homework in french duolingo

Duolingo for French in 2023 – EVERYTHING You Need To Know

• Posted by by Matt
• Last updated: April 13, 2023
• 10 minute read

If you’re thinking about learning French, then I’d wager you’ve probably come across Duolingo’s French course.

French is one of the most popular and widely spoken languages on the planet. It’s thought to have over 274 million speakers worldwide and is an official language in a whopping 29 countries !

Now, I won’t lie: I wasn’t that keen on French when I was at school (German was more my thing back then).

But then I played around with it on Duolingo… and I absolutely loved it!

Duolingo’s French course is easily one of its best. Not just because it’s so long, but also because it gets all the latest and greatest Duolingo features before pretty much every other course.

So does that mean Duolingo is good for learning French?

In this article, I’ll give you all the essential details, such as:

• How Duolingo’s French course is structured
• A closer look at the course’s special features
• Other features you need to be aware of
• The pros of Duolingo’s French course
• The cons of Duolingo’s French course

Now then, shall we jump in?

This page may contain affiliate links. This means that we may receive a commission for any sign-ups or purchases made, but at no extra cost to you . Learn more

What you’ll find in Duolingo’s French course

If you’re new to Duolingo, then it’s worth pointing out that all of Duolingo’s courses are structured in pretty much the same way.

There might be one or two slight differences depending on which platform you’re using. However, for the most part, they all look and work the same.

The below represents what you’ll currently find on Duolingo’s IOS app!

The French course follows what is referred to as the  learning path .

Basically…

The path is broken up into a set of  units …

Each unit has a set of  levels …

Each level has a series of  lessons …

And all of this is organised into a set of  sections …

The basic goal is to work your way along the path by completing every lesson… in every level… in every unit… in every section.

As of April 2023, Duolingo’s French course has a total of  202 units , spread across  8 different sections . The sections range from beginner all the way through to intermediate.

As you move through the path, you’ll get opportunities to complete some  timed challenges  by tapping on the adjacent  characters …

Once you’ve completed a level, you’ll then get the opportunity to tackle an extra-hard challenge to make it legendary …

The exercises in the French course are basically the same as in all the other courses. Some of the common exercises you’ll come across include:

• Complete the translation
• Mark the correct meaning
• Picture flashcards
• Select the missing word
• Sentence shuffle
• Speak this sentence
• Speak the correct response
• Tap the pairs (standard and audio)
• Translation
• Tap what you hear
• Fill in the blanks
• Listen and respond

Special features in Duolingo’s French course

Although English speakers can learn nearly 40 different languages on Duolingo, it’s important to point out that not all of the courses are created equally.

Some courses have special features that others don’t.

Some of these include  stories , the  match madness  timed challenge, and AI-powered features (exclusive to Duolingo Max).

As of April 2023,  French is one of Duolingo’s most feature-packed courses.  It currently has 288 stories,   match madness, and is one of only two courses taking advantage of Duolingo’s new AI features.

Duolingo French stories

Duolingo’s French stories are designed to improve your reading, listening and speaking. They’re entirely in French and most of them are only a few minutes long at most.

They’re written for learners of all levels and come with the usual hints you find in the normal lessons.

Every now and then you’ll have to answer a question to make sure you understand what’s going on, which is a great way to measure where you’re at with your comprehension.

Match Madness

Match Madness is one of Duolingo’s main timed challenges.

It’s basically a fancy match-the-pairs exercise, where you have to match the French word with its English equivalent.

However, in Match Madness, you have to do this against the clock, and the time you have to complete it gets shorter and shorter in each round.

It’s a great test of your comprehension speed and has quickly become one of the French course’s best features!

Duolingo Max

French is currently one of only two courses to be taking full advantage of Duolingo’s latest subscription tier — Duolingo Max.

Max is built on GPT 4 — the latest release from OpenAI — to give learners a fuller-bodied learning experience.

The two main features that Max adds to the French course are Explain My Answer and Role Play.

You can learn more about them in Duolingo’s blog post .

As exciting as these features are, it’s important to note that Max is still in its early days and is currently only available to select users. It’s also a paid plan, meaning Max features don’t come with the standard French course.

Duolingo French podcasts

Although these are no longer available on the app, you can still access Duolingo’s French podcasts on a wide range of podcast platforms.

These podcasts also offer a cool way to practice your French when you’ve got your hands full.

They’re described as “Fascinating stories in easy-to-understand French”. They’re split into healthy measures of French and English, so they’re fairly easy to follow, even at an early level.

The podcasts are a great complement to the standard Duolingo course and work wonders for your listening comprehension.

The Duolingo French podcasts are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, PocketCasts, iHeartRadio and Overcast.

Other features in Duolingo’s French course

Duolingo’s French course is built on the same stuff as all of Duolingo’s other language courses.

We won’t go into too much detail here, but some of the features worth knowing about include:

• XP – As you work through the Duolingo French course, you’ll earn experience points, which are more commonly known as XP. You’ll earn XP for pretty much everything you do. Some lessons, tasks and exercises will earn you more XP than others.
• Leagues – Every week you’ll be entered into a league with other Duolingo learners. There are 10 leagues to work through, starting at Bronze and ending at Diamond. The leagues are basically leaderboards — simply earn more XP than others in your league to have a chance of winning.
• Gems – XP isn’t the only thing you’ll earn as you learn French. You’ll also earn gems, which you can spend in the Duolingo Shop . There isn’t really much you can buy here, but you can use your gems to pick up things like Streak Freezes and Timer Boosts for timed challenges.
• Friends – Duolingo is a social experience, so you’re able to follow other users and compare your progress. The guys at Duolingo reckon you’re 5 times more likely to finish your course if you follow people! To get you started, feel free to give me a follow — my username is DCiiieee !
• Duolingo Plus / Super – This is Duolingo’s premium membership. Pay for Plus/Super and you’ll get access to some useful features, including unlimited hearts , no ads and Practice Hub .

Is Duolingo good for learning French?

Now it’s time for the main event:

To answer this, let’s weigh up some of the pros and cons.

Beginner-friendly

Learning a new language can be pretty intimidating, especially if you only speak the one language.

This is why one of the nicest things about Duolingo is just how accessible and welcoming it is.

Regardless of the language you’re learning, Duolingo presents its courses in a really warm, vibrant and inclusive way. So whether this is your second language or your tenth, you can feel at ease straight away!

This is the case for the vast majority of Duolingo’s courses, but it’s particularly true for the French course.

It’s comfortably one of the best-supported courses on the app, getting new updates on a regular basis, with loads of support from the start of the path to the end.

The bespoke guidebooks are a big selling point of the French course, as they generally do a good job of unpacking the complicated aspects of a unit. This is super important for helping you understand French grammar, which can be a bit tricky at times.

And as with all of its courses, Duolingo’s French course comes with the usual placement test when you first start, so you can rest easy that you’ll start your tree from a place you find comfortable.

Massive course

Duolingo’s French course has received a lot of updates over the years, to the point that I’d say it’s now Duolingo’s flagship course.

With a whopping 202 units of French levels and lessons, the French path is comfortably one of Duolingo’s biggest.

This will take you A LONG TIME to work through. And that’s a good thing!

Some of Duolingo’s courses are really short, so you can breeze through them pretty quickly but not come away feeling as though you’ve learned much.

But rest assured, you’re unlikely to experience this with the French course. Not only is it jam-packed with vocabulary, each unit comes with bespoke guidebooks to help you get your head around the tricky aspects of French grammar.

Duolingo have also totally redone the voices of a lot of their characters, making them sound alive and engaging.

Special features

Duolingo’s French course has more special features than the majority of Duolingo’s other courses.

And one of the main ones is the stories feature.

Duolingo’s French stories are among the best on the app. The French course has one of the largest libraries of stories, coming in at a gigantic 288 as of April 2023.

They all have authentic, animated voices, so they sound real and engaging. They’re genuinely hilarious and binge-worthy!

This doesn’t just go for Duolingo’s French course, it’s the same for ALL of them!

One of the best things about Duolingo is that it’s more than just a language-learning tool.

It’s also a game . And although this isn’t to everyone’s liking, it’s a big part of why so many people show up every day to do their daily lessons.

For everything you do in French, you’ll earn XP, which contributes towards your position in the weekly leagues.

Now this isn’t something you should take too seriously (you can read more about why here ) but if you take it lightly it’ll definitely make your French a lot more enjoyable.

Because ultimately, the more you enjoy something, the more likely you are to do it. And given learning French will require you to show up regularly for a very long time, Duolingo could be the perfect solution.

Another great thing about Duolingo is that the French course is 100% free .

There is a premium subscription — Duolingo Plus/Super — but this isn’t something you need in order to complete the course. The whole thing is completely free; Plus/Super just adds a few features that make things a bit smoother.

This is great if you’re just dabbling with French and aren’t ready to commit just yet. But also if you’re keen to get started with the language but don’t want to fork out on special software or tuition.

Super motivating

I take it you’ve seen the owl memes?

Yes, the owl can be *a bit* of a stalker at times, pestering you at all hours to do your daily French lessons!

But relax, contrary to popular belief, he’s not gonna kidnap your family anytime soon!

Jokes aside, Duolingo is brilliant for keeping you motivated .

Learning French takes time. It’s not something you’re going to pick up overnight.

According to the US Foreign Service Institute , it takes roughly 750 “class hours” to reach “Professional Working Proficiency” in French.

So yeah, if you’re going to learn French, you’ve got to be in it for the long haul!

That means creating an unbreakable habit. And Duolingo’s amazing for doing that.

Put it this way — my current streak (i.e. the number of days in a row I’ve used Duolingo) goes all the way back to May 2016.

And that’s not just because I’m a bit obsessive! It’s thanks to Duolingo being such a great way of keeping me motivated!

If you’ve read any of my other articles then you’ll know one of the things I dislike most about Duolingo at the moment is the heart system .

Hearts are basically lives or chances. You start off with 5 then lose one every time you make a mistake.

If you lose all your hearts then you’re not allowed to progress through your course until your hearts replenish.

You can either watch an ad to get one back, do a practice session, spend some gems or wait 5 hours.

It’s far from ideal as it does the unhelpful thing of punishing you for making mistakes .

Which, as far as I’m concerned, is ridiculous as mistakes are absolutely essential and unavoidable when learning a language.

Not great for speaking

French is probably one of Duolingo’s best courses for speaking thanks to features like audio lessons.

However, it still falls short in terms of getting you to a solid conversational level. At least by itself, anyway.

The main problem is that the speaking exercises aren’t conversation exercises. You get a little bit of practice in the conversation mode on the stories (if available), but this just involves reciting what the characters say. You don’t actually come up with your own responses.

Speaking is a skill in its own right and to learn it you’ll need to practice it regularly, ideally with a native speaker, or at the very least using a program that has extended conversation scenarios (such as FrenchPod101 ).

Not a one-stop shop

A common mistake people make with Duolingo is they expect it to take them all the way to fluency.

Of course, fluency is a funny thing to define. Everyone has their own interpretations.

And while Duolingo believe the French course can get you all the way to B2 on the CEFR, this doesn’t tell the whole story.

Learning a language requires more than just an active learning tool (which is what Duolingo is for the most part). You also need to add an equal measure of passive learning to your lingo diet.

Passive learning is the stuff you do away from the classroom (or in this case Duolingo). It’s watching TV shows, listening to music, reading books, and having real-life conversations.

While Duolingo’s French course does a lot more to hit on passive learning than most of Duolingo’s other courses, it’s still not an all-in-one solution for learning French.

Whatever stage you’re at in your French-learning journey, Duolingo’s French course is undoubtedly one of the most well-rounded and polished courses currently available.

The course is so jam-packed and overflowing with cool new features that it’s easy to see why Duolingo believe it can get you to B2 level on the CEFR scale.

You’ll learn the most important aspects of the language, get to grips with the pronunciation and pick up a sizable chunk of useful vocabulary.

You’ll get to see the language in action in over 280 mini-stories.

You’ll also have a blast working through the course as you compete in the weekly leagues and alongside your friends!

By the end of the course, you’ll definitely be more advanced than when you started.

As far as active learning tools go, Duolingo is one of the best for French. And better still — it’s 100% free!

for best results…

However, if you really want to reach a decent level in French, Duolingo is only part of the solution.

A good tool to use — either alongside Duolingo or after you’ve completed the course — is FrenchPod101 .

FrenchPod and Duolingo complement each other beautifully, as they both target areas that the other misses. Duolingo is great for reading and typing things out, whereas FrenchPod focuses more on improving your listening and speaking.

It basically keeps the wheels turning once you’ve run out of audio lessons and podcasts on Duolingo, but also helps you get comfortable speaking French right from the beginning.

With FrenchPod, you’ll also get essential resources like grammar packs, cultural insights, and learn the 2,000 most common French words — so by the end of the course, you should be able to understand as much as 80% of all French conversations.

if you’re new to french

I’d highly recommend taking Duolingo’s placement test, figuring out what level you’re at, and then working through the first couple of units of the tree. This will get you familiar with the basics of French.

At the same time, I’d recommend taking advantage of FrenchPod’s free trial to get familiar with how the language sounds, pick up some useful phrases and cultural insights, and practice speaking as soon as possible.

Once you’ve worked your way through the Duolingo course (this could take a while) I’d recommend coming back to it daily to keep the streak alive (habit is SO important when learning a language) and start to move through the intermediate to advanced packs on FrenchPod.

Finally, make sure you’re getting enough passive exposure to French as well. It’s really important to experience the language in an authentic environment — so things like TV shows, music, books, real-life conversations — so you can see how everything you learn on Duolingo and FrenchPod works in the real world.

Hey! I'm Matt, the Duolingo-nut behind duoplanet. I started using Duolingo back in 2014, and my current streak stretches all the way back to May 2016. Using Duolingo I've reached a comfortable level in Italian and acquired a basic understanding of Russian. I've also gone deep into the Spanish, German and French courses, and intend to explore more languages in the years to come. Needless to say, I'm obsessed with language learning!

Post navigation

Meet The Duolingo Owl - The Bird That Changed Language Learning

Super Duolingo Review (UPDATED 2024) - Is The Premium Tier Worth It?

1424 crown levels are probably INCLUDING legendary levels because 1424/253 > 5

Hey Matt – thanks for the informative article and the helpful links!

Thanks Matt. Very useful and valuable article. Your enthusiasm has motivated me to continue with my French language study.

Hi I only have 196 units?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

related posts

Duolingo Podcasts – Here’s What You NEED To Know

• 3 minute read

Duolingo Audio Lessons – Everything You Need To Know

• 6 minute read

Duolingo Stories in 2024 – EVERYTHING You Need To Know

• 5 minute read

Duolingo Max Review [2023] – Is It Worth The Cost?

With Free French Worksheets

16+ French Worksheets for Beginners PDF Printables

Want to learn French?

At FrenchPod101, you start speaking French in minutes… with our audio/video lessons made by real teachers.

And, guess what? You can also get FREE French worksheets . So you can practice what you’ve learned in our lessons.

How? Just sign up for a Free Lifetime Account and you can access all of our printable French beginner worksheets below. They’re yours to download, print, and use as much as you want.

16+ Printable French Worksheets at FrenchPod101

How to use frenchpod101’s worksheets.

Just download our French worksheets PDF files and print them out! Then, practice writing out words and phrases on the provided lines on the inside. It’s as simple as that.

How the French alphabet worksheet works:

The first thing any beginner should learn is the alphabet. However, most schools can take a week to teach you the alphabet. But, with these worksheets, you can learn the alphabet in an hour or less!

Just practice writing out the characters inside the worksheet. You’ll even get a chance to practice writing a few simple words. Once you’re done with the alphabet worksheet, feel free to move on to the other French worksheet PDFs.

Here’s how the French writing worksheets work:

In the first part, you’ll get the French word and its meaning, and your job is to write the word in French.

In the second part, you get the French word without any translations. Your job is to write the English translation here.

The third part will test your ability to recall the French words. Here, you only get the English translation. Your job is to try and remember the French word and write it out on the provided line.

By the end, you’ll remember the words because you’re tested on them in multiple ways: 1) recalling the meaning of the French word and 2) recalling the French word from the English translation.

You can also print out several copies of the French worksheet PDFs in order to get extra practice.

5 Reasons Why You Should Learn with Worksheets

• They’re 100% FREE at FrenchPod101.
• You get practice writing in French.
• You get to remember French much better.
• You’ll be able to speak and understand more French as a result.
• You’ll never learn if you don’t practice.

You’re here because you want to learn French, right?

Well, If you want to learn and speak flowing French, you can’t just passively read or listen to French and hope it sticks. A few words may stick but you will forget a majority of what you hear and learn. And you’re probably already well aware of how quickly you forget what you learn, right? Let’s change that.

So, if you want to truly learn French, you’ll need to practice. Repeated practice is what cements the French into your brain. And that’s where our French worksheets for beginners come in.

Not only will you learn words, phrases, and French grammar, but you also get a chance to practice what you’ve learned and cement these words into your head. The worksheets are designed to teach and test you, so that you end up remembering the French better.

Best of all? They’re free for FrenchPod101 members. So, download the printable French worksheets, print them out and start practicing French.

The result? You’ll know and speak more French. And of course, you’ll be able to write as well.

How to Get FREE Access

If you’re an existing FrenchPod101 user, you already have access! Just log in and download.

If not, to get free access to all of the French worksheets above, you must sign up for a Free Lifetime Account at FrenchPod101.

Here’s how you sign up and get the PDFs

What’s frenchpod101.

New to FrenchPod101? Welcome!

FrenchPod101 is the fastest, easiest, and most fun way to learn French.

You learn French with fun audio/video lessons made by real teachers. Just press play on a lesson, absorb a conversation and start speaking in minutes. We’ll guide you from lesson 1, to 2, to 3… until fluency.

• Online French Learning Program
• 16+ Years of Teaching Languages (Since 2005)
• Teaching 34 Languages with our Time-tested System
• Over 2+ Billion Lessons Downloaded to Date
• New Free Lessons Added Weekly

These French worksheet PDFs are a free bonus for our members and anyone interested in learning French. So, if you’re interested in learning French, sign up for a FREE Lifetime Account today.

French translation of 'homework'

Video: pronunciation of homework

Examples of 'homework' in a sentence homework

Trends of homework.

View usage for: All Years Last 10 years Last 50 years Last 100 years Last 300 years

Browse alphabetically homework

• homeward bound
• homeward journey
• homework club
• homeworking
• All ENGLISH words that begin with 'H'

Related terms of homework

• a homework assignment
• my geography homework
• to do one’s homework
• to do one’s homework on sth
• View more related words

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Score: 0 / 5

Wordle Helper

Scrabble Tools

12 Best French Workbooks for Language Learners

This article may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For full information, please see the disclaimer  here .

The key to learning a new language is variety. I have always found that a variety of learning methods will keep you sufficiently entertained, but also make sure you improve as quickly and significantly as you can.

While some may benefit from reading grammar textbooks from cover to cover, if you don’t practice your new skills, how are you going to really apply what you’ve learned and also understand how you can improve?

No fear. With the workbooks collated in this article, you’ll find a host of available resources to practice whichever French skill or competency you fancy, whether that’s grammar, vocabulary, reading comprehension, or even pronunciation.

In particular, these workbooks will provide a great learning approach when combined with French textbooks and other learning methods, such as learning through apps or attending classes. The point is about finding the best methods for you.

So, let’s jump into the 12 best French workbooks for language learners.

Best French workbooks for language learners

1. practice makes perfect: complete french all-in-one.

• Heminway, Annie (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 656 Pages – 08/01/2018 (Publication Date) – McGraw Hill (Publisher)

The Practice Makes Perfect series is a great resource for putting all your necessary French skills into practice. While there are a variety of individual workbooks, from grammar to vocabulary, Complete French All-in-One combines all seven into this jumbo edition.

This is a great French workbook for those who want to practice a variety of competencies simultaneously, allowing a focus on vocabulary, grammar, tenses, conversation, and so much more. There is even a French workbook for beginners specifically.

The workbook also has an accompanying app, which provides flashcards to aid vocabulary learning and audio aids.

This workbook is great for :

• Focusing on a variety of French skills
• Practicing vocabulary

2. Easy French Step-By-Step

• Exercises to test what you have learned
• Engaging readings
• Clear and concise explanations of basic rules and concepts

Easy French Step-By-Step is a great French textbook and workbook for working on grammar. The textbook part teaches French through a strong grounding in grammar, using building blocks of grammatical concepts to also give exposure to other skills, such as reading comprehension and vocabulary.

The workbook section of the text will allow you to practice the grammar concepts that you’ve learned. The value of Easy French Step-By-Step is that these exercises are not repetitive fill-in-the-gaps either, but are varied and engaging in nature.

This workbook is great for learners who find it useful to learn French through a focus on grammar, or those who feel they need to improve their grammatical skills.

• Learning French through grammar
• Engaging exercises
• A gradual step-by-step approach to learning languages

3. Exercises in French Phonics

• Used Book in Good Condition
• Francis W. Nachtmann (Author)
• 79 Pages – 04/29/1981 (Publication Date) – Stipes Pub Llc (Publisher)

For many learners of French, speaking and especially pronunciation can be the hardest part of getting to French proficiency . After all, it is well known to be a language that is especially difficult to speak and communicate in.

That’s why this workbook is a must for learners who want to specifically focus on their accent, providing a targeted set of phonic exercises for English learners of French. With examples and comparisons that English speakers can most relate to, there’s no surprise it’s so popular among learners.

Especially since the speaking and pronunciation aspect of learning French is often ignored, with much fewer resources available than other skills, this French language workbook is a great asset in any language learner’s arsenal.

• Developing speaking and pronunciation skills
• Working on your accent
• Explaining comparisons and differences between French and English

4. French Tutor: Grammar and Vocabulary Workbook

• Christensen, Mary C. (Author)
• 224 Pages – 10/17/2017 (Publication Date) – Teach Yourself (Publisher)

This French workbook features over 200 activities focused specifically on grammar and vocabulary. It is a perfect workbook for those who want to practice their key grammar skills, while also being able to work on their vocabulary.

With clearly expressed goals before each section, along with concise explanations of grammar points, French Tutor helps you progress in an effective and efficient way. These skills can then be put to practice in a wide variety of specific exercises that simultaneously test grammar and vocabulary.

The workbook also features cultural explanations throughout the various sections, allowing you to learn more about French and Francophone culture while improving your language skills.

• Grammar-specific exercises
• Vocabulary development
• Learning about Francophone cultures

5. Mise en scène: cinema et lecture

• Krueger, Cheryl (Author)
• 320 Pages – 11/07/2005 (Publication Date) – Pearson (Publisher)

If you’ve ever wondered if you can learn French by watching and learning about critically acclaimed French films, you don’t need to look any further. This is the best workbook for learning French you’ll find.

Mise en scène allows students to develop and practice their French skills through a focus on Francophone film. It uses the content of authentic French films to not just teach you more about French culture, but also work on your language and communication skills.

And since French film is famous across the world, and a huge part of its cultural export, this book provides a great view into the Francophone world and where your growing language skills can take you.

And, if you’re a big culture fan, be sure to check out how you can learn French through literature !

• Film lovers
• Teaching about French culture
• An emphasis on the use and communication of French

6. French Grammar for Beginners

• Bibard, Frederic (Author)
• 225 Pages – 04/20/2022 (Publication Date) – Independently published (Publisher)

If you’re a beginner learner of French hoping to get your grammar skills up to scratch, this workbook will be great for you.

Targeted specifically at beginners, it features over 300 grammar exercises on the most important French grammatical concepts that beginner learners should know.

This French workbook for beginners is also accompanied by a textbook that clearly explains beginner’s grammar concepts in easy English. Short lessons of half an hour every day will also help you build up a language learning routine, to help you maximize your development on a busy schedule.

This series also includes French Grammar for Intermediate Level , for when you feel ready to take the next step.

  This workbook is great for :

• Building up beginner’s grammar competencies
• A breadth and depth of grammar exercises
• Language learners with a busy schedule

7. The Ultimate French Review and Practice

• Stillman, David M. (Author)
• 464 Pages – 06/25/2019 (Publication Date) – McGraw Hill (Publisher)

The Ultimate French Review and Practice is one of the most popular French workbooks for French learners.

With over 400 exercises to work on, you’ll be well-occupied as you learn and develop a range of French skills. With a focus on grammar, vocabulary, and communication, this workbook provides a great breadth of language learning skills.

One of the best features is the pre- and post-tests, so that you can track progress and crucially see the improvement you’re making and what to continue working on.

The workbook also comes with app-based audio, so that you can work on listening and pronunciation skills at the same time as completing the exercises.

• A variety of interesting language exercises
• Tracking language progress
• Listening skills with authentic French speakers

8. Défi: Cahier d’exercices

• Chabi, Fatiha (Author)
• French (Publication Language)
• 88 Pages – 03/12/2018 (Publication Date) – DIFUSION CENTRO DE INVESTIGACION Y PUBLICACIONES DE IDIOMAS S.L. (Publisher)

Défi is a great workbook option for advanced learners of French who want to continue practicing and developing their language skills.

Through cultural explanations and authentic texts, the workbook tests students on their vocabulary and grammar skills so that they can familiarize themselves with complex structures and language use.

Written completely in French, the workbook also provides a great resource for improving reading comprehension and exposure to the language. However, for this reason, it should be used only by those who have a more advanced reading ability.

• Advanced learners
• Cultural insights
• French comprehension

9. 50 French Coffee Breaks

• Coffee Break Languages (Author)
• 256 Pages – 06/07/2022 (Publication Date) – Teach Yourself (Publisher)

We all know that one of the main obstacles to truly developing proficiency when learning a language is finding the time to dedicate to practice when we live such busy lives. This is where 50 French Coffee Breaks comes in.

This French learning workbook aims to provide an answer to busy schedules through short snippets of language learning that you can build into your daily routine. Organized into 5-, 10-, and 15-minute activities, it helps learners build a learning ritual and be consistent with their learning.

The activities are engaging, such as anagram and idiom challenges to get your brain ticking. They also help develop a range of skills, including reading comprehension, writing, and vocabulary.

• Learners with busy schedules
• Short bursts of regular language learning
• Fun activities

10. French Verb Drills

• de Roussy de Sales, R. (Author)
• 160 Pages – 10/01/2010 (Publication Date) – McGraw-Hill Education (Publisher)

Verbs are a key part of being able to communicate in any language, but many French learners find them an especially tricky part to get comfortable in.

With a huge number of verb exercises to try, French Verb Drills is a great workbook if you want to target your verb competencies in particular.

The workbook provides clear explanations of different types of verb types, conjugations, and tenses, as well as an emphasis on those pesky irregular verbs. It then provides a wealth of exercises, so that you can target particular types of verb uses or just work your way through as you see fit.

It also comes with access to free online exercises to complement your workbook learning.

• Perfecting your use of verbs
• Conjugation tables
• Working on tenses

11. Schaum’s Outline of French Vocabulary

• Crocker, Mary (Author)
• 448 Pages – 09/13/2013 (Publication Date) – McGraw Hill (Publisher)

For some language learners, vocabulary is the last thing to really come. When you’re spending so long focusing on grammar and learning the basics of the language, it’s easy to let a focus on vocabulary slide.

But Schaum’s Outline of French Vocabulary can be a great resource for those who want to specifically target their vocab learning through the completion of practical exercises.

With over 300 exercises in a topic-by-topic format, as well as review explanations and exercises, it is a useful way to compartmentalize and internalize French vocab. The workbook is also accompanied by a free audio download to simultaneously work on comprehension practice.

• Expanding vocabulary
• Comprehension practice through listening
• Interesting topics relevant to France and language learning

12. Les 500 Exercices de Grammaire

• Jennepin, Dominique (Author)
• 256 Pages – 01/24/2007 (Publication Date) – HACHETTE FLE (Publisher)

This French language workbook is targeted at upper intermediate to advanced learners who would like to practice and hone their grammar skills.

As indicated in its name, this workbook is more than extensive, with 500 exercises for you to get your teeth stuck into. Les 500 Exercices de Grammaire goes deeper into complex grammatical concepts, allowing learners to push themselves to native grammar levels.

Since the workbook is written in French, it is one of the best French workbooks to help strengthen your reading comprehension and writing skills at the same time as working on your grammar capabilities. It also features relevant vocabulary choices and a very useful grammar index.

• Advanced grammar
• Reading comprehension in French
• Advanced vocabulary

And that concludes our 12 best French workbooks for language learners. We hope you were able to find one that meets your requirements.

For a well-rounded approach to learning French, I recommend exploring other French learning resources such as apps, books , websites, podcasts , and more. Happy language learning!

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

The best apps to learn French (and the ones to avoid)

This article contains affiliate links. This means French Together may earn a commission for purchases made through these links. Read our full affiliate disclosure .

What’s the best French learning app out there? The answer to that question is more complicated than you might think.

With so many offerings on the market, you might feel overwhelmed. But actually, this variety of French learning apps is a good thing, since it means there’s more of a chance of finding the right fit.

To help you make your decision, I’ve reviewed some of the most popular choices , as well as a few lesser-known French learning apps.

What is the best app to learn French in 2024 ?

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you what the best French learning app is. No, I’m not even going to say French Together ! 🙂  This is because everyone learns differently and has different goals and needs. The real question is, what is the best French learning app for you ?

Here are some areas where the different apps on our list excel:

And if you want to go more in-depth, you’ll also find links to longer reviews of most of the apps here.

French Together

French Together is a conversational French app, which means that its goal is to help you speak everyday French as quickly as possible .

French Together prepares you for real-life conversations in French by teaching you the most common vocabulary and helping you practice listening and speaking skills.

What’s good about French Together

• The app includes an AI pronunciation checker that will accurately score your pronunciation and offer feedback to improve it.
• Dialogues can be listened to at the speed real French people would speak , as well as in a slowed down version .
• The app features native French speakers of different origins , so you aren’t just listening to one or two people speaking standard French.
• I like that you can see lines of dialogue in their written form , too – a helpful feature for us visual learners and/or hearing impaired people, not to mention just about anyone, since French spelling and pronunciation are so different.
• As you work, the app also has helpful windows of information about grammar and vocabulary that you can choose to read and learn about or ignore if you prefer. (I’m a grammar junkie, so I read them all.)

What might not be good about French Together

• French Together’s focus on dialogues and essential vocabulary in everyday spoken French makes it incredibly helpful for many learners – maybe even most. But this means it’s light on grammar and non-essential vocabulary. (That said, I’m just going to pop in and toot my own horn for a second –   subscribing to the French Together blog can help fill in those gaps , with our articles on all sorts of grammar-, vocabulary-, and culture -related topics.)  
• Like many French learning apps, there’s not much here to do with reading or writing in French .

How much does French Together cost ?

French Together costs $144 a year or $24/month if you choose the monthly plan.

Check your local version of French Together’s pricing page for prices in your currency.

French Together offers a 7-day free trial which means you can try it risk-free for one week .

Langua is a web app that allows learners to build vocabulary and watch podcasts and videos with features like a transcript and one-click translation tool. There’s also an AI-generated Stories feature. But Langua is probably best known for its AI chatbot that lets you practice French conversation .

For an in-depth review of Langua, feel free to check out my review of French chatbots . Otherwise, read on for my major takeaways from the app.

What’s good about Langua

• Langua has a simple interface , which I always like since it’s easy to use, you don’t get distracted or lost, and also it means to me that the developers are more concerned with content than looks.
• The chatbot feature lets you either choose what to chat about or do a role-play .
• You can choose a male or female voice for the chatbot. Listening to both can help train your ear.
• For a role-play with the chatbot,  I chose the plumber scenario and was very impressed . While the plumber spoke a bit more slowly than the average French person, the vocabulary used and questions asked were  exactly like what you’d hear in real life .
• The podcasts, videos and articles features are a great way to learn French by reading and listening and provide a nearly unlimited supply of comprehensible input .

What’s not good about Langua

• French chatbots can be a fun way to practice French, but they can’t teach you French.
• While Langua can provide good ways to practice French, it won’t teach you the basics of grammar and vocabulary . This makes it more suited for intermediate and advanced students than beginners.
• Even with a paid plan, Langua  limits access to the chatbot  to 75 messages per day, which they consider about 30-60 minutes of chatting, depending on whether or not you check sentence corrections and other options. This is unlikely to be an issue for most users but still worth knowing.
• The app’s Stories use vocab words you’ve saved to create a story generated by AI, a neat concept. But there are lots of small errors in the stories, so it’s not as reliable as studying a pre-written text or dialogue you’d find in many other French learning apps.
• Even when settings are toggled to beginner level, chat options and possibilities are the same. There are no adapted or easier chat topics , etc. Of course, you can make the chat as simple or as complex as you’d like, but still, there is no basic chat where you can start by practicing things like saying hello, etc.
• The chatbot sometimes had trouble recognizing my computer or phone’s microphone.

How much does Langua cost?

Langua has both a free and a paid version.

The free version only allows you to exchange 15 messages although I have been told there will soon be a free trial option allowing for more messages to be sent.

As of this writing, the paid version of Langua costs 11.99 euros a month if you purchase an annual plan (so, one payment of 143.88 ) or 19.99 euros a month if you pay monthly. Check your local version of Langua Pro for prices in your currency.

Pimsleur  

Based on a language learning method developed by Dr. Paul Pimsleur in the 1960’s, and available in one form or another (cassettes, CD’s, downloads, etc.) since the 1980’s , Pimsleur is a language learning app you can use on your computer or mobile device(s).

For Dr. Pimsleur, languages are best learned through listening and repetition, as opposed, say, to writing or grammar exercises or reading.

But while many other apps (including  French Together ) might make listening exercises a priority but have other resources, the Pimsleur Method relies heavily — or in some cases, entirely —  on audio learning and the repetition of words, sounds, and syllables, with little or no print or visual resources. Learners listen to dialogues and then follow a series of lessons that build on vocabulary from these dialogues.

For more information, check out our in-depth review of the Pimsleur French app . Otherwise, read on for my major takeaways from the app.

An important note about the Pimsleur app

Before we continue, it’s very important to be aware that there are two different versions of the  Pimsleur French app .

The basic Pimsleur app consists of 30 lessons of about 30 minutes for each level you purchase. These are audio-only and you can’t slow down the audio speed, although you can replay/rewind lessons. There are no additional review or exercise materials offered. As in both versions of the Pimsleur app, there are no transcripts, either.

The Premium Pimsleur app option consists of those 30 lessons of 30 or so minutes for each level you purchase. It also includes exercises and review materials for each lesson. Most of these are actually what you’d expect from a standard app, even a free one: flash cards, speaking exercises, fill-in-the blank sentences and the like. There are also audio lessons for selected grammar and culture concepts.

What’s good about the Pimsleur French app

• Pimsleur has been effective for lots of people over the years.
• The use of repetition and listening-only lessons are helpful for pronunciation and listening skills.
• Good for audio learners.
• A good resource for French learners focused on pronunciation.

What’s not good about the Pimsleur French app

• Probably not for people who are visual learners and/or who prefer a structured approach to language learning. I know this is the case for me. Of all the French learning apps I’ve reviewed, I’ve really disliked Pimsleur and cannot imagine using it to learn French. Of course, everyone is different….
• No lesson transcripts or any sort of written French (at least in the basic version of Pimsleur). The Pimsleur Premium app includes a few visual exercises and elements like flashcards, but these are extras and there are still no transcripts. Prioritizing audio learning may make it easier for learners to correctly pronounce French sounds and words and improve their listening skills. But on the other hand, since French spelling and French pronunciation are often so different, many users may not end up knowing how to spell the vocabulary they learn.
• No structured grammar lessons or explanations.
• While the Pimsleur Method has been an effective way for lots of people to learn and remember basic French vocabulary, it doesn’t teach more than that. If you want to talk about a wide range of topics, improvise a conversation, or discuss a niche subject, Pimsleur won’t teach you to do that .
• •The French you’ll learn tends to be more formal than everyday conversational French (this is particularly noticeable when you compare it to a conversational app like French Together ).

How much does Pimsleur cost?

As of this writing, there are  several packages and payment plans for the Pimsleur French app . The app is usually sold by level, although you can pay for access to multiple, or even all, levels at the same time. Each Pimsleur French level currently costs $150.

To pay for full access to all of the levels of the Pimsleur French course, you can also choose the Pimsleur French Levels 1-5 Premium package, which is currently priced at $575.00 (For students outside the US, check your local Pimsleur page for prices in your currency).

Note that all of these levels are part of the Pimsleur Premium app, not the basic Pimsleur app. The Premium app includes review activities, grammar lessons, and other resources, whereas the basic Pimsleur app only includes audio lessons.

Babbel’s language learning app offers French lessons for beginners to upper intermediate level. Each course is made up of nine lessons that each take roughly 10 minutes or so to complete. The lessons include a wide variety of exercises.

Babbel covers most basic parts of French learning : listening, reading, speaking, writing, and features grammar and even culture-related explanations.

You can find more information in our in-depth Babbel French review . Or read on for my major takeaways about the app.

What’s good about Babbel

• Each lesson focuses on specific vocabulary, which could get repetitive, but the review exercises are varied enough to keep things from getting boring .
• Exercises range from interactive dialogues to word scrambles, touching bases for different kinds of learners (audio, visual, etc.) and skills.
• Babbel also uses what you learn in practical scenarios – for instance, master a few prepositions and you’ll see them applied to a dialogue about asking directions in French.
• Sometimes, bonus information and details pop up in little windows. These can range from helpful grammar tips to information about works of art being discussed in the dialogue you’re working on.
• Babbel covers a lot of ground and lets you practice writing, listening, and even speaking French, making it a well-rounded choice that will satisfy most learners .

What’s not good about Babbel

• There’s no option to slow down dialogues , a helpful feature that many other language learning apps, including French Together , offer.
• No dialogue transcripts. These can be helpful for studying and are just about essential for hearing impaired people like myself.
• The live French classes and lessons offered on the app cost extra .

How much does Babbel cost?

As of this writing, Babbel costs 53.94 euros for a 6 month subscription, 71.88 euros for twelve months, and 299.99 euros for a lifetime subscription.

Check your local Babbel page for prices in your currency.

FluentU is a language learning platform with a cool concept: learning through videos . Namely, actual French videos you’d find on YouTube.

You can watch and listen to the videos at regular or slowed-down speed , and also benefit from cool features like highlighting words in subtitles to get a translation. Words and phrases you highlight can be saved and used in lessons.

You can find more information in our in-depth FluentU review . Or read on for my major takeaways about the app.

What’s good about FluentU

• FluentU’s subtitles are far more accurate than the AI-generated captions you’ll find on most YouTube videos.
• There’s a huge variety of videos , covering a wide range of topics and genres, for learning levels beginner through advanced .
• Many of the videos featured on FluentU are ones that actual French people would watch .
• It’s very helpful that you can save words and phrases to study and review later with a number of different exercises.
• The learning portion is especially helpful, since words are connected with often memorable images to put them into context.

What’s not good about Fluent U

• There isn’t much grammar featured on FluentU , and when you do run into a grammatical concept, lessons and explanations are extremely concise and often leave out important details.
• There’s no way to practice speaking .
• The app also doesn’t particularly cover reading or writing in French.

How much does FluentU cost?

As of this writing, FluentU costs $29.99 a month, or $143.99 a year. You can find the prices in your local currency  on FluentU’s Pricing page.

Busuu is a popular, award-winning learning French learning app that features lessons for beginners to upper intermediate French learners.

Busuu features a personalized learning plan comprised of lessons that include practice with listening (both audio and video are used), vocabulary, and grammar. The app is also known for allowing users to record responses to certain exercises and ask other users who are native or fluent speakers their opinion .

You can find more information in our in-depth Busuu review . Or read on for my major takeaways about the app.

What’s good about Busuu

• Compared to a lot of other language learning apps, Busuu sort of feels like a one-stop shop . You’ve got listening practice with both audio and video. You have five-minute lessons on a variety of grammar topics, as well as a variety of review activities.
• Lessons follow one another in an orderly fashion.  When you open Busuu, you see its lessons neatly organized into Chapters (groups of lessons). You start at beginner level and build on what you learn. 
•  Excellent grammar material.  Busuu’s Grammar section lets you learn or review tons of French grammar concepts. Each topic is clearly and concisely explained, and you can skip to any one you want, which is extremely helpful for users who already have a good grasp on French and are using the app to review or get more practice.
• Many of the example words and phrases in these lessons feature videos of native French speakers saying them. This adds a human touch (not to mention good listening practice) to vocabulary learning.
• Users can ask Busuu community members who are native or fluent speakers of French what they think of their pronunciation .
• The app uses everyday spoken French well.  Like French Together , Busuu focuses on everyday spoken French. The audio and videos on the app generally featured good examples of it.
• There are even a few sections that teach you fun expressions from other French-speaking countries and cultures, which was a neat extra.

What’s not good about Busuu

• While Busuu is great for helping with listening and grammar, for instance, you won’t get much conversation practice .
• Busuu does let you practice speaking with its Conversation feature, which lets allows users  interact with each other. But it depends on who’s willing to talk to you and for how long. And keep in mind that a fluent speaker isn’t the same as a native speaker ; the former may not speak like an actual French person would.
• Lessons often feel too short.   Busuu’s lessons, which usually take 5-10 minutes each, sort of feel like they run through new concepts and don’t reinforce them enough, at least not to my liking.
• •Fairly limited practice/review material. The ways to apply and practice are relatively limited, too, with fewer opportunities to speak than I would have expected and a relatively limited variety of exercises.
• AI means limited knowledge and options for answers.  Like many apps, Busuu’s lessons rely on AI, not live teachers. This means, among other things, that the possible answers you might give are limited to what it’s been programmed to recognize, even if the answer you gave was correct.
• Speaking features sometimes had trouble recognizing my microphone.

How much does Busuu cost?

As of this writing, Busuu has a free option, but this only includes a few lessons and flashcards.

So, it’s definitely better to purchase a Busuu Premium membership. As of now, there are a few different Busuu Premium options , including one for 59.99 euros per year and one for 4.99 euros a month. Check your local Busuu website for prices in your currency.

Rosetta Stone  

Rosetta Stone rose to fame as a language learning system. Now, there’s also a Rosetta Stone app available.

The Rosetta Stone app focuses first on teaching the fundamentals of a language. Then, learners can choose to continue with personalized 25-minute tutoring sessions.

What’s good about the Rosetta Stone app

• Appealing for visual learners , with its use of words matched with images in an immersive experience to help you memorize vocabulary. Other aspects of Rosetta Stone’s method also lean more towards the visual, as well.
• Features structured, thematic lessons , rather than more random, fun-oriented random prompts and exercises, making it appealing to learners who appreciate structure and a no-nonsense approach.
• The lessons and teaching sessions let you watch helpful videos or participate in online classes .

What’s not good about the Rosetta Stone app

• Not particularly focused on audio learning, although there are a few basic audio and speaking features, including a pronunciation checker and audio you can listen to at slow speed.
• Lack of realistic audio. Rosetta Stone’s dialogues are performed by native speakers, but they speak much more slowly and more formally than real everyday French speakers would .
• The Rosetta Stone app doesn’t feature a lot of intensive grammar information .

How much does Rosetta Stone cost?

As of this writing, Rosetta Stone offers a number of subscriptions, including lifetime access to the course plus tutoring options for $520. A yearly plan breaks down to about $11.99 per month.

For all of these plans, one-on-one tutoring costs extra.

You can check Rosetta Stone’s pricing page for prices in your local currency .

Rocket French

Rocket French is an app that takes a fun but fairly thorough approach to language learning , with two sections of lessons.

First, there’s audio, where you’ll study dialogues and build vocabulary , grammar, listening, and speaking skills based on those.

Then there’s a language and culture section featuring information about not only French culture but additional grammar information.

Although their structures are a bit different, this approach is similar to some other apps, such as our very own French Together .

You can find more information in our in-depth review of Rocket French . Or read on for my major takeaways about the app.

What’s good about Rocket French

• Rocket French includes a specific section for additional grammar information – and culture! The latter is such an important part of language that’s often neglected by language learning apps , or only mentioned in passing.
• Audio lessons feature fun, everyday dialogues and exercises that build on these . For instance, you can listen to a dialogue and then take part in it, with AI analyzing your pronunciation .
• There’s also a forum where you can post questions that will be answered by community members and teachers.

What’s not good about Rocket French

• Native speakers like French Together’s Benjamin Houy have found that in audio lessons for lower level students, one of the dialogue participants has a slight, non-native accent . This may be a way to reassure beginners, but it isn’t ideal for listening practice.
• It’s not as visually appealing as many other French learning apps, so if ~aesthetic~ is important to you, that might be an issue.
• Rocket French’s lessons are on the longer side, taking about 20-30 minutes to complete, which could be difficult if you don’t have a lot of time to practice each day.

How much does Rocket French cost?

As of this writing, you can buy all three levels of the Rocket French course (beginner to advanced), for $259.90. The usual list price for this is $449.85. There are other plans, including purchasing just Levels 1 and 2 or just Level 1.  

There’s also a less expensive app version, which has slightly fewer features.

Check the pricing page for prices in your local currency .

Duolingo  is a learning app that offers courses in more than 40 languages, as well as kid-oriented courses in reading (in English) and math.

You can use it as a web app on your computer or you can download it onto your mobile device.

Duolingo French offers practice in areas like vocabulary, listening, reading, writing, and speaking. To a certain extent, there’s grammar learning, as well, although I found the explanations included in the “guidebook” before each lesson to often be too cursory and not serious enough.

The interface and lessons are fun and have a cartoonish, whimsical aesthetic.

For more information, check out our in-depth review of Duolingo. Or read on for my major takeaways about the app.

What’s good about Duolingo

• Duolingo makes learning feel fun and personal , with a cast of recurring characters that crop up in examples or just to encourage you as you learn. They even send you emails or messages to keep you motivated. Cynical, sort-of Goth teenager Lily quickly stole my heart, personally. 
• On a more practical level, the characters’ diverse backgrounds and personalities mean that each has a  different voice and inflection, which is helpful for listening practice.
• It’s addictive. I frequently come across students who have used the app every day for years and are very proud of their “streak”. This makes Duolingo a great choice if you struggle with motivation.
• Lessons move along at a good pace and are varied , especially as you get into higher levels.
• The app tries to touch various bases of language learning, incorporating reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

What’s not good about Duolingo

• While many of us (including me) like Duolingo’s vibe, others, including French Together’s Benjamin Houy, thinks its fun and whimsical approach can be a disadvantage. For Benjamin, a lot of the vocabulary you learn is of dubious usefulness . Sure, learning how to say things like “I’m a cat” or “This is my first cow” is fun but when will you ever say things like this in real life? Doubtful.
• Little or no structured grammar lessons or information. Users mostly learn from the examples and exercises on the app. For instance, I wonder if longtime users only know how to conjugate for the subjects and verbs they’ve become familiar with through the app’s example sentences.
• Duolingo’s AI doesn’t recognize alternate ways to express ideas, statements, etc. So you have to stick with what’s in the lesson.
• Ads seem to get more present the more you use the app. On the first day, I think I only had an ad or two for Duolingo’s paid version, but by the fourth day, I was getting video ads at times. These weren’t terribly invasive – they didn’t pop up in the middle of an exercise, for instance – but it still felt strange and distracting.
• No French culture lessons, and culture is even downright disregarded in some cases. For instance, some example sentences should use polite language (very important in French and French culture) but instead are more likely literal translations.

How much does Duolingo cost?

Duolingo is completely free.

There’s a paid version of Duolingo, called Super Duolingo, that offers more content and a few appealing extras, but even the basic version includes a lot of features (although it also includes ads).

Which French learning app should I choose?

Based on your priorities and preferences, this list can hopefully help you find the right French learning app for you. Keep in mind that you can also use more than one, especially for apps that are free, have a free version, or are on the affordable side.

And if you’re still not sure which app is the one for you, many of them offer free trials. For instance, French Together offers a free 7-day trial and a 30-day money back guarantee.

I hope this rundown of the best apps to learn French was helpful to you. Whichever one(s) you choose, good luck and enjoy your French learning journey!

• What are the best French learning apps in 2024?
• The 16 best websites and apps for French conversation practice
• Duolingo French review: The good, the bad and the ugly

Alysa Salzberg

Alysa Salzberg is an American writer, worrier, teacher, and cookie enthusiast who has lived in Paris, France, for more than a decade. She has taught English and French for more than ten years, most notably as an assistante de langue vivante for L'Education Nationale. She recently published her first novel, Hearts at Dawn , a "Beauty and the Beast" retelling that takes place during the 1870 Siege of Paris. You can read about her adventures here , or feel free to stop by her website .

Making educational experiences better for everyone.

Immersive learning for 25 languages

Marketplace for millions of educator-created resources

Fast, easy, reliable language certification

Fun educational games for kids

Comprehensive K-12 personalized learning

Trusted tutors for 300+ subjects

35,000+ worksheets, games, and lesson plans

Adaptive learning for English vocabulary