I used to be fluent when I was much younger (grew up in Europe), but alas have forgotten most. Would tapes like the Pimsleur help bring some of it back, or are they too rutimentary? If so, what would you recommend (want some thing I can listen to in the car).

I found just being immersed was the best way to bring it back. If you can get your hands on books, movies (a lot of DVD's have a French option) or a French tv channel, that will help.

oops - sorry - missed the 'listen to it in the car' part.

I was never fluent alas but had taken five years of french in high school and college. Of course I had no one to speak it to and it had been 30 years but I found on my first trip to Paris in 1999, a lot of words etc. just started spinning in my head. I got some tapes called Flash French on Amazon.com and found them to work for me. I have sets one and two. I found, because of my background that the first set went really fast. I DID need a review. The second set is going slower but I have them in the car and play them when ever I am driving. It really helped me. I was trying for the verbal more than anything else. I can read OK..my writing, especially spelling just sucks. I really need to take a REAL french class again. I haven't done Pimsleur, but it seems to get good reviews. The Flash French series uses a native French speaker so the pronunciation is good. Since you were at one time fluent, I think the suggestion of movies etc. is probably a good one for you, along with the tapes.

Everyone says Pimsleur is the best, they are not ruDimentary ..try getting movies with subtitles, several magazines have page to page French and English, do you have a French Alliance near you? We have a wonderful group at a local center..a French woman whose husband has been tranferred here was feeling lonely and asked if she could teach a French class or have conversations with French speakers who want to improve their skills!

My written French comprehension is not bad after 7 years of schooling but I have trouble with spoken French..just listening to the rhythms of speech helps!

I was pretty fluent also at one time many years ago. I took it in school for 8 years and we had a summer home next to a family that was French. I bought French for Dummies and a small DK book. Both have cds, both are pretty rudimentary. I may have to look for the Pimsleur that you all are writing about.

I think it is so helpful to listen to it while you practice. I can remember Sr. Seton's horrible French accent like it was yesterday. I am liking the one on the cd much better, plus no one to rap me on the knuckles this time around.

I have never been fluent in any language other than English and not raise in one, so I don't know. I don't think there's any harm in starting out with the Pimsleur and just seeing how it helps. At least it will get you in the frame of mind of listening to it and thinking of it.

I do think they are very rudimentary, though. I was never fluent in French but took some years of it, starting at age 30 and have tried to keep up -- but I got the top level of Pimsleur from the library to brush up before a trip last year, and they were too rudiementary for me. I really don't think they go beyond about the first year of a college-level French class, even the French III Pimsleur.

It's a way to start, however, so why not give it a try. I would never ever recommend you buy them, though, in your case, they are too expensive. Get them from a library or something, which is what I do.

I can relate to what crefloors has said about this, but I studied French in high school MORE than 30 years ago! After taking some classes at Alliance Francaise, and diligently using the Pimsleur series, I can get by OK traveling in France. I highly recommend the Pimsleur tapes to others with a background like mine, but if you were fluent at one time, they might be too rudimentary for you. But you might try them anyway, and they are great in the car! French will probably come back to you quickly.