Learning is not a thing you do within a certain time frame to be done with it. Learning is basically what you're going to do for the rest of your life if you're starting Greek, and I think you need to find learning fun and interesting for its own sake or you're going to be very frustrated. When you get good enough to read an extract from the Apology with vocabulary aids, is that reading Greek? In a way, and it's practice too. Then in time you'll read the whole thing without help. Which is also practice. Maybe you'll never get to Thucydides. Maybe you will.
When you're setting out on an undertaking of this scale, don't think any when you'll reach a particular destination. Figure out how to sustain your interest and keep at it for as long as it takes.
How to reduce learning time? First, study how to learn languages properly and start using the right scientifically based methods - see comprehensible input. Try to understand the Greek directly from the beginning and especially don't use the grammar-translation method that 95% of Greek teachers use. I recommend reading the FAQ on the right here.
Berkeley and CUNY offer very intensive Ancient Greek workshops every summer. If you take one, you should be able to start working through intermediate texts after one summer.
This is pretty much subject to how much effort and dedication you put in
but… but… i want it NOW!!!
Two years, if you’re dedicated with it.
Learning is not a thing you do within a certain time frame to be done with it. Learning is basically what you're going to do for the rest of your life if you're starting Greek, and I think you need to find learning fun and interesting for its own sake or you're going to be very frustrated. When you get good enough to read an extract from the Apology with vocabulary aids, is that reading Greek? In a way, and it's practice too. Then in time you'll read the whole thing without help. Which is also practice. Maybe you'll never get to Thucydides. Maybe you will.
Is tomorrow too soon?
When you're setting out on an undertaking of this scale, don't think any when you'll reach a particular destination. Figure out how to sustain your interest and keep at it for as long as it takes.
How to reduce learning time? First, study how to learn languages properly and start using the right scientifically based methods - see comprehensible input. Try to understand the Greek directly from the beginning and especially don't use the grammar-translation method that 95% of Greek teachers use. I recommend reading the FAQ on the right here.
Move to Greece and learn modern greek first. That will speed up the process.
Berkeley and CUNY offer very intensive Ancient Greek workshops every summer. If you take one, you should be able to start working through intermediate texts after one summer.