How long does it take to learn mandarin
First of all, let me state this: I think you never really stop learning a language, so it is difficult to define when you can say you are done!
But for the Chinese, I have often heard that it would take 10+ years just to be able to communicate. While I think it really depends on several factors like how, why and how many hours you dedicate to it, I have written down what makes sense for me:
From what I’ve experienced:
- HSK 1-3 (1 year) → Basic conversations.
- HSK 4-5 (2 years) → Conversational fluency, comfortable with everyday discussions.
- HSK 6+ (3+ years) → High-level fluency, reading newspapers and books, discussing complex topics.
I reached HSK 3 in one year while other levels took a bit longer. I mainly learned following HSK books and I got quite good at listening (and also reading) with the help of YouTube videos. Speaking came faster than expected since there’s no verb conjugation or cases, but tones and characters were and still are the real challenge.
Are you also considering learning Chinese or are you already learning it? Please share your thoughts!