How to Learn French and Actually Enjoy It

A complete guide to progressing with joy, beauty, and purpose.

Learning French doesn’t have to mean dry textbooks, confusing grammar charts, or endless vocabulary lists. In fact, it shouldn’t.

French is a language of rhythm, emotion, nuance. It lives in music, poetry, film, conversation. Whether you're a beginner or an intermediate learner looking to fall in love with French again, this guide will give you everything you need to build a daily, nourishing relationship with the language.

But most importantly: this is your journey.

You know your goals. You know how you learn best, whether you're a visual learner, an audio lover, a grammar nerd, or a culture sponge. Your tastes matter.

As you go through all the tools, tips, and resources in this guide, pick what resonates. Mix and match. Keep what works. Let the rest go. From grammar to immersion, YouTube to Substack, here’s your roadmap.

Camille Pissarro, “The Boulevard Montmartre at Night”, 1897.

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Table of Contents

1. Build a Learning Routine

2. Grammar & Vocabulary: Smart Practice

3. Listening: Podcasts, YouTube & Music

4. Reading: Start Small, Dream Big

5. Writing & Speaking Practice

6. Apps & Tools

7. The French en Poésie Method

8. Who to Follow: Best Online French Resources

9. Bonus: What to Track, What to Let Go

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1. Build a Learning Routine

You don’t need hours, just 15 minutes a day with intention can change everything.

• 5 minutes: review vocab or grammar

• 5 minutes: listen to something in French

• 5 minutes: read or write

• Bonus: speak out loud as often as possible.

You can also focus on one skill each day to shake it up and go deeper. Consistency beats intensity. Build a habit, not a cram session.

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2. Grammar & Vocabulary: Learn Smart

Focus on the grammar that helps you understand and speak. Not all at once.

Best grammar resources:

• Français Authentique (YouTube + site, natural spoken French)

• Learn French with Alexa (clear explanations with warmth)

• InnerFrench (great intermediate podcast + site)

• Lawless French (organized grammar by level)

Vocab Tips:

• Learn phrases, not just words (e.g., j’ai hâte de, ça me va)

• Use tools like Anki or Quizlet for spaced repetition

• Write down new words in context

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3. Listening: Podcasts, YouTube & Music

Podcasts:

• InnerFrench – slow, clear, deep topics (B1+)

• Coffee Break French – slow speaking french for all levels (my students all loved it)

• Psst, tu veux apprendre le français ? – beginner-friendly

• News in Slow French – News in easy French

• French Voices – interviews with real French people (intermediate+)

YouTube Channels:

• Comme une Française

• Piece of French

• Francais avec Pierre

• Français avec Nelly

Music:

• Try listening to French singers with subtitles:

  • Stromae, Zaz, Edith Piaf, Jacques Brel, Pomme, Charles Aznavour…

  • Use LyricsTraining to turn it into a game

• Discover the French en Musique Workbook (A 50-page workbook to guide you through 10 French songs, step by step.)

Poetry:

• Listen to your favourite poems with transcripts. Immersion in poetic rhythm is a deeply effective, soul-soothing way to improve your French

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4. Reading: Start Small, Dream Big

Reading in French doesn’t mean struggling through Victor Hugo on day one. The key is to start with what you love, and what’s just the right level for you.

• Pick books you already know by heart. That’s how I learned English: I read Harry Potter and Le Petit Prince in English. When you already know the plot, the language feels easier and more meaningful.

• Children’s books, comic books, or short stories are a great start. Try Tintin or Le Petit Nicolas: fun, visual, and full of dialogue.

  

• Poetry, Literary excerpts and News articles.

• Use a mix of intensive reading (look up & note new words) and extensive reading (just enjoy the story, even if you don’t get everything).

• Pair books with audiobooks or find videos with subtitles. Listening while reading boosts your comprehension and helps you internalize pronunciation and rhythm.

• Don’t aim too high too fast. Choose texts just below your level for flow, or slightly above for a challenge, not way above. You’ll only get discouraged.

The best reading practice? The one that keeps you coming back. Find content and stories that resonate with you.

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5. Writing & Speaking Practice

• Keep a mini journal en français (3–5 lines/day)

• Use HelloTalk or Tandem to find language exchange partners

• Talk to yourself! (Really.)

  • Describe what you’re doing: Je prépare un café. Je suis fatigué mais content.

• Shadow native speakers: repeat what they say out loud, mimicking rhythm & intonation.

• Use songs and poems to work on your pronunciation

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6. Apps & Tools

• LingQ – listen + read with vocab integration

• Readlang – translate while reading

• Babbel – short, interactive lessons

• Speechling – speaking feedback

• TV5MONDE Langue Française – free French learning from real media

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7. The French en Poésie Method

Poetry and Literature is language at its most alive.

Every week, I share one:

• Poem and literary excerpt

• Audio in slow & normal speed

• Translation + Grammar + Vocabulary

• Art, music & cultural context

It’s immersive, inspiring, and it works. Because beauty helps us remember.

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8. Who to Follow: Great French Learner Accounts

Substacks:

Instagram:

• @hellofrench – Culture, language and Paris inspo

• @atfrenchies – Fun learning with Alex & Tom

• @frenchenpoesie ← (c’est moi, poetry & lit for the soul!)

• @frenchwithpatrick – Literature, History & Culture

• @learnfrenchwithclemence – Grammar & Vocabulary

• @ohlalafrenchcourse – casual + colorful content

YouTube Bonus:

• Easy French – real conversations in the street

• Francais avec Pierre

• Piece of French

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9. What to Track, What to Let Go

Track:

• Words/phrases you love

• Time spent listening/reading/speaking

• What you struggle with (to revisit)

Let go:

• Perfection

• The myth of fluency

• Comparing yourself to others

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Dernière Pensée

French is not just a language. It’s a window into another world, another way of seeing, feeling, slower, richer, more alive.
You don’t have to rush.
You just have to begin and start your journey! BON VOYAGE !

If you know any other great resources or want to share more tips for french learners, leave them in the comments! Merci :)