Learning French

When you receive a document authorising you to remain in France called a “titre de séjour”, or residence permit, French Immigration and Integration Office or “Office français de l’immigration et de l’intégration (OFII)” asks you to sign an agreement called the “contrat d’intégration républicaine (CIR)”.

This is an agreement entered into between the French state and a foreign national who wishes to settle permanently in France and commits to integrate into French society.

In this context:

• They will ask you to take a written and oral French test on their website.
• Depending on your results, they may ask you to complete language training, mandatory or optional depending on your level. This training is free of charge.
• You will receive a document confirming your level of French, known as an “attestation”.

You can also have your level assessed by registering for a test recognised by organisations, such as universities and the administrative authorities responsible for examining applications for residency rights known as the “préfecture”.

This test can be:

• The “test de connaissance du français (TCF)” administered by the organisation entitled “France Éducation International”. You can search for a test centre near you on this website.
• The “test d’évaluation du français (TEF)” awarded by the organisation known as “Chambre de commerce et d’industrie de Paris Île-de-France”. You can search for a test centre near you on this website.

Test fees can range from 90 to 220 euros depending on the centre chosen and the number of tests taken.

Many services offer French language courses online.

These options are free of charge:

• The Duolingo app allows you to learn a foreign language while playing online games. The exercises adapt to your level.
• The app Français premiers pas is for complete beginners. Its aim is to encourage the integration process for people who have recently arrived in France. 
• The app superFLE - Français, DELF, TCF allows you to revise and improve grammar, conjugations and vocabulary, and to train for “FLE” tests and certifications, whatever your level.
• The app J’apprends is particularly suitable for people who have reading and/or writing difficulties.
• The TV5Monde website and app “Apprendre le français avec TV5Monde” offer videos to watch and then you can take quizzes to test your knowledge.
• The site RFI Savoirs offers many quizzes sorted by level and topic, easy French news and “TCF” language test training.
• The organisation “Alliance française” offers French language learning videos on different topics. These courses are offered at several levels:
  • Living in France: level A1, level A2 and level B1.
  • Working in France: level A2-B1.

There are many options for in-person French courses.

Free or low-cost courses

To find out about free or low-cost courses offered near you, you can ask the local administrative authority of your town or city known as the “mairie”.

Unfortunately, availability varies greatly between different towns and cities.

In addition, some organisations called “associations” offer free services. You can search online by typing free French classes or “cours de français gratuits” and the name of your town or city.

French courses offered by the “France Travail” (free of charge)

If you are registered with the national support service for people who are unemployed, called the “France Travail”, you can receive free French language courses. Talk to your adviser at “France Travail”.

Paid courses

There are also a large number of organisations that offer French language courses that are available at a cost.

For example, you can:

• Search for a course on this website, which offers a map of available courses by region. To search for courses in your town or city, first click on the map of France by selecting your region, then type the name of your town or city in the “Ville” search bar.
• Contact the organisation “Alliance française”, renowned for offering quality French courses.
• Take private lessons with an individual teacher by searching on sites such as Superprof, Kelprof, Italki or Acadomia.

While courses are a way to learn the basics, it is by practising as much as possible that you will make the most progress.

Here are some tips from people within Women for Women France team who have done it before:

• Listening to the radio and watching TV in French every day is a great way to improve your understanding.
• When watching films in French, put the subtitles on in French as well. This will help you to understand better and get used to the way the words are written.
• Practice reading French texts out loud. If you have relatives who speak French fluently, ask them to correct your pronunciation.
• Spend as much time as possible with people who don’t speak your native language, even if it seems tedious.
• Don’t censor yourself – it’s not a big deal if you’re searching for words or making mistakes. No reasonable person would ever judge you, because they will understand that you are not French and that you are learning.
• Speak in French whenever you have the opportunity. The more you practice, the more confident you become.
• Take part in activities near you. This will be a good opportunity to practice speaking French with new people who don’t speak your native language.

Don’t get discouraged. By applying these tips on a daily basis, you’ll be able to make progress in just a few weeks.