What is the difference between being bilingual and fluent?

Fluent and bilingual are often used interchangeably but it can signify different levels of language proficiency and cultural connection. 

Understanding the nuances can shed light on what it means to know a language, beyond simply speaking it well.

Fluency

Being fluent in a language typically means one can speak, read, write, and understand it at an advanced level with ease. 

Fluent speakers can comfortably engage in conversations, understand native speakers at natural speed and express complex ideas without significant hesitation. Fluency can, however, vary depending on context and exposure:

Conversational Fluency: A speaker can comfortably participate in day-to-day conversations, handle basic social and work interactions and generally make themselves understood without much difficulty.

Professional Fluency: Often used in business and professional settings, this level of fluency includes the ability to understand industry-specific jargon, hold formal conversations, and write professionally.

Fluency typically emphasises communication rather than perfection; a fluent speaker may still have an accent, make occasional grammatical errors, or lack knowledge of idiomatic expressions.

Read more: Man who speaks 50 languages gives his tips on learning French

Bilingualism

Bilingualism is not solely about language proficiency but also about how an individual’s identity is shaped by using and living with two languages. 

A bilingual person is someone who has grown up with or maintains significant competency in two languages and, in many cases, two cultures. 

Bilingualism is often categorised into two types:

Simultaneous Bilingualism: This occurs when an individual learns two languages from early childhood, often from parents who speak different languages at home or from living in a bilingual community. 

They may not distinguish between “primary” and “secondary” languages because both are integral parts of their identity.

Sequential Bilingualism: This describes individuals who learned a second language after establishing a foundation in their first language, usually later in childhood or adulthood. 

Although they can achieve high proficiency in the second language, they may have a stronger cultural and emotional connection to the first language.

Unlike fluency, bilingualism often involves deep cultural ties, as language reflects the nuances of customs, humour, values, and history. 

Read more: How to learn French through language acquisition

Bilingual people are often “bi-cultural” as well, capable of navigating and understanding the social expectations of both cultures. 

For instance, they might know which phrases to avoid in formal settings, understand cultural references, or feel a sense of belonging to both linguistic communities.

What are the key differences? 

Although fluency and bilingualism can overlap, key points that set them apart:

Fluency focuses on the ability to communicate smoothly, while bilingualism encompasses a sense of identity and belonging to two linguistic and cultural groups.

Bilinguals are typically embedded in two cultures, possessing an intuitive understanding of cultural norms, humour, and subtleties.

Bilingual people can often switch between languages seamlessly, sometimes mixing words and expressions from both languages. 

Fluent speakers may achieve proficiency but might not have the same ease or cultural intuition to navigate both languages in diverse settings.

Read more: Seven words you will often hear in spoken French

Fluency can lead to bilingualism - but it’s not necessarily as easy as it may seem. 

For example, someone who becomes fluent in a second language and immerses themselves in its culture—through living in a country where the language is spoken, forming deep social bonds, or marrying into a family that speaks that language—might start to identify with the culture deeply enough to consider themselves bilingual.