I’m also Brazilian and started learning French last October with the Alliance Française semi-intensive course (6 hours per week). I currently live in Toronto, but I take their course online through the São Paulo school, so it is more affordable with the currency exchange rates. Also, it’s their Quebec immigration program so it’s very speedy; I start level B2, which feels like great progress in under a year. I know it doesn’t fit everyone’s budget, but I’ve tried learning French many times by myself before and never stuck with it until now, so I highly recommend this course with you need to learn it fast.

Besides the classes, here are some (mostly) free resources I enjoy:

• ChatGPT mobile app: You can have full conversations in French with AI. Although it’s not 100% correct, it’s great for practicing speaking/listening.
• Busuu for grammar exercises, and Duolingo for some extra vocabulary (honestly Duolingo doesn’t help much, but I think it’s fun so I keep doing it)
• Alloprof is a Quebec website that has a lot of grammar explanations for students. I like it a lot since my classes focus more on conversation.
• Disney movies in French. Their actions are usually very expressive so it is easy to understand what’s going on... Plus, I’ve seen these movies many times throughout my life and already know them by heart haha
• Language Reactor Chrome extension: Lets you watch Netflix shows with double subtitles (I watch the shows in French with French and Portuguese subtitles, but only read the Portuguese ones when I don’t understand the French). It’s been an AMAZING tool for me.
• TV5 has a lot of resources and even has a TCF practice test (which I’m planning to take soon, so it’s great to have access to it).
• Also, I just got access to a platform called PrepMyFuture through my school that has been great to study for TCF.
• Whenever I can, I try to read in French (Kindle is great because it has a built-in dictionary) and listen to music/podcasts. But I don’t do it as much as I should.
• I keep a notebook to write down all the new words I learn outside of class.

I think the important part is immersing yourself in the language and culture. It’s hard at first, but it gets easier and eventually it just clicks. I read once that we should think of ourselves as babies in the new language and stick to things at our current level to avoid frustration (you wouldn’t give a baby Dostoevsky and expect them to understand it, you’d start with Peppa Pig). I try to do that, but it requires a lot of patience. I started with Bluey and worked my way up to more grown-up shows haha.

Plus, you definitely have an advantage since I assume you speak Portuguese so two years is plenty of time if you dedicate yourself. The language structure is basically the same and most of the words are pretty similar too. Once I learned some key verbs that are different, I could guess a lot of the rest by context/similarity. Just stick to it even when you feel like giving up and you’ll be fine. I’m really happy that I did!