French is a Romance language from the Indo-European family of languages. It has been derived from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire – hence why it is called a Romance language. French is actually considered one of the easier foreign languages to learn as it shares many similarities with English – such as common words like “allowance” (”alouance” in French), “Energy” (”énergie” in French), “Machine” (”Machine” in French) and many more words that we use in our daily lives that we don’t realize.
The French language strikes a balance between grammar and vocabulary, requiring you to learn both its rules and words together. Therefore, it is important to find the right French class and learning format that can help you learn French the correct way – while also being fun and easy. Finding and choosing the right French class can be a challenge, especially if you don’t know where to start. This article will introduce you to and discuss various French 1 on 1 classes, learning apps, podcasts, videos and some free learning documents. After reading these, you are sure to find the French class and platform to get you started!
Table of Contents
Online French Classes: Online tutoring 1-1 with native speakers
AmazingTalker
Amazing Talker has a great website that is easy to use and provides you with a great selection of French tutors. All you have to do is sign up for a free account and then select your tutor from a comprehensive list provided, which shows you their price, reviews and bio description. The process is quick, easy and reliable – with online support like recommendations and explanations on how to navigate the website and how to get the information you need. They even have a filter process based on the students’ age, language level and purpose to help streamline your options to what is best for you.
There are courses offered for all levels of French – from kids, beginners, intermediate, advanced and expert. There is a tutor for any level of aspiring French students in the world. There are courses to teach you grammar, vocabulary, prepare you for job interviews, conversation and even for specialized purposes.
If you are unsure about the lessons and tutors, you can choose a trial lesson for as little as £2. 21, to decide if it is right for you. The price of a lesson varies according to the tutor’s rates with Amazing Talker’s flexible rate scheduling – allowing tutors to set affordable rates for themselves and their students. Sometimes there are specials such as group discounts when a certain number of students join a class together, the tutor may therefore provide a discount for the group.
Pricing
Pricing can start from as little as £7.35 for a 25 minute lesson to £13.23 for a 50 minute lesson. Tutors often run specials for booking multiple lessons, such as £12.50 for 5 lessons (5% off). You can book your slot on the simple calendar format provided so it can be flexible with your schedule and then you are good to go.
Ratings
The rating covers the content and value of the lesson and effectiveness of the tutor and the quality of their class and service delivery.
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Overall Score – 4.5 Stars
The average rating is 4.5 Stars with majority of French tutors ranging between 4.5 – 5 Stars based on user ratings and reviews. Tutors receive great feedback from their students and their reviews are visible for you to see and make your decision about which tutor and class you would prefer. These 4.5 stars give it a great quality with majority of students finding it great.
Go to Amazing Talker French Classes to learn more and book your lesson today!
Berlitz
The Berlitz corporation has been hosting lessons at language centers for many years and you can now also take its classes online. With its simple website interface, it is easy to look for what you need and book a French class that suits your preferences. The website has divisions for adults and children. The French classes are taught live by Berlitz-certified instructors, and you can enroll in either private or group classes. You can book your lessons at an in-person teaching center or book online self-paced lessons using Berlitz Connect, that provides the materials and lessons to study on your own. You can also schedule 30-minute practice sessions with instructors via video call.
There are courses leveled in French Proficiency from 1 to 10, ranging from Functional (1-2), Intermediate (3-4), Upper Intermediate (5-6), Advanced (7-8) and Professional (9-10).
Pricing
Berlitz offers a 12-week online group French class that meets twice a week for 90-minute lessons. The self-paced Berlitz Connect program costs about £514 for six months with 10 speaking practice sessions, or around £625 for 12 months with 25 speaking practice sessions.
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Overall Score – 3.9 Stars from their 600 Trust Pilot reviews.
Berlitz has great customer and student testimonials that you can view on their website.
Go to Berlitz – French to check out more about their French learning options.
Institut français du Royaume-Uni
The Institut français is the French Agency of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs in charge of promoting French culture overseas and international cultural exchanges. They have a dedicated online education program that accommodates French learners of all types and for all needs, ranging from beginner French for young students to business French and advanced French for proficient learners. Their courses cover grammar and vocabulary, culture and society, and professional French for business and other applications.
They offer standard online French courses which can be done twice a week and express or intensive French courses for those who want to learn at a more brisk pace. These are taught by 80 instructors who are all native French speakers, qualified and highly trained professionals teachers. They also hold regular seminars to keep our tutors up to date on the latest teaching methods. They are trained to teach online and deliver you the same quality of teaching with virtual classes through e-learning platforms and videoconferencing.
Pricing
A beginner lesson in general French can cost about £30 a week for 2 hour lesson per day in that week.
A live French e-Learning course from Beginner to Mastery proficiency can cost £99 for 6 weeks, with each lesson being 45 minutes per week.
An express/intensive version of a live French e-Learning course from Beginner to Mastery proficiency can cost £289 for 5 weeks, with each lesson being 3 hours a week.
Ratings
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Overall Score – 4.5 Stars
The Institut français offers world-class and quality French education delivered by expert-trained instructors with tried and tested methods. You will definitely be getting the high standards of education that you pay for, if you choose them as your French language teacher.
Go to Institut français du Royaume-Uni to learn more about what they have to offer.
Oxford University Language Centre
The language center of the University of Oxford has a rigorous line-up of French study courses for students aspiring to learn the language. Their website is comprehensive and easy to follow, with a 3-step process to help you get started. Firstly, your proficiency level is assessed, then your learning pathway is recommended and selected and lastly, you enroll for the optimal course. There are also guide videos to help you choose the right learning pathway.
These French courses focus on communication and developing the use of all four language skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking). They are taught in weeks 2-7 every term (part 1 in Michaelmas, part 2 in Hilary and part 3 in Trinity). There is 1 class per week that lasts an hour each. The learning pathway includes language instruction and guided learning of 1.5 – 2 hours per week. There are also recommended self-study and practice time of 2 hours per week.
Pricing
The pricing of the General French course is as follows for the general public:
General and Academic (per term) – £250
General and Academic Intensive (Weeks 8-10) – £250
Fast Track (per academic year) – £830
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Overall Score – 4.5 Stars
The Oxford University language learning center offers the expected academic level of education from a University and provides the learning quality and experience of an accredited tertiary institution. Their French learning options follow the same high standards.
Visit the Oxford University Language Centre to learn more.
ILA French Language School in France
The ILA French language school offers French in virtual international classes with dedicated and experienced teachers. They offer private and group courses (general French), DELF DALF exam preparation courses online in very small groups allowing to develop written and oral communication skills. You will need to download Zoom, a user friendly video-conference application. Then you open the link your teacher sends you and you can start your French class with your classmates from all over the world, or hybrid mode, joining a class running at school in Montpellier.
Before starting, you will be tested with a French level test online to allow you to grade your French level defined by the CEFR, before starting. They have 5 French levels running from A1 (Basic User) to C1 (Proficient user) for a top quality French learning process.
Standard French Course Prices £175 / week (Weeks 1-4), £159 / week (Weeks 5-8) and £149 / week (Weeks 9-19)
Long-term stays (as of 20 weeks) £124/ week (Weeks 1-20+) with an Enrolment fee of £67
Intensive French Course: £249 / week (Weeks 1-4), £233 / week (Weeks 5-8) and £225 / week (Weeks 9-19)
Long-term stays (as of 20 weeks) £184 / week (Weeks 1-20+) with and Enrolment fee of £67
Private French Course: £799 / week (£40 / lesson) with an Enrolment fee of £67
Ratings
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Overall Score – 4.5 Stars (9.3 out of 10 out of 1190 customer reviews)
The ILA French language school has received outstanding reviews and recommendations from its students globally – praising its course quality, content, teachers and effectiveness in helping them learn successfully.
Check out ILA French Language School in France for more information.
International House London
International House London is the number 1 year-round language school with great value courses in Central London as rated by the EL Gazette and based on British Council inspections. They been teaching languages for over 65 years. IH London teaches across the full spectrum of language learners and needs: young learners, adults, exams, specialist language training, teacher training and foreign languages. Their school is in the center of the Covent Garden in London, and they have a young learner summer schools in prestigious locations across the UK.
Their website is simple and guides you to what you need as soon as you log on. They have a proficiency test to help find the recommended level of French for you to select the course best suited to your needs. They range from Beginner, Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Advanced.
They offer 1-1 face to face French courses, online courses, closed group and in-company courses.
Pricing
Beginner French:
Introduction to French (Face to face): £205 for 10 weeks. 1 lesson per week, lasting 1.5 hours each.
Introduction to French (Online) £155 for 6 weeks. 1 Lesson a week, lasting 2 hours in duration.
Intermediate French
(Face to face): £170 for 6 weeks. 1 Lesson a week, lasting 2 hours in duration.
(Online) £155 for 6 weeks. 1 Lesson a week, lasting 2 hours in duration.
Advanced French:
(Face to face): £205 for 10 weeks.1 lesson per week, lasting 1.5 hours each.
(Online) £155 for 6 weeks. 1 Lesson a week, lasting 2 hours in duration.
Ratings
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Overall Score – 5 Stars
International House London has received outstanding reviews and accreditations from both the British council and its students.
Visit International House London to learn more about its course options and learning opportunities.
City Lit
City Lit offers a variety of courses across a diversity of subject areas including art and design, history, writing, computing, massage, languages and much more. Accommodating the busy schedules of their students, their courses run during the daytime, evenings and weekends to grant a great level of learning flexibility.
City Lit offers online French courses for students of all levels from Beginner to Advanced that are taught my experts and industry professionals.
Pricing:
Their Beginners’ guide to French module is £199.00 for 10 sessions (over 11 weeks).
Their French Intermediate course is £189.00 for 10 sessions (over 10 weeks).
Their Advanced French course is £199.00 for 10 sessions (over 10 weeks).
There are many more courses and modules offered on their website.
Ratings
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Overall Score – 4.5 Stars
93% of learners give their course a 4 or 5 star rating when they complete a course evaluation at the end of their course. In 2018/19 69% of students gave their course 5 stars and 24% gave their course 4 stars. They have an average rating of 4.7 stars from their Trust Pilot reviews as well.
Check out City Lit for more information and offers on their French courses.
Lingoda
Lingoda is a European online language school based in Berlin that uses the video platform Zoom to offer group or private lessons in English, German, Spanish, and French. Its French classes are taught by experienced teachers who are all native French speakers and live in different time zones, allowing classes to be available at any time no matter where you live – giving you much flexibility in your schedule and time zone.
Classes are one hour long, and you can either take private lessons or join a group of three to four students. When you sign up for lessons, they will send you class materials that you can download and use to practice anytime such as PowerPoint presentations and PDFs. You can take a free proficiency test to see what level you should start at. Lingoda uses the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Pricing:
Lingoda offers a free seven-day trial, and the pricing varies based on the subscription plan that you choose.
The price for one class a week is £33 a month (£7 per class), while the marathon subscription costs £25 a month (£5 per class) If you choose either the 3, 6 or 12 months of classes.
Ratings
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Overall Score – An average of 4.4 Stars from their 3,120 reviews of Trust Pilot and Google Reviews.
Visit Lingoda for more information and to see if there is a French course that suits you.
Adult education – Activate Learning
Activate Learning is an education group that aims for progressive change and impact through learning. They combine their expertise in delivering technical, vocational and academic education, with a high level of industry engagement. They have a comprehensive yet simple website that allows you to easily navigate and select the course you want. The proficiency levels and prices are upfront, showing you immediately what you are being offered without unnecessary clicking through the website.
They offer courses for students of all proficiencies from Beginner, Pre-Intermediate, Upper-Intermediate and Advanced, however, these courses are offered in select UK locations and not online.
Pricing:
French Beginners Year 1 – £175 for 15 weeks. Each lesson is 1 and a half hours.
French Pre-Intermediate Year 1 – £175 for 15 weeks. Each lesson is 1 and a half hours.
French Upper Intermediate Year 1 – £175 for 15 weeks. Each lesson is 1 and a half hours.
French for the Fluent Year 1 – £175 for 15 weeks. Each lesson is 2 and a half hours.
There are more courses and options available on their website.
Ratings
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Overall Score – An average of 4.5 Stars
Check out Adult education – Activate Learning for more information and French courses.
Udemy
Udemy is a renowned e-learning platform that has a variety of courses for every subject imaginable. Their French course list is just as diverse, offering a multitude of French learning classes for all proficiencies, situations and applications. Their website is easy to navigate and contains detailed and diverse courses.
Pricing:
Udemy is famous for their continuous specials and discounts on their courses. There are always timed specials for that can tempt you!
French for Beginners – £10.60 (37% off the original £17) – 2.5 hours video plus 22 downloadable resources
The French Subjunctive – Full Course – Intermediate Level: £10.60 (80% off the original £53) – 2.5 hours video plus 22 downloadable resources
French Level 3: The Ultimate Guide to Master Reading French – £10. 60(82% off the original £69) – 4 hours video, 40 articles and 20 downloadable resources
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Overall Score – An average of 4.2 Stars
Check out Udemy for more courses and for their continuously updated specials and promotional offers.
Preply
Preply is an online education platform that is dedicated to teaching students foreign languages with flexibility, quality and immersive methods. They aim to not only teach you the language, but to expose you to the culture behind the language and also to prepare you for realistic scenarios where you would need to use these skills – such as conversations and business activities.
Their website is very simple and is set up with a great filtering system to help you choose the exact tutor that will suit your French language learning needs. There are 1,638 French teachers available, both native and specialists to help you learn French at all proficiency levels.
Pricing
If you decide to take a trial to decide if its for you, you will get a 20% discount on any course you choose.
Prices of tutors range from just £2.21 per hour to £59 per hour depending on the level of French you are learning, the expertise of the tutor and the content being taught in the lessons.
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Overall Score – An average of 4.9 Stars from 164 reviews from students globally.
Check out Preply to browse the wide selection of French tutors and lessons on offer.
Online Apps: Learn French anywhere, anytime
Babbel
Babbel is a world-famous language learning app that is designed to teach you foreign languages with award-winning educational methods and interactive teaching styles – its French courses are no exception to these high learning standards. With for both Beginner and Advanced learners, Babbel will provide quality learning courses to help you practice each skill of Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. You can download it on iOS and Android, or check out their website.
Duolingo
Duolingo is a popular app that provides fun and creative ways to learn foreign language with daily activities and lessons. With French, Duolingo provides fun 5-minute daily lessons that are free and teach you various aspects of French while keeping you motivated. Download it for free on iOS and Android, or view their website.
Memrise
Memrise is a great app that not only teaches you the language and all its fundamentals, but also exposes you deeply to its culture and various topics – giving you a more intimate understanding of the language as a whole. It is designed with vocabulary that you will find useful, helps you learn efficiently, keep you motivated and entertained, and expose you to French native speakers. Download it on iOS and Android, or log on to their website.
Busuu
Busuu is an app that provides language learning to students of all proficiency levels. It has a promise to help you “master the language in just 10 minutes a day”. It has a great study plan for complete French, French for Business and French for Travel – aiming to prepare you for real-life situations in using the language. It focuses on improving your French writing, listening, reading and speaking skills with everything from basic French grammar to vocabulary. You can download it on iOS and Android, or check out their website.
Free resource to help immerse yourself in the French language
Podcasts
Podcasts have great benefits in learning and improving your language skills, as it is a simpler learning experience that can also be entertaining while sharpening your listening and speaking skills.
This podcast provides tips to increase your language fluency while enhancing your way of learning French. Caroline, the host, has a goal to provide authentic native French to help you learn the language as organically as possible. While teaching about French grammar and vocabulary, she also will cover a variety of topics to keep you engrossed and educated on each 5 minute episode.
Coffee Break French offers a large content available as audio podcasts in multiple Seasons. You can access these on their website, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify. Each lesson lasts around 15-20 minutes and has a variety of interesting topics and engaging content.
This is an intermediate level podcast that covers current affairs and news while providing a native French experience for you to sharpen your language skills. It covers grammar, vocabulary, idioms, expressions and conversations – making it a great educational tool in conjunction with it being an entertaining podcast.
Videos
Learning French through watching informative videos is a great and interesting way to improve your language skills. This is because videos can enhance your listening, reading, speaking and writing skills through its use of audio and visual elements to teach you the language. It is also a more captivating and entertaining way to learn as you would not be as bored watching a video as you would be in class or when reading a textbook!
FrenchPod 101
This channel provides a wealth of French learning information and lessons presented in a clear and engaging audio-visual format. It is continuously updated with great videos to cover all aspects of the French language, from basics to greetings, conversations and more. Watch the video below to get started with FrenchPod 101.
Learn French with Vincent
Vincent has been teaching French for over 25 years and it is also his mother tongue. His channel contains over more than 250 000 videos and they have been watched by millions of people around the world. This video is a 5-day crash-course on learning French and contains 4 hours worth of educational content – which is only Day 1 out of 5. The best part is that all of this is free on YouTube!
Reading Materials
Here are some free French learning resources to help guide you on your French learning journey:
⬇️Learn French with Paul Noble
A great free guide booklet that uses the “Paul Noble” method to teach you the fundamentals of the French language.
A free 226-page textbook that has a wealth of detailed information that breaks down the French language, making it easy for you to learn.
