Do you spend most of your French study sessions alone? If so, you may have found that the hardest part of self-study is the lack of corrections or feedback. To know whether you've made a mistake, you need to either research the rules in a textbook or use interactive tools like language-learning apps.
Sometimes, though, you'll feel the need to interact with a real person! Someone who can respond in conversation, not only correcting you but explaining why you've made a mistake. While you could invest in a French tutor, did you know there's a free option?
There are dozens of online communities dedicated to French learning. Many are full of native French speakers who want to chat for free!
Each platform works differently and has its own unique benefits. Read on for a rundown of the most popular sites.
Table of Contents
- Online Conversation Practice
- French Discussion Forums
- Professional French Learning Materials - For Free!
Online Conversation Practice
Did you know French is the official language of 29 countries? And it's commonly spoken in many more regions. Online conversation with native speakers lets you hear accents and expressions from French speakers all over the world. Here are the top communities you can join and how they work.
HelloTalk
HelloTalk is a language exchange app. For free, you can video call, voice call, or even just text native French speakers. You teach them English while they teach you French! You can even create Voicerooms for group conversations.
Tandem
On Tandem, you can choose to video call, voice call, or message French speakers. Interestingly, though, everyone has a public profile. So you can choose not only the accent and dialect of the speaker but also someone with the same interests as you!
Speaky
Speaky is actually a social network designed around language learning. Once you've found people you want to connect with, you can talk via voice call, message, and even voice message!
My Language Exchange
One of the more structured platforms, My Language Exchange, has over 3 million members! They provide lesson plans for your online chats, so you and your partner can converse in a meaningful way. If you're less interested in conversation but still want to chat for free, this is a great option.
French Discussion Forums
Online communities are also great ways to improve your reading and writing. French forums are full of helpful native speakers who can correct and comment on your writing or answer tricky grammar questions. Check out the following forums to see which ones suit your needs.
Polyglot Club
Polyglot Club is a popular community for both online and in-person learning. As for reading and writing advice, its questions section invites native French speakers to answer your language questions and correct your grammar. You can see the "trust points," or reputation, of those who reply, so you know the advice is reliable. Plus, they organise online and offline language exchange events!
Lawless French
Lawless French is a free site full of helpful language advice. Best of all, they have a Q&A forum for all your French language queries. Simply post a question, whether it be about pronunciation, grammar, or something else, and wait for a French speaker to answer.
WordReference Forum
While the main purpose of WordReference is an English-French dictionary, they also have a very active Q&A forum. Almost every hour, new French language questions are uploaded and answered by people all over the world. You can read the newest updates to see what French speakers are saying or submit your own questions.
StackExchange
StackExchange is a simple Q&A forum for French language questions. Anyone can ask or answer, as well as upvote the best answers. There's also a handy search bar so you can find questions on specific words, rules, or topics.
Professional French Learning Materials—For Free!
Online communities are one of the best ways to learn real-world French. As we said at the outset, they're best used in addition to solo study.
Did you know there are online, interactive, professional self-study materials that are completely free to use?
Welcome to Progress with Lawless French! Even though our resources are created by native French teachers, many of them are available for free. All you have to do is create a free account, then our tools are yours. Learn how it works here!
While online communities are a fantastic free option, they’re just one of many resources that can transform your French practice. For a broader guide to apps, podcasts, books, and other tools to enhance your learning, visit Essential French Resources and Tools for Practice.
