Discover the Best French Classes Online
Over 95 million people today speak French as a first language. It’s the third most used Romance language in the world and over 120,000,000 people are estimated to be learning it today. French has evolved considerably over the years. Linguists recognize the first “version” of French as Old French (up until the 14th century), which then evolved into Middle French (14th to 16th centuries), Classical French (17th and 18th centuries), and Modern French (present).
As a Romance language, French evolved from Latin. However, French has a few similarities to English, which is not a Romance language, but has Germanic roots. The two languages share some words and have similar grammar structures. The language is, therefore, considered easier for English speakers, along with speakers of other Romance languages, to learn. If you’re interested in learning French and have the time to dedicate to consistently studying the language, consider taking a French class.
Why You Should Learn French Online
Learning a new language has been shown to improve memory. A significant part of learning a new language is learning vocabulary and grammar rules. This presents a challenge to your brain and can help you work on your memory. You’ll also learn to make connections between vocabulary and grammar and understand how to use each in certain contexts.
Learning a new language is useful for older adults. Despite the misconception that aging makes it difficult to learn a new language, doing so can help form new connections in the brain and strengthen nervous system links. Researchers believe that learning a second language may contribute to slowing the onset of dementia. Adults also have larger vocabularies than children and are likely to already understand the ways that they study best, which can help them when learning a new language.
Learning French can open you up to communicating with many more people and understanding world events differently. French is a working language and is one official language of the UN, the EU, and NATO. French is one of the most used languages on the internet as well. If you know French, you’ll therefore be able to communicate with more people online or even in a professional setting if you work for the federal government. Additionally, if you decide to visit France or another francophone country, you’ll be prepared to get around and speak to others.
Virtual French Classes
Virtual French classes are available to you. These classes are taught by a fluent instructor who will guide you through the fundamentals of French or even advanced material. Many of these lessons will include practical material, such as how to introduce yourself and how to get around in a French-speaking country. Check out the online French classes that are available for you to take on CourseHorse.
For newbies or people who haven’t spoken French in a while, Fluent City offers an online beginner-level French class. You’ll learn the fundamentals of French in this class, such as introducing yourself and ordering food. This class encourages engagement with your classmates, and you’ll receive feedback from your instructor.
Fluent City also offers beginner-level classes that can be taken after the first fundamentals course. These subsequent classes will focus more on grammar and further communicating in French. Students at the intermediate level are welcome to join their French Meetup. This is a conversational class where you’ll converse with intermediate to advanced-level French speakers in French.
If you’re nervous about learning French in a group setting, Hyperfluent can provide you with private French lessons. Before starting, you’ll have a free 10-minute consultation with the instruction. The instructor will assess your needs and provide you with feedback that can be used to structure your first session. Beginner-level lessons will focus on teaching you how to introduce yourself, describe your friends and family, hobbies, directions, and time.
ABC Languages offers a virtual crash course in basic French. This introductory course is ideal for those looking to travel to France or a French-speaking country. You’ll spend 90 minutes learning basic vocabulary and phrases that have practical use when traveling. This class will also give you a taste of the French language if you’re unsure if you’d like to continue learning or not. ABC Languages also offers higher-level French classes for intermediate and advanced learners.
If you’re looking for a virtual French class more in-line with your skill level, check out the classes posted to CourseHorse. New and returning classes are added frequently.
Private Online Group French Classes
Are you planning a group trip to France but nobody in your group can speak French? Before booking those flights, consider booking one of CourseHorse’s online private French classes for groups.
CourseHorse has a contact form on its website that you can use to reach out to them about setting up a private virtual French class. They can discuss learning material with you as well as the needs of your group, including group size. CourseHorse classes can accommodate small and large groups, depending on the class. If you don’t know your group size yet, that’s okay. You can provide them with the minimum group size and then update the number once you have a final headcount.
CourseHorse does not charge booking fees, but you can pay an additional fee to receive a 20-minute demo of the class and/or to customize it. There’s no cancellation fee if you cancel your class up to two weeks before the scheduled date.
You can choose to take your class using Google Meets, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or WebEx, but CourseHorse recommends using Zoom.
Online vs. In-Person French Classes
If you’ve decided to take a formal French class, you should decide if online or in-person classes work best for you. In-person classes are a great way to meet others interested in the language, but they may not be offered in your area. You can use CourseHorse to see if there are any available in-person classes that you can commute to. If there’s not, check out the listed online French classes.
Virtual French classes are taught by live instructors who are fluent in French. These classes are remote, so you can take them from the comfort of your home. To take an online French class, you’ll need a stable internet connection and a distraction-free environment. Your instructor may ask that you purchase learning materials, or they might provide you with files.
Can I Learn French for Free Online?
If you’re interested in an affordable way to learn French, you can turn to the internet for resources. There are guides and videos online posted by fluent speakers that can help you get started. However, if you’d like additional instruction, it’s recommended that you take a class led by an instructor who can provide you with feedback and answer your questions. This quick and in-depth way to learn French can be supplemented by online resources like guides, videos, and language-learning apps.