I think it is dependent on what kind of brain you have, just from my own study in the sample size at home.
DH was seriously gifted verbal. He learned Spanish in high school, went to Chile for 6 months during grade 10 and could still converse 40 years later, enough on vacation or with a worker in the apt to communicate.
I, who took French in Canada from 7th grade through and used to speak, read etc have such a hard time. My hear has to train for a week while in a Fr speaking country to even make a sentence.
But I am VS and numbers oriented.
Just an aside on this in depth research, both of us took piano as children. I suspect he was more diligent than I on practicing since I hated practicing and didn't. When DD started playing, he decided to try playing again. I took notes during lessons and tried to follow along so I could help her with practice. He could not play. It was really hard for him. I picked it up really easily.
