What does it mean to be fluent in a language? Most people say that being fluent in a language means you can speak and understand it almost perfectly. Others say that language fluency means you generally understand what someone is saying and can provide an answer in that language.
The real definition lies somewhere in the middle. Language fluency falls along several levels, and it can mean different things in different contexts. Learn more about language fluency levels, how to tell how fluent someone is in a language, and whether language fluency and language proficiency are the same thing.
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What is language fluency?
Language fluency indicates how smoothly and effectively someone can express themselves in a language. The word “fluent” comes from the Latin fluere, meaning “to flow,” indicating that speakers at the highest language fluency level communicate without errors or hesitation. They don’t need to translate or use loanwords from their native language to be understood.
How long does it take to become fluent in a language?
The time it takes to learn a new language depends on the language you’re learning. Based on the Foreign Service Institute’s language difficulty rankings, Spanish or French may take around 24 weeks to learn, while Mandarin or Korean would be closer to two years of study.
However, it may take even longer to become fluent—that is, to speak and write as effortlessly as a native speaker. Some second language learners study for years and never reach full fluency, while others become fluent very quickly.
Fluency vs. proficiency
You may see the terms “language fluency” and “language proficiency” used interchangeably, but they’re not exactly the same concept.
- Language fluency only describes how well one communicates in a language.
- Language proficiency indicates their level of mastery of the language’s vocabulary, grammar, and syntax.
It’s possible to be fluent in a language without being proficient. For example, a fluent German speaker may be able to communicate confidently with their boss in German, but they may not have a mastery of the entire German language. A student learning English may converse well with their friends but struggle to tell their teacher about a story they just read in English.
Though less common, it’s also possible to be proficient in a language without being fluent. Some bilingual speakers may score well on every test in their new language, but can’t speak it without hesitation or errors. That’s why linguists often consider language fluency as just one part of language proficiency.
How to measure language fluency levels
Even though language fluency typically refers to the way a learner speaks in their new language, that’s not the only way to measure fluency. The four measures most language fluency levels use demonstrate the following:
- speaking: how well you can speak, ask questions, and form responses without making errors or using halted speech
- listening: how well you can listen to someone else speak in a different language and understand what they’re saying without needing to translate it first
- reading: how much of a text you can read without pausing to translate in your mind or using translation tools
- writing: how much you can write without pausing or needing to verify that you’re using the correct vocabulary or grammar
Levels of language proficiency, which measure all the aspects of becoming proficient in another language, also use these four categories in their assessments. Although you’ll find several models of levels of language proficiency, linguists and educators tend to use the following three models.
CEFR Levels of Language Proficiency
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is a widely accepted way to measure a speaker’s level of language proficiency and their language fluency level. It focuses on what learners can do in a variety of settings, especially when it comes to reception, production, interaction, and mediation skills.
Rosetta Stone aligns with CEFR, so these are the levels you’ll see when you take a Rosetta Stone course. In all, there are six levels in the CEFR model divided into three main proficiency categories: Basic, Independent, and Proficient.
| Levels | Learners Can: |
| A1 (Basic) | understand and use basic expressions and phrasesask and answer personal questions |
| A2 (Basic) | hold basic conversations about simple concepts and tasksdescribe themselves using short details |
| B1 (Independent) | describe common situations in their everyday or travel livesproduce text and spoken descriptions about complex issues |
| B2 (Independent) | read and write more complex textshold spontaneous conversations or debates with minimal errors |
| C1 (Proficient) | use an extensive vocabulary to hold conversations in personal and professional contextsread and write at a nearly fluent level |
| C2 (Proficient) | express themselves without errors in both conversation and writingread any text in their new language with a fluent understanding |
ACTFL Levels of Language Proficiency
Another common language proficiency model comes from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Like the CEFR model, it focuses on how learners communicate in professional, academic, and personal settings to assess language fluency levels and proficiency.
The ACTFL Proficiency Scale uses an inverted pyramid to demonstrate how its five levels build into Distinguished proficiency. Each level is divided into Low, Mid, and High levels to show transitions into and out of each level.
| Level | Learners Can: |
| Novice | generate short, practiced responses to questionsread short and basic texts, talk about themselves in simple terms |
| Intermediate | ask questions and describe problems with longer responsesunderstand one sentence at a timemeet functional writing needs |
| Advanced | participate in spontaneous conversationsuse context clues to navigate language weaknesseswrite in different verb tenses |
| Superior | hold conversations without hesitation or errorfollow extended responsesunderstand specialized vocabulary |
| Distinguished | use language accurately and effectively to persuade or hold conversationsuse rhetorical devices in writing and speakingspeak smoothly without hesitation |
ILR Levels of Language Proficiency
Developed by the Foreign Service Institute in the US State Department, the InterAgency Language Roundtable assesses proficiency and language fluency levels. While it’s mainly designed for use in government agencies and departments, many employers use this model to describe how learners can use a language in the workplace.
This model uses six levels ranging from No Proficiency to Bilingual Fluency, with transitional phrases (plus) in between each one.
| Level | Descriptor | Learners Can: |
| 0 | No Proficiency | speak, write, or understand only a few words (if any) |
| 0+ | Memorized Proficiency | use practiced words and phrases to fulfill immediate needs |
| 1 | Elementary Proficiency | have very simple conversations |
| 1+ | Elementary Proficiency Plus | provide basic details about themselves |
| 2 | Limited Working Proficiency | conduct the basic demands of work or schoolwork |
| 2+ | Limited Working Proficiency Plus | participate in basic interactions and work in non-stressful situations |
| 3 | Professional Working Proficiency | use language to work and hold conversations at a normal rate of speech |
| 3+ | Professional Working Proficiency Plus | meet professional expectations with few errors or hesitation |
| 4 | Full Professional Proficiency | use superior language skills that do not impede professional progress or understanding |
| 4+ | Full Professional Proficiency Plus | participate in professional contexts with near-fluency and very few errors |
| 5 | Native or Bilingual Fluency | speak, write, and understand language as well as native speakers of their language |
Advance your language fluency levels with Rosetta Stone
Becoming fluent in your new language means you’ll be able to speak, read, write, and listen without needing to pause or translate first. It’s an important step toward language proficiency and ultimately becoming bilingual (or trilingual, or even a polyglot!).
And becoming fluent isn’t as difficult as it may sound. When it comes to learning a new language, Rosetta Stone has the tools you need to add fluency to your speech and writing. With the Dynamic Immersion method, you’ll be immersed in your new language from the beginning of your lessons. And the TruAccent speech recognition engine helps you sound like a native speaker in no time. Choose your favorite way to learn and begin your language journey today!
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