How long does it take to learn freestyle swimming?

Hi, I’m new to swimming for exercise, and for the past week or two I’ve been trying to learn freestyle. My grandparents have a pool and live about a km away from my parents house, so during the summer I swam a lot as a kid. However I never learned to swim freestyle. I was just doing breaststroke and having fun.

So now I’m wondering how long it typically takes to get comfortable with freestyle. Right now, I feel like I’m struggling with breathing and coordination. I feel like my first 1-2 strokes are decent, but after my second breath it all falls apart. Any tips for improving faster or common mistakes to avoid?

Update: I watched a bunch of videos online and took you guys advice and tried it out it today.

On Monday I swam 800meters in 45 minutes with average hr of 145 and max 179.

Today I swam 1 625 meters in 1 hour with average hr of 133 and max 163. Not "good" but a significant improvement for me. I took it more slowly and was able to swim 100 meters without even exiting zone 2. Last time I was in zone 4 after 50 meters.

I feel like I’m getting much better each time I’m in the pool. However, i definitely do look like an amateur. But i am one and who cares 🤩🤩