The 7 Best French Courses Online to Become Fluent [2024]

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Bonjour! Ça va? If you’re learning French, it can be hard to find the right way to get started. And that’s probably why you’re reading this article! In case you haven’t guessed by its title, online French courses are one of the best ways to learn French, especially if you like a structured plan. But, where can you find the best French courses online?

In this guide, I’ll show you the best course options and why using an online French course in your study routine can take your fluency to the next level. You’ll find options for all levels. And, to make things easier, I’ll also give you a couple of tips to find the best online French course for you. Are you ready to say oui to learning French?

How We Chose the Best Online French Courses

To find the best online French courses available, I searched the internet to make a list of potential options from reputable sources. Then, I researched each course and applied our strict testing methodology to make sure each course offered valuable content for French learners. The courses mentioned in this list have useful features and content that will help you learn French fast.

Below you’ll find the best online courses to learn French. Scroll down to learn more about each one.

French Uncovered is the best overall French course because it’s comprehensive and helps you improve all your language skills. It offers you an immersive experience without being overwhelming. Throughout the course, you follow a story, with each unit focusing on a new chapter. First, you listen to part of the story. Then, you watch lessons that break down the grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation from the chapter in different lessons.

Each unit has extensive lesson notes that make the course worth it because they have detailed explanations and practice questions. If you want to use it to self-study, there’s also an answer key so you can check your progress. You can try French Uncovered for free for 7 days.

French Today is the best for beginners because it starts with the basics. This audio course has four levels that will take you from beginner to advanced. Each level has an audiobook with detailed explanations in English of the important grammar topics. You practice what you learn through a story that you follow throughout the course, and it makes learning basic French easy.

There are 3 different types of pronunciation available: slower, enunciated, and modern spoken pronunciation. In my experience, this is really helpful because you can mimic how French people talk in real life. That’s the ultimate goal of any French learner, right? In addition to the audiobook for each level, there are also exercise books, French verb drills, audio novels, and more.

Frantastique is a unique way to study French and it’s part of the Gymglish group of language courses. You receive a daily lesson in your email that you can complete when it’s convenient for you. Each lesson is short and only takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. In each lesson, you watch a short video clip and then complete practice activities about the video to learn grammar and vocabulary topics in French. Every lesson includes a cultural note to learn more about Francophone countries.

You receive immediate feedback on your answers with explanations as to why your answers were correct or incorrect, something that not many other courses or apps offer. Over time, the difficulty of the lessons adapts to your needs, and the artificial intelligence that powers the lessons is impressive. You can try Frantastique with its 30-day free trial or read more about it in this overall Gymglish review.

Lingoda is the best platform for live French classes because it follows a set curriculum to make sure you’re progressing. It offers a lot of flexibility because you can choose when you take a class and what lesson you want to cover. And, you can choose between taking group classes or private French lessons.

The focus of each class is to practice speaking and listening with the teacher and other students. You have access to a self-study area and homework after each lesson. The independent practice allows you to make the most of your time in class. All teachers on the Lingoda platform are qualified and have at least 2 years of experience teaching languages so you know you’re in good hands. To learn more about the platform, check out this Lingoda review.

Ouino Languages is a good choice if you’re an independent learner. It’s a comprehensive computer program and mobile platform designed to be an all-in-one stop for learning French. The lessons cover the most important language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. It’s self-guided so you can choose what lessons you want to take and in what order. This can decrease the time it takes to learn French!

There are 5 different types of French lessons to cover grammar, vocabulary, conversation, and pronunciation. Each lesson begins by presenting and explaining the concept, and then you complete a series of practice exercises to reinforce what you learned. You can also change the difficulty of the exercises depending on your level. You can try each of the 5 types of lessons for free to see if you like Ouino French.

Coffee Break French is a series of podcast lessons that you can listen to in the time it takes to drink a cup of coffee. Its audio lessons last about 15-20 minutes so you can listen anywhere. Your lesson hosts guide you through a series of vocabulary and grammar topics that allow you to hear what the correct French sounds like. Then, you can practice saying the words and phrases along with the teacher.

There are 4 seasons (or levels) available that go from beginner to advanced French, and each one has 40 episodes. For more advanced learners, there are additional series, like “La Vérité Éclate Toujours” where each new lesson is a chapter of a drama story, and The Coffee Break French Magazine series that discusses French history and culture. If you’re looking to develop your French listening comprehension and pronunciation, this is a great place to start. Coffee Break is also a nice complement to other French podcasts.

Institut Linguistique Adenet (ILA) is a language school based in Montpellier, France that offers in-person or online French classes. They have general French classes that go from the beginner (A1) to the advanced level (C1). The online classes are taught by an experienced French teacher via Zoom and have 5-8 students.

Before you begin your classes, you take a placement test to find the best level for you. The lessons are interactive and focus on conversation with the teacher and other French learners. ILA also has DELF and DALF test preparation courses and other specialized courses per request. The online French courses begin every Monday and you can start at any time of the year. Learn more at the ILA website and take advantage of the free trial session.

Why You Should Learn French with an Online Course

There are many reasons why using an online course to learn French is a great idea. Below, I’ve listed 4 reasons why people love to include online courses in their French study routines (and why you should, too!):

Learn at your own pace

One of the many reasons why people enjoy learning French with online courses is the amount of freedom it gives you. Instead of feeling pressured to complete a specific number of lessons or having to turn in homework on time, you can study when it’s most convenient for you. With online French courses, you can start a lesson, stop, and continue whenever you have free time. This takes a lot of pressure off your shoulders and makes studying French a much more enjoyable experience.

Choose what you study next

Online French courses are quite flexible, even when they have lesson plans to guide you. Perhaps you’re starting your French course with some basic knowledge of the language. Instead of having to spend time studying what you already know, you can choose which topics you’ll learn next. You can also choose to spend more time reviewing grammar topics or improving your pronunciation, which is one of the hardest parts of learning French. This way, you’re making the best use of your time.

Study with engaging resources

If you like interactive resources like language apps, games, or video lessons, French courses are the perfect option for you. Online French courses tend to include multiple additional language learning resources to help you practice applying your knowledge. In addition to games, quizzes, and exercises, courses also include cultural notes, audio tracks, and even short stories you can read to continue learning about French. They’re built to motivate and keep you on track to your French goals so you’ll always want to keep coming back to learn more.

Flexible price

Finding high-quality resources for French that are within our budget can be difficult, but with online courses, you won’t have to worry about this! Now most platforms offer different types of subscriptions and you can choose the one that best adjusts to your needs. Or, if you don’t like subscriptions, there are also courses that you can purchase with a one-time payment. There’s a lot of flexibility when it comes to affording an online French course and sometimes you’ll even have the chance to split payments. You can also find courses with French content available for free, like FrenchPod101 and Language Transfer.

What’s the Best Online French Course for YOU?

The best online French course for you is the one that best adjusts to your needs. There are many French courses available on the Internet, but going through every single option might be too time-consuming. Instead, you can narrow down the options by asking yourself exactly what you’re looking for in a French learning course.

For example, there are courses specifically designed to focus on French grammar, while some others target your conversational skills or even different dialects. At the same time, structured courses are designed for complete beginners and will start by introducing you to the most basic notions. Or you could try an immersive course to surround yourself with French. Remember that’s important to consider how much time you have available to study and your budget.

Learn Fluent French With Langoly

Now that you know which courses are the best for learning French, you can start building a comprehensive study routine. Using online French courses in combination with other resources will develop the skills you need to become fluent. For example, most French learning books have in-depth grammar notes that will answer your questions about the language, but podcasts are a better way to practice listening to spoken French. There are many ways to study French, so make sure to create a routine you enjoy and stick to it to see quick progress.

To discover more about the French language and how to learn it, be sure to check out Langoly’s French Hub!

Best Online Courses to Learn French: FAQ