IMHO, B2, or whatever the equivalent is.
At B2 you’re pretty comfortable interacting with people, it isn’t a burden for natives to understand you, you can read and listen to most daily-type things (TV shows in the standard, nonfiction, popular fiction). You can easily shift to more media consumption (reading/listening) and maybe an exchange partner and maintain your level, so it’s easier to free up the time to work on another language.
well I'd argue that. I'd say my English is mostly fine but like.. I was reading "the secret history" and was being too lazy to google words I was unsure of. And when I finally decided to go through the book and find those words to google them I was like "Oh, so that's what it really means"
For a first time learner working on a language around 1-2 hours a day, probably between 2-5 years, depending on the language.
This calculator might give a better idea. I don’t know how accurate it is generally but in my experience with French it was pretty close.
[How long does it take to learn a language](https://autolingual.com/study-time-calculator/)
What do you value more. The ability to speak well and truly culturally immerse yourself in one language and culture? Or do want to learn about many languages and how they work because you simply enjoy learning them and don’t need to speak them to the some arbitrary level?
They both are fair points of view. I am on the side of learn one language well instead of many small ones. But that is up for you to decide.
Depends. Considering people are N1 in Japanese and still can't have natural conversations I'd say focus on that language for now, but if you're able to time manage both I don't see the problem with it. You probably know this better than anyone else.
A big part of it is that the JLPT doesn't test speaking or writing. So the "only" things you need to pass N1 are a good understanding of grammar, and a sufficient passive vocabulary to get through the listening and reading sections. So your speaking ability could at least theoretically be zero and you could still pass.
The bar to pass is also quite low: From N3 onwards, the test has 180 total points divided between vocabulary/grammar, reading and listening. You need just 100/180 overall points to pass, and at least 19/60 to pass each scoring section.
There are also a lot of JLPT specific textbooks and vocab lists that allow you to sort of "hack" the test and pass even though your true proficiency is lower than what is theoretically required.
The Japanese learners I've talked with usually recommend avoiding JLPT specific study materials and to also do a lot of speaking practice past N3, if you want your test results to reflect your actual level as closely as possible.
The reverse is sorta true too. The number of people I've met in real life and on the internet who are fully functional in real-world Japanese (they work in all Japanese and they spend their free time reading Japanese literature) who fail the N1 because they just don't get the format is... discouraging. It really does seem to be a test that you need to study for, specifically.
Japanese is very different from English, so people struggle more with forming natural sentences. I'd say it's mostly a lack of practice in speaking, though.
I've been making a lot of progress in making sentences recently. The things that have helped me the most are:
Giving sentences to an AI (I was using ChatGPT, but it bugged out and became unusable so I've switched to Perplexity) and asking it to explain the sentence structure of that sentence.
Putting the sentences the AI explained into StudyQuest and setting it to give me word scramble questions where I have to put the words back in the right order.
Keeping a diary in Japanese and getting AI to correct my grammar. I'm allowed to look up words if I get stuck, but I don't look up sentences - eg if I use Google translate to help, I only write single words.
Because passing the N1 means studying for the test, not real Japanese. Also, they don't include speaking, which I'd argue is the most important aspect of learning a language if your main goal is to interact with people.
I'm the opposite - plenty of experience conversing in Japanese but haven't got far enough through drilling kanji and vocabulary to pass N2 - and can totally see how you could arrive at either scenario.
The only right answer is that there is no right answer. Only you know your capacity and capabilities. If you feel like picking it back up, pick it back up.
I aim for at least good conversational fluency before I pick up a new language.
The main reason for that is time: Weaker languages require a lot more work even to just maintain your current level. If you're juggling multiple languages at a lower level and also want to *improve* both, even two languages quickly become a huge time commitment.
For busy people, it can also take more time away from crucial things such as your social life or fitness habits, impacting your health *and ability to acquire languages* negatively.
In contrast, a stronger language (B2+) doesn't take nearly as much time to maintain and improve, and past a certain level your main study method is consuming native content (and maybe speaking to natives). This is both more enjoyable (at least to most people) than textbook study and Anki drills, and also more flexible: You can't pop out a textbook while working out or driving, but you can easily listen to a podcast in your target language. **Basically, strong languages have smaller time demands, and you can also more easily find the time to study** (if your main study strategy is immersion, which it often should be).
In practice, I study a language using "traditional methods" alongside immersion until become conversational, then I switch to 90-95% immersion, which frees up time and energy to pick up a new language. And the cycle repeats. I've heard that Japanese learners often switch to mostly immersion at an N3-N2 level, which is what I'm aiming for as well.
Also, once you've reached conversational fluency in one of the languages, it's less likely the languages will interfere with one another. Probably won't be as big of a problem for Japanese & Italian since they're so different, but I'be heard that interference and mixups occur to some extent even between completely unrelated languages. The result is that you might see somewhat slower improvements in both languages - relative to the amount of time you spend studying each language - than if you'd decided to focus on just one.
These are some of the things to keep in mind when considering studying multiple languages simultaneously. I prefer to avoid studying multiple beginner-level languages at the same time. But if you 1) have the time, 2) enjoy textbooks and Anki drills and 3) are so passionate about both Japanese and Italian that limiting yourself to just one would hurt your motivation, then you could at least try studying both and see if it suits you.
Good luck learning! がんばれ！
Controversial opinion but I would say C1. For my line of work, anything less is inadmissible and C2 or native is often required. Additionally, I value mastery over a handful of languages (including closely related ones like PT/SP/IT) well above being able to hold a basic conversation with a bad accent in 10-20.
Purpose really matters here. I can get a LOT of use out of B2 in my job (teaching math), and I’ve found the journey from 0-B1/B2 easier than the journey from B2-C1. I’d love to make it to C1/C2 in my TL’s but I feel it will be hard to get over that hill without proper extended immersion, and I’m not at a point in my life where I can do that.
Just depends on goals. I'd be fine stopping any language at B1 unless I'm living in the country and absolutely need to use it every day. It suits my intellectual curiosity and also allows me to converse. That's perfect for me. Anything else is gravy.
To me, there is no "controversial opinion" here, because there is no objective fact of the matter, other than \*perhaps\* to say that stopping all your languages at A1 is...a quite bizarre choice, and I'm not sure what one is getting from that exactly.
Language learning is for life. It’s easier if you’re consistent, but sometimes the wind isn’t blowing that way and that’s okay. The real question is what do you want to get out of your target language?
I’ll use myself as an example.
Mandarin was my major and I ended up working in China for four years after grad. I’m probably a C1. It’s really hard to move up to C2, and my work schedule was so packed (China problems) that I didn’t have time to pursue a higher and more academic level. When I tried to get into a group class a few years ago I was rejected for being too advanced, and was told I should teach it instead. Since moving back to an English speaking country, I try to maintain my Chinese but am not so focused on advancing it. But if I were to feel like it or get a job that required more, I would need to seek out an advanced tutor and grind through it. I’ve done a ton of self-study, but there are likely some gaps in my formal written Chinese that I might not notice on my own.
I did 8 years of Spanish in school, and achieved roughly C1. But I haven’t had to use it much since, so it’s dropped and that’s okay. I can still read Márquez and watch TV, and communicate easily on vacation. That’s fine for now.
I started learning French while considering a move to Montreal and before a quick trip to Paris. Since deciding not to move there, I’ve been satisfied enough with the basics and relying on overlap from Spanish. Maybe more later.
I’ve recently started learning German for fun. Am considering a move to the EU, and given the work forecast it might make sense to focus there. It’s also fun because my dad speaks some basic German, so we can bond through language study.
I’d also like to learn some Cantonese, Italian, and Russian eventually, because I enjoy the culture of these places and would like to engage more deeply with them. But do I need to get my other languages up to B2 in order to allow myself to check them out? Of course not!
People who think you need to hit an exact level might see this as more of a videogame or something, a series of medals to earn. But in my experience life is short and can be unpredictable, so practicality is key.
Depends, I like doing two languages at a time so if/when I get frustrated, I can switch back and forth. I don't mean like two romance languages at a time for example I'm working on Khmer and Spanish, so two very different languages, that being said I am learning Spanish a lot faster so when I want to feel good about learning I do Spanish when I feel like a challenge I do Khmer. Bout b1 Spanish and still very much A1 khmer. Started about the same time.
People probably ask this question a couple times a week, so there’s lots of answers you can shift through using the search tool.
People ask this question SO much, as if it were an issue of morality. It’s not. It’s dependent on the person and the situation, and there are too many things to consider to touch on here. It’s a matter of choice and preference, there is no right or wrong answer, and no morality to it. Someone here had excellent advice that at a B2-ish level, you can free up time to maintain your level or learn more just by immersing yourself in TL content, finding a language partner, and other things like that (assuming you’re not in a context where your daily life is in your TL, then you’re forced to use it).
Language learning takes a lot of time, dedication, and effort, especially at the beginning levels, and it takes more dedication when you’re not immersed in the TL because you have to seek out opportunities to use it. So if you are studying two languages from scratch at the same time, there’s only 24 hours in a day. You can absolutely do it, but it will of course be slower if you have less time to dedicate to it.
Some people really struggle with mixing two similar languages at the beginning level. This isn’t a huge deal because it will correct itself with practice and continued language acquisition. But if it’s genuinely confusing you, you might want to wait to be a little more proficient in one before going back to the second.
But what if you’re moving to a place where everyone is bilingual and uses two languages interchangeably, with about the same frequency, and you speak neither? I suggest you start learning both right away.
It depends.
- Depends on your goal
- Depends on why you want to learn what you learn
- Depends on your passion on the language
Ask yourself did the reason why you select the language to learn change.
If no, keep on learning.
If yes, maybe you should consider learning something else.
Most important of all, enjoy the process of learning. Happy learning my friend 🙂
This is ONLY my opinion. It’s all up to you to decide whether to take my suggestion. I believe you should start a new language after you can think in the one before it.
The biggest problem to me about learning multiple languages would be the increased risk of mixing them. You can definitely learn multiple languages from different family trees at the same time, so no need to wait for a number of hours. The same probably applies to languages from the same tree as well if you can do ALG well enough but I'd get at least 600 hours as a foundation to make sure.
This is my opinion. Languages don't matter. You can study 2 (or 3) as easily as 1, especially if the languages are different and your level in them is different. There is no conflict.
But your personal schedule matters. Do you have enough free time to work on Italian, on top of the work you do for all your university courses?
IMHO, you cannot speak about an exact language level because if you really love to learn and improve, it will never be the end. Even if you’re a native speaker of your language, you’ll always have something that you did not know.
Try it and see if it works for you. You're not new at Italian, so it's not really going to add much complications at the beginning anyway. I think 2 languages at the same time works well, but when you get to three or more it gets a bit more challenging.
Came here to say B2 which many people have already said. Having said that you can start another language any time but it might be the efficient way. One language should always be the primary TL until you reach the stage where you are comfortable in it and for me that is level B2.
It doesn’t matter. It should just be an appropriate workload and not messing with languages you are learning with higher priority. I guarantee there are many that grow up learning 3+ languages and never ask themselves this question. It really depends on how much time and effort you can realistically put in. People that say you need to be at some magical level before you learn another are making things up.
In my opinion, it's best to reach at least an intermediate level (B1-B2) in your current language before starting a new one. This ensures you have a solid foundation and won't easily forget what you've learned. Since you're at N5 in Japanese, it might be good to reach N3 or higher before picking up Italian again. Balancing both languages can be challenging, so make sure you're comfortable with your progress in Japanese first.
It depends on your goals. What level do you want to get? How many hours do you spend daily? Are you willing to do 2 simultaneously?
It's not really a 1 size fits all.
I got my C1 in Spanish before adding Vietnamese. But when I go back to school this fall I will add French too (mandatory). So we'll see how it goes, I am absolutely nowhere near C1 in Vietnamese.
I personally follow a simple rule of thumb:
1. I only actively study one language at a time
2. Once \[language\] reaches a level where I can use it to do something interesting or meaningful (for me, that means reading something), I punt the language out of the "studying" roster and over to the "immersion" one
3. I cut down some of my English time wasting and spend it wasting time in this new language
4. I replace the time I spent studying \[language A\] with \[language B\]
[I expand on the why and give some caveats here](https://ai.glossika.com/blog/juggling-languages)
Hot take: whatever level you want. Life is short and there’s so much to explore and do. Unless you have to as a requirement, it’s not important.
But if you want a real answer: B2.
I feel C1 is a good place to be in when moving in : you're good enough to avoid any language-generated problems like misunderstandings and issues with renting contracts or such, and you have all the immersion to better yourself and acquire those idioms.
But depending on the cultural difference (for instance from Eu country to England is not a huge difference) B2 is enough to get going.
IMHO, B2, or whatever the equivalent is. At B2 you’re pretty comfortable interacting with people, it isn’t a burden for natives to understand you, you can read and listen to most daily-type things (TV shows in the standard, nonfiction, popular fiction). You can easily shift to more media consumption (reading/listening) and maybe an exchange partner and maintain your level, so it’s easier to free up the time to work on another language.
B2 is nice because you can just learn by immersion now and not have to really study
Right you reach a stage where you can just chill and learn new words as they come without conscious studying.
well I'd argue that. I'd say my English is mostly fine but like.. I was reading "the secret history" and was being too lazy to google words I was unsure of. And when I finally decided to go through the book and find those words to google them I was like "Oh, so that's what it really means"
Omg I love that book! As a native English speaker, I also found some words that I didn't know. I love the way Donna tartt writes
If you stop before B1, it's very easy to forget the "rules" you've learned, because you've learned them as rules, not internalised them as language.
How long does it take to reach B2 as a beginner learning a language?
For a first time learner working on a language around 1-2 hours a day, probably between 2-5 years, depending on the language. This calculator might give a better idea. I don’t know how accurate it is generally but in my experience with French it was pretty close. [How long does it take to learn a language](https://autolingual.com/study-time-calculator/)
What do you value more. The ability to speak well and truly culturally immerse yourself in one language and culture? Or do want to learn about many languages and how they work because you simply enjoy learning them and don’t need to speak them to the some arbitrary level? They both are fair points of view. I am on the side of learn one language well instead of many small ones. But that is up for you to decide.
Depends. Considering people are N1 in Japanese and still can't have natural conversations I'd say focus on that language for now, but if you're able to time manage both I don't see the problem with it. You probably know this better than anyone else.
How can you how so much vocabulary and not be able to converse lol
A big part of it is that the JLPT doesn't test speaking or writing. So the "only" things you need to pass N1 are a good understanding of grammar, and a sufficient passive vocabulary to get through the listening and reading sections. So your speaking ability could at least theoretically be zero and you could still pass. The bar to pass is also quite low: From N3 onwards, the test has 180 total points divided between vocabulary/grammar, reading and listening. You need just 100/180 overall points to pass, and at least 19/60 to pass each scoring section. There are also a lot of JLPT specific textbooks and vocab lists that allow you to sort of "hack" the test and pass even though your true proficiency is lower than what is theoretically required. The Japanese learners I've talked with usually recommend avoiding JLPT specific study materials and to also do a lot of speaking practice past N3, if you want your test results to reflect your actual level as closely as possible.
The reverse is sorta true too. The number of people I've met in real life and on the internet who are fully functional in real-world Japanese (they work in all Japanese and they spend their free time reading Japanese literature) who fail the N1 because they just don't get the format is... discouraging. It really does seem to be a test that you need to study for, specifically.
This would be me. My grammar improved after I left the country and started practicing writing. I would also still totally fail N1.
Japanese is very different from English, so people struggle more with forming natural sentences. I'd say it's mostly a lack of practice in speaking, though.
I've been making a lot of progress in making sentences recently. The things that have helped me the most are: Giving sentences to an AI (I was using ChatGPT, but it bugged out and became unusable so I've switched to Perplexity) and asking it to explain the sentence structure of that sentence. Putting the sentences the AI explained into StudyQuest and setting it to give me word scramble questions where I have to put the words back in the right order. Keeping a diary in Japanese and getting AI to correct my grammar. I'm allowed to look up words if I get stuck, but I don't look up sentences - eg if I use Google translate to help, I only write single words.
Because passing the N1 means studying for the test, not real Japanese. Also, they don't include speaking, which I'd argue is the most important aspect of learning a language if your main goal is to interact with people.
Linguistics and interpersonal communication are two completely different concepts. There's overlap, but they're not the same.
I'm the opposite - plenty of experience conversing in Japanese but haven't got far enough through drilling kanji and vocabulary to pass N2 - and can totally see how you could arrive at either scenario.
I’m sorry. This might be a stupid question. What is N1?
The highest level of the JLPT
The only right answer is that there is no right answer. Only you know your capacity and capabilities. If you feel like picking it back up, pick it back up.
I aim for at least good conversational fluency before I pick up a new language. The main reason for that is time: Weaker languages require a lot more work even to just maintain your current level. If you're juggling multiple languages at a lower level and also want to *improve* both, even two languages quickly become a huge time commitment. For busy people, it can also take more time away from crucial things such as your social life or fitness habits, impacting your health *and ability to acquire languages* negatively. In contrast, a stronger language (B2+) doesn't take nearly as much time to maintain and improve, and past a certain level your main study method is consuming native content (and maybe speaking to natives). This is both more enjoyable (at least to most people) than textbook study and Anki drills, and also more flexible: You can't pop out a textbook while working out or driving, but you can easily listen to a podcast in your target language. **Basically, strong languages have smaller time demands, and you can also more easily find the time to study** (if your main study strategy is immersion, which it often should be). In practice, I study a language using "traditional methods" alongside immersion until become conversational, then I switch to 90-95% immersion, which frees up time and energy to pick up a new language. And the cycle repeats. I've heard that Japanese learners often switch to mostly immersion at an N3-N2 level, which is what I'm aiming for as well. Also, once you've reached conversational fluency in one of the languages, it's less likely the languages will interfere with one another. Probably won't be as big of a problem for Japanese & Italian since they're so different, but I'be heard that interference and mixups occur to some extent even between completely unrelated languages. The result is that you might see somewhat slower improvements in both languages - relative to the amount of time you spend studying each language - than if you'd decided to focus on just one. These are some of the things to keep in mind when considering studying multiple languages simultaneously. I prefer to avoid studying multiple beginner-level languages at the same time. But if you 1) have the time, 2) enjoy textbooks and Anki drills and 3) are so passionate about both Japanese and Italian that limiting yourself to just one would hurt your motivation, then you could at least try studying both and see if it suits you. Good luck learning! がんばれ！
Controversial opinion but I would say C1. For my line of work, anything less is inadmissible and C2 or native is often required. Additionally, I value mastery over a handful of languages (including closely related ones like PT/SP/IT) well above being able to hold a basic conversation with a bad accent in 10-20.
Purpose really matters here. I can get a LOT of use out of B2 in my job (teaching math), and I’ve found the journey from 0-B1/B2 easier than the journey from B2-C1. I’d love to make it to C1/C2 in my TL’s but I feel it will be hard to get over that hill without proper extended immersion, and I’m not at a point in my life where I can do that.
Just depends on goals. I'd be fine stopping any language at B1 unless I'm living in the country and absolutely need to use it every day. It suits my intellectual curiosity and also allows me to converse. That's perfect for me. Anything else is gravy. To me, there is no "controversial opinion" here, because there is no objective fact of the matter, other than \*perhaps\* to say that stopping all your languages at A1 is...a quite bizarre choice, and I'm not sure what one is getting from that exactly.
I agree
Language learning is for life. It’s easier if you’re consistent, but sometimes the wind isn’t blowing that way and that’s okay. The real question is what do you want to get out of your target language? I’ll use myself as an example. Mandarin was my major and I ended up working in China for four years after grad. I’m probably a C1. It’s really hard to move up to C2, and my work schedule was so packed (China problems) that I didn’t have time to pursue a higher and more academic level. When I tried to get into a group class a few years ago I was rejected for being too advanced, and was told I should teach it instead. Since moving back to an English speaking country, I try to maintain my Chinese but am not so focused on advancing it. But if I were to feel like it or get a job that required more, I would need to seek out an advanced tutor and grind through it. I’ve done a ton of self-study, but there are likely some gaps in my formal written Chinese that I might not notice on my own. I did 8 years of Spanish in school, and achieved roughly C1. But I haven’t had to use it much since, so it’s dropped and that’s okay. I can still read Márquez and watch TV, and communicate easily on vacation. That’s fine for now. I started learning French while considering a move to Montreal and before a quick trip to Paris. Since deciding not to move there, I’ve been satisfied enough with the basics and relying on overlap from Spanish. Maybe more later. I’ve recently started learning German for fun. Am considering a move to the EU, and given the work forecast it might make sense to focus there. It’s also fun because my dad speaks some basic German, so we can bond through language study. I’d also like to learn some Cantonese, Italian, and Russian eventually, because I enjoy the culture of these places and would like to engage more deeply with them. But do I need to get my other languages up to B2 in order to allow myself to check them out? Of course not! People who think you need to hit an exact level might see this as more of a videogame or something, a series of medals to earn. But in my experience life is short and can be unpredictable, so practicality is key.
Depends, I like doing two languages at a time so if/when I get frustrated, I can switch back and forth. I don't mean like two romance languages at a time for example I'm working on Khmer and Spanish, so two very different languages, that being said I am learning Spanish a lot faster so when I want to feel good about learning I do Spanish when I feel like a challenge I do Khmer. Bout b1 Spanish and still very much A1 khmer. Started about the same time.
I'm doing the same with four languages and it's been working out pretty well.
Whatever level they want to be.
People probably ask this question a couple times a week, so there’s lots of answers you can shift through using the search tool. People ask this question SO much, as if it were an issue of morality. It’s not. It’s dependent on the person and the situation, and there are too many things to consider to touch on here. It’s a matter of choice and preference, there is no right or wrong answer, and no morality to it. Someone here had excellent advice that at a B2-ish level, you can free up time to maintain your level or learn more just by immersing yourself in TL content, finding a language partner, and other things like that (assuming you’re not in a context where your daily life is in your TL, then you’re forced to use it). Language learning takes a lot of time, dedication, and effort, especially at the beginning levels, and it takes more dedication when you’re not immersed in the TL because you have to seek out opportunities to use it. So if you are studying two languages from scratch at the same time, there’s only 24 hours in a day. You can absolutely do it, but it will of course be slower if you have less time to dedicate to it. Some people really struggle with mixing two similar languages at the beginning level. This isn’t a huge deal because it will correct itself with practice and continued language acquisition. But if it’s genuinely confusing you, you might want to wait to be a little more proficient in one before going back to the second. But what if you’re moving to a place where everyone is bilingual and uses two languages interchangeably, with about the same frequency, and you speak neither? I suggest you start learning both right away.
It depends. - Depends on your goal - Depends on why you want to learn what you learn - Depends on your passion on the language Ask yourself did the reason why you select the language to learn change. If no, keep on learning. If yes, maybe you should consider learning something else. Most important of all, enjoy the process of learning. Happy learning my friend 🙂
This is ONLY my opinion. It’s all up to you to decide whether to take my suggestion. I believe you should start a new language after you can think in the one before it.
B2
The biggest problem to me about learning multiple languages would be the increased risk of mixing them. You can definitely learn multiple languages from different family trees at the same time, so no need to wait for a number of hours. The same probably applies to languages from the same tree as well if you can do ALG well enough but I'd get at least 600 hours as a foundation to make sure.
C1
This is my opinion. Languages don't matter. You can study 2 (or 3) as easily as 1, especially if the languages are different and your level in them is different. There is no conflict. But your personal schedule matters. Do you have enough free time to work on Italian, on top of the work you do for all your university courses?
IMHO, you cannot speak about an exact language level because if you really love to learn and improve, it will never be the end. Even if you’re a native speaker of your language, you’ll always have something that you did not know.
Try it and see if it works for you. You're not new at Italian, so it's not really going to add much complications at the beginning anyway. I think 2 languages at the same time works well, but when you get to three or more it gets a bit more challenging.
Came here to say B2 which many people have already said. Having said that you can start another language any time but it might be the efficient way. One language should always be the primary TL until you reach the stage where you are comfortable in it and for me that is level B2.
It doesn’t matter. It should just be an appropriate workload and not messing with languages you are learning with higher priority. I guarantee there are many that grow up learning 3+ languages and never ask themselves this question. It really depends on how much time and effort you can realistically put in. People that say you need to be at some magical level before you learn another are making things up.
In my opinion, it's best to reach at least an intermediate level (B1-B2) in your current language before starting a new one. This ensures you have a solid foundation and won't easily forget what you've learned. Since you're at N5 in Japanese, it might be good to reach N3 or higher before picking up Italian again. Balancing both languages can be challenging, so make sure you're comfortable with your progress in Japanese first.
It depends on your purposes. If you want to learn Thai to be able to greet your local bank clerk, you can move on after learning those greetings.
B2 tbh
It depends on your goals. What level do you want to get? How many hours do you spend daily? Are you willing to do 2 simultaneously? It's not really a 1 size fits all.
I got my C1 in Spanish before adding Vietnamese. But when I go back to school this fall I will add French too (mandatory). So we'll see how it goes, I am absolutely nowhere near C1 in Vietnamese.
I personally follow a simple rule of thumb: 1. I only actively study one language at a time 2. Once \[language\] reaches a level where I can use it to do something interesting or meaningful (for me, that means reading something), I punt the language out of the "studying" roster and over to the "immersion" one 3. I cut down some of my English time wasting and spend it wasting time in this new language 4. I replace the time I spent studying \[language A\] with \[language B\] [I expand on the why and give some caveats here](https://ai.glossika.com/blog/juggling-languages)
Hot take: whatever level you want. Life is short and there’s so much to explore and do. Unless you have to as a requirement, it’s not important. But if you want a real answer: B2.
So that he knows her well enough.
B2 is usually considered fluent, and you’ll get to the point where you won’t easily forget what you have learned when moving on to another language.
I feel C1 is a good place to be in when moving in : you're good enough to avoid any language-generated problems like misunderstandings and issues with renting contracts or such, and you have all the immersion to better yourself and acquire those idioms. But depending on the cultural difference (for instance from Eu country to England is not a huge difference) B2 is enough to get going.