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How long did it take you to be fluent in Esperanto?

di Rayden, 04 luglio 2014

Messaggi: 8

Lingua: English

Rayden (Mostra il profilo) 04 luglio 2014 21:11:52

I have decided to devote three months (July, August, September) to independent Esperanto study before I move onto German. I will continue Esperanto practice after September to maintain and develop my skills but I'd prefer to not need much Esperanto study so that I can focus on my German. Is this 3 months a decent enough amount of time to learn upper-intermediate Esperanto? I have been studying using Lernu and Kurso de Esperanto for around 1-2 hours a day.

risgrynsgroet (Mostra il profilo) 05 luglio 2014 13:31:18

One month of half-hearted Esperanto study and I can read a fiction novel at about the same understanding level as I had after a year and a half of Swedish study... that is to say, I can understand a whole lot but not everything, and while I'm slow at reading I do get what it's saying. So yeah, I'd say three months and you can definitely do it.

After just a few days/a week or two you can read a whole lot of what people are writing online too, so you can just go read the forums or blog posts or something. If you're lazy like me then you might take a while, but if you work hard...!

Esperanto seems kind of like Swedish (not sure about German) in that I'm not sure from what I've seen I'd be able to distinguish between "upper-intermmediate" and anything else besides, well, beginner. Because it's not that there's more complex grammar or phrases as you continue on, it's just maybe perfecting the grammar you've already learnt, memorizing more words, and learning what seems to be most common to use (or poetic to use) even if you can technically say it in other ways.

That's my guess from what I've seen so far anyway, I'm not exactly fluent in Esperanto either ; D

zaragorti (Mostra il profilo) 07 luglio 2014 00:42:21

My experience is similar to that of risgrynsgroet. I spent a lot of time and dedication learning languages as diverse as Welsh, German and Biblical Greek, and making painfully slow progress. After a few months of Esperanto study I am reading the collection of short stories 'Marvirinstrato' on my e-book reader. I am having to use the dictionary often, but I have reached a level of understanding which would have taken me many years in the other languages.

You seem more committed than I am, in terms of hours per day, so I think you'll have a good grasp of Esperanto by September. Your problem then will be to consciously decrease your Esperanto learning in favour of German! (I note the reply from Oijos to your other post)!

sudanglo (Mostra il profilo) 07 luglio 2014 09:36:59

There's a big difference between active and passive command of the language. 3 months study of couple of hours a day could well give you reasonable reading skills.

But for passable spoken fluency I would guess you need at least two weeks of total immersion, speaking only Esperanto with other Esperantists (ie at international Congresses).

twittjs (Mostra il profilo) 07 luglio 2014 11:17:13

Mi estas japana viro. Mi ne povas paroli Esperanton tiel flue kiel Eŭropaj popoloj. Mi komencis stuti Esperanto antaŭ multe da jaroj. Mi bezonas multe, multe, multe da jaroj por paroli flue.

Christa627 (Mostra il profilo) 07 luglio 2014 18:54:10

twittjs:Mi estas japana viro. Mi ne povas paroli Esperanton tiel flue kiel Eŭropaj popoloj. Mi komencis stuti Esperanto antaŭ multe da jaroj. Mi bezonas multe, multe, multe da jaroj por paroli flue.
Translation (on account of the rule that any Esperanto in an other-language forum should be translated): "I am a Japanese man. I can't speak Esperanto as fluently as European people. I started studying Esperanto many years ago. I need many, many, many years to speak fluently."

Christa627 (Mostra il profilo) 07 luglio 2014 19:40:46

I've been at it obsessively for almost eight months. I wouldn't describe myself as fluent, but reasonably proficient. I can read just about anything in E-o, have a blog that nobody reads (probably because it is all about Young Living essential oils, and that is boring to most people), converse with people online, am able to present my point of view on various matters, and can talk naturally. I made it a point to, as soon as possible, start thinking in Esperanto, as mental translating is a great hindrance to communication. However, I have never had the opportunity to have real-time face-to-face conversation in Esperanto with an Esperantist; I mostly talk to myself :-/ My listening comprehension is rather wanting, and so is my vocabulary.

zaragorti (Mostra il profilo) 07 luglio 2014 20:36:50

Christa627:
twittjs:Mi estas japana viro. Mi ne povas paroli Esperanton tiel flue kiel Eŭropaj popoloj. Mi komencis stuti Esperanto antaŭ multe da jaroj. Mi bezonas multe, multe, multe da jaroj por paroli flue.
Translation (on account of the rule that any Esperanto in an other-language forum should be translated): "I am a Japanese man. I can't speak Esperanto as fluently as European people. I started studying Esperanto many years ago. I need many, many, many years to speak fluently."
twittjs, la duone parto de mia progreso en Esperanto estas, ke mi jam estis familiara kun iu el la radiko-vortoj, ĉar mi jam konas europa-lingvojn. Mi ja admiras vin kaj aliajn ne-eŭropanajn esperantistojn por via kuraĝo! Se mi provus lerni japano-lingvon, mi certe estus ankoraŭ komencanto tra mia tuta vivo!

twittjs, half of my progress in Esperanto has been that I was familiar with some root-words as I already speak European languages. I greatly admire you and other non-European Esperantists for your courage. If I were to try to learn Japanese I would definitely remain a beginner throughout my whole life!

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