Parlez-vous Français? French online lessons to make you sophisticated

Can’t speak French, but wanna get to know the language of love. Even if you’re not studying languages, learning Francais adds another skill to your CV and may prove useful as you start to look for work post-graduation. Plus, if you can learn in a way that flexes around your degree—that’s a win!

There are lots of reasons why you might want to learn a new language. So if the thought of speaking Français has got you all oh-la-la, below are some online French courses for you to choose from.

Why learn French?

If you’re a student from the UK, you might already have a basic understanding of French. Whether it was taught in your school or you picked up some phrases while on holiday, the language might not be completely foreign to you.

Worldwide, more than 300 million speak French. So understanding more than the basics (ça va) can bring you huge benefits. These include:

• Helping you get better grades, with research showing the students who spoke multiple languages performed better in exams
• Making you more employable, with more UK businesses looking for individuals with language skills to help them open up new opportunities
• Getting you a higher-paying job, with language speaking roles earning between £30,000 and £35,000 on average

Being able to talk in French can benefit your social life too! Whether you join your unis French-speaking society or decide to travel across Europe and beyond, brushing up on your vocab can open up new fun opportunities—it’s giving Emily in Paris!

Best online French courses

Online language courses mean you can pick up new skills at your own pace and work your learning around your other studies. There are also lots of options that allow you to learn French online at a discount.

StoryLearning

This course uses a completely new language-learning method. Invented by teacher Olly Richards, StoryLearning uses tales instead of repetition to teach you new words and phrases. This helps you learn quickly without having to cover the same topics over and over again. Perfect for those who struggle with learning vocab lists!

One of the most expensive courses on this list, it’s also one of the most recommended.

• Free trial for seven days
• Student cost: $297 (£235) for French Uncovered (Beginner)

Preply

If you like to practice your French by chatting with a real person or want one-to-one attention, then Preply might be a good option. Costing as little as £3, you can pick a course that matches your knowledge level or focuses on particular topics, like business or medical. If you decide to take your DALF, DELF or TCF exams, there are prep classes for those too.

Plus, you can choose from thousands of tutors to have one-off or regular sessions with a 15% student discount.

• Choice of classes or personal tutors
• Student cost: 15% off one-to-one sessions

Lingoda

Whether you want to learn French in an intensive two-month period or take your time, Lingoda has options for you. Take the Language Sprint challenge, get between 15 and 30 classes a month and you could earn 50% of your money back or more in class credits. To study at a steadier pace, choose the flex option and enjoy group or private classes whenever you can fit them in.

With live lessons available at any time of the day, you also get 25% off your first month with UNiDAYS.

• Learn at a pace that suits you
• Student cost: 25% off your first month

Duolingo

Start picking up new phrases and words by spending just five minutes a day on the Duolingo app. Available on mobile, the game-like lessons test you on speaking, reading and writing skills, with a range of topics covered at each level. Simply download and start learning straight away, with lots of other languages for you to choose from.

Plus, with UNiDAYS, you can get Super Duolingo free for two months, meaning you get no ads, the chance to review mistakes and can test your skills with Legendary challenges.

• Fun, quick language learning
• Student cost: free, with two months free trial of Super Duolingo with UNiDAYS

Babbel

Learn best by having real-life conversations? You’ll love Babbel. Get the app and enjoy access to expert lessons, games and podcasts whenever you fancy learning. Or to give your skills an extra boost, book in for private or group classes, with no limit on the number you can take. Your subscription is tailored to your goals and schedule, helping you to make real, meaningful progress.

• Conversation-led teaching
• Student cost: no discount, but £90 one-time payment for a 12-month subscription

Lingopie

Put your binge-watching habits to good use by signing up to Lingopie. Choose from more than 3,000 TV shows or movies (including top Netflix productions) and watch with clickable dual subtitles. With a complete series updated monthly, you can choose tools specific to your level of language learning and review what you’ve learnt after every episode.

• Netflix and skills learning
• Student cost: $5.99 per month for 12 months, with a seven day free trial via UNiDAYS

Mondly

Mondly will quickly teach phrases you’ll actually use in real conversations. Available on an app, it’s packed full of games and bitesize sessions that are fun and effective. With a Chatbot and Hands Free learning option, you can practice conversations as you cook, work out or travel to and from uni. Keep up a regular habit to rack up points on the leaderboard and see your skills improve.

CoffeeBreak

Take a break from your main studies and do some language learning as you enjoy a coffee (or other drink of choice). Listen to the free Coffee Break French podcasts or sign up and get access to hours of video and audio lessons. These courses also come with notes, quizzes and downloadable files, ideal for any type of learner. Plus, you only have to pay once to get lifetime access.

• Quick, entertaining lessons in various formats
• Student cost: $145 for French Level 1 course

Memrise

To make real progress with no excuses, Memrise is the no-nonsense online course you need. Using a tough-but-effective approach, this language-learning app will help you pick up useful phrases quickly. Watch conversations between real native speakers, videos about your interests and chat with the AI MemBot to test out your skills.