The Best Way To Learn French

Wondering what the best way to learn French is? You’re in the right place. 

The internet is bursting with advice on the best way to learn French. From apps, to courses, to tutors, to textbooks there are so many options to pick from. 

While being able to pick and choose the methods that work best for you is great, the amount of options can be overwhelming. 

I’m here to cut through the noise and help you get started on your French learning journey. Once you’ve started, you won’t regret it. 

Here’s what you’ll discover in this post.  

How Not To Learn French 

Ever felt like a parrot in language lessons? Repeating vocabulary but never feeling like the language has actually sunk in? 

I call this the “Parrot Problem” of language learning. You learn word lists and grammar rules and use a “repeat after me, like a parrot” style of teaching.

But you never truly learn the language this way. You’re just repeating it and putting it in your short-term memory. And then, when you want to speak, you forget it. 

If you’ve failed to make much progress with French apps or courses it’s because they use the old “Parrot Problem” style of teaching. It’s those worksheets and conjugation tables from school, just in a shiny new digital format. 

So when it comes time to chat in French over a croissant and coffee at a Parisian café, your mind goes blank. You can’t actually speak French when you learn like a parrot! 

What Is The Best Way To Learn French? 

The best way to learn French online is with a natural approach that allows you to learn French fast and remember it for the long term.

Traditionally, languages are taught with textbooks, classroom lectures and tests. And of course “repeat after me”. 

But here’s the problem – you don’t learn languages by deliberately studying them. It’s certainly not how you learned your first language as a child. Instead, the best way to learn French is to read and listen to stories. 

My unique StoryLearning method teaches you French through stories, which are the most basic form of human communication, used across different societies and cultures for thousands of years. 

Instead of parroting vocabulary from a list, you immerse yourself in a gripping story. As you read, you absorb French naturally, without “studying”. You focus on enjoying the story, not learning rules. And before you know it, you’re picking up and using French. 

By reading and listening to stories, you learn the language almost passively. This is a natural way of learning. It helps you think in the language, and is how children learn their native languages.

Best Way To Learn French Online

You can learn French online using the StoryLearning method with my popular French Uncovered courses.

These courses are available for all levels, from beginner to advanced, and they are the best way to learn French online if you want to become fluent. 

The StoryLearning method combines all of the benefits of online learning—like flexibility, modern engaging materials, and different types of media—with a fresh approach that's helped thousands of French learners get fluent. 

As I always say, StoryLearning is the method you turn to when you’ve tried everything else and you’re finally ready to learn. 

Best Way To Learn French Fast

I’m not going to sugar coat it – learning French fast requires a lot of motivation, dedication and daily immersion and practice.

Another key element is accountability – having someone to help you show up and keep making daily progress. 

That’s why I created StoryLearning VIP – a 10-week coaching programme to fast-track you to complete language fluency.

StoryLearning VIP combines my unique StoryLearning method with French coaching to help you get fluent in French fast. 

Now I won’t lie, this is an intense programme and you’ll have to put in the work. But it's the best way to learn French fast because you'll have the personalised support of your very own expert French coach every step of the way. 

Best Way To Learn French For Travel

If you’re not interested in French fluency but just in learning enough for your next trip to France (or another French-speaking country), you’ll need a slightly different approach. 

The best way to learn French for travel is to practise the situations you’re likely to find yourself in from ordering food to checking in at a hotel. 

By focusing on these practical scenarios, you cut the fluff and learn the language you need in context, which helps you remember it better. 

I've put together a list of the 79 most common French phrases to help you get ready for your trip. Thanks to these phrases, you'll be able to have basic conversations with the locals on your next trip to France.

Applying this kind of practical approach to learning French for travel is, without doubt, the best way to achieve your language goals!

Best Way To Learn French While Driving

Do you have a long commute? Do you want to make the most of that time? Great idea. But what is the best way to learn French while driving? 

For safety reasons, you don’t want to play around with an app or anything else that will distract you from the road, like a video or a book.  

The best way to learn French while driving is to listen to an audio course or French podcasts. This is a fun and hands-free way to immerse yourself in French daily, which is one of the keys to learning French fast. 

If you’re a beginner in French, you can’t go wrong with the Michel Thomas audio courses to pick up the basics. 

As for intermediate French learners, you’ll be well served by my audio course, French Conversations. Conversations helps you understand real spoken French and transform your listening skills in less than 90 days. 

If you’re lucky enough to have reached an advanced level in French, you need more challenging audio to listen to. At this stage, you can listen to French podcasts for native speakers about topics that interest you.  

Best Way To Learn French By Yourself

I’m not a big fan of learning languages in classrooms with teachers so I can understand why you want to learn French by yourself.

Learning on your own means you can choose exactly what to learn and how to learn, so you save time. No more time wasted learning irrelevant vocab with materials you don't like!

In fact, learning languages independently led me to learn eight languages and start StoryLearning!

But sometimes learning French by yourself can feel overwhelming. That's why I always feel confident recommending my French Uncovered courses as the best way to learn French on your own. 

I designed my Uncovered courses to be self-study courses that any independent learner can use as the core of their language learning.

They include all of the materials you need to improve your French and insightful tips on how to study effectively when learning French on your own. 

Best Way To Learn French Fluently

Determined to learn French to fluency? I always aim for fluency in the languages I learn because it opens so many doors. And ensures that you don’t forget the language. 

But what is the best way to learn French fluently? 

Throughout my language learning journey, I’ve always had input from teachers and coaches to help me practise my new language regularly and keep me accountable. 

Getting fluent in French takes time, effort and dedication. That’s why I don’t want you to have to learn French fluently alone. 

I created StoryLearning VIP for ambitious French learners who want to get results fast. 

VIP combines the best of both worlds – the fun, effective and proven StoryLearning method plus a coach to help you apply the method, practise speaking and hold you accountable. 

Over the 10 weeks of the programme, you’ll be able to go up by one proficiency level. It's the closest thing to “guaranteed” you can get whether you’ve tried and failed to learn French before, or you have an important life goal you’re determined to reach. 

Here are a few reasons why personalised coaching is the best way to learn French fluently: 

• Weekly accountability means you stick your French study routine
• Help to fully understand the language from your learning materials ensures you make real progress
• Hours of speaking practice enables you to speak French confidently
• A personalised pathway adapts to your needs lets you learn French at your pace 

You won’t find a better solution than personalised coaching to learn French for life. 

Best Way To Learn French Verb Conjugations

French verb conjugations are one of the trickiest parts of learning French. Parrot methods make you drill the conjugations. But that doesn’t help them stick in your long-term memory. 

Instead, don’t try to consciously learn or memorise French verb conjugations. You heard me right. If you do that, then you run into the “Parrot Problem” of language learning. And you’ll just end up forgetting the conjugations. 

Once you’ve grasped the concept, maybe by reading about how French verb conjugation works, follow the rules of StoryLearning and read short stories in French. 

As you read or listen to stories in French at your level you’ll pick up the French verb conjugations over time. They’ll soon become second nature and you’ll be able to use them in your conversations. 

Reading stories is the best way to learn French verb conjugations as it’s not only more effective than rote memorisation, but also much more fun and motivating! 

So stop pouring over conjugation tables and go read Short Stories in French instead! 

Best Way To Learn French At Home

There’s no need to go to France to learn French. And in fact, if you’re a beginner, learning French in France can actually be counterproductive. Learning at home is the best way to start – it’s how I’ve learned multiple languages.  

And the best way to learn French at home is to read and listen to stories in French at your level for an hour every day. 

You can read a beginner book, work through a StoryLearning French course, or listen to a French podcast. 

Whatever you prefer, if you immerse yourself in French stories daily, then you’ll pick up lots of French without studying. When you’re ready to use your French, you’ll find that you’re able to speak without translating in your head, thanks to your regular immerson through story. 

Best Way To Learn French FAQ

Ready To Start Your French Learning Journey? 

So there you have it – the best way to learn French is to immerse yourself in stories in French at your level. 

I know this goes against everything you’ve learned at school or from apps and many other online courses. 

But by following the StoryLearning method, and reading and listening to stories in French at your level, you’ll make fast progress in French. 

And you’ll start enjoying yourself. After all, reading or listening to a story is much more enjoyable than trying to learn grammar rules or memorise vocabulary. 

Olly Richards

Creator of the StoryLearning® Method

Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.

Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.

When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.