Learning English works best when you know your current level, have a clear goal and spend at least a little time with the language every day. A beginner needs around 200 guided learning hours for basic communication (level A2) and roughly 500 to 600 hours to become an independent user (B2). Below is a plan that works for adults studying on their own, plus tips for helping children learn English.
Language levels: where you are and how long it takes
In Europe, language skills are described using the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), which has six levels. Schools, language courses and international exams all use the same scale, so it is a good starting point for any study plan.
| Level | What you can do | Study hours from scratch (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | introduce yourself and understand simple everyday sentences if people speak slowly | 90–100 |
| A2 | talk about family, work, shopping and your immediate surroundings | 180–200 |
| B1 | get by while travelling, describe experiences and briefly justify an opinion | 350–400 |
| B2 | talk fluently with native speakers and follow more demanding discussions | 500–600 |
| C1 | express yourself spontaneously and flexibly at work and in your studies | 700–800 |
| C2 | understand virtually everything with ease and express yourself very precisely | 1,000–1,200 |
The hours are cumulative from a complete beginner. They are published by Cambridge English, which stresses that they are only a guideline: people who have learned another foreign language before, and who hear English outside their lessons, progress faster. Because English is everywhere – in subtitled films, music and online – many learners start at a higher level than they expect.
How to check your level
Before buying a textbook or signing up for a course, take a short online test such as the free EnglishScore test offered by the British Council. The result tells you whether you need beginner materials or can go straight to more challenging content.
Learning English on your own: a five-step plan
Self-study can be just as effective as a course if you approach it systematically. The most common mistake is randomness: an app one day, then nothing for a week. A simple plan helps:
- Set a measurable goal. Instead of “I want to speak English”, write something like “from A2 to B1 in six months” or “a job interview in English”.
- Study a little every day. Twenty minutes a day achieves more than two hours on Sundays, because knowledge is consolidated through repetition.
- Use spaced repetition. Write new words down in full sentences and review them after one day, three days and a week. Flashcard apps such as Anki work on the same principle.
- Say something out loud every week. A chat with a friend, a language exchange, or at least reading aloud and recording yourself.
- Measure your progress. Retake the test every three months and adjust your materials.
Learning English by listening
Listening is the easiest way to fit English into everyday life – while driving, walking or cooking. Beginners should choose podcasts and videos made for learners, where speakers talk more slowly and clearly. More advanced learners can move on to ordinary podcasts, news and TV series. With films, a good intermediate step is to switch from subtitles in your own language to English ones, so you hear and see each word at the same time.
Speaking without fear
Many adults understand far more than they dare to say. Overcome the fear of mistakes gradually: first describe to yourself what you are doing (“I’m making coffee”), then record a short talk about your day, and only then look for a conversation partner. Mistakes are part of learning, and most people pay more attention to what you say than to your grammar.
Free English learning for beginners
You don’t need an expensive subscription to get off to a good start. Good free resources include:
- British Council LearnEnglish – a free website for adult learners with explanations and exercises.
- LearnEnglish Kids and LearnEnglish Teens – sister sites for children aged 5 to 12 and teenagers aged 13 to 17.
- Public libraries – books and picture books in English, including simplified editions for learners.
- Podcasts and videos for language learners – short episodes on everyday topics.
- Apps with a free version – great for daily vocabulary review, but not as your only resource.
Free materials have one drawback: nobody corrects you. Combine them with real conversation – with a friend who speaks English well or an occasional lesson with a teacher.
English for children
In Slovenia, where our editorial team is based, children start their first foreign language – English or German – in Year 2 of primary school, and the national curriculum allots 70 hours a year in both Year 2 and Year 3. It stresses that young children understand before they speak: a child may only listen for a while (the so-called silent period) and should not be pushed to talk.
At home you can help the same way schools do – through play:
- songs and counting rhymes with actions,
- picture books you read together while pointing at what you are talking about,
- short cartoons in English that you watch together,
- role play, for example playing “shop” with the English names of fruit and vegetables.
Regular, relaxed repetition matters more than long sessions. When your child starts using words on their own, praise what they say rather than correcting every mistake.
Is it possible to learn English fast?
With intensive study you can reach the basics of level A1 within a few weeks, as it takes about 100 hours. Fluent communication at B2, however, realistically takes several hundred hours – more than a year at one hour a day. Promises that you will master English in a month are exaggerated.
You will progress faster if you:
- study every day rather than now and then,
- use the language for things you care about – hobbies, work, travel,
- speak and write as much as possible, not just read,
- prepare vocabulary for specific situations, such as the airport, hotel and restaurant, before a trip abroad.
Other foreign languages are learned on the same principles: once you have tested the system with English, you can easily apply it to German, Italian or Spanish.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to learn English?
From a complete beginner to B2 takes roughly 500 to 600 guided learning hours, and to B1 about 350 to 400 hours. The real time depends on your previous language learning, how intensively you study and how much English you hear and use outside lessons.
Can I learn English on my own?
Yes. With a steady daily plan, free materials and plenty of listening you can reach a solid level by yourself. For speaking, find a conversation partner or a teacher now and then who can correct you.
Where can I learn English for free?
On the British Council’s free LearnEnglish website for adults, through podcasts and videos made for learners, by borrowing English books from your public library and with the free versions of vocabulary apps.
At what age should a child start learning English?
Children can meet English very early through songs, picture books and games, without pressure to speak straight away. In Slovenian primary schools the first foreign language starts in Year 2.
What does level B2 mean?
In the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, B2 is an independent user: you understand demanding conversations and specialist discussions and can talk fluently with native speakers.
