· 7 min read
How Long Does It Take to Learn English?
By Language Lab editorial team
How long does it take to learn English? Cambridge English gives guided learning hours for every level, from 90–100 for A1 to 1,000–1,200 for C2. Plan yours.
Cambridge English estimates that a learner needs approximately 200 guided learning hours to move from one level of the Common European Framework to the next. From complete beginner, its guideline is 90–100 hours to reach A1, 180–200 for A2, 350–400 for B1, 500–600 for B2, 700–800 for C1 and 1,000–1,200 for C2. Guided hours means lessons and supervised study. At 10 guided hours a week, B1 takes 35 to 40 weeks and B2 takes 50 to 60. Cambridge says the figures are a guideline only: the time changes with your language learning background, the intensity of your study, your age, and how much you study and hear English outside lessons. Decide which level you need, then count the weeks.
Hours to each level
This is Cambridge English's table of guided learning hours from beginner level. The numbers are cumulative: they are totals from zero, not the hours from one level to the next.
| Level | Cambridge exam at that level | Guided learning hours (approximate) |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | A1 Starters and Movers | 90–100 |
| A2 | A2 Key | 180–200 |
| B1 | B1 Preliminary | 350–400 |
| B2 | B2 First | 500–600 |
| C1 | C1 Advanced | 700–800 |
| C2 | C2 Proficiency | 1,000–1,200 |
Cambridge gives an example of the 200-hour step: a candidate who has passed B2 First might need approximately 200 hours of lessons and supervised study to prepare for C1 Advanced.
What each level lets you do
| Level | The Council of Europe's description |
|---|---|
| A1 | Understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases |
| A2 | Communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information |
| B1 | Deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken |
| B2 | Interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible |
| C1 | Use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes |
| C2 | Understand with ease virtually everything heard or read |
Weeks at your pace
| Guided hours per week | To B1 (350–400) | To B2 (500–600) | To C1 (700–800) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 70 to 80 weeks | 100 to 120 weeks | 140 to 160 weeks |
| 10 | 35 to 40 weeks | 50 to 60 weeks | 70 to 80 weeks |
| 20 | About 18 to 20 weeks | 25 to 30 weeks | 35 to 40 weeks |
If you already have a level, subtract. Someone at B1 who needs B2 is looking at roughly one 200-hour step, which is 20 weeks at 10 guided hours a week.
Why your number will differ
Cambridge English says you may require more or less time and support depending on your own needs, and lists four factors:
- Your language learning background.
- The intensity of your study.
- Your age.
- The amount of study and exposure outside of lesson times.
The fourth is the easiest to change, because good English material is free. The British Council's LearnEnglish has a free library of more than 10,000 activities and exercises. BBC Learning English sorts its material into easy, medium and hard levels. Voice of America's Learning English reads its programmes one-third slower than normal English. Cambridge English publishes 176 free activities by level and skill.
Get more from each hour
A 2013 review of ten learning techniques, led by John Dunlosky, rated practice testing and distributed practice as high utility. Rereading and highlighting were rated low. A 2006 meta-analysis of 317 experiments on distributed practice found that the best gap between study sessions grows with how long you need to remember the material.
- Spread your hours across the week.
- Open each session with a short test on the previous one.
- Go back to old lessons on purpose.
- Say new sentences aloud every time.
Find your starting point
You cannot count the hours left until you know where you are. The British Council offers a free English level test with a free account, and the BBC's Learning English site has a test of your level. Take one before you plan.
Language Lab's English course is built around voiced real-life scenarios with an AI tutor, so some of your weekly hours can go on speaking.
Frequently asked
How long does it take to learn English?
Cambridge English's guideline is approximately 200 guided learning hours per level of the European framework. From complete beginner that is 350–400 hours to B1, 500–600 to B2 and 700–800 to C1.
How many hours does it take to reach B2 in English?
Approximately 500–600 guided learning hours from beginner level, by Cambridge English's guideline. At 10 guided hours a week that is 50 to 60 weeks.
How long does it take to go from B1 to B2?
Approximately 200 guided learning hours, by Cambridge English's rule for moving up one level. At 10 hours a week that is 20 weeks.
Can I learn English in 6 months?
Six months is about 26 weeks. At 10 guided hours a week that is 260 hours, past the A2 band of 180–200 in Cambridge's guideline. At 20 hours a week it is 520 hours, inside the B2 band of 500–600.
How long does it take to become fluent in English?
It depends on what you mean by fluent. The Council of Europe's scale first mentions interacting with a degree of fluency and spontaneity at B2, which Cambridge puts at 500–600 guided hours from zero, and expressing yourself fluently and spontaneously at C1, at 700–800.
Does age affect how long it takes?
Cambridge English lists age as one of four factors, with language learning background, intensity of study and the amount of study and exposure outside lessons.
Sources: Cambridge English, Guided learning hours and Learning English; Council of Europe, CEFR Global scale; British Council, LearnEnglish; BBC Learning English; Voice of America, About Learning English; Dunlosky et al., Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2013; Cepeda et al., Psychological Bulletin, 2006. Checked on 13 October 2026. Photo: Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster at dusk, London, Colin / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
