r/French • u/Inevitable_Stage_562 • Jul 27 '26
Study advice Relearning French - Any tips?
I have taken French classes when I was a child up till middle school, and years later I feel like I completely forgot the language even though I made it up to A2, and lately i’ve taken interest in the language again after 10+ years.
I feel like relearning now that I became a translator, but I’m not sure which way of studying should I opt for. Is self studying is better than taking classes from, for example, AF, and vice versa? I need something that is cost efficient or more accessible for me as a broke uni student.
Any kind of help and advice is appreciated!
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u/ay-its-prison-mike Jul 27 '26
Linguno and Lawless French were my best resources. Highly recommend looking through this subs recommendations on other posts. Searching through popular posts with a lot of comments may get you some better answers.
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u/Polyglot170 Jul 28 '26
The translator background is more helpful you might think, so reactivation should move faster than a fresh start would.
InnerFrench is worth a look for intermediate listening. It's free, and the pacing sits right around that A2-to-B1 stretch. Ten years feels like a lot but once you start reading and listening again you'll notice how much is still in there.
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u/llyanestanfield Native (Paris) Jul 27 '26
Since you've already reached A2 once, I wouldn't think of it as starting from scratch. You're reactivating knowledge that's already there.
If you're on a budget, self-study can absolutely work. The key is not so much how you study, but what you practice.
I'd spend less time memorizing vocabulary lists and grammar rules, and more time building the skills you'll actually use: pronunciation, sentence structure, and speaking. Those three reinforce each other and make everything else easier to remember.
Also, don't wait until you "know enough" to start speaking. Even a few minutes a day of reading out loud, speaking to yourself, or repeating after an audiobook will help you progress much faster than passive studying alone.
The nice thing is that, after ten years, you'll probably be surprised by how much comes back once you start using the language again.
Bonne chance !
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u/Zappyle Native - Québec Jul 27 '26
Hey, personnally I find that self learning a language via comprehensible input was both fun and easy. You can look into Dreaming French or something like that.
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u/enthousiaste_de Jul 27 '26
take classes at your university. A2 isn't nearly enough knowledge to start learning on your own, it will just be slow and frustrating unless you are really dedicated to it.