What to do when your French is rusty?

You haven’t forgotten your French—you’re just rusty!

You learnt the language of Ratatouille in high school but it’s been AGES since you last practised… Now you feel like a complete fraud, as if you’ve forgotten everything! Or so you think. 😏

Don’t panic—this is completely normal. In fact, most language learners go through this at some point in their life. And the good news is: you probably remember far more than you realise. In this article, I’ll show you exactly what to do when your French is rusty.

Ready to dust off your skills? Let’s go!

Stop thinking like a beginner

When your French gets a bit rusty, you might start thinking, “I’ve forgotten everything… I need to start from scratch!” Right? 😅

Well, let me tell you something: you need to change that mindset! 😉 Even if it’s been a while, your French skills are still there in your brain—you just need to reactivate them a little. Just remember: this time, you’re not starting from zero!

And that’s important, because going back to beginner-level material could quickly become frustrating or boring. It might feel way too easy for you!

That’s why you should try to restart from the level you had before you stopped learning French. At first, it’ll probably feel a bit rough… but that’s just a phase. Give yourself a few months, and you’ll get back to your old level much faster than you expect!

Trust your brain to remember French

I know that at first, when you feel like you’ve forgotten everything or lost so much knowledge, it can feel incredibly frustrating. You spent all those years learning, and now… nothing! 😭 But hang in there, and don’t give up!

Your French hasn’t disappeared, it’s just been dormant for a while. Most of the vocabulary, grammar, and language patterns you learnt are still somewhere in your memory. You simply need to reconnect the dots and reactivate those pathways in your brain.

At first, it might feel a bit messy or chaotic… but little by little, things will start coming back to you! 💪

Take actions to reactivate your French

If you want to get back on track, you need to make French part of your daily routine again! There are plenty of simple ways to reconnect with the language.

Listen to French passively

Start with passive exposure by simply listening to French! This is actually the strategy I use the most for my own English learning. It’s simple, enjoyable and pretty effective if you do it regularly—especially if you choose topics you genuinely enjoy.

There are plenty of ways to do this. For example, you could:

• Go for a walk while listening to a Francophone podcast (my favourite!)

• Watch series or films with subtitles.

• Listen to French music.

• Listen to the radio.

• Try an audiobook.

• Follow Francophone social influencers on Instagram or TikTok.

  
  

➡️You like series or movies? Have a look at our article about where to watch French films online for free!

Read content you actually like in French

You can also reintroduce French into your daily life in a more active way. Reading is a great place to start because it helps you reconnect with vocabulary, sentence structures, and everyday expressions at your own pace.

Here are a few simple things you can do:

• Set your phone to the language of Ratatouille 😉.

• Read articles from Francophone newspapers—or even just the headlines.

• Watch a movie in English with French subtitles.

• Read short novels or children’s books.

• Read the lyrics of French songs you enjoy.

  
  

➡️ Check out this article to discover why authentic materials are so helpful for learning French.

Work with a tutor from France

Working with a tutor regularly is a great way to get back in the flow. They can guide you through your “French recovery”, help you rebuild your level, and support your progress step by step.

Whether you want to work on conversation, grammar, reading, oral comprehension, writing, or all of the above 😉, your tutor is there to support you throughout your language journey.

Feel free to get in touch if you’d like to start private lessons with one of our super friendly teachers—we’re all native speakers from France! 🥐

➡️Want to improve your French? Find out how we can help.

Chat with Francophones or fellow learners (even imperfectly)

Last but not least, I’d encourage you to start speaking again. I know this can feel really intimidating, but it’s so important! So, why not ask a French friend or another learner to practise with you from time to time?

If you don’t have any Francophone friends yet, you’re also very welcome to join our online French conversation groups. It’s a friendly, non-judgmental space where you can practise speaking and build confidence. 🙂

At first, even if you don’t feel ready to participate much, you can simply start by listening to others.

Then, little by little, you’ll start expressing yourself. Trust that you have nothing to be ashamed of. You’ll search for your words, you’ll make plenty of mistakes—and that’s completely normal. As we say in France:Mieux vaut fait que parfait (= Done is better than perfect)!

➡️ Nervous about speaking French? You’re not alone. This article might help you overcome your fear!

What to do when your French is rusty? To sum up:

Understand that you’re not starting from scratch this time.

• Trust that your French is still in your brain!

• Listen to your favourite language in a passive way.

• Start reading Francophone content.

• Work with a tutor.

• Talk with Francophones (even imperfectly).

  
  

I hope this article has inspired you to get back to learning the world’s sexiest language 😉. What about you? What are your strategies for getting your French back on track? Let us know in the comments below!