bilingual users: how long did you take to effectively be able to speak another language fluently?

Question

By fluently I mean clearly, with a broad and extensive vocabulary,with no hesitations and with excellent accuracy at a reasonable rate.

Answer 1

To be honest it takes time. How long? it would depend on how much efforts are you putting in learning the second language. I've been immerse for the past 6 years in another language I did graduate school and I've been working for 4 years and I still learn something new every day... my best guest is that it took me honestly around 2 1/2 - 3 years to be as you said. The secret is not to give up, mistakes are the best way to learn and enjoy the journey!

Answer 2

ok, I'm from Africa and I have a first language and I studied in a french school so I learned french and then I come in Canada and I learned english ,that's three languages but it's not difficult and it depends too ,for some people it's hard especially for old persons ,so I coud say that for me it didn't take so long for each language,like 7 or 8 months cause I really wanted to speak well the language

Answer 3

I would say it takes years,I am German by birth and had no knowledge of English when I came here,also it depends on how
often you study or use the language you may laugh but i learned i lot
watching kids TV,Sesame street and so on

Answer 4

About 8 months. The hardest part is to understand what people are saying and being able to answer better than a 3 year old.

Answer 5

ive been bilingual since i was in kindergarden and considering that i made sure i went to bilingual schools the language was just encrypted in my mind. it all depends on how your mind can process such things

Answer 6

it took me my whole life. i studied english [in school] like starting 1st grade [oh yeah i didn't study in english-speaking countries] and now im a junior in high school... uh but now i can clearly speak english. =)

Answer 7

takes years of study AND practice