Free calculator
How long does it take to learn German?
Choose your level, your goal and your time per week. You see right away when you reach B1 (or C1) and what that means for every day.
You will reach B1 around
January 2028
in 15 months · about 324 study hours · realistically 11 months to 20 months
That is 43 minutes a day.
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Study hours to each German level
Course and self-study combined, for adults with a European native language. The calculator adjusts the numbers to your language.
A1
about 120 hours from zero · at 5 h/week 6 months, at 15 h/week 8 weeks
A2
about 250 hours from zero · at 5 h/week 12 months, at 15 h/week 4 months
B1
about 450 hours from zero · at 5 h/week 21 months, at 15 h/week 7 months
B2
about 700 hours from zero · at 5 h/week 2.7 years, at 15 h/week 11 months
C1
about 1000 hours from zero · at 5 h/week 3.8 years, at 15 h/week 15 months
Estimates based on the study-hour figures of the Goethe-Institut and the German integration course (600 lessons to B1). Learners who practise daily and use German in everyday life are often faster.
Questions
Questions about study time
How long does it take to learn German?
As a rough rule, adults need about 120 study hours for A1, about 450 for B1 and about 1000 for C1, course and self-study combined. At 5 hours a week that is almost two years to B1, at 20 hours a week about half a year.
How long does it take from A1 to B1?
From A1 to B1 you can expect about 330 study hours. The German integration course plans 600 lessons of 45 minutes for this, plus homework.
Can I reach B1 in 3 months?
From zero to B1 in three months takes around 35 hours a week, so a full-time intensive course plus daily practice. If you already have A2, 15 to 20 hours a week make it realistic.
Why does my native language matter?
If you speak English or Dutch, you recognise many words and sentence patterns and progress faster. With languages such as Arabic, Turkish or Chinese more is new, so the calculator plans more hours.
How can I learn German faster?
A little every day beats a lot once a week. Review words just before you forget them, say a few sentences out loud every day and use German in daily life: radio, shopping, neighbours.
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