Language classes in school are horrible. You’re going for an hour a day for 180 days, with significant gaps every few months, and moving at the rate of the slowest learners in the class.
500 hours of constant, immersive study would likely get you most of the way there, which is not the same as being immersed for 500 hours without study :)
I thought I was doing well with Duolingo once, then realized, 40 hours in, that I had almost no concept of formal/informal, and barely had any verb conjugation or grammar.
Language classes in school are horrible. You’re going for an hour a day for 180 days, with significant gaps every few months, and moving at the rate of the slowest learners in the class.
500 hours of constant, immersive study would likely get you most of the way there, which is not the same as being immersed for 500 hours without study :)
I thought I was doing well with Duolingo once, then realized, 40 hours in, that I had almost no concept of formal/informal, and barely had any verb conjugation or grammar.
I used to agree with you, then I came to Europe where everyone can speak at least two languages. So they must be doing something right in schools here
My coworker moved to Sweden for three years, and his kids had a much less favorable experience.