Learn French in a Year

Yes it's possible. Yes we get it done.

Hi ! I'm Chris, the founder of this school.

Learning French in a year is a tempting goal for many but it takes the right framework and the right method.

While some language websites entertain, others are designed for results.

It's all about using the right tool for the job.

First, some proof

Meet Bree from New York – She started from scratch with no prior French knowledge. She achieved French in under 200 hours.

This was achieved when I had much less experience. Today, it can go faster still.

What did this student do?

To achieve her fantastic results, Bree adopted several behaviours that you can too.

She trusted her teacher. She achieved the perfect balance between being led and autonomy. She was hands-on and at the same tine she was open to advice and trusted me.

She was interested. Each new victory generated a sense of surprise and happiness. This in turn encouraged a desire to learn more.

She used my resources. When I said “we need to learn this now”, she completed the worksheet and got the job done.

She was consistent. She understood that an “on and off” approach wouldn’t work. She never disappeared for weeks. Her progression was constant.

She became a learner. She accepted the idea that only true work would bring her to the French she wanted.

What did this student NOT do?

To achieve her results, Bree refused certain common behaviours.

She did not use podcasts. Bree understood that exposing herself to random French was a potential time waster.

She did not use several methods. “Bunny hopping” between courses and looking for excuses would have generated confusion and no clear goal.

She did not go corporate. Bree knows that the biggest learning websites in the world are designed to entertain. She goes “boutique” in everything she buys.

She did not listen to the noise. She understood that everyone has an opinion about French and that few know the truth of the matter.

She did not doubt. She never said “perhaps” or “hopefully”. She knew French would happen.

How about the teacher?

Just like Bree, I too am a fast learner of languages. Or rather a structured learner – because structure allows speed to happen. Let me explain.

When I was at university at age 34, I took German as my second major. I failed to the point where I got “zero” on my test.

I had 2 months to do my resit which also meant I had 2 months to learn German. All alone and with no teacher.

I did and I passed with a score of 80%.

Proof of my exam score

On the left, my exam score for German Linguistics shows a zero out of 20. Two months later, I score a 16/20, the equivalent of a Distinction.

A word about learning methods

Not all restaurants are built the same. Some are designed to feed, others propose gastronomy. Some cars are designed for families, others for speed.

Language schools and learning websites are the same.

A student wishing to learn French fast and well can’t simply go to their local community classes. They are simply not designed for this to happen.

It has to do with the philosophy of the teacher and what they set out to accomplish when they became a French teacher. Was it to work with kids, to share a love for French culture or to create targeted courses?

It also has to do with the way the information is organized and packaged. How streamlined is your French course and how well is the road signposted?

The reason I scored so highly on my German is exam is because of the streamlined nature of my method of learning. I had to teach myself to see clearly within German and spot the foundational parts of the language. I had to develop a hierarchy within the language.

Before I achieved this clear vision, I made plenty of mistakes too: I tried to watch films or expose myself to German radio programs. The problem is that neither of these approaches got me to a guaranteed outcome.

Years later, I developed my French course based on my experience as a learner myself. My studies in Linguistics further helped me understand the moving parts of a language and develop a streamlined view. It is by studying the important parts that the rest will happen.

I propose "the" French

Building on the previous idea, there are different ways of teaching French. There are also different ways of defining French. Not all teachers have the same clear view within French, even if it is their native language.

For example, they might insist on points of the language that have comparatively little importance. This typically happens with French teachers from France who have a more normative view of French.

I define my French course as “the” French.

Imagine Lego blocks on top of each other, that form a structure. This is the way I see French.

We could naturally decorate this structure with French cheese, with wine or with pictures of French artists. We could even sing a French song around our structure.

As interesting as these things may be, this would not help the structure stand up.

I teach “the” French by insisting on the parts that hold the language together and those that have a realistic chance of happening in a conversation within a year.

Any parts of French that do not meet this criteria are not in my course. I am not going to include verbs, adjectives or expressions that have only few chances of ever being used.

We will not learn how to buy a bus ticket simply because such a situation would be too targeted. We will rather broaden the scope and learn the wider skills that make this sentence possible.

You might think of this course as the skeleton of French, the essential hinge upon which all the rest of the language is built.

This French course is a linguist’s analysis in view of teaching you the skills that matter.

Can you learn French in a year?

On this website, you are within reach of a French program that is ready and proven. It’s almost a “grab and run” operation: you come in, take the French you need and move on with your life.

We are not designed to propose entertaining French classes that go on season after season. When you finish our French course, that’s it. You know “the” French that you will need in 90% of all interactions.

I have only one French course that contains “the” French. No fluff, no detours. Just the French.

Yes you can absolutely learn French in a year and even less. There are no limitations, neither mental nor physical. Just study each lesson in the order they are proposed to you and make it happen.

Your teacher is there to coach you and guide you along the journey. Chris will expertly tell you which are the points of French to know, for a path that is clearly signposted.

What more can we say? The sooner you start, the sooner you’ll know French.