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Are you trying to learn French on your own? While learning a language takes work, these days there are so many French learning resources right at your fingertips. After years of practicing French alone, here are the best ways I’ve found to learn French online from your couch.
If you are here, that means you are willing and eager to learn French, but don’t wish to take formal classes. Thankfully, there are so many free resources available online these days; in fact, classes aren’t even necessarily the answer. After all, the five years of Spanish and two years of French I took in school did not lead to fluency.
So if formal classes don’t work, then what does? The “trick” is ultimately how committed you are. No matter what combination of the below free French resources you choose, what matters is that you do at least something for fifteen to thirty minutes every day. If you can get on board with that, then you are definitely capable of learning French online on your own.
For over four years now, I’ve been in the process of teaching myself French using the various resources I’ve listed below. I’ve paid virtually nothing, save for a couple online tutoring sessions, index cards, and an inexpensive paperback textbook. I can honestly say I know more French today than I ever did in school, and below I’ll show how this is possible for you too.
The Best Way to Learn French Online On Your Own
Below I am listing all the free online resources I’ve used over the years to help me learn French. Just remember: learning a language is a marathon, not a sprint. The best way to learn French online is by adopting habits you can actually stick to.
Basically, it’s like chipping away at the language every single day. You’d be amazed at what just fifteen minutes a day over the course of a year can do!
1. Learn French Online with the Duolingo App
Anyone trying to learn a language in this day and age uses the Duolingo App. So if you haven’t downloaded it yet, do it now!
I am absolutely obsessed with Duolingo, and it’s an easy, super fun way of practicing French. Since it’s on my phone, I can do a quick French lesson on the fly whenever I find a little pocket of time. Each lesson is short, taking about five minutes or less. As you progress through each lesson, the content gets more and more challenging.
Duolingo has helped me learn new French vocab, grammar, and even helps with comprehension and pronunciation. The best part is that the app is completely free to use! It also has a paid version that provides more tools and less ads.
2. Listen to French Podcasts on Your Commute
One of the best ways to learn French online is listening to podcasts. This is a great way to convert time sitting in traffic during your commute to productive language learning time. I also love listening to French podcasts while folding laundry and doing dishes.
There are many to choose from, but my favorite continues to be Coffee Break French. This podcast started in 2007 (when I was still a senior in high school!) and continues to record new shows today. What I love about this podcast is that the host, Mark, explains tricky French grammar concepts in an easy to understand and conversational way.
The podcast is broken up into several seasons, with each one getting slightly more advanced. The first two seasons feature a brand new French student who is learning new words and grammar alongside you. The later seasons are great for intermediate students, as they feature native speakers to help you develop your French ear and listening comprehension.
A few more helpful podcasts:
- News in Slow French: Hear native speakers deliver world news in slow-paced French, as well as mini French lessons. Show is biweekly with an abridged free version and more robust paid version.
- Grand Reportage: Daily twenty-minute podcast entirely in French that covers special news reports around the world. Provides exposure to various French dialects.
- SBS French: Podcast about the Australian French-speaking world. Covers everything from current events to human interest pieces. Episodes range from a few minutes to over an hour in length.
3. Follow Native French Speakers on YouTube
YouTube is an amazing place to watch and listen to native French speakers. Though harder to watch on the go, YouTube channels can often be more engaging and entertaining than podcasts.
Plus, with the creation of YouTube shorts, it’s easier than ever to learn a quick French lesson in your free time.
- Easy French: This series of videos features native French speakers that interview locals about a weekly topic on the streets of Paris. It’s great for being exposed to new vocabulary and slang, as well as testing your listening comprehension skills. I love Easy French because they include both French and English subtitles in every video, and you can shut them off to further challenge yourself.
- Piece of French: This channel follows a native French speaker, Elsa, as she vlogs about her every day life. Elsa helps expose you to commonly used French vocabulary, as you improve your listening comprehension skills. I love the informal style of this channel, as you get to hear French used in a natural, conversational way. You can choose to use English subtitles or not, depending on your skill level.
- French Mornings with Elisa: Elisa’s channel has become one of my favorites for both long and short form language learning content. She has created so many videos that you could probably learn the entire language from her channel alone!
- Devibration: I love Devi’s channel because it’s more of a vlogger chatting about her every day life. It’s a great way to learn every day words in a casual setting, as well as get used to the pace of a real French conversation. Beware that the subtitles aren’t great and she talks fast!
4. Practice French With a Friend Over Skype or Zoom
Video chatting with a friend in French greatly helps to advance your language skills. This is particularly helpful if you can chat with a native French speaker.
I have the luxury of knowing a lovely friend from France whom I met when I hosted her as an exchange student during high school. She graciously spoke French with me over Skype in the months leading up to her wedding. Not only was this good practice in using the language, but also good for getting feedback on my accent and grammar.
So how do you go about meeting someone to practice French with? Here are a couple ways:
- Host a French exchange student. Yes, they may be coming to your home to learn English. However, chances are they would not mind speaking to you in French sometimes. There are various online programs that can connect you with a French student looking to study abroad, such as AFS USA.
- Find a local French club. Meetup.com can help you find a group that meets up to practice French in your local area.
- Connect with another student who is looking for a language partner on italki. On this site, you can also find paid tutors to help you take your French skills even further. I signed up for a few of these tutoring sessions before traveling to Paris this year, and it helped give me the confidence to speak with locals.
5. Watch French Shows on Netflix
This year, I am finally at a point where I feel comfortable watching French shows on Netflix with French subtitles. I am starting with shows I’ve already seen so that they are easier for me to follow.
I am hoping by the time I am done with those, that my French ear has improved enough to follow new shows. I am already seeing progress and learning new words, especially slang. Here’s what I’m watching:
- Plan Coeur (The Hook Up Plan)
- Dix Pour Cent (Call My Agent!)
Bonus Tips for Learning French on Your Own
Purchase a Textbook
It’s hard to learn French if you don’t understand the grammar rules. While Duolingo will expose you to complex vocab and grammar, it doesn’t always do the best job at explaining the concepts.
Buying an inexpensive textbook will help teach you various language concepts, so you understand things like complex sentence structures in French. I bought this paperback textbook on Amazon for about $10, and it’s really helped me so far.
Learn 10 New Words a Day
One of the most important aspects of learning French is expanding your vocabulary. However, when taking the entire French language into account, this can seem incredibly daunting.
The trick is to not get overwhelmed, and to simply chip away at the language every day. It’s amazing how little words you actually need to effectively communicate in a French speaking country. I mean, do we even regularly use every word in our own native language? I personally need to look up the meaning of English words all the time.
Learning ten new words a day is a good pace, and I personally prefer making flashcards for memorization. However, what matters most is consistency. If you can only learn five to eight, that’s fine too, as long as you stick to it!
The words you memorize can come from any source, whether from a textbook, Duolingo, or even an unfamiliar word you hear during a YouTube video.
Travel to a French Speaking Country
Traveling to a French-speaking country is the ultimate way to improve your French speaking skills. Plus, isn’t it conceptually what drives us to learn French in the first place? Knowing French opens up communication with a whole new group of people in the world.
Visiting a French speaking country and being understood by native speakers is so fun and very satisfying. It truly makes all of your learning worth it and motivates you to keep going in your journey. Here are just a few places where French is an official language:
- France
- French Polynesia
- Canada
- Belgium
- Haiti
- Martinique
- Mauritius
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Switzerland
Planning a trip to France? I’ve written various articles to help you get started:
- Perfect 2 Days in Paris Itinerary + Budget Guide
- Budget Breakdown: Real Cost of a Trip to France
- The Ultimate Montmartre Paris Photo Walk
- Packing for Paris Made Simple & Chic: Carry-On Only Edition
- Ultimate Paris Solo Travel Guide: Why Visit and What to Expect
• • •
If you want to learn French online on your own, the above tools will help you get there. It’s best to use a well-rounded approach to learning that includes memorization, listening, writing, and speaking. Just make sure you do at least something every day so it stays fresh, and give yourself the time you need to succeed.
Over the past four years of coming in and out of French learning, I know more of the language than I ever have and continue to get even better. Is the next stop fluency? Who knows, but there’s only one way to find out.
What are your favorite French learning resources?
