Best Ways to Learn French

Review & Comparison, Last Update February 11, 2024
Long gone are those days when the only way to learn French was sitting in a classroom and repeating “Je m'appelle ... (My name is)” over and over. With an interactive course online, you can learn French in your own time and at your own pace. ...Read more ...Read less
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BEST 2024
PROS
CONS
OUR VERDICT
Type
Skill Level
Best For
Duration
Features
 
PROS

With Rosetta Stone on your PC or smartphone, you'll be able to learn French grammar and vocabulary as well as practice right pronunciation and speech fluency with innovative TruAccent technology. Downloadable audio lessons will come in handy if you're always on the go.

CONS

Those who dislike the inductive learning may find the Rosetta approach too complicated.

OUR VERDICT

If you want to know French as a native, Rosetta Stone is just what you need. You start learning French in French, without translations, just like a baby discovers his mother tongue. Thanks to this very approach, you not only will learn words and phrases but also start using them right ahead. Don't be afraid to sound like a native with French courses from Rosetta Stone.

detailed parameters
Type

Software

Skill Level

Any skill level

Best For

Improving grammar, Expanding vocabulary, Developing listening skills, Practicing pronunciation and speaking

Duration

Depends on your own pace

Features

Fully immersive curriculum, Mobile apps, Available in CD, downloadable, and online versions

PROS

The Rocket French is divided into 3 levels (premium, premium plus, and platinum) to take you from a beginner to advanced French speaker. The course has no subscription fees. You'll need to make only one payment (you can test the app out for free first). After that, you will be able to access the Rocket French courses 24/7 from any smartphone, computer, or tablet.

CONS

It's available online only.

OUR VERDICT

If you want to end up with full fluency in French, the Rocket French is the best pick! The course has 3 different levels and its heart is "interactive audio lessons" that last no longer than 25 minutes. So, you can learn French while driving to work, doing household chores, or exercising in a gym.

detailed parameters
Type

Audio lessons

Skill Level

Any skill level

Best For

Improving grammar, Expanding vocabulary, Developing listening skills, Practicing pronunciation, Discovering French culture

Duration

Depends on your own pace

Features

Progress tracking, Progress tests, Mobile apps, Member's forum, Lifetime access

PROS

Step-by-step learning approach allows you to move from starter to advanced level in a natural way. A Placement Quiz helps you determine which course will suit your skill level best. A language course at Babbel can also be purchased as a gift certificate for your friend/relative.

CONS

No offline versions are available.

OUR VERDICT

Whether you are new to learning French or already have some level, Babbel will help you perfect your French. Start with beginner's or intermediate course (depending on your level) and continue with specialized courses to improve your writing, reading, and comprehension skills to speak French as a mother tongue.

detailed parameters
Type

Online courses

Skill Level

Any skill level

Best For

Improving grammar, Expanding vocabulary, Developing listening skills

Duration

Depends on your own pace

Features

Placement Quiz to determine your level, Free trial lesson, Gift option available

PROS

Before the course, you'll need to pass a free test for a level assessment. Then, the course will automatically adapt materials according to your skill level. After finishing the course, you will receive the Frantastique Certificate of completion including your detailed statistics on progress.

CONS

This course won't suit beginners.

OUR VERDICT

Delivering offbeat humor, the Frantastique course focuses on French grammar and vocabulary. The material is structured around a fun story plot that includes French-speaking aliens and the adventures of Victor Hugo. The course will be great for teenagers.

detailed parameters
Type

Online lessons

Skill Level

Intermediate, Advanced

Best For

Developing reading and listening comprehension, Discovering French culture

Duration

Depends on your own pace

Features

Free week of lessons, Daily e-mail lessons, Personal feedback, Mobile apps

PROS

The Ouino French5-in-1 Collection includes pronunciation, conversation, vocabulary, building blocks, and verbs modules for a complex learning. Of course, you can purchase each module separately, but only a complete course offers incredible value - about $0.31 per one lesson.

CONS

There are no updates for the application.

OUR VERDICT

Whether you are a beginner, a slow or fast learner, you can take the full advantage of studying French with the Ouino multiple system! The special design of this application allows you to create your own learning path and tailor it to your special needs.

detailed parameters
Type

Software

Skill Level

Any skill level

Best For

Improving grammar, Expanding vocabulary, Practicing pronunciation

Duration

Depends on your own pace

Features

Windows, Mac OS X, iOS, Android, and Chrome OS compatible, Available as digital download or shipped box

X

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Rosetta Stone Learn French

Let French Become Your Second Mother Tongue

If you want the French language to be as native to you as your mother tongue, learning it with Rosetta Stone is a sensible decision. The thing is that the developers of this software challenge you to learn a new language without translations – just like a child learns the language of his parents. At first, you learn new words associating them with pictures. At this stage, you see how words are written as well as listen to the way they are pronounced. Moreover, you learn nouns with articles that play an important role in French since they not only indicate the number (as it is in English) but also the gender of a word. For example, you see pictures of a man and a boy signed un homme and un garçon while those of a woman and a girl are signed une femme and une fille. This simple approach lets you understand that un (une) is the article for masculine (feminine) gender. Then, you learn phrases with new words. Again, you guess the meaning of every phrase thanks to the pictures. A picture signed Le garçon marche depicts a boy who walks while the one with La fille court signature shows a running girl. Thus, you learn two more articles (definite ones this time) and two verbs. Thanks to a learning approach this gradual, discovering a new language becomes a simple and natural process. What’s more important, this very approach teaches you to speak right ahead. You can start practicing your spoken French already during your first lesson with the TruAccent technology. It offers you to repeat words and phrases aloud to analyze your speech and give you a feedback on how native you sound. Don’t hesitate to speak from the very beginning of your study and you’ll soon be impressed with your results. And when you’re confident about your pronunciation, you can improve your fluency with the stories Rosetta Stone offers you to read. Challenge yourself to read these fun short stories aloud according to the rules of pronunciation and the tempo set by the program to become a better French speaker. One more way to speak confidently is to communicate with native speakers who can help you overcome a language barrier, and Rosetta Stone helps you find your coach to improve your speech.

Review of Rosetta Stone Learn French

Benefits of Synchronization

One more advantage of Rosetta Stone is its availability in different formats. Depending on your schedule and your learning habits, you can choose CD, downloadable, or online version. Although CD and downloadable formats allow you to use the Rosetta Stone software offline, they have fewer functions than the online one. In its turn, online version allows you to listen to audio lessons on the go, use a phrasebook during travel, and learn French wherever you are if you have the Internet access. Moreover, it is available from any of your gadgets, be it your PC, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. The software syncs automatically with all your devices so you won’t spend time on searching where you stopped last time.
Rosetta Stone Learn French in the use

Trusted all Over the World

The last but not the least argument in favor of Rosetta Stone is its experience. The linguists of this service have been working for more than 20 years to meet the needs of language learners all over the world. During this time, Rosetta Stone has taught thousands of thankful clients including large corporations like NASA. Don’t hesitate to discover a new language with this service. Even if you understand that the approach applied at Rosetta Stone doesn’t suit you, you can use your right to 30-day money-back guarantee.

Detailed review of Rosetta Stone Learn French

 

Rocket Languages French Online Course

Your Way to Success

The Rocket French is a bunch of interactive audio lessons that will make you a fluent French speaker in the shortest time possible! The beauty of this course is that each lesson lasts about twenty-five minutes, allowing you to knock one lesson off while commuting to work or having a lunch. The audio tracks teach you practical language skills and guide you through everyday conversations of French people. Plus, each lesson explains the mechanics of language and compare French grammar points with those of English. The lessons are really interesting and even funny.

It's a well-known fact that most people remember just 10 % of what they read and 20 % of what they hear. That's why the Rocket French team has included the testing part into the course. Different audio and written tests, software games, and quizzes allow you to remember as much as possible of what you have already learned. Moreover, you will be able to record yourself for a constant feedback on your pronunciation.

Review of Rocket Languages French Online Course

What's More?

The Rocket Express Learning System® has a great support team! It provides unlimited 24/7 online access to French teachers, native speakers, and other French enthusiasts like you who can answer your questions. It's like having a personal tutor "on call" who can always correct your errors, which is really important when you're self-teaching.

The program has its own rewards points system to keep students motivated:

  • The dashboard will allow you to track your progress;
  • Rating system will inform you how many French words and phrases you already know;
  • My Vocab will help you learn difficult-to-remember words;
  • Badges, points, and the leaderboard will keep you engaged;
  • Phrase finder will help you find words and phrases within the needed context throughout the whole course;
  • My Notes will let you make notes on each lesson;
  • Flash Cards will help you recall and practice French words and phrases.
Rocket Languages French Online Course in the use

Three Levels

The great news is that you can try the course for free! With the Rocket French Free Trial, you'll get an access to 4 hours of audio lessons. After that, you can purchase the Premium level or order several courses (the Combo or the Works) at once. The Premium level includes 86 audio lessons and guarantees good conversational level, while the Combo consists of 150 audio lessons and ensures a very good conversational level. And if you want to reach an advanced conversational level, you can order the Works course with 211 lessons and 422 hours of audio. As a bonus to each course, you'll get Survival Kit lessons that are fun and flexible. Hurry! The special offer might end soon!

Detailed review of Rocket Languages French Online Course

 

Babbel French

Learn With Babbel Whatever Your Level Is

Those seeking for simplicity and step-by-step approach to learning French might be interested in the Babbel courses. On this site, every student, whatever his level is, will find what he’s looking for. If you have never learned French before, you can take the very first course without hesitation. If you have some level already, you’ll be offered to take a short quiz (called a Placement Quiz) to determine your level. Once you answer 12 grammar questions, you’ll be offered one of the available courses that corresponds to your skill level best:

  • Beginner’s Course 1 is what you need if you are new to learning French. This course teaches you the simplest phrases you’ll need to introduce yourself or arrange meeting with others;
  • Beginner’s Course 2 is aimed at teaching you how to communicate when being on the street, asking for directions, and doing everyday things like going shopping;
  • Beginner’s Course 3 takes you to more extensive vocabulary you need to use when discussing your daily routine. Speaking of your home, hobbies, and leisure won’t be a problem after you finish this course;
  • Beginner’s Course 4 offers you to discover more complex grammar structures including different tenses. You’ll also be able to speak on more topics;
  • Beginner’s Course 5 will prepare you to speak as if you live in France. Making orders in a restaurant, buying theater tickets, describing your state of health, and expressing wishes are main learning goals of this course;
  • Beginner’s Course 6 allows you to feel confident when speaking of the environment, relationships and talking on the phone. More complex vocabulary and grammar are explained in this course.

Every course consists of the combination of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation tasks to get you speaking as fast as possible. Once you finish all of the beginner courses, it’s time to move further and take intermediate ones. 5 intermediate courses will help you feel confident when discussing any topic. Complex grammar won’t be an issue anymore. Additionally, your vocabulary will be enriched greatly. However, even when you finish these courses, you’ll still be able to improve your French. Take additional courses like Listening and Speaking, Reading and Writing, Countries and Traditions, Specials, and Words and Sentences to speak like a native.

Review of Babbel French unlimited learning at a limited price

Vocabulary as a Key to Success

Whatever language you learn, you won’t succeed until you have rich vocabulary. Understanding this fact, the developers of the Babbel service have created a vocabulary section where all the words you learn during your study are gathered. The words are conveniently categorized according to knowledge level, from the simplest to most difficult ones. What we liked about vocabulary practice is that Babbel reminds you when it’s time to revise learned words in order to keep them in your memory forever.

Babbel French unlimited learning at a limited price in the use

Present a Language Course at Babbel

Do you have a friend or a family member who wants to learn French but is always hesitant to start? Help your near and dear ones make their dream come true with Babbel. All you need to present a language course at Babbel is take several simple steps. First of all, choose the duration of the course among 3-, 6-, and 12-month options. Secondly, complete your purchase and get an e-mail confirmation with a gift code. Finally, print out the code and present it to that friend of yours who takes pleasure in learning new languages.

Detailed review of Babbel French unlimited learning at a limited price

 

Frantastique Easy Way to Learn French

So Much Fun!

French courses have never been so entertaining! Cartoons and silly videos with semi-naked Victor Hugo will turn the educational process into a fun activity. Although the format of this course is a bit different from most of the traditional ones, it gives you a wide range of exercises, dialogues, texts, and lessons in French. The best part of it is that the course can adapt to your very skills, needs, wishes, and learning speed. After you complete the free test, an artificial intelligence engine will create lessons, focusing on the points you often get confused with. Additionally, you can request the topics you are interested in, and the program will automatically send you different stories and notes matching them to your needs and level.

The Frantastique is available on smartphones, tablets, and PCs. So, you can explore the Francophone universe via your phone or tablet while commuting to work or use your PC for learning French during a lunch break.

Review of Frantastique Easy Way to Learn French

How Does It Work?

The Frantastique is a solid French grammar course for post-beginners that incorporates pedagogy and some cultural references. It doesn't focus much on pronunciation and survival phrases for vacation, but the course can help you work on your grammar and vocabulary. It also highlights the differences between different flavors of French (French-French and Canadian-French). The course consists of 15-min lessons (10 min for a lesson itself and 5 for corrections) that drip-fed the material to you a little every day. This approach allows your brain to absorb the material better and promotes building daily habits. The short lessons won't affect your working day yet will help you keep yourself motivated.

Frantastique Easy Way to Learn French in the use

Special Offer

You can get a free week of lessons to see if you like the Frantastique course even without spending a penny. After this trial week, you can get a monthly subscription for Basic, Premium, or Pro course. They all include 20 lessons per month, personalized pedagogical content, detailed statistics on your progress, and vocabulary lists. If you want to receive access to professional situations, business vocabulary on management, economy, finance, marketing, IT, sales, HR, and engineering, you can get a Premium or Pro subscription. We would like to stress that the Pro course is the only course that provides students with a certified diploma recognized in Europe.

Detailed review of Frantastique Easy Way to Learn French

 

Ouino Languages Learn French

Multiple Learning System

The Ouino system is an all-in-one solution for learning French quickly and easily! It has a user-friendly interface that allows you to choose what exactly you want to learn today. For example, if you're going to the shopping mall, you can choose to learn some "hot" words and phrases like “to pay” and “how much” and become familiar with some other useful expressions. You can select not only what you learn but also how you learn. Just go into the setting menu and set your own pace. The lessons will never be too slow or too fast because it's you who take the full control of learning!

This French language software is entirely interactive and, perhaps, it's the most customizable language application in the world. It consists of 5 modules that include 318 interactive lessons, about 1,000 exercises, and more than 70 pronunciation exercises. Each category has different difficulty levels, and once you complete an easy level, you can reach more difficult exercises to feel up to the challenge!

Review of Ouino Languages Learn French

What do You Want to Learn Today?

As we have just mentioned, the Ouino app has 5 different categories: Building blocks, Vocabulary, Conversation, Pronunciation, and Verbs/Conjugation.

  • Building blocks will explain you French grammar and help you create sentences;
  • Vocabulary will learn you essential words and phrases for everyday life;
  • Conversation module will teach you various expressions and practice your comprehension of French dialogues;
  • Pronunciation module is aimed at improving your pronunciation by comparing you with native speakers;
  • French Verbs and Conjugation section is subdivided into Individual verbs (English and French order), Key verbs, and Verb endings. All of them will help you learn the most important French verbs and understand how conjugation really works.
Ouino Languages Learn French in the use

Do You Need Help?

Although this French learning system uses a free-style approach, you can choose the Recommended Learning Path option. It will guide you through an automatic order of lessons for beginners. What you learn in one lesson will be reinforced in another one. So, if you want to reach fluency and memorize all you learn, start your journey into the world of learning French with the Ouino comprehensive system!

Detailed review of Ouino Languages Learn French

 

What are the Best Ways to Learn French?

French is a wonderful language that is spoken by more than 350 million people all over the world. It's the language of love! The language of new possibilities! And no matter whether you're preparing for your once-in-a-lifetime trip to Paris, need the French language for business negotiation, or just want to self-develop, the best French courses will help you acquire practical language skills and become proficient in this romantic language. The majority of interactive French courses allow you to learn the language while you can pedal an exercise bike, walk your dog, take a footbath, jog in the mornings, have a lunch, run errands, or anything else you're up to. The beauty of these courses is their efficiency and flexibility. You can start your way to French mastery in less than a few minutes. Keep on reading our review and find which of the ways of learning French work best for you.

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Publish Date: 2017-08-16 15:35:22