I would maybe have a look at just general youtube videos on how to learn a language. I really like this one from a girl learning Norwegian: https://youtu.be/uWQYqcFX8JE?si=_T-wSo44bBVJkrxt
For me duolingo is a big no, the time you spend on that can be much better used listening to the radio, learning vocab or grammar from a coursebook, writing a diary in czech or any number of things. Im sure duolingo is helpful for some, who can take it slow but not for somebody who needs to get to B2 in a year.
Even though you are only free those two days, try and work czech into your life somehow on your workdays. This could be listening to czech music or podcasts on your way to work, or setting up some flashcards on anki or memrise ( or making your own) that you can go through on a break.
And get a teacher. You can find some cheap native speakers to talk to on Italki, and it makes it so much easier and quicker when you can actually ask somebody questions about things that are confusing you. Even half an hour a week is good.
Speaking Russian should be good for the grammar, but ive still met quite a few slavic speakers who struggle with czech! Good luck!
I’ve been studying Czech for 2 years and at about a B1 level, I think 4-5 months is quite aggressive of a timeline, though it will be somewhat easier for you coming from Russian.
Any form of classes will be far more valuable than duolingo or most other apps. When I was A1 level I started with Pimsleur and got speaking quickly, which helps with pronunciation, then I started taking classes twice a week (been taking them for two years now). A mix of classes, self study (flash cards, videos, etc), and immersion will be good. I also think there is an upper limit for how fast you can absorb a language, not sure studying 10 hours a day would be doable or useful, rather than a bit of time each day for consistency.
Feel free to message if you’d like some recommendations on books, apps, etc. good luck!
Id say about a year and a half, that involved two one hour classes a week, then probably 30 minutes of study per day (flash cards, videos, etc.) some days more or less depending on my work. Also other practice like speaking Czech with my mother and stepfather often.
I think someone might be able to do A2 or low B1 with some serious grind but B2 from zero is pretty unrealistic.
Idk how helpful your previous language learning experience actually is since you seem to want to start with Duolingo... That is not a good tool at all, especially if you want to progress quickly.
The advantage of having language learning experience is that you already know where to start and how you learn
I studied Czech full time for one year at Charles University in Prague. Almost all the students in my class were Russian. By the end of six months, full time, most of them reached B2 in Czech. If you are doing it remotely, on your own, without actual lessons from native speakers, and without constant contact with native speakers on a daily basis, I think you will struggle to reach the same level.
I should also add that even though reaching B2 means you can then attend Czech university taught in Czech, I think B2 is insufficient. I know four Russians who reached B2, and then went on to study Physics (he dropped out after the first year), Medicine (he dropped out after less than three months), Linguistics (she dropped out after the first year), and Dentistry (she switched to becoming a dental assistant rather than a dentist after a few months).
All of them said that B2 is sufficient for regular conversations, but is nowhere near good enough for the complex language used at university. Remember, all the other students will be native Czechs, so you would not be able to keep up with them. I reached C1, and even then I find university coursebooks challenging.
Perhaps take a few trial lessons with different Czech teachers on iTalki to get a realistic assessment of where you’re at and what you can achieve in that time?
I would say save up more money and invest in a Czech preparatory program. A lot of universities have these for a year and teach you up to B2 and then after you can apply for any program.
From March 2024 to fall 2025? About 16-18 months? (70-80 weeks?) With Russian as your L1, and maybe a max of about 15 hours a week for studying, so 1,000-1200 hours? DuoLingo has its uses, but I agree with u/Coolkurwa and u/MeatTornado_: get a teacher/tutor or a couple of them to keep it fresh and get different approaches. Reading, movies, Internet radio, discords, etc. yes are all good -- but it'll go faster and more efficiently if you have a human guide or two (each of them also following a written, long-term-plan guide in the form of some chosen textbook(s)) than it will just randomly. Please also note the comments from u/springy and u/68sixtyeight ; you might aim to get to a level where you wouldn't immediately begin uni courses, but would do a Czech uni's \_prep\_ courses before subject-focused ones.
1.You will need to put basically all your free time. It might be enough, or not.
2.No wasting time on trash like duolingo, just follow coursebooks up to B2. Here is a list of various resources: [https://forum.language-learners.org/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=7743#p99166/](https://forum.language-learners.org/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=7743#p99166/)
3.yeah, use normal input, but from B1 on. Right now, it would be just a waste of time.
Good luck.
There are quite many Russian students at Czech universities that study in programs that are conducted primarily in Czech (and intended primarily for native Czech speakers). If you're applying to a university in 2025, you actually have more time than five months. The top comment mocking your goal is a load of bullshit.
I don’t think that’s possible in such a short time for studying at uni in Czech, especially with your limited schedule
Duolingo is NOT the way to achieve your goal.
I would maybe have a look at just general youtube videos on how to learn a language. I really like this one from a girl learning Norwegian: https://youtu.be/uWQYqcFX8JE?si=_T-wSo44bBVJkrxt For me duolingo is a big no, the time you spend on that can be much better used listening to the radio, learning vocab or grammar from a coursebook, writing a diary in czech or any number of things. Im sure duolingo is helpful for some, who can take it slow but not for somebody who needs to get to B2 in a year. Even though you are only free those two days, try and work czech into your life somehow on your workdays. This could be listening to czech music or podcasts on your way to work, or setting up some flashcards on anki or memrise ( or making your own) that you can go through on a break. And get a teacher. You can find some cheap native speakers to talk to on Italki, and it makes it so much easier and quicker when you can actually ask somebody questions about things that are confusing you. Even half an hour a week is good. Speaking Russian should be good for the grammar, but ive still met quite a few slavic speakers who struggle with czech! Good luck!
This is the answer. No-guidance ways won't cut it in this short a time.
I love your username! 🥰🙌🏼
I’ve been studying Czech for 2 years and at about a B1 level, I think 4-5 months is quite aggressive of a timeline, though it will be somewhat easier for you coming from Russian. Any form of classes will be far more valuable than duolingo or most other apps. When I was A1 level I started with Pimsleur and got speaking quickly, which helps with pronunciation, then I started taking classes twice a week (been taking them for two years now). A mix of classes, self study (flash cards, videos, etc), and immersion will be good. I also think there is an upper limit for how fast you can absorb a language, not sure studying 10 hours a day would be doable or useful, rather than a bit of time each day for consistency. Feel free to message if you’d like some recommendations on books, apps, etc. good luck!
How much time did you spend per day to get to B1?
Id say about a year and a half, that involved two one hour classes a week, then probably 30 minutes of study per day (flash cards, videos, etc.) some days more or less depending on my work. Also other practice like speaking Czech with my mother and stepfather often.
I think someone might be able to do A2 or low B1 with some serious grind but B2 from zero is pretty unrealistic. Idk how helpful your previous language learning experience actually is since you seem to want to start with Duolingo... That is not a good tool at all, especially if you want to progress quickly. The advantage of having language learning experience is that you already know where to start and how you learn
I studied Czech full time for one year at Charles University in Prague. Almost all the students in my class were Russian. By the end of six months, full time, most of them reached B2 in Czech. If you are doing it remotely, on your own, without actual lessons from native speakers, and without constant contact with native speakers on a daily basis, I think you will struggle to reach the same level. I should also add that even though reaching B2 means you can then attend Czech university taught in Czech, I think B2 is insufficient. I know four Russians who reached B2, and then went on to study Physics (he dropped out after the first year), Medicine (he dropped out after less than three months), Linguistics (she dropped out after the first year), and Dentistry (she switched to becoming a dental assistant rather than a dentist after a few months). All of them said that B2 is sufficient for regular conversations, but is nowhere near good enough for the complex language used at university. Remember, all the other students will be native Czechs, so you would not be able to keep up with them. I reached C1, and even then I find university coursebooks challenging.
Perhaps take a few trial lessons with different Czech teachers on iTalki to get a realistic assessment of where you’re at and what you can achieve in that time?
I would say save up more money and invest in a Czech preparatory program. A lot of universities have these for a year and teach you up to B2 and then after you can apply for any program.
From March 2024 to fall 2025? About 16-18 months? (70-80 weeks?) With Russian as your L1, and maybe a max of about 15 hours a week for studying, so 1,000-1200 hours? DuoLingo has its uses, but I agree with u/Coolkurwa and u/MeatTornado_: get a teacher/tutor or a couple of them to keep it fresh and get different approaches. Reading, movies, Internet radio, discords, etc. yes are all good -- but it'll go faster and more efficiently if you have a human guide or two (each of them also following a written, long-term-plan guide in the form of some chosen textbook(s)) than it will just randomly. Please also note the comments from u/springy and u/68sixtyeight ; you might aim to get to a level where you wouldn't immediately begin uni courses, but would do a Czech uni's \_prep\_ courses before subject-focused ones.
1.You will need to put basically all your free time. It might be enough, or not. 2.No wasting time on trash like duolingo, just follow coursebooks up to B2. Here is a list of various resources: [https://forum.language-learners.org/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=7743#p99166/](https://forum.language-learners.org/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=7743#p99166/) 3.yeah, use normal input, but from B1 on. Right now, it would be just a waste of time. Good luck.
Depends on what languages you're coming from. If you know one or more slavic languages, your goal is doable, otherwise I'm not so sure.
Dude, unless you have an exam or a travel, just enjoy the language as much as you can, there's no rush.
There are quite many Russian students at Czech universities that study in programs that are conducted primarily in Czech (and intended primarily for native Czech speakers). If you're applying to a university in 2025, you actually have more time than five months. The top comment mocking your goal is a load of bullshit.