Français (French)

French is spoken by over 300 million people worldwide, making it one of the most widely spoken languages on Earth. It's an official language in 29 countries across Europe, Africa, the Americas, and the Pacific. French remains the language of diplomacy, cuisine, fashion, and the arts.

Why learn French?

French opens doors across five continents. It's the language of Molière, Victor Hugo, and Albert Camus; of Édith Piaf and Daft Punk; of haute couture and haute cuisine. France has the world's seventh-largest economy, and the francophone world includes fast-growing African nations.

What makes French distinctive?

• Liaison and elision — Words flow together in connected speech
• Nasal vowels — Sounds produced through the nose
• Silent letters — Many written letters aren't pronounced
• Gendered nouns — Masculine and feminine (no neuter)
• Complex verb system — Many tenses and moods
• Formal/informal distinction — Vous vs tu

How difficult is French?

For English speakers, French is relatively accessible. The US Foreign Service Institute rates it as a Category I language, requiring approximately 600 hours for professional proficiency. English borrowed heavily from French after 1066, so you'll recognise thousands of words.

This guide

This guide takes you from zero to a solid foundation in French. You'll learn:

1. The sounds of French — Pronunciation and the alphabet
2. Your first words — Essential vocabulary to start speaking
3. Nouns and gender — Understanding le and la
4. Verbs: present tense — Regular and irregular conjugations
5. Être and avoir — The essential auxiliary verbs
6. Sentence structure — Building correct French sentences
7. Questions — How to ask and answer
8. Numbers and time — Counting, dates, and telling time
9. Past tenses — Passé composé and imparfait
10. Everyday conversations — Practical dialogue patterns
11. Common mistakes — Pitfalls to avoid
12. Culture and context — Understanding French-speaking societies
13. Regional differences — France, Canada, Africa, and beyond
14. Next steps — Resources for continued learning

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Ready to begin? Start with French sounds →