bonjour
hello / good morning / good afternoon
/bɔ̃ʒuʁ/
bonsoir
good evening
/bɔ̃swaʁ/
salut
hi / bye (informal)
/saly/
au revoir
goodbye
/o ʁəvwaʁ/
bonne journée
have a good day
/bɔn ʒuʁne/
bonne nuit
good night
/bɔn nyi/
Beginner French · A1 CEFR
From bonjour to conversations
in French
A complete beginner course (A1) built on doing: write, speak, get corrected.
Every rule explained in English.
All 162 lessons free for 7 days, $0 today. Cancel in one click.
162 lessons
4,000+ exercises
6h+ of audio
Learners before you
What they say
A lot of various exercises (audio, speaking, writing...), and you're always guided. I already feel confident having basic conversations.
Lots of exercises, and you're always guided. I already feel confident having basic conversations.
Tomon Trustpilot, September 2026
I got a last minute opportunity to go to Paris. I speedran the course in July and here I am in September studying in Paris as I always dreamed of.
I speedran the course in July and here I am in September studying in Paris.
V.on Trustpilot, moved to Paris
The course is very thoughtful, well-structured, and beautifully designed! Audio quality is also excellent! I particularly like the intensity of the course as it allows for good progress in a short time. Furthermore, while previously learned material reappears in later chapters, the ability to revisit it is also helpful and greatly supports retention! Overall, the platform makes the independent learning process smooth and enjoyable!
Good progress in a short time. Earlier material comes back later, which supports retention.
MilanaUnited Kingdom, complete beginner
Well-structured course for self-learning. Plenty of audio to get used to French pronunciation. The grammar is explained clearly and comprehensively.
Well-structured course for self-learning. The grammar is explained clearly.
ViktoriaCzech Republic, also taking French at university
This platform straight away immerse you into a new language. It provides comprehensive coverage and is not only a good place for self-learners, but also a suitable base for group lessons.
It immerses you into the language straight away.
NadiaCzech Republic, had some prior French experience
Try it yourself
Every lesson is packed with interactive exercises
You write, speak, drag, match, fill, and record.
Exercises are designed to help you learn, not to test you.
Stuck? Hints. Retry. Reveal partial answers.
You learn the why, not just the what.
Some French words you probably already know.
Drag them to complete the sentences.
Drag them to complete the sentences.
Merci
Pardon
Bon appétit
Bonjour
Au revoir
1.
When you meet someone, you say ___.
2.
When someone gives you a croissant, you say ___.
3.
When you bump into someone, you say ___.
4.
Before eating, you say ___.
5.
When you leave, you say ___.
After the course
What you'll be able to do
By chapter 4 you ask for help at a train station. By chapter 16 you order dinner. By chapter 21 you tell the story of your weekend, in French.
Tap a milestone to peek inside →
By the end, you'll be functioning in French: having conversations, telling stories, expressing opinions, and handling real daily situations.
CEFR Level Advanced A1
A1 is the first level in the CEFR, the international standard used by universities and employers worldwide. Our course goes beyond a standard A1, giving you a strong base to keep building on.
In practical terms, that's about as much French as a university covers in a full year.
A taste of Lesson 1
Taught with full context
Every new concept comes with grammar, cultural notes, illustrations, and audio: everything you need to use it correctly.
Les salutations (Greetings)
When to use each greeting
In French, the greeting you use depends on the time of day and how well you know the person.
| Greeting | When to use | Formality |
|---|---|---|
| Bonjour | Morning to around 6 PM | Formal and informal |
| Bonsoir | After around 6 PM | Formal and informal |
| Salut | Any time | Informal only (friends, family) |
Saying goodbye in French
In French, you can say goodbye by wishing someone a good day or evening.
| Time | When you arrive | When you leave |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime | Bonjour | Bonne journée |
| Evening | Bonsoir | Bonne soirée |
The pattern: bonne (good) + journée (day) or soirée (evening) = have a good ___. Same logic in bonne nuit at night.
Not sure which to use? Au revoir works any time, with anyone.
Not sure which to use? Au revoir works any time, with anyone.
These French verbs look a lot like English.
Match each image with the right verb.
Match each image with the right verb.
Left side
Right side
Préparer
Observer
Danser
Adorer
Explorer
Arriver
Match the French words with the right pictures.
Baguette
Croissant
Pain au chocolat
Café
The details
that make the difference
Write a paragraph. Record yourself. Get feedback like you would from a teacher.
Write a paragraph or record yourself. You get corrections on your grammar, vocabulary and sentence structure, in English, like a teacher would.
Click any word you don't know.
Tap any word for its English meaning and its pronunciation, right inside the lesson.
Hear real French from the very first lesson.
Hear every new word pronounced. Then it's your turn: record yourself and see, word by word, what you got right and what needs work.
Progress tracking
See exactly where you are, lesson by lesson. Pick up right where you left off.
Works on any device
Phone, tablet, or laptop. Study at your coffee shop, on your couch, or during your commute.
Our method
Why it works
Every rule explained in English
Every grammar rule is explained in plain English with examples and context. You understand the why behind every structure.
Real dialogues, stories and menus
You read dialogues, stories and texts written in real French. You won't understand every word at first, and that's by design: context teaches you, like in real life.
You speak from lesson 1, write from lesson 2
You practice speaking, listening, reading and writing from the first lessons, and you get corrected on what you write and say.
The course
What's inside
A1.1
Beginner 1
13 chapters. 78 lessons. 2,000+ exercises.
1
Say hello & introduce yourselfGreetings, tu vs. vous, your name, nationality and age
2
Share your contact detailsAddresses, phone numbers, dates, French forms and email
3
Name what's around youEveryday objects, people, asking where things are
4
Ask for helpGetting unstuck, navigating a train station
5
Describe your familyFamily, pets, physical and personality descriptions
6
Talk about your workProfessions, workplaces, talking about your job
7
Make an appointmentDays, telling time, booking and rescheduling
8
Describe your dayMorning to night, clothing, school vocabulary
9
Say what you likeLikes, dislikes, hobbies, sports
10
Settle into your neighborhoodHousing types, rooms, shops around you
11
Plan a cultural outingMuseums, theater, organizing activities
12
Talk about the weatherSeasons, weather, emotions, café small talk
13
Review A1.1Complete review of Beginner 1, with DELF A1 practice
Grammar covered
Present tense (regular -ER, -IR, -RE verbs + key irregulars: être, avoir, faire, aller, prendre, mettre)
Reflexive verbs (se lever, se coucher, s'habiller)
Articles (definite, indefinite, partitive)
Possessive and demonstrative adjectives
Adjective agreement
Negation (ne...pas, ne...plus, ne...jamais)
Question forms (est-ce que, qu'est-ce que)
Prepositions of place and time
Il y a
C'est vs il/elle est
A1.2
Beginner 2
13 chapters. 84 lessons. 2,000+ exercises.
14
Get around in FranceTransportation, directions, getting around
15
Plan your vacationThe near future, vacation plans, places and activities
16
Order at a restaurantOrdering, reservations, food vocabulary
17
Shop at the marketShopping, quantities, recipes, comparing products
18
Give adviceHealth, instructions, commands
19
Invite someoneInvitations, accepting and declining, French holidays and parties
20
Say what you're doingCurrent and recent actions, phone calls, screens and apps
21
Talk about your weekendTelling stories in the past tense
22
Tell what happenedNarrating what happened, time markers
23
Say how your day wentDaily routines in the past, reflexive verbs, life with roommates
24
Give your opinionOpinions, comparisons, reviews
25
Keep the conversation goingConnectors, follow-up questions, sustained exchanges
26
Review all of A1Complete consolidation of everything in A1, with DELF A1 practice
Grammar covered
Passé composé (with avoir and être)
Futur proche
Imperative
Comparative forms (plus...que, moins...que)
Direct/indirect object pronouns
Tonic pronouns (moi, toi, lui)
Pronoun en
Conditionnel with si + present
Restriction ne...que
Logical connectors (mais, parce que, donc, alors)
Already studied some French? Browse the chapter list above. If you can introduce yourself, describe your family and your job, talk about your daily routine, express your preferences, and describe your home in French, you might be ready for A1.2. Otherwise, A1.1 is your starting point.
30-60 min
Each lesson takes 30 to 60 minutes.
Stop anytime and pick up where you left off.
Your pace
One lesson a day or one chapter a week.
There's no schedule to follow.
Real life ready
You'll finish ready to have conversations, tell stories, and handle daily situations in French.
Why I built this
Six languages taught me what actually works
I speak six languages. I have been exactly where you are now: I learned French from zero.
Over the past 17 years of learning languages, I tried many platforms, many apps, many methods. I realized the gamified ones don't work for me. Seeing 10 words and 5 phrases a day won't help you start speaking a language.
Here is what I learned: as an adult, you need structure. You have to understand the rules and the patterns to actually start speaking. Structure is key.
Then practice, practice, practice. Be active, be curious, translate the same word 10 times in different contexts, until you use that word without trying to remember it. You use it because you understand it, not because you memorized it.
This is what the course does. It gives you a structured roadmap of what to do. You just follow it, and you get results.
There are so many ways to learn a language today, and you can find the one that fits you. What FrenchTextbook offers is everything you need to build a real foundation, packed into one course: strong enough to start reading and watching French on your own, and to keep going from there. It's just the beginning, a solid one.
You do it once, and the results stay with you forever.
Pricing
Start free. Keep it if you love it.
Build your beginner French foundation: order in a cafe, introduce yourself, and follow a real French conversation by the end of A1.
Try everything free for 7 days. Keep it for $149 a year. Cancel anytime.
7-day free trialComplete A1
French Beginner Course
By the end, you can hold real conversations in French.
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excl. taxthen $149/year $299 launch price · cancel anytime
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Keep it after day 7, or cancel anytime before, in one click.162 lessons · 4,000+ exercises · 6+ hrs of audio · 1-year access
Lots of exercises, and you're always guided. I already feel confident having basic conversations.Tom · on Trustpilot, September 2026
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Follow along
French on your feed
Short French lessons and vocabulary, free on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook.
FAQ
Questions? We've got answers.
Absolutely. The course starts from zero. From the very first lesson, you'll work with real French phrases you can use right away. No prior knowledge needed.
Browse the chapter list and grammar topics above. The course is one continuous A1 path in two parts: Beginner 1 (chapters 1-13) covers greetings, personal information, family, work, daily routine, preferences, and your home. Beginner 2 (chapters 14-26) starts with travel, future plans, and the past tense. Your access includes everything, so if you can already introduce yourself, describe your family and your job, talk about your daily routine, express your preferences, and describe your home in French, jump straight into Beginner 2. If any of those topics feel shaky, start from the beginning: the course builds on itself, and a solid foundation makes everything after it easier.
Between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on the lesson. Some are lighter, some go deeper. You can always stop and pick up where you left off.
Apps drill words. This is a course: every rule explained in English, real dialogues and stories, and exercises where you write and speak and get corrected. You build real sentences from lesson 1, and by chapter 4 you can ask for help at a train station.
$149 is the launch price for a full year; the regular price is $299. For a year of access that is about $12 a month, or under a dollar a lesson, for 162 lessons, 4,000+ exercises and corrections on everything you write and say. And you try all of it free for 7 days first.