This demonstrates, just how much continued, long term and extensive practice is needed in order to become proficient.
Which is simplest language? ›Riau Indonesian is different from most other languages in how simple it is. There are no endings of any substance, no tones, no articles, and no word order. There is only a little bit of indicating things in time.
What is the closest language to English? ›Except for Frisian, Dutch is linguistically the closest language to English, with both languages being part of the West Germanic linguistic family. This means many Dutch words are cognates with English (meaning they share the same linguistic roots), giving them similar spelling and pronunciation.
Can Babbel make you fluent? ›You will most likely not become fluent with Babbel. It's a solid language app and can give you a strong foundation in your target language, but to achieve fluency, you'll need to use other resources. While it won't help you become fluent, Babbel can help you improve your language skills.
What is the most spoken language in the world? ›1. English (1,452 million speakers) According to Ethnologue, English is the most-spoken language in the world including native and non-native speakers. Like Latin or Greek at the time, English has become the world's common language.
Is 30 minutes a day enough to learn a language? ›The Half Hour Theory
Learning a language has a lot of similarities to learning to play an instrument, and many music teachers advise practicing for about 30 minutes per day. Shorter periods of learning have the added bonus of making you more likely to stick with it and keep up a consistent schedule.
But even among the serial language learners at Babbel, you'll never find someone poring over French 101 textbooks, cramming themselves to fluency. That's because the central principle of the Babbel language learning approach is that people should spend about 15 minutes per day studying a new language.
How many words a day should I learn for a language? ›Learning 50 words a day is impressive, learning each word will take you about 10 seconds, but you need to practice it, so if you spend just 1 hour a day, you can pick up a lot of vocabulary and be confident in conversation with native speakers!
How long does it take to learn a language 2 hours a day? ›That means to learn a language like Spanish, you'd have to study for a little over 2 hours a day, five days a week, to reach fluency in a year. And at 2 hours a day, five days a week, 520 hours a year, it would take you roughly 4 years and 4 months to reach fluency in Chinese.
What is a realistic time to learn a language? ›
The next and most accurate answer is that it can take anywhere between three months to two years to learn how to speak, write, and read in a new language fluently.
How long does it take to be fluent? ›True language fluency requires consistent effort and time, and while 500 – 1,000 hours may seem like a lot, a typical person could probably invest that level of time over 12 – 18 months, with the right study schedule.
Is 2000 words enough to speak a language? ›Some linguists believe that 800 words are enough to hold a basic conversation. However, your vocabulary should be over 8,000 words if you want to speak a language as well as a native speaker.
How many weeks does it take to become fluent in a language? ›| Length of Training | Minimal Aptitude | Average Aptitude |
|---|---|---|
| 16 weeks (480 hours) | Novice High | Intermediate Low |
| 24 weeks (720 hours) | Intermediate Low/Mid | Intermediate Mid/High |
| 44 weeks(1320 hours) | Intermediate High | Advanced Low |
| 80-92 weeks (2400-2760 hours) | Advanced High | Superior |
You can actually learn 300, 400 or 500 words a day or more . . . but let's just take it slow, and aim for a mere 200 words a day.
Are native speakers C2? ›A C2 level of English is essentially a native level. It allows for reading and writing of any type on any subject, nuanced expression of emotions and opinions, and active participation in any academic or professional setting.
How long does it take to learn 1000 words in a foreign language? ›In our research, we looked at 15 million questions over a period of six months, and we found that a user typically learns a word after 51 seconds of study, or about 9 question attempts. At this rate, a person will learn 1,000 new words in just under 15 hours of study.
How much of a language can you understand with 2000 words? ›According to research, we can understand about 80% of a text after learning 2000 words. Of course, depending on which language you're studying and how common the words are which you study, this will vary.