By Vahid Alaghehband
To learn English from scratch, practice every day in short sessions (15 to 30 minutes), start with useful phrases before rules, speak out loud from the first week and listen to material made for beginners. Move in stages: first introduce yourself and ask for things (A1), then talk about what you do and handle everyday situations (A2). Check your level at the start and every few months against the CEFR descriptors.
Starting a language from zero can feel overwhelming: you don't know where to begin, every app promises something different, and it seems you have to memorize thousands of words before saying your first sentence. The good news is that the beginning is when progress shows fastest, as long as you practice consistently and use English to communicate, not just to study it.
This guide suggests a concrete path. It isn't an official schedule: it's a practical plan organized around what the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) describes for levels A1 and A2.
What does learning English "from scratch" mean?
Learning from scratch means starting without being able to communicate in English, sometimes called level A0 or "pre-A1". The CEFR doesn't define an A0 level: its first level is A1, where you can introduce yourself, ask and answer simple questions about yourself and understand very basic phrases if people speak slowly. A reasonable goal for a first stage is to reach A2.
If you studied English at school but feel you "know nothing", you probably aren't starting from zero: you recognize words, you understand some phrases and your problem is a different one. In that case, read why understanding English isn't enough to speak it. To see what each level includes in detail, check our A1 level and A2 level pages.
The path from A0 to A2, stage by stage
A practical path has four stages: sounds and survival phrases (weeks 1 and 2), introducing yourself and talking about your day (weeks 3 to 8), complete everyday situations (months 3 and 4) and telling past experiences and plans (months 5 and 6). The timings are a guide: they depend on how much you practice each day.
| Stage | What you learn | What you should be able to say | Reference level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1 and 2 | Greetings, numbers, the alphabet to spell your name, 50 everyday words | "Hi, I'm Ana. I'm from Quito. Nice to meet you." | Start of A1 |
| Weeks 3 to 8 | The verb to be, present simple, questions with what, where, when, routine and family | "I work in a shop. I get up at six. My sister lives in Madrid." | A1 |
| Months 3 and 4 | Shopping, ordering food, asking for directions, talking about likes, can and there is / there are | "Can I have a coffee, please? Is there a pharmacy near here?" | Solid A1, start of A2 |
| Months 5 and 6 | Past simple, plans with going to, comparing things, short conversations on familiar topics | "Last weekend I visited my grandparents. Next month I'm going to start a new job." | A2 |
HelloVozi's suggestion. Reference levels follow the CEFR descriptors (Council of Europe). There is no single official number of hours to move from one level to the next: it depends on your starting point, your exposure to the language and the quality of your practice.
Weeks 1 and 2: sounds and survival phrases
Don't start with grammar. Learn whole chunks you can use right away: How are you?, I don't understand, Can you repeat, please?, How do you say… in English?. Repeat them out loud until they come out without thinking. Listen a lot: your ear needs to get used to sounds your first language may not have, such as the difference between ship and sheep.
Weeks 3 to 8: talking about yourself
With the verb to be and the present simple you can describe almost your whole daily life. Every day, write three sentences about what you did or what you usually do, read them out loud and record yourself. Your first language is an ally: compare structures, note the differences ("in English the adjective comes first: a big house") and use it to understand, not to translate word for word. On this, read why the best English tools no longer ignore your native language.
Months 3 and 4: complete situations
Now practice whole scenes: ordering at a restaurant, buying something in a store, asking how to get somewhere, introducing yourself in a simple interview. Each scene has limited, predictable vocabulary, which makes it ideal for building confidence. Practice both roles: the customer and the server, the person asking and the person answering.
Months 5 and 6: past and plans
The past simple lets you tell stories, and going to lets you talk about plans. With that you can already hold short conversations about familiar topics: your weekend, your job, your holidays. This is where the difference shows between people who spoke from the start and people who only studied.
What to practice every day (a 20 to 30-minute routine)
An effective daily routine for beginners combines four blocks: listening to material at your level, repeating out loud, using new vocabulary in your own sentences and having a mini conversation. Practicing 20 minutes every day works better than two hours on a single day of the week.
- Listen (5–8 minutes): a short audio or video for beginners, first without the text and then with it.
- Repeat (5 minutes): imitate phrases from the audio with the same intonation. It's the basis of the shadowing technique.
- Build (5 minutes): write 3 to 5 sentences of your own with the day's new words.
- Speak (5–10 minutes): answer questions out loud, talk with someone or practice a dialogue. This is the part most people skip and the one that counts most.
Why short sessions? Because practice spread over time is remembered better than practice packed into one block. We explain the evidence in how many hours a day to study English.
Common mistakes when starting from scratch
- Waiting until you "know enough" to speak. That moment doesn't arrive on its own. Speaking with mistakes from the start is part of learning.
- Memorizing lists of isolated words. They are forgotten quickly. Learn words inside sentences you would actually use.
- Starting with grammar rules. Grammar makes more sense when you already have examples in your head. The phrase first, then the rule.
- Translating everything word for word. In Spanish you "have" years, but in English you are 20: I'm 20, not I have 20 years. Use your first language to compare, not to copy.
- Changing methods every week. Consistency with a simple plan beats the search for the perfect method.
- Only practicing what feels comfortable. Tap-and-choose apps help with vocabulary, but they don't replace producing sentences and speaking.
Verified free resources for beginners
There is high-quality open material made by public broadcasters. VOA Learning English offers the Let's Learn English course (levels 1 and 2) for beginners. BBC Learning English organizes its content by level, with series such as Real Easy English. Both work from your browser.
| Resource | Published by | What it's for |
|---|---|---|
| VOA Learning English | Voice of America (U.S.) | Let's Learn English levels 1 and 2, designed for beginners by certified teachers; other audio and video programs are read one-third slower than normal English |
| BBC Learning English | BBC (U.K.) | Content organized by level; weekly series such as Real Easy English and 6 Minute English |
Sources: official pages of VOA Learning English (About Us) and BBC Learning English. If you also want a certificate, see our guide to free English courses with a certificate.
How to measure your progress
Measure your progress by what you can do, not by how many lessons you completed. Use the CEFR descriptors as a checklist ("I can introduce myself", "I can order food", "I can talk about my weekend"), record yourself speaking every month and compare, and take a level check when you start and every two or three months.
- "I can…" list: copy the A1 and A2 descriptors from our CEFR levels guide and tick the ones you already meet.
- Monthly recording: speak for one minute on the same topic (for example, "my routine") every month. Hearing your first and latest recordings is the best motivation.
- Regular level check: a test that includes speaking tells you which skill is holding you back.
Start speaking from day one
Vozi Missions is designed for beginners from A0: short speaking missions with a clear goal, cumulative review and optional Spanish support. It works from the browser on your phone or computer, without downloading an app. Specialized in English for Spanish speakers; the interface is in English and Spanish.
Discover Vozi Missions →Frequently asked questions
Where do I start learning English from scratch?
Start with useful phrases to introduce yourself and ask for help, listen to material for beginners and repeat it out loud. Then learn the verb to be and the present simple to talk about your daily life. Practice a little every day.
How long does it take to go from zero to A2?
There is no single official figure: it depends on how much you practice, your exposure to the language and whether you speak or only study. Our path suggests about six months practicing 20 to 30 minutes a day, as a reference, not a guarantee.
Can I learn English on my own?
Yes, you can make a lot of progress on your own with material at your level, a daily routine and speaking practice. The hardest part to do alone is speaking, so look for ways to have conversations: with another person, in a group or with an AI coach.
What should I learn first in English?
First come survival phrases (greeting, introducing yourself, saying you don't understand and asking people to repeat), numbers and about 50 everyday words. With that you can already have your first exchanges.
Is it better to study grammar or practice conversation?
Both, but in the reverse order: first phrases and conversation, then grammar to understand what you are already using. Studying rules without practice produces people who know the theory but can't speak.
How do I know my English level?
Compare what you can do with the CEFR descriptors for each level, or take a level test that assesses all four skills, including speaking.