{"id":119728,"date":"2023-06-15T16:49:37","date_gmt":"2023-06-15T20:49:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/french-for-beginners\/"},"modified":"2025-06-02T03:38:02","modified_gmt":"2025-06-02T07:38:02","slug":"french-for-beginners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/french\/french-for-beginners\/","title":{"rendered":"French for Beginners: 21 Top Resources"},"content":{"rendered":"

Starting to learn French from scratch doesn’t have to be overwhelming. You just need a solid roadmap and the right resources to get you from newbie to conversational.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There are tons of high-quality beginner French resources out there\u2014you just need to decide on the right one and be consistent. Today we’ll explore the 21 best resources for learning French for beginners, plus discuss tips for learning French successfully.<\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Beginner Resources for French Grammar<\/h2>\n

1. ToLearnFrench<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"ToLearnFrnech.com<\/a><\/p>\n

ToLearnFrench is one of the largest databases of free French lessons available<\/a> online.<\/p>\n

You can choose lessons about any topic you want, and new lessons are frequently added.<\/strong><\/p>\n

You can also practice your reading and writing skills with lessons from other users and professionals. If you open an account, you’ll have access to additional features including penpals and forums.<\/p>\n

Each lesson is rated by its difficulty, from one to three stars.<\/p>\n

You’ll also notice that certain lessons have A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 or C2 in their title.<\/strong> This corresponds to the European method of rating language skill<\/a>, with A1 being the easiest and C2 the hardest.<\/p>\n

Links in each topic are complete lessons that include an introduction, written examples, audio examples and exercises.<\/p>\n

2. \u201cFrench in Action<\/a>\u201d<\/h3>\n

\"French<\/a><\/p>\n

This book is currently one of the most popular textbooks for beginner French<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The book uses a video-intensive method developed by author Pierre Capretz, and it’s well-known in the French teaching world.<\/p>\n

“French in Action” is a great one-stop resource that covers grammar and pronunciation<\/strong> while introducing you to French culture.<\/p>\n

It’s definitely a complete French course. It should be the only book you need to learn French for beginners.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Make sure you do all the exercises, rather than skipping around, to get the full experience.<\/p>\n

3. Lawless French<\/a>\"lawless<\/a><\/h3>\n

Lawless French is a website that has a grammar section full of in-depth explanations. There are grammar lessons for all six CEFR levels\u2014from A1 to C2.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Before starting with a CEFR level, the website has a “Grammaire” section where you learn the absolute basics first, like parts of speech, negation, verb conjugations and more.<\/p>\n

They also have grammar lessons organized by part of speech. So you can find plenty of lessons on adjectives, articles, nouns, conjunctions, prepositions and more.<\/p>\n

Beginner Resources for French Pronunciation<\/h2>\n

4. italki<\/a>\"italki<\/a><\/h3>\n

If you want to learn to speak like a native speaker, you need to add italki to your bookmarks bar.<\/p>\n

This website connects French learners with native speaker teachers at a wide variety of price points.<\/p>\n

Lessons can cover any topic you want\u2014including basic French for beginners.<\/p>\n

Because students and teachers decide on the length and structure of their classes, you can get a French learning experience that’s totally curated to your needs and schedule.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Plus, each class is designed to be one-on-one, so you’ll get tons of individualized attention on your pronunciation from someone who knows best.<\/p>\n

5. EasyPronunciation.com<\/a>\"EasyPronunciation.com\"<\/a><\/h3>\n

EasyPronunciation.com is a treasure trove of pronunciation practice for French learners.<\/p>\n

The amount of tools they offer is impressive. For example, their French Pronunciation Tool will pronounce anything you type.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

They also offer professional phonetic translation tools<\/a> and, most importantly, pronunciation lessons. Note that some services are free and others require a subscription.<\/p>\n

6. \u201cPronounce It Perfectly in French<\/a>\u201d<\/h3>\n

\""Pronounce<\/a>What’s better than a textbook devoted entirely to French pronunciation?<\/strong> That’s exactly what “Pronounce It Perfectly in French” offers.<\/p>\n

Too many students wait until deep into their French studies to take a pronunciation course. But if you start early, you won’t develop bad habits that are hard to break later.<\/p>\n

The book provides lots of audio examples that help with many of the hardest sounds for English speakers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Words are introduced with the phonetic alphabet so you can pronounce them without problems. Many pronunciation exercises are also provided.<\/p>\n

7. Forvo<\/a>\"forvo<\/a><\/h3>\n

Think of Forvo as a French-English dictionary<\/a> for pronunciation.<\/p>\n

Just type in any word and several pronunciations will appear, <\/strong>recorded by native speakers with various accents. The word is also pronounced in an example sentence in the right column.<\/p>\n

With Forvo at your fingertips, you’ll never have doubts about how to pronounce a word again. As a bonus, Forvo also has a section to learn useful travel phrases in French<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Best Apps to Learn French<\/h2>\n

8. MindSnacks<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"Mindsnacks<\/a>Anything that reminds me of food is a winner in my book.<\/p>\n

This app is perfect for listening and speaking because it uses audio clips of native speakers to help you with pronunciation.<\/strong><\/p>\n

At the same time, the interactive games are designed to improve your conversation skills and vocabulary. So you\u2019ll memorize new words and improve your listening skills simultaneously.<\/p>\n

MindSnacks also helps you master French gender<\/a>, verb conjugations and other common grammar obstacles.<\/p>\n

9. FluentU<\/a><\/h3>\n
\"FluentU<\/a><\/div>\n

\r\nFluentU takes real-world videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons<\/a>.<\/strong>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nOther sites use scripted content. FluentU uses a natural approach<\/strong> that helps you ease into the French language and culture over time. You\u2019ll learn French as it\u2019s actually spoken by real people.\r\n

\r\nFluentU has a wide variety of great content, like interviews and web series, as you can see here:\r\n<\/p>\r\n\"learn-french-with-videos\"<\/a>\r\n

\r\nFluentU brings native videos within reach with interactive subtitles.<\/strong>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nYou can tap on any word to look it up instantly. Every definition has examples that have been written to help you understand how the word is used.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\"learn-french-with-movies\"<\/a>\r\n

\r\nFor example, if you tap on the word \"crois,\"<\/em> you'll see this:\r\n<\/p>\r\n\"learn-french-with-movie-trailers\"<\/a>\r\n

\r\nPractice and reinforce all the vocabulary you've learned in a given video with FluentU's adaptive quizzes.<\/strong> Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you\u2019re learning and play the mini-games found in the dynamic flashcards, like \"fill in the blank.\"\r\n<\/p>\r\n\"practice-french-with-adaptive-quizzes\"<\/a>\r\n

\r\nAs you study, FluentU tracks the vocabulary that you\u2019re learning and uses this information to give you a 100% personalized experience.<\/strong>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nIt gives you extra practice with difficult words\u2014and reminds you when it\u2019s time to review what you\u2019ve learned.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nStart using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\n

You can also find video lessons on our YouTube channel, such as these:<\/p>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

10. Busuu<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"Busuu-logo\"<\/a>When motivation is low, Busuu will put you back on track. This resource is meant to be used when you have a brief moment <\/strong>to learn a tidbit of French.<\/p>\n

Busuu\u2019s Vocabulary Trainer will prepare you to use your vocabulary in real French conversations.<\/strong>\u00a0It\u00a0tests how well you\u2019ve remembered the phrases you\u2019ve already seen during your lessons.<\/p>\n

To apply your talking skills, use the Conversations tool to\u00a0record yourself<\/strong>\u00a0saying something for up to 30 seconds<\/strong>, then send it to the Busuu community for corrections.<\/p>\n

You can then respond with a recording to keep the thread of your discussion.<\/p>\n

11. Verbling<\/a><\/h3>\n

\"verbling\"<\/a>Verbling offers affordable spoken French lessons\u00a0from a wide range of qualified French tutors,<\/strong>\u00a0emphasizing conversation skills.<\/p>\n

You can browse a list of French tutor profiles to find your perfect match. All profiles describe the tutor\u2019s educational credentials, work experience, schedule openings, pricing packages and reviews from other students.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll also see which tutors offer a free trial lesson (many of them do!).<\/p>\n

Verbling lessons aren\u2019t conducted over a plain old webcam. They have a virtual classroom-style interface where you can share notes, upload assignments, use flashcards and more.<\/p>\n

12. Duolingo<\/a>\"Duolingo<\/a><\/h3>\n

Duolingo is a popular language learning app that offers a gamified approach to learning French.<\/p>\n

It teaches you through bite-sized lessons that cover vocabulary, grammar and sentence structure.<\/strong> It also uses a combination of written and spoken exercises and offers a range of features, including a progress tracker and a leaderboard.<\/p>\n

You’ll love the leaderboard if you’re competitive or enjoy participating with others. You have to make it to the top ten to advance to the next level, and you can see how you stack up against other learners.<\/p>\n

Plus, your study streak keeps you coming back for more.<\/p>\n

13. Babbel<\/a>\"Babbel<\/a><\/h3>\n

Babbel specializes in interactive, conversation-based lessons to help you learn French.<\/p>\n

It covers a range of topics, including grammar, vocabulary and most importantly, conversation skills. The lessons aren’t centered around randomized vocabulary or grammar points. Instead, they give you the most relevant skills to start having French conversations in the real world fast.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The app also offers speech recognition technology to help you improve pronunciation.<\/p>\n

14. Memrise<\/a>\"Memrise<\/a><\/h3>\n

Memrise teaches you tons of French vocabulary through its spaced repetition system.<\/p>\n

You learn new words through flashcards, and Memrise’s review system quizzes you on the words you’ve learned at regular intervals to keep them in your long-term memory.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Memrise also has “mems,” which are mnemonics that make remembering words easier.<\/p>\n

For hundreds of options, you can choose from French courses created by Memrise or user-created courses.<\/p>\n

Best YouTube Channels to Learn French<\/h2>\n

15. Fran\u00e7ais Immersion<\/a><\/h3>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

This channel is unique in its approach to teaching beginner French\u2014I haven’t seen anything else like it on YouTube.<\/p>\n

It’s an immersion channel, meaning that it teaches you the basics of French in French<\/em><\/strong>. The host, Thomas, uses exaggerated facial expressions, images and other visual cues to convey meaning.<\/p>\n

As a beginner, you can start off with Learn French for Beginners<\/a>, a playlist that currently has 74 videos and counting. These cover numbers, greetings, the alphabet, basic verbs and much more. There’s even a video for bathroom vocabulary.<\/p>\n

16. Learn French with Frencheezi<\/a><\/h3>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

This channel is a good option for learners looking for straightforward instructional videos<\/strong> that don’t need to be watched in order.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Or learners who remember some bits and pieces of past French lessons but need to fill gaps in their knowledge of the basics.<\/p>\n

Cindy is a native French speaker who provides learning material and vlogs for learners of all levels.<\/p>\n

You’ll find verb explanations, common vocabulary, practical advice and more. If you’re unsure where to start, there’s a playlist covering French for beginners<\/a>.<\/p>\n

17. FrancoTube<\/a><\/h3>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

This cute teacher-created channel helps you learn French basics with original drawings.<\/p>\n

Videos range from straightforward grammar explanations to recipes, and the playlists are divided into subjects and series. You really get classroom-quality lessons.<\/strong><\/p>\n

18. innerFrench Video Podcast<\/a><\/h3>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

This channel contains a fun mishmash of learning material that touches on aspects of French culture. The videos are a series of podcasts completely in French that come with transcripts.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is an excellent resource for keeping your French studies going once you reach the intermediate level. You’ll find videos on “Le Petit Prince,”<\/em><\/a>\u00a0French cuisine<\/a>, Uber<\/a> and more.<\/p>\n

19. French Truly TV<\/a><\/h3>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

On this channel, Virginie answers common questions that French learners have.<\/strong><\/p>\n

French Truly TV also offers a fun selection of short individual videos that cover all kinds of material on grammar, culture, vocabulary and more.<\/p>\n

This is a worthwhile channel to check out if you need additional explanations or extra practice on a French topic you’re learning.<\/p>\n

20. StreetFrench.org<\/a><\/h3>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

This entertaining channel does travel-oriented videos, French-learning tips and language lessons.<\/strong> It’s an excellent resource for learning slang, linguistic tidbits and Paris-specific knowledge.<\/p>\n

21. Just French It<\/a><\/h3>\n

<\/lite-youtube><\/p>\n

Marie\u2014the host of Just French It\u2014provides an array of entertaining and funny videos.<\/p>\n

The videos tackle real issues that plague French learners, like common mistakes and how to stay motivated, as well as interesting cultural and historical subjects.<\/p>\n

Anytime you feel discouraged about learning French, swing by Just French It. Before you know it, you’ll be laughing and ready to jump back into your studies.<\/p>\n

How to Go From Beginner to Intermediate Level French<\/h2>\n

Once you’ve started studying beginner-level French, you’ll probably start wondering what to do next.<\/p>\n

Here are some ways to push yourself beyond the beginner level.<\/p>\n

Look for college-level French courses<\/h3>\n

If you get to a point where you can’t advance, look into taking a college-level French class.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a real class, you have a teacher who can identify your mistakes in real time and correct them. This is a huge advantage when learning grammar and pronunciation.<\/p>\n

You’ll also make friends<\/a> who are learning French. You can stay in touch with them even when class ends and practice speaking or writing together.<\/p>\n

Study French abroad<\/h3>\n

Even if your French is still beginner, going abroad is a great experience.<\/p>\n

You’ll realize how French is actually spoken<\/a>, and you’ll learn tons of vocabulary words you might never have encountered otherwise.<\/p>\n

There are many ways you can go abroad besides being a tourist, such as:<\/p>\n