Our in-depth guide details how long it takes to learn French using Rosetta Stone, as well as some best practices and tips for making the most of this app.
French is the second most studied language in the world, with over 1.2 million people learning the French language every year. And of all the ways to learn to speak French, Rosetta Stone is one of the most popular mediums of learning.
In this guide, we’ll discuss what it takes to learn French using the Rosetta Stone program, including how much time you should dedicate to studying each week, how long it takes, tips and best practices, and even suggestions to enhance your learning experience. First, let’s discuss the time involved in learning French generally.
How Many Minutes Per Day Should You Study French?
The answer to this question depends on several factors, including how quickly you need to pick up the language, as well as what level of skill you desire.
For example, a casual traveler planning a trip to France a few months from now would be well suited adding just 15 minutes of language learning to their day. However, someone who is moving to France and needs to learn the language as close to natively as possible may want to dedicate an hour or more per day to their language journey, with perhaps additional time on the weekends.
That being said, for the common scenario of someone trying to reach a level of B2 under the CEFR model so that they can talk with relatives or neighbors, my personal suggestion is 30-45 minutes per day. With a timeline of one year, you should be able to get there.
In the end, just think about your goals and timeline. This will help you determine how much time you should dedicate to studying French each day.
How Many Hours To Learn French with Rosetta Stone?
For the French language, it’s estimated that it takes 600 to 750 hours to become fully fluent. Some people learn faster than others and it may only take them 400 hours. For others though, it may take 1,000 hours. It honestly just depends.
And of course, the largest variable in this equation of how long it takes to “learn French” is what level of fluency you are targeting. B1? C2? There is a big difference there.
Once more, assuming again that you are simply targeting an intermediate B2 level in French, expect to spend 300 hours with the Rosetta Stone program. Interestingly, the Rosetta French core lesson work is a shade under this amount of total content; however, you will spend a lot of time engaging with bonus features, as well as repeating lessons and doing reviews.
The Rosetta Stone course has the necessary content to get you to B2, but C1 or C2 would be stretching it. You would have to add live classes to get there.
How Long Does It Take To Complete Rosetta Stone French?
Now, according to Rosetta Stone, it will take the average learner about 1,000 hours to complete their French course. But I don’t quite think the math pencils with this claim.
As far as I can tell, there is about 250 hours worth of content across the 20 separate learning units in the Rosetta Stone French course.
The only thing I can think of to make sense of Rosetta Stone’s claim of 1,000 hours is if you include lesson repeats, moving slowly during lessons, and working through the mass amount of extra resources they provide.
By my calculation, if you’re working on your French for about 30 minutes each day, five days a week, it should take you a little under two years to fully complete the Rosetta Stone French course.
If you have more time to invest, you may be able to complete the program faster. Similarly, if you generally move faster through lessons, you can trim down that figure as well.
Best Practices For Learning French Using Rosetta Stone
Now that you know more about how much time it takes to learn to speak French, let’s talk about some best practices to help you learn French faster (and easier) with Rosetta Stone.
Take Notes: Notes are more helpful than you may realize. Whether it’s a word you don’t recognize, something you can’t pronounce well, or anything else, notes can help. You can even put notes on household items to help you learn. The old post-it trick is one of my go-to hacks.
Repeat, Repeat, Repeat: The best way to master pronunciation, especially with a language like French, is to repeat the word aloud. Do this about five or ten times each session and you’ll train your mouth accordingly.
Set a Schedule: It’s easy to put off something like learning a language without a schedule in place. Make sure that you allocate time in your daily schedule to work on learning French if you want to be most effective. I suggest first thing in the morning with your coffee or right after dinner.
Utilize Technology: In addition to Rosetta Stone, there are tons of other technology tools you can use to help you master French. Speech recognition tools, AI, and even translator apps can all make your journey easier.
Best Way To Supplement Rosetta Stone When Learning French
Obviously, the more you practice you get and the more tools you use, the faster you’ll be able to pick up French.
Fortunately, supplementing your learning with Rosetta Stone is easy, thanks in part to the massive number of language resources that have popped up over the years. In addition to Rosetta Stone, you can also:
- Watch or stream French TV content (thank you Lingopie and FluentU)
- Listen to French music while reading the lyrics
- Read the news in French (not my favorite)
- Speak French with a friend or learning partner (this is my favorite)
- Use free online courses and training to supplement your learning
No matter what study plan you design for yourself, just make sure to stay committed. Consistency is key. Nous te souhaitons bonne chance!
Based on my experience, if you’re working on your French for about 30 minutes each day in the Rosetta program, five days per week, it should take you a little under two years to fully complete the Rosetta Stone French course.
There are 20 total learning levels in the Rosetta Stone French program. Each level consists of four individual lessons, which take anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours to complete.
How long it takes to “learn French” with Rosetta Stone is directly tied to what level of fluency you’re seeking. If you just want to obtain an intermediate level of French, plan on spending 12-24 months learning in the Rosetta Stone course.
