· 6 min read
Best App to Learn French: What to Check
By Language Lab editorial team
Best app to learn French: seven things to check before you choose, what French asks of an app, official material to pair it with and a one-week test.
The best app to learn French is the one that trains your ear and your mouth, not only your eyes. French is among the quicker languages for an English speaker: the US State Department places it in Category I and allows 30 weeks of classes, within a range of 552–690 class hours. An app cannot shorten that, but it can make daily practice easy. Check seven things before you choose: spoken practice with a response, native audio, self-testing, spaced review, real-life situations, levels from A1 to B2 or higher, and a link to the official diplomas, DELF and DALF. B2 is the level that matters most in practice, since the DELF B2 opens French universities. Pair the app with free lessons from TV5MONDE and RFI, and try it for a week before you pay.
What French asks of an app
- Sound before spelling. Choose an app that plays every word and sentence, and asks you to say them.
- Listening to real French. TV5MONDE and RFI both build free lessons on real programmes, from beginner level upward.
- Gender with every noun. The app should always show a noun with its article.
- A level target. France's DELF and DALF diplomas cover A1 to C2, and they are valid for life.
Seven things to check
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Speaking | You say sentences aloud and get a spoken or written response, in situations you will meet. |
| Audio | Recordings by native speakers at natural speed, with the option to replay slowly. |
| Writing system | French uses the Latin alphabet; check that the app teaches the accents and the silent letters through audio. |
| Self-testing | The app makes you produce the answer before it shows it. |
| Spaced review | Old material comes back after days and weeks, not only in the lesson where you met it. |
| Real situations | Lessons are built on things you will do: meeting people, shopping, travelling, working. |
| Levels | Stages are named, and you can see how they relate to an official scale or exam. |
Why testing and spacing come first
A 2013 review of ten learning techniques, led by John Dunlosky, rated two as high utility: practice testing and distributed practice. Rereading and highlighting were rated low. So an app that makes you produce an answer, and brings items back after a gap, is using your time better than one that lets you tap through and move on.
Test an app in one week
- Day 1: do the first lesson. Did you speak aloud, or only tap?
- Day 2: start a new lesson. Did the app bring back yesterday's material?
- Day 3: check the audio. Is every French sentence recorded, and can you replay it?
- Day 4: look for the level map. Can you see where the course ends?
- Day 5: try to say five sentences from memory. If you cannot, the app is not testing you enough.
- Day 7: decide. Keep the app only if you spoke every day.
Pair it with official material
- Apprendre le français, from TV5MONDE: free exercises from beginner to advanced.
- Le français facile, from RFI: free material from A1 to C1/C2.
- The Open University's Getting started with French 1, 2 and 3: free introductory courses on OpenLearn.
Aim at a level
French has official diplomas for each level: DELF A1, A2, B1 and B2, and DALF C1 and C2, issued by France's Ministry of National Education and valid for life. The TCF is a single test that places you on the six-level scale, with results valid for 2 years. Choose an app whose levels follow the same scale.
A note on our own app
Language Lab is our app, so judge it by the same list. Language Lab's French course is built around voiced real-life scenarios with an AI tutor. Use the one-week test above on it as you would on any other.
Frequently asked
What is the best app to learn French?
The one that makes you speak French aloud, tests you before showing the answer, brings old material back for review and shows you clear levels. Try it for a week before paying.
What level of French should I aim for?
B2 is the level that matters most in practice: the DELF B2 diploma opens French universities. Choose an app that goes at least that far, or plan to move to other material.
How long does it take to learn French?
The US State Department places French in Category I and allows 30 weeks of classes, within a range of 552–690 class hours. An app does not shorten that; it helps you use the time well.
Are free French apps enough?
Official learning material is a strong start: Apprendre le français, from TV5MONDE is one example. Whatever you use, check that you are speaking and being tested.
What features matter most in a language app?
Practice testing and spaced review, the two techniques a 2013 research review rated as high utility, and spoken practice with a response.
Can an app make me fluent in French?
An app can carry your daily practice. You will also need conversation with people and a structured course or exam target for the higher levels.
Sources: US Department of State, National Foreign Affairs Training Center, Foreign Language Training; France Éducation international, DELF, DALF and TCF; TV5MONDE, Apprendre le français; RFI, Le français facile; The Open University, OpenLearn, Getting started with French; Dunlosky et al., Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 2013. Checked on 13 October 2026. Photo: Outlet of the Verdon gorge from the air, Olivier Cleynen / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
