Salut,

You may have seen people on YouTube who claim they learned French in just a few months.

As a language teacher, I can guarantee you that these people are the exception, not the rule.

Yes, you can learn French in 3 months…

… if you’re capable of studying 7 hours a day every day.

Yes, you can learn French in 10 minutes a day…

… if you do it every day for 11 years.

I’m not making these figures up.

According to the Alliance Française, it takes about 650 hours to reach the B2 level (considered “conversational”). So if you study for an hour a day, it will take you around 2 years.

(Of course, this number varies depending on how close your mother tongue is to French, how you define “studying”, etc. But let’s not get bogged down in those details, because that’s not what’s important here).

2 years seems more realistic than 3 months.

But maybe you’ve already been learning French for more than 2 years, and you’re still not comfortable when you try to have a conversation in French.

Don’t worry, it’s perfectly normal.

First of all, few people have the time to study for an hour a day every day for 2 years.

You probably have other obligations: your family, your work or studies, your hobbies…

But above all, academic research shows that it takes thousands, not hundreds of hours, to master a language!

For example, children are exposed to their mother tongue for around 15,000 hours before they start kindergarten. And even then, they’re not considered fluent.

Yes, adults can speed up their learning because their cognitive capacities are more developed, but they can’t learn 20 times faster than children!

If you don’t live in an environment where you hear French 24 hours a day, it will take you several years to become fluent.

I’m not writing this to discourage you, but to give you realistic expectations.

My advice? Forget the destination (“fluency”) and enjoy the journey (your learning).

Learning a language isn’t about “putting in the hours”.

Learning a language is about living an exciting adventure in a new world.

So make the most of every moment!

Do you know why the innerFrench logo is a hot-air balloon?

A hot-air balloon isn’t the fastest way to your destination.

But in a hot-air balloon, you can enjoy the scenery and live an unforgettable trip.

(Plus, it’s a French invention!).

My goal is not to help you learn French “as fast as possible”.

My goal is to accompany you on this beautiful adventure.

Hugo