fluent

To be fluent in something is to do it without difficulty. This word is usually applied to language skills.

• Most of my students would like to be fluent in English.
• Are you fluent in English?
• How does a person become fluent in a language?
• It takes several years to become fluent in English.
• I wish I were fluent in German.
• It takes a very long time to become fluent in Chinese. An older person who takes up Chinese is not likely to be a fluent speaker–ever.

The word "fluently" is an adverb:

• Would you like to speak English fluently?
• To speak any language fluently usually requires a person to live in a country where that language is spoken.
• High school Spanish classes are not enough for a person to speak Spanish fluently.

He would like to speak French fluently, but it’s hard.

The word "fluency" is a noun:

• It can take several years of studying and practice before a person can achieve fluency in a language.
• Fluency in French is helpful for someone who is considering a career in art or medicine.
• To achieve fluency in Latin is very difficult because there are so few people–aside from linguists and priests–who speak it.

Click here for more English vocabulary.

October 12, 2019