9 cheap and free online French classes to help beginners build their vocabulary, fix their grammar, and perfect pronunciation

• French is one of the most popular languages in the world and is spoken by over 279 million people. If you want to learn, there are plenty of great online courses, apps, books, and even TV shows to teach you.
• Below, you'll find nine online resources to learn French (or improve upon what you already know). They're organized around core language learning, grammar, pronunciation, and cultural immersion.
• Read more: The 8 best apps, courses, and books to start learning Spanish
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If "Emily in Paris" spurred your desire to brush off your high school French textbook, you're not alone — French is the fifth most popular language in the world, with over 279 million speakers. Learning any language is a great use of any extra downtime right now, and there are many online resources that can help you master French, whether you're a débutant or nearly fluent speaker.

The courses, apps, and other resources below are organized by what you want to work on, whether it's covering the core basics of French, improving your pronunciation, perfecting your grammar, or just getting some extra practice in.

Here are nine affordable and free online classes, apps, and resources to help you learn how to speak French.

For basic language acquisition

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Duolingo's free mobile app turns language-learning into a game with levels to overcome and rewards to earn. As the over 300 million users can attest: it works! Bite-sized lessons make Duolingo easy to integrate into your daily routine, and free access means that it doesn't take much to get started. It's the perfect tool for those reticent of making too hasty a financial or time commitment – just sign up, sign in, and you'll be learning French in no time.

Designed by professional linguists, Babbel's goal is to get you speaking French in a practical and realistic way, with phrases you'd use if you had to navigate a city or make simple conversation. The best-selling language learning app is great for those who want to devote a bit more time, effort, and cash ($7 a month if you commit to a year), all the while taking advantage of continuous access whenever your phone is near (i.e…. all the time). 

Rosetta Stone's time-tested techniques for language learning have a good rep for a reason. Accompanying learners from the beginning stages of language acquisition all the way up to fluency, Rosetta Stone stands out from other apps thanks to its almost immediate, full immersion in the target language. It also boasts a number of specialized tools including TruAccent technology, a speech recognition app that corrects your pronunciation.

For accent perfection

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With its nasal vowels and uvular "r," the French accent is famously elusive to master. That's where "Sound Like a Native" comes in. This Udemy course is specially designed to help improve your pronunciation with exercises you can easily practice at home. The course costs just under $100 for lifetime access to two hours of video and loads of other resources. Experienced French instructor Anne Le Grand is captivating and supremely talented; with her as your guide, you'll soon be pronouncing like a near-native.

Perfecting your pronunciation can be tough in a vacuum, so if you need a bit of interaction to master this or any other aspects of French, look no further than Interpals. The free language exchange interface allows you to find a conversation partner to speak to — which can especially be nice during quarantine. While not a certified teacher, this person will certainly be able to grant you much-needed practice and help you navigate the ins and outs of pronunciation woes. This is the perfect option for the speaker who's already fairly fluent but wants to improve spoken and colloquial French.

For grammar mastery

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This is the only French grammar book you'll ever need. "Une Fois Pour Toutes" was originally developed as a companion textbook for intermediate and advanced French language classes, but even without a teacher, the textbook offers a no-nonsense approach to some of the most difficult elements of French grammar. If you are ready to learn once and for all when to use which past tense and how to figure out the gender of a noun, this is the tome for you.

This exam prep course offered through edX was originally designed to help students prepare for an AP French Language and Culture class, but it's helpful for any intermediate learner who wants to review some of the basics. In the three-week course, students brush up on essential grammar topics including conjugations, pronouns, and essay writing, perfect for the so-called "false beginner" who has had quite a bit of contact with the French language but wants to revise some or several grammar topics. The course is free to audit, and $25 for a certificate to add to your LinkedIn profile or resume.

For cultural immersion and fluency

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One of the best ways to perfect your grasp of French is by consuming French media. And while there's no dearth of French movies at your disposal, French television may be an even better option. "Un Village Français" is a show set in a small French town during the Nazi occupation. With phenomenal scriptwriting and acting, a 72-episode show like "Un Village Français" will also give you the regular exposure you need to approach fluency. Best of all? It's easily available on Amazon Prime.

Another great way to soak up the French language is with radio and podcasts. France Inter is a phenomenal resource with cultural, news, and even humor programs. Browse your favorite topics from history to politics to current events, and let the radio waves do the rest. And since these programs are available online, you can stop, rewind, and replay as many times as you need to ensure you've mastered what you've heard.