You want to reach B1 level Italian language if you want to be able to have more advanced conversations with native Italian speakers without much effort. If you want to reach level B1 and obtain the B1 level language certification, 240–300 hours of lessons are suggested.
The Italian B1 level language certification is at an intermediate level. This means that you are proficient enough in the Italian language for everyday interaction, making integration much more straightforward if you choose to live, study or work in Italy.
You can take the CILS exam in June or December. Once you pass the CILS exam, you will get your B1 certificate. To qualify, you need to score at least 11 points in each of the 5 tests, from listening and reading comprehension to written skills.
On average it will take 18 months (6 courses of 10 weeks each) to reach B1 level. B1 is an intermediate level where you can converse comfortably on most everyday topics.
Level B1 corresponds to independent users of the language, i.e. those who have the necessary fluency to communicate without effort with native speakers.
If you take intensive classes (around 20 hours per week), you can reach the B1 level of day-to-day fluency. Fluency takes more than 3 months, but you can still learn in less time if you adjust your strategy.
While you can certainly learn the Italian language faster than 3 months, you will get better results by taking your time and making sure that you are putting in the effort. The best way to learn Italian in 3 months is to find a program that is designed to teach you Italian and speak like a native speaker.
If you are ambitious you will want to reach the level of proficiency. By this time you will be able to talk fluently and correctly about any topic. You will need 450-500 hours to reach C1 level, 600-650 hours for C2.
They categorise Italian as a 'Group One' or 'Category One' language meaning a student would spend nearly 600 hours in the classroom to reach basic fluency. The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) considers Italian to be one of the easiest languages to learn.
Passing the B1 writing exam is not an easy task. You need advanced preparations to successfully complete this English test. Languages are the most complex subjects. You need lots of patience and practice to learn a new language.
They are also more aware of what they need to work on next to progress. However, in general, b1 is considered to be more difficult than b2. The person has reached a point in his or her career where he or she can engage in a wide range of activities both at work and away from it.
B2 – Intermedio (Intermediate)
Whereas B1 is the level of “Why?”, B2 is the level of “That depends” because it is at this level that you become proficient at discussing various points of view or advantages and disadvantages of something.
C1 Level - ADVANCED
Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes.
Level B2: Basic Fluency
Reaching B2 is generally considered by most people as having basic fluency. You'll have a working vocabulary of around 4000 words.
Unless having a native level of fluency is crucial to your work (are you an international spy?), you should focus on achieving conversational fluency. You can reach conversational fluency in Italian within 6-12 months.
You can expect to need between 24 and 36 weeks of lessons to get that far. So, that's six to eight months to learn Italian from zero to working-in-an-office level.
The answer is yes as long as you are dedicated to your studies and put in a lot of effort. You will need to work hard and devote some time every day for about two years before you become fluent in Italian and talk like native speakers. You'll receive my free resources together with my best offers! Opt out at any time.
All in all, difficulty probably shouldn't be a major factor in your decision, because they're fairly equal in that regard. But you'll probably find that Italian is slightly easier than French. Grammar-wise, they're fairly similar in complexity.
Realistically 6 months to B1 is what you should expect. If you push it, you could maybe do B2. I have a formula for people when they ask me about languages: Assimil + @45 mins / day x 6 days a week = B1 in 6 months -- possibly B2 in 6 to 9 months possibly, maybe C1 in 12.
When you reach B1, you should have a working vocabulary of about 2500 words, and you can recall about half of them with some speed. It takes approximately 350-400 hours with the language to pass the B1 Cambridge examination.
To move from level B1 to level C1, learners need to be able to understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognize implicit meaning. They should also be able to express themselves fluently and spontaneously without having to search for words all the time.