How fast will you become fluent in English?

到底要多久才能說一口流利的英文呢？

Let's talk about it.

讓我們來聊聊吧！

I get emails and questions from students a lot that say the same question, "Vanessa, how soon can I become fluent? How fast will I become fluent in English?"

我在 email 收到很多學生問我一樣的問題「Vanessa，我到底要多久才能流利地說英文？」或是「我最快多久能說一口流利的英文？」

So today I thought I'd help those students who ask me that question and also help you in case you have ever wondered how fast can I become fluent?

所以今天我想要為這些同學解答問題，也幫助想知道到底要多久才能增進口說能力的你們。

How long will it take?

到底需要多久呢？

To talk about this topic, I want to ask you a couple questions because for each person it's going to be a little bit different.

在談這個話題之前，我想再問你們一些問題，因為每個人的情況不同。

My first question is how much time do you spend with English everyday?

我的第一個問題是，你每天花多少時間接觸英文？

Do you spend five minutes?

你花 5 分鐘嗎？

Do you listen to a podcast for an hour?

你聽一個小時的「播客」嗎？

Once a week or twice a week, do you talk with someone on Skype?

你是否一周一次或兩次使用 Skype 與人線上交談呢？

How long do you spend with English everyday or every week?

你每天或每週花多少時間使用英文？

Let's start with this idea.

我們從這個概念開始吧！

Do you think that students who spend 15 minutes with English everyday are going to learn faster than students who use the same material and study two hours a day?

你覺得一個每天花 15 分鐘練英文的學生會比使用同樣教材但每天花兩小時來讀的同學進步得快嗎？

Probably not.

絕對不是這樣的。

It's going to take them a little bit longer because they're not devoting as much time to English.

他們會花費更長的時間是因為他們並沒有花太多時間沉浸在英文環境中。

I know that time in our lives is really limited.

我知道在我們的生命中時間是非常有限的。

We have busy lives.

我們有忙碌的生活。

You probably have a job and family and friends and you want to relax.

你有工作、家庭、朋友且你也想要擁有自己的休閒時光。

Maybe sleep.

可能是睡覺。

Maybe eat.

可能吃東西。

How can you find enough time everyday to be able to become fluent?

每天到底要從哪裡榨出足夠的時間來讓英文變得流利？

Well, my main recommendation is to try to make your world English.

嗯，我最主要的建議會是讓你的生活變成「英文世界」。

I've talked about this a lot before.

我之前已經說過很多次了。

Making your devices, your computer and your phone in English.

把你的裝置、電腦和手機換成英文介面。

Trying to read books in English instead of your native language.

試著閱讀英文版而不是本國語文的書籍。

Go to websites that are in English instead of your native language.

瀏覽英文網站而不是本國語言的網頁。

Try to make everything English so that you can keep doing your normal daily habits, but it's in English.

試著將所有的一切都轉換成英文，並保持原來的生活習慣，只是語言變成英文而已。

This is going to help you save time, but also just naturally integrate English into your daily life.

這將會幫助你節省時間，就是將英文融入你的日常生活。

My second question, of course, is what are you using to learn English?

我的第二個問題，當然就是你用什麼學習英文呢？

Are you reading your high school textbook?

你正讀著高中英文課本嗎？

Oh, it's probably going to take a quite awhile to become fluent.

噢，這可能要花你更多時間去達到英文流利的目標喔！

Maybe impossible if you're only using your high school textbook.

如果只讀高中英文課本的話，英文可能永遠不會進步喔！

But if you're using real material, if you're watching YouTube videos, TV shows, you're reading real articles, you're talking with other people, even other English learners, you're just using English in a real way, this is going to help you to become fluent faster.

但如果運用真實的素材，例如觀看 YouTube 影片、電視節目、閱讀真實的文章、與母語者或甚至是其他英文學習者交談，你正「真實地」使用英文這個語言，這將會幫助你盡快達到英文流利的目標。

So first of all, spend enough time, spend as much time as you possibly can with English, and two, use natural materials.

第一，花足夠的時間，盡可能地花多點時間學習英文，然後第二，運用自然真實的素材。

Use material that's interesting and real because you want to imitate native speakers.

使用有趣且真實的素材，因為你需要模仿母語者的說話方式。

You want to become as close to that as possible.

你想要盡可能地與母語者相像。

If you're not watching and interacting with native speakers, it's going to take a lot longer.

如果你不看這些影片又不與母語者互動的話，那麼要達到流利的程度必須花更多時間。

I recommend surrounding yourself with English so that you can combine these two ideas.

我建議你可以將自己沉浸在英文的環境中，這樣一來你就能將這兩個概念一併實行。

Natural material as much as possible.

自然的素材多多益善。

Unfortunately, there's no magic number.

很不幸地並沒有確切的學習時間。

Three hours a day.

一天三小時。

Four months you will become fluent.

只要四個月就可以說一口流利英文。

There's no magic number, but I recommend combining these two ideas: realize that time is valuable, time is really important, and the material you're using is also important.

其實並沒有一定的學習時數，但我建議可以將以下兩個概念合併：意識到時間是很寶貴的，時間非常重要，你所選擇的學習素材也十分重要。

Make sure that it's something that native speakers actually use and something that's interesting to you.

請確認它是母語者實際會用到且你也覺得有趣的素材。

My final question, the third question, is what is fluent to you?

我的最後一個問題，第三個問題就是對你來說流利是什麼？

We've talked about this in a previous video, how do you define fluency?

我們在上一支影片有討論過，你如何定義流利？

Each person might have a different definition of this word.

每個人對於這個詞應該都有不同的定義吧！

Because if you're reaching for a goal, you need to define that goal first.

因為當你要實踐一個目標時，首先必須對你的目標下定義。

If your definition of fluency is I want to be able to speak with native speakers comfortably and without much hesitation, then you know what you need to focus on.

如果你對於流利的定義是我想要自在且毫不猶豫地與母語人士進行交談，那你就會知道你應該注意什麼了。

You need to focus on confidence and speaking.

你必須在自信和口說方面多加著墨。

Make sure that the time you spend is spent on speaking.

請確保你的時間是花在練習口說上。

It's spent on gaining confidence.

花在增加信心。

I have a lot of videos on this channel to help you gain confidence and to help you be able to speak and use English even if you're not living in an English-speaking country.

我的頻道有很多影片幫助你增加信心，且幫助你說及使用英文，即便你不是生活在英語系國家。

If you'd like any tips for those things, make sure you check out the other videos.

如果你想要有關這方面的小撇步，請確保你都有看過那些影片喔！

You'll get a lot of valuable advice.

你將會得到很多寶貴的建議。

Even though there's no magic number, no magic time for becoming fluent, if you follow these three steps, if you answer these three questions, you will be able to define for yourself how long it will take.

即使沒有一個確切的學習時間，沒有確切能夠流利地說英文的時間，但如果你按照這三個步驟、回答這三個問題，你就可以推估出自己達成目標所需要花費的時間了。

Number one, how much time are you spending?

第一，你花多少時間？

Number two, what materials are you using?

第二，你用什麼素材學習呢？

Number three, what is fluency to you?

第三，對你來說流利是什麼？

When will you reach your goal?

你何時可以達成目標呢？

This will help you to be able to understand and enjoy learning English.

這將會幫助你理解並享受學習英文的過程喔！

Before we go, let me know in the comments below how much time do you spend learning English?

在結束之前，在下方留言區告訴我你花多少時間讀英文呢？

What kind of materials do you use to study English?

你用什麼素材學習英文呢？

What is your definition of fluency?

你對於流利的定義又是什麼呢？

Let us know in the comments below.

在下方的留言區留言讓我們知道喔！

These are big questions, so if you need some time to think about it, no problem, but let's learn from each other.

這些是很重要的問題，因此如果你需要一點時間去思考，沒問題的，但我們可能互相學習喔！

I can't wait to see what you have to say and I'll talk to you later.

我已經迫不及待看到你們的留言了，下次再聊囉！

Bye.

再見。

The next step is to download my free eBook "Five Steps to Becoming a Confident English Speaker."

下一步就是下載免費的電子書「五個步驟讓你自信地開口說英文」。

I want to help you master English and speak fluently.

我想幫助你們掌握、說一口流利英文。

Feel free to subscribe so that you don't miss new English lessons.

願意的話就訂閱我的頻道吧！別錯過最新的英文課程喔！

Thanks so much for learning with me.

感謝大家跟我學習英文喔！

Bye.

拜拜！