Is 6 months enough to learn French?

Six months to learn French? Hmmm, that’s a tough one. Is it enough? Honestly, it depends entirely on what you mean by “learn.” Could you get by on a basic level, ordering a croissant and asking for directions? Probably, yeah, if you really hunkered down. I tried something similar with Spanish once, spending about two hours a day for about five months – I could stumble through a pretty basic conversation, but I definitely wouldn’t have been able to discuss anything complex, like, you know, the intricacies of the Spanish political system. That’s just me though.

They say you can get the basics in six months with, like, two or three hours a day. That’s a lot of time, though, right? I mean, who has that kind of time? I barely managed an hour most days and that was when I was unemployed and my cat didn’t decide to sleep on my keyboard every five minutes. A year with less time a day is also supposed to be doable, which sounds way more realistic for someone with a job or, you know, a life. But that’s the thing – it has to be consistent. Skipping days, even weeks? Forget it. Your progress will be, like, a snail trying to win a marathon.

Full-time work? Oof, that makes things a million times harder. My friend Sarah tried to learn Italian while working full-time and, well, let’s just say her pasta-making skills didn’t improve as much as her vocabulary. She still loves the language though, keeps at it in little bursts.

Ultimately, think about how much time you realistically have. Are you a super-focused learner who can absorb information like a sponge? Or more of a…gradual soaking-in kind of person, like me? (I need coffee and maybe a small animal to look at for optimal learning). It’s less about the time and more about your commitment, I think. Six months could work, but don’t be disappointed if you need longer. It’s a journey, not a race, and you definitely shouldn’t stress about it.