11 Great Free Online Courses for Learning French

French is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin spoken in Gaul, and more specifically in Northern Gaul. Its closest relatives are the other langues d’oïl—languages historically spoken in northern France and in southern Belgium, which French (Francien) largely supplanted.  

French is an official language in 29 countries across multiple continents, most of which are members of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), the community of 84 countries that share the official use or teaching of French. French is also one of six official languages used in the United Nations.  

If you want to learn a foreign language, look no further than the internet. And if you’re going to learn French, you’ve got a wealth of options available to you. From full courses that last several weeks, to short classes that take only a few hours, there are resources available for those at any learning level or any age to master the French language.

To begin this article, we will introduce you to some of the top free online French courses we have found. They have all been ranked using a specific methodology we developed that helps us choose the best options. The courses are listed in descending order, with our favourite picks at the top of the list, but each of these resources deserves a look.

1.Multibhashi:  

The Bangalore based educational platforms offer a wide range of language learning opportunities at your convenience where all are where the choice is yours. The platform is exclusively online. You can get a classroom-like atmosphere from here with lively interaction from the language expert and your classmates. The classes  are of two types, Group webinar class and one to one class. The duration of the courses is 30 min per class. The minimum number of classes that you can take is 30 classes. It can be increased according to your preference.  You can take the group class provided by Multibhashi or, if you prefer learning alone then you can take one class also. The fee structure of both the classes is different. The timings of the classes are also flexible and is up to you to decide. Plus point here in Multibhashi is that you can take a free demo class before deciding where to join.The result will be satisfactory! 

2. Basic French Language Skills for Everyday Life by Alison

In this basic French course offered on the Alison platform, students will learn over six to ten hours the fundamental French language skills used in everyday life. It is intended to help students increase their vocabulary, learn the verb tenses, and be able to use conversational French in a wide range of situations.

3. Learn French by Duolingo

Duolingo is one of the world’s largest free platforms for foreign language learning, and even its paid access competitors pale in comparison to this top-rated app. The interface is enormous, covering over 23 languages, and it does so interactively and engagingly.

The French courses on the site are intended to be completed sequentially, and beginners will start at the basics 1 level. However, advanced users can test out of the beginner levels to move on to more challenging modules. The app keeps students motivated with games, quizzes, colourful graphics, and a points system, and can be accessed on desktop or mobile for learning anywhere.

4. French I Offered by Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT Open Courseware provides this advanced French course at no cost to users. It features the same lectures, exercises, and lessons as those taught on campus, and offers one of the best online courses in learning French for those who have already passed introductory levels. You don’t need to be an MIT student to participate, and the course does not count toward credit.

Intended to be taken at your own pace, this course is taught entirely in French, which is why you need some measure of proficiency in the language before embarking on it. Intermediate to advanced students of the language will find it challenging and useful as this is one of the only online courses available at this level.

5. TV5 Monde Get Started for Free in French A1 by TV5Monde

TV5Monde’s A1 French learning course features 500 exercises to help students learn French via an extensive video library. Vocabulary, cultural information, grammar, pronunciation aids, and more make up this vast repository of French lessons designed for beginners.

The lessons can be completed in any order, and those who already have some French language learning may want to jump in with some of the more challenging lessons. 

6. Talk French by BBC Languages

Offered by the BBC, Talk French is a video-based course designed for complete beginners but can also help those who need to brush up on their skills. There are 12 topics covered, each featuring a video, word game, and printable worksheets. You can start from the beginning of this free online French course and follow them sequentially or jump in anywhere you like.

7. Ma France: French Video Course for Post-Beginners

Ma France is ideal for those who are returning to study the language or need to brush up on their skills. It is a free French course online taught via 24 interactive videos and is offered by BBC Languages. Although the site is no longer updated, it is still relevant, and there are many excellent resources available to users on the French learning homepage.

8. Three Minute French Free Taster Course for Beginners by Udemy

This excellent 1.5-hour course on Udemy will teach students how to be more than just tourists when traveling to a French-speaking country. Taught in three-minute chunks, It is intended to touch upon the basics of the language so you will have a general overview of everyday conversation including:

• How to master basic phrases
• Understand what is being said to you
• Build a robust vocabulary of words you can use right away

9. You Learn French

This offering is less of a course and more of a massive repository of online video courses taught by independent instructor Joella Andriantsivohony. While the user experience leaves much to be desired, the quality and quantity of the content are superb, offering hundreds of video lessons and tutorials as well as free PDFs.

10. Improve Your French Now

This top-rated free course from Udemy has been taken by over 30,000 students and is a short and easy-to-follow offering given entirely in French. Intermediate users will find this to be a helpful resource that covers listening and comprehension skills, French culture, and increasing your vocabulary.

11. French Language Studies-Introduction by Alison

In this short two to the three-hour course offered on the Alison platform, students will gain an overview of the French language and how to make basic conversation. Ideal for beginners, travellers, and those who simply want to brush up on their conversational skills, the class is completely free and can be taken at your own pace. Upon completion, you should be able to:

• Say hello and goodbye
• Introduce yourself and ask someone else their name
• Talk about your hobbies, seasons, and the weather
• Recognize different types of transportation
• Pronounce the letters of the French alphabet
• Pronounce the French accents correctly
• Read the time, List numbers, Recognize days and months

The ability to speak French can offer career advantages, too. Bilingual speakers are typically in high demand across a wide range of industries, and those who speak more than one language will command higher wages than those who do not.

French is also the official language of the United Nations, the International Olympic Committee, NATO, The International Red Cross, UNESCO, and the European Union. Are you seeing the advantages of learning French yet?

Good Luck!!!