There has been an explosion in the supply of websites, tutorials, ebooks, and online courses that can help you learn French. Internet is full of resources to expand everyone's knowledge. So today, I've prepared a list of web resources that are not only awesome, but free to use that I hope will help you enjoy even more learning French.
Websites :
There are a lot of sites out there to learn French but here is a list of some of them which I hope will allow you to practice and improve your french in a fun and easy way online.
Blogs/Articles
Perth French Tutor: If you haven't done it yet, have a look at my blog for some useful information about French culture and language.
- French jokes: For beginners, this is a fantastic place to start. Blagues (jokes) are essential to learning a new language, and while many people say that humour is the hardest thing to learn in a foreign tongue, there’s no time like the present to give it a try! Carambar is caramel-flavoured candies that traditionally have fun facts and quick jokes on the insides of their wrappers. Because they’re mostly targeted at children, these jokes can be fairly easy to understand.
- About.com French: it has a large, impressive set of resources and tips to learn French.
- SBS: To read articles in French and watch some Free French movies on demand!
- Lire l'histoire : Stories, fables, fairy tales, songs, chants...
- Blagues Carambar: Easy French jokes
- Se Coucher Moins Bête: random facts to current events, the information given on this site (there is also an app) is short and can be used by beginners as well as more advanced students.
- The French Experiment: cute children’s stories.
Podcasts/Audio files/Videos
- BBC: On this website, you can earn how to speak French with audio, video and games, including the alphabet, phrases, vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, activities and tests.
- SBS: To read articles in French and watch some Free French movies on demand!
- RFI: is a French public radio service that broadcasts in Paris and all over the world. Once your French starts to get a bit proficient, it’s an excellent way to practice your listening skills. There are a few other interesting bits to the site, including a French test.
- Lyric Training: if you like French songs, do not hesitate to give them a go. Presented as a karaoke game, you will discover some French song and practice your listening skill!
- Podcast Francais Facile: It has hundreds of audio files to learn from.
- Coffee break French: Listen to free podcasts and learn or improve your French on the go.
- Michel Thomas Method French: Listen to Michel Thomas podcasts and learn or improve your French on the go.
- TV5 Monde: It is a French TV station that runs a very famous and exhaustive French learning website where there are hundreds of exercises with videos to learn from.
- You Learn French: A very simple YouTube channel hosts nearly 200 video lessons based on Powerpoint with voiceovers. Dozens of categories to choose from.
- TV5MONDE: the French TV channel TV5MONDE is a website directed towards intermediate and advanced learners. Balancing video extracts with written tasks and audio examples, the website offers an in-depth overview of the French language.
Apps:
While there is something endlessly addicting about Instagram, you have to admit our time could be better spent on other things. Thankfully, there are some great educational apps out there for a more productive phone session. Bear in mind that they are not 100% free: they may offer a taste of their learning platform but they will ask you to pay for a subscription after the trial.
- Memrise: One of the most innovative apps for learning French words I’ve seen, Memrise is an excellent choice for your learning needs if you’re struggling to remember French words after a while.
- Babbel: It contains entertaining listening, writing, reading and speaking exercises, and vocabulary from a wide range of topics.
- Duolingo: Among all the apps here, Duolingo probably strikes the best balance between learning French and being fun, like a game.
- Mondly: The program is designed in 60-minute increments, each of which will teach you 200 high-frequency words. See and hear the words in French, whilst the text appears on your screen. Tap a verb and get it conjugated for you. Speak into your microphone and the app will let you know if you’re on the right track!
- Le Conjugueur: If you are already familiar with the 'Becherelle', here is an app version of it. You can look up 9,000 French verbs to find out how to conjugate them in any tenses.
- Radio France: Listen to all the different French radios.
- French Translator Dictionary +: Dictionary, verb conjugator with over 400,000 verb forms, as well as quizzes and flashcards to help you build your vocabulary.
- Spotify: As an app for streaming music, but it's also one of the best apps to learn French by giving you access to unlimited French listening texts. You could find all the lyrics on sites like Lyrics Playground.
-Tandem: It is a language learning community. You join, identify what languages you speak, choose those you want to learn, and then look for a conversation partner.
- HelloTalk: Learn French by interacting with native French speakers around the world.
- French Conversation: App that offers 500 authentic French conversations (Apple link, Android link)
Voilà! If you think I have missed any other useful resources, please don't hesitate to let me know by adding it in the comment section ;-)
Merci et amusez-vous bien! (Thanks and enjoy!)