There's no fixed answer — it depends on your starting level, your native language and how much time you put in. Below is a realistic timeline per CEFR level, based on widely-used benchmarks.
"How long does it take?" is the question I get asked most — and the honest answer is: it varies enormously from person to person. Still, there are widely-used benchmarks (originally developed by Cambridge English, but commonly applied across languages in language teaching) that give a good indication of the number of guided lesson hours per CEFR level.
Note: these are cumulative hours from zero, and they're averages — not hard deadlines. Below you'll find both the hours and a realistic time estimate at an average study pace.
| Level | Cumulative lesson hours (from zero) | At ~4-5 hrs/week (lessons + self-study) |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | 60–80 hours | ~2-3 months |
| A2 | 180–200 hours | ~4-6 months |
| B1 | 350–400 hours | ~9-14 months |
| B2 | 500–600 hours | ~14-20 months |
| C1 | 700–800 hours | ~20-28 months |
Benchmark figures based on widely-cited Cambridge English guided-learning estimates, commonly applied as a rule of thumb across language teaching. Individual results vary by 30-50%.
Speak German or English? You already share a lot of vocabulary and grammar with Dutch. If your native language is further removed (such as Spanish or Portuguese), pronunciation and word order tend to take more time at first.
Grammar and vocabulary via an app or book move faster than active speaking. Many people test "higher" on paper than in a spontaneous conversation — speaking skill needs separate, repeated practice.
Daily exposure (groceries, colleagues, neighbours) significantly speeds up listening comprehension and everyday vocabulary, on top of lessons.
A short, active lesson twice a week works better than one long session a month. Regularity is the biggest predictor of progress I see in practice.
After 380+ students, I see one pattern come back again and again: people who fixate on a tight deadline get discouraged faster than people who keep a realistic pace. B1 in 9 months is achievable with 2 lessons a week plus some self-study in between — but it's not a race. More important than speed is that you actually speak from the first lesson, instead of just drilling grammar. That's exactly where a teacher makes the difference compared to an app: direct correction on what you actually say, not on what an algorithm expects.
In a few minutes you'll know your current CEFR level — the first step to mapping out a realistic timeline for yourself.
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