A clear path to
learning French.
Learn the patterns, hear French in use, and find the words for your own life. Explore grammar and pronunciation by level, build a study routine, or prepare for your next conversation, trip or move to France.
Start with a level. Or with a real-life question.
You might be meeting French for the first time, untangling a grammar point, or getting ready for life in France. Choose the route that fits today. Each collection puts related guides in a suggested order, so you can follow a path or dip into one lesson.
Language Foundations
Grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation, organised from A1 to C2. Start where the examples feel useful: a familiar level can be the right place to fill a gap, even if your reading or speaking is further along.
Between two levels?
Open the earlier path and try a lesson. If the examples are comfortable, move on; if one pattern still trips you up, spend a little time there. You do not need to finish every guide before exploring another collection.
These are collections of available lessons, not a complete course for each CEFR level. The advanced paths focus on selected skills.
Get a starting point with the level quiz →Use your French in a real conversation.
Bring a question from a guide to a French tutor. Try it aloud, ask for feedback and leave with something to practise.
Find a French tutor →Paid lessons. Compare tutors and prices before booking.
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission when you book.
There is more than one reason to learn French.
A better conversation, a train to catch, a move to plan, a film you want to follow. These five collections start with what you want to do. You can explore them alongside your level-based lessons.
Find a specific guide
Already have a question in mind? Search by a word or topic, or open a category to browse its articles. Try a grammar point, a place or a situation; matching guides appear below as you type.
Language Foundations
- 10 Common French Mistakes English Speakers Make
- Agree and Disagree in French: D’accord and Alternatives
- Belgian French vs France French: Words and Numbers
- Bien Que vs Même Si: Concession in French
- Depuis vs Pendant vs Pour: French Time Expressions
- Dont vs Lequel: French Relative Pronouns Explained
- Du, De La, Des or De? French Quantities Explained
- French Ambiguity: Pronouns, Scope and Punctuation
- French Articles: Le, La, Les, Un, Une and Des
- French Countryside Vocabulary: Farms and Village Life
- French Emphasis: C’est, Ce Qui and Ce Que
- French False Friends: 20 Meanings and Examples
- French Gérondif: En + Present Participle Explained
- French Nature Vocabulary: Trees, Rivers and Mountains
- French Negation: Ne… Pas, Jamais and Plus
- French Nominalisation: Examples and Clear Writing
- French Object Pronouns: Le, Lui, Leur and Word Order
- French Plus-que-parfait: Formation and Examples
- French Possessives: Mon, Ma, Mes Explained
- French Prepositions of Place: À, En, Au and Chez
- French Questions: Est-ce Que, Intonation and Inversion
- French Reflexive Verbs: Daily Routine and Word Order
- French Reported Speech: Tenses, Pronouns and Time
- French Si Clauses: Conditions, Hypotheses and Regrets
- French Subjunctive: Uses, Forms and Examples
- French Texting Slang: 57 Codes and How to Reply
- French Words with No Exact English Equivalent: 20 Examples
- Futur Proche vs Futur Simple: Examples and Practice
- How to Express Certainty and Doubt in French
- Imparfait vs Passé Composé: Examples and Timeline
- Québec French vs France French: Key Differences
- Tu or Vous in French: Choosing and Switching Politely
- Understand Spoken French: Liaison, Rhythm and Reductions
- Y and En in French: Meaning, Position and Examples
Learning Methods & Tools
- A 15-Minute French Routine for Busy Professionals
- AZERTY vs QWERTY: French Keyboard Differences
- How many French books do you really need?
- French Learning Apps Compared: Choose by Your Goal
- French Translation Mistakes: Checking Google Translate
- French–English Dictionaries: Which Tool to Use
- How Long Does It Take to Learn French? A Planning Guide
- How to Learn French: A Practical Plan for English Speakers
- How to Think in French: Exercises for Everyday Practice
- italki vs Preply for French: Lessons and Costs Compared
- Learn French as a Couple: Activities and Study Habits
- Learn French in 3 Months: Goals and a Study Plan
- Speaking French as a Shy Beginner: Practical Steps
Culture & Immersion
- Emily in Paris: French Language and Culture Reviewed
- French Cheese Guide: Types, Ordering and Etiquette
- French Cinema Classics: Films and a Listening Method
- French Comics for Learners: Bande Dessinée by Level
- French Films to Learn French: Prime Video and Beyond
- French Instagram Captions: Meanings and Pronunciation
- French News for Beginners: Sources by Difficulty
- French News Vocabulary: Headlines, Quotes and Numbers
- French News Websites: Editorial Lines and Reading Level
- French Podcasts on Spotify: Choose by Topic and Level
- French Politeness: Bonjour, Tu, Vous and Requests
- French Political Vocabulary: Elections and Government
- French Public Holidays: Dates, Closures and Le Pont
- French Shows on Netflix: Listening Practice and Subtitles
- French Smiling Etiquette: Reading Social Cues
- French Texting Abbreviations: Messages Decoded
- French TV Channels: TNT, Streaming and Access Abroad
- French TV Series to Learn French: Canal+ and Beyond
- French music: choose artists for your listening routine
- The French Fifth Republic: President and Parliament
- Understand French Radio Debates: A Listening Method
Travel & Everyday French
- Book a Restaurant in French: Phrases and Replies
- Buy Train Tickets in French: Phrases and Station Words
- French Café Etiquette: Ordering, Prices and the Bill
- French Pharmacy Phrases: Symptoms and Asking for Advice
- French Phone Call Phrases: Answer, Ask and Clarify
- French Phrases for Paris: Métro, Cafés and Directions
- French Travel Phrases for Hotels, Shops and Cafés
- Introduce Yourself in French: Phrases for Real Situations
- Montmartre in French: Walks, Cafés and Useful Phrases
- Order at a French Bakery: Bread, Pastries and Phrases
- Order Drinks in French: Bar Phrases and Apéro Vocabulary
Living & Working in France
- Affordable Places to Retire in France: Costs Compared
- Can Americans Retire in France? Eligibility Explained
- France Long-Stay Visa Documents: Checklist and Dates
- France Long-Stay Visa for US Citizens: Application Steps
- French Administrative Vocabulary: Forms and Appointments
- French Business Expressions: Meetings, Emails and Deadlines
- French Job Interview Questions, Answers and Vocabulary
- French Long-Stay Visas: Types, Steps and Validation
- French Property Taxes: Taxe Foncière and Key Terms
- French SIM Cards and eSIMs: How to Choose and Buy
- French Visitor Visa for Retirement: Income and Insurance
- French Work Emails: Greetings, Requests and Sign-offs
- How to Retire in France: A Practical Moving Timeline
- Moving to France from the USA: Work and Visa Planning
- Open a French Bank Account: Documents and Vocabulary
- Renting in France: Listings, Documents and Vocabulary
- Retiring in France: US Pensions, Taxes and Accounts
- Where to Retire in France: Five Regions Compared
Give one idea a little practice.
You do not need a long reading list for today. Choose one guide and leave with something you can actually use.
Notice the pattern
Read the examples before trying to memorise a rule. In the Foundations lessons, use the French audio to connect the written phrase with its sound.
Try it for yourself
Use the exercises or linked practice where available. Look at why an answer works, then make a new sentence about your own life.
Meet it again
Listen for the pattern in a conversation or a short text. Return to the lesson when you need a reminder, then choose your next useful topic.
Make this the French you actually use.
You have explored the lessons. Now put the language to work. Practise the mistakes that hold you back, then take your French into a real conversation.
Use your French in a real conversation.
Bring a question from a guide to a French tutor. Try it aloud, ask for feedback and leave with something to practise.
Choose a tutor, compare lesson prices and book a conversation with a clear goal. Bring one point from your reading, try it aloud and leave with something specific to practise next.
Find my French tutor →Paid lessons. Compare tutors and prices before booking.
Affiliate link: we may earn a commission when you book.
Keep a little French in your inbox.
Get an email when a new article is published. A fresh explanation, a useful phrase or a new topic to explore, ready when you have a moment for French.
