
Are you an advanced French learner, or are you trying to become one? If you’ve decided to step up your game and start aiming toward content made for native speakers, such as French books or movies in their original version, I bet you’re getting more than a little confused. This is largely because advanced French phrases, necessary as they are to learn, are often put by the wayside.
Traditionally, when learning a language, we study new words and grammar structures. Then, we learn how to combine it all to make nice and sophisticated sentences. You might still be doing so at an advanced level, but that’s not enough anymore.
Advanced French content tends to be full of idioms, slang, expressions, and weird structures that make no sense when simply translated word for word. A traditional approach won’t cut it, and you’ll have to learn not just words but actual phrases.
Some of them will sound straightforward and easy to understand, but others are heavily idiomatic and will require you to just memorize them as they are. It’s perfectly normal! Most people use countless expressions in their native language without knowing where they come from or what the logic is behind the seemingly nonsensical combinations of words.

Who doesn’t want to sound smart and sophisticated?

- Useful Phrases for Structuring Your Thoughts
- Power Phrases for Your Cover Letter
- Outsmart Everyone at a Business Meeting
- Strange, Colorful Idioms for Connoisseurs
- Le mot de la fin
1. Useful Phrases for Structuring Your Thoughts
If you want to be convincing, prove your point, or simply express your ideas with confidence and eloquence, what you’re gonna need is structure. The following advanced French sentences will help you organize your speech, articulate your thoughts, and prioritize the steps to smoothly guide your reader toward your point.
Tout d’abord “First of all” |
Tout d’abord, nous allons définir notre projet. “First of all, we will define our project.” |
Dans un premier temps “Firstly” / “Initially” |
Dans un premier temps, la commission européenne n’était pas opposée à ce projet. “Initially, the European Commission was not opposed to this project.” |
Par ailleurs / En outre / De plus “Furthermore” / “In addition” |
En outre, ces mesures devaient être temporaires. “Furthermore, those measures were supposed to be temporary.” |
En revanche / Par contre “However” / “On the other hand” |
En revanche, le financement avait déjà été approuvé. “However, the funding had already been approved.” |
Premièrement, ___. Deuxièmement, ___. Troisièmement, ___. “Firstly, ___. Secondly, ___. Thirdly, ___.” |
Premièrement, ce n’est pas ce que j’ai dit. Deuxièmement, je ne fais plus partie de ce groupe. “Firstly, that’s not what I said. Secondly, I’m not part of this group anymore.” |
Par conséquent / Dès lors “Therefore” / “Consequently” |
Par conséquent, je ne souhaite pas en parler davantage. “Therefore, I don’t wish to elaborate on that.” |
En d’autres termes / Autrement dit “In other words” |
Nous sommes débiteurs, autrement dit, vulnérables. “We are in debt, in other words, vulnerable.” |
Dans la même optique / Dans le même ordre d’idées “By the same token” / “Along the same line” / “In the same vein” |
Dans la même optique, une attitude positive apporte les meilleurs résultats. “In the same vein, a positive attitude brings the best results.” |
Il convient de / Il est nécessaire de “It is necessary to” |
Tout d’abord, il convient de rappeler les faits. “First of all, it is necessary to review the facts.” |
En matière de / Sur le plan de “In terms of” |
Ils sont presque autosuffisants en matière d’énergie. “They’re almost self-sufficient in terms of energy.” |
- ➜ Using connecting adverbs is a great way to give structure to your ideas. Make sure to stop by our free vocabulary list on FrenchPod101.com for a quick reminder!

If you can’t explain something, people might think you don’t understand it.
2. Power Phrases for Your Cover Letter
Writing a cover letter is usually not an exercise in creativity and improvisation. More often than not, it obeys strict rules and follows a rather codified template. This means that most letters kinda look the same, with a set of key phrases defining their structure and introducing their different parts.
There could be many reasons why you would want to break the rules, but even if you want to be different, you’ll first have to know the tried and true formula. Study the advanced French structures below to get a head start and a strong feel for how to write your cover letter.
Je me permets de vous contacter concernant ___ “I’m contacting you about ___ ”Literally: “I allow myself to contact you about ___” |
Je me permets de vous contacter car je pense être la bonne personne pour ce poste. “I’m contacting you because I believe I’m the right person for this position.” |
Votre offre d’emploi a particulièrement retenu mon attention. “Your job offer really got my attention. ”Literally: “Your job offer, in particular, got my attention.” |
Disposant d’une longue expérience dans le domaine de ___ “Having extensive work experience in (the field of) ___” |
Mes études en ___ m’ont permis d’acquérir de nombreuses compétences en ___ “My studies in ___ have provided me with lots of skills in ___” |
Souhaitant donner un nouvel essor à ma carrière, ___ “Wishing to give my carrier a new boost, ___” |
Je serai heureux de vous rencontrer pour discuter de ma candidature. “I will be happy to meet you and talk about my application.” |
Je serai ravi de vous rencontrer et de vous convaincre de mon adéquation à ce poste. “I will be happy to meet you and convince you of my adequacy for this position.” |
Je souhaite mettre mes compétences à votre service pour ___ “I wish to put my skills at your disposal for ___” |
Je vous prie d’agréer l’expression de mes salutations distinguées. Veuillez agréer, Madame, Monsieur, mes meilleures salutations. Veuillez recevoir, Madame, Monsieur, mes respectueuses salutations. “Please receive, Madam, Mister, my best / respectful salutations.” |
- ➜ For an in-depth look at the art of crafting a French resume or writing impactful cover letters, make sure to view our complete guide on FrenchPod101.com.

A great cover letter is a recipe for a striking first impression.
3. Outsmart Everyone at a Business Meeting
We all want to shine in social gatherings and make a lasting first impression. But if there is one context where you’ll want to impress your audience, it’s certainly the business meetings. There is a primal and territorial aspect to business that makes you want to sound assertive.
Search for your words, mumble a little, and you might lose your momentum or weaken your argument. Mastering some advanced business French phrases will help build your confidence and boost your public speaking skills by a fair amount.
L’ordre du jour “The agenda” / “The order of the day” |
Ce projet est à l’ordre du jour depuis des années. “This project has been on the agenda for years.” |
Avoir les choses en main “To have things under control” Literally: “To have things in hands” |
Ne vous inquiétez pas, nous avons les choses bien en main. “Don’t worry; we have everything under control.” |
Garder la tête froide “To keep a cool head” |
Vous avez gardé la tête froide, jusqu’à présent. “You’ve kept a cool head until now.” |
Aborder la question de ___ “To address the issue of ___” |
Je voudrais aborder la question de l’éthique environnementale. “I would like to address the issue of environmental ethics.” |
Jusqu’à preuve du contraire “Until proven otherwise” |
Jusqu’à preuve du contraire, nous devons supposer que le logiciel n’est pas compatible. “Until proven otherwise, we must assume the software is not compatible.” |
À titre d’exemple / Par exemple “As an example” / “For example” |
J’utiliserai, à titre d’exemple, ce processus de validation. “I will use, as an example, this validation process.” |
La date butoir “The deadline” |
2024 est la date butoir pour publier nos résultats. “2024 is the deadline to publish our results.” |
Sans entrer dans les détails “Without going into details” |
Sans entrer dans les détails, disons que la réunion ne s’est pas passée comme prévu. “Without going into details, let’s say the meeting didn’t go as planned.” |
Apporter la touche finale “To put the finishing touches” |
Le logiciel est presque prêt, il ne nous reste qu’à apporter la touche finale. “The software is almost ready; we only have to put the finishing touches.” |
Peser le pour et le contre “To weigh the pros and cons” |
Après avoir pesé le pour et le contre, j’ai décidé de décliner cette offre d’emploi. “After I weighed the pros and cons, I decided to decline this job offer.” |
- ➜ Business meetings require a solid knowledge of a very specific vocabulary. Be sure you come prepared with our full guide to French business vocabulary on FrenchPod101.com.

It’s your time to shine!
4. Strange, Colorful Idioms for Connoisseurs
Once you reach an advanced level of proficiency in French and start reading content created for native speakers, you’ll enter a new world of peculiar expressions, full of animals and unintuitive word associations.
Learning French expressions and idioms is your ticket to fluency. They might seem daunting at first, with their odd structures and atypical vocabulary, and you’ll have to learn many of them by heart. But they draw the line between a linguistic enthusiast and a true master of the Art of Frenching like a real Frenchie.
Être à cheval sur ___ “To be a stickler for ___” Literally: “To be on horseback about ___” |
Il est à cheval sur la ponctualité. “He’s a stickler for punctuality.” |
Prendre un coup de vieux “To get old” Literally: “To take a blow of aging” |
Salut, ça faisait un bail ! Dis donc, t’as pris un coup de vieux ! “Hi! It’s been a while! Gosh, you’ve gotten old!” |
Prendre un coup de vieux can be about aging, but it’s also often used to describe the sudden feeling of getting old, a brutal realization of it: the first time someone calls you “Madam,” a receding hairline, a beard turning gray, or realizing that your favorite movie was released 20 years ago when it feels like yesterday. |
Tiré par les cheveux “Far-fetched” Literally: “Pulled by the hair” |
J’admets que ce raisonnement est tiré par les cheveux. “I admit that this reasoning is far-fetched.” |
Au pied de la lettre “To the letter” / “Literally” Literally: “By the foot of the letter” |
Ne prenez pas ses remarques au pied de la lettre. “Don’t take his remarks literally.” |
Tourner autour du pot “To beat around the bush” Literally: “To turn around the pot” |
Arrêtez de tourner autour du pot et expliquez-vous ! “Stop beating around the bush and explain yourself!” |
Poser un lapin To fail to meet someone for a date without informing them beforehand Equivalent: “To stand someone up” Literally: “To put a rabbit” |
On devait se voir hier mais elle m’a posé un lapin. “We were supposed to meet yesterday, but she stood me up.” |
Ne faire ni chaud ni froid To arouse no reaction whatsoever Literally: “To do neither hot nor cold” |
Pleure tant que tu veux, ça ne me fait ni chaud ni froid. “Cry all you want; it makes no difference to me.” |
Quelque chose qui cloche “Something amiss” |
Il y a quelque chose qui cloche, j’en suis sûr. “Something isn’t right, I’m sure of it.” |
The French verb clocher means “to be wrong” or “to not add up.” |
Connaître sur le bout des doigts “To know inside out” / “To know by heart” Literally: “To know on the tip of the fingers” |
Je connais sa biographie sur le bout des doigts. “I know his biography inside out.” |
En avoir le cœur net “To find out for sure” Literally: “To have a sharp heart about it” |
Trêve de spéculations, nous devons en avoir le cœur net. “Enough speculation; we must find out for sure.” |
- ➜ You can find more expressions in our vocabulary list Essential Idioms That Will Make You Sound Like a Native Speaker. It’s available for free on FrenchPod101.com.

C’est vraiment tiré par les cheveux ! (“It’s really far-fetched!”)
5. Le mot de la fin
In this guide, you have learned many advanced French conversational phrases, from common idioms and expressions to essay structures, power phrases for your cover letter, and even a handy toolkit for business meetings.
Did we forget any important structure or expression you’d like to learn more about? Feel free to share it with your fellow students in the comments below!
Make sure to explore FrenchPod101.com, as we have plenty of free resources to help you practice your grammar and learn new words. Our vocabulary lists are also a great way to review words and learn their pronunciation.
Remember that you can also upgrade to Premium PLUS in order to use our MyTeacher service. This gives you personal 1-on-1 coaching with your own private teacher, who can help you practice with advanced French phrases and more. In addition to providing you with assignments, personalized exercises, and recorded audio samples, your teacher will review your work and help improve your pronunciation.
Happy learning on FrenchPod101.com!
About the Author: Born and bred in rainy Northern France, Cyril Danon was bouncing off various jobs before he left everything behind to wander around the wonders of the world. Now, after quenching his wanderlust over the last few years, he’s eager to share his passion for languages.

Useful French Phrases for the Intermediate Level

Are you having trouble bridging the gap from beginner to intermediate level? It can feel like a daunting task when you have to leave the comfort of simple structures in the present tense. This is especially true once you start treading the uncharted grounds of expressing complex ideas or subtle feelings.
But once you’re confident with the basics and realize the only way is up, you’ll find a lot of satisfaction in honing your skills on something a bit more challenging (like the intermediate French phrases introduced in this article). And I say “a bit” because French has this weird tendency to look way more complicated than it actually is.
The tenses, for example, are not nearly as overwhelming as they seem at first glance. With only a couple of them (namely: passé composé and futur proche), you’ll be surprised how fast you can progress and how much you can express. Similarly, the French conjunctions are numerous, but many of them have direct English equivalents and are used exactly the same way.
In this article, we’ll have a look at some of the most useful structures with over 50 examples of common intermediate French phrases. Learning these structures will allow you to talk about past events, make plans for the future, explain your reasons, and more.

- Anecdotes and Stories
- Let’s Make Plans
- A Few Reasons Why
- Praise and Complain
- Are You Kidding Me?
- Yes, Milord
- Le mot de la fin
1. Anecdotes and Stories
When you’re beginning with French, chances are you’ll only use the present tense for a while. Even when telling stories about past events or interesting experiences you’ve had, you can often get away with using the present tense. Sometimes, even native speakers do this in order to make the story more vivid and engaging.
However, unless you’re fluently and seamlessly handling the transition, doing so can create this awkward moment when your audience is trying to place your anecdote and adapt to the uncommon choice of tense. In most cases, I’d say that using the past tense is a better choice, and learning how to juggle between its different forms will be well worth your time.
Here are a few simple French phrases for the intermediate level that make use of the past tense.
C’était une très bonne soirée ! |
That was a really good night! |
On a passé un super moment. |
We had a great time. |
Literally: We have passed a great moment. |
On s’est bien amusés ! |
We had fun! |
Literally: We entertained ourselves well! |
C’était le pire jour de ma vie. |
That was the worst day of my life. |
Je travaille ici depuis deux ans et demi. |
I’ve been working here for two and a half years. |
Literally: I work here since two years and a half. This sentence uses the present tense because we’re talking about something that is still ongoing. I am working here (present), and this action started two and a half years ago. |
L’année dernière, j’ai voyagé en Argentine. |
Last year, I traveled to Argentina. |
J’ai fait du Karaté pendant deux ans. |
I’ve practiced karate for two years. |
Literally: I have done karate during two years. |
- ➜ There are many different forms of the past tense in French, but luckily, only a few are ever used in conversations. Be sure to stop by our complete guide to French tenses, freely available on FrenchPod101.com.

C’était une très bonne soirée ! (“That was a really good night!”)
2. Let’s Make Plans
Now that you have a better grasp on the past, let’s jump back to the future. As you’ll see, there are many different options, and the future tense is not often mandatory. Using its different forms is quite simple, though, and I’d recommend that you give them a try!
Usually, mentioning the date of the event will be enough for the other person to understand that you’re talking about the future. From that point on, whether you use the present, future, near future, or conditional is a matter of preference.
Est-ce que vous seriez disponible la semaine prochaine ? [Formal] |
Would you be available next week? |
Literally: Is it that you would be available the next week? |
Tu seras dispo dimanche ? [Casual] |
Will you be available on Sunday? |
Literally: You will be available on Sunday? |
Vous voulez manger japonais ? [Formal] |
Would you like to eat Japanese? |
Ça te dit de manger japonais ? [Casual] |
Would you like to eat Japanese? |
Literally: Does it tell you to eat Japanese? |
On se fait un jap ? [Very Casual] |
Care for some Japanese food? |
Literally: Are we doing ourselves a Jap? |
Je peux venir avec mon copain ? / Je peux venir avec ma copine ? |
Can I come with my boyfriend? / Can I come with my girlfriend? |
On peut reporter à la semaine prochaine ? |
Can we postpone it to next week? |
Literally: We can postpone to next week? |
On en discutera plus tard en réunion. |
We will discuss it later in a meeting. |

On se voit dimanche ? (“Shall we meet on Sunday?”)
- ➜ We’re just scratching the surface here. If you want to learn how to talk more about your plans, this free vocabulary list is just what you need.
3. A Few Reasons Why
Stating facts or describing things that you’ve done is a great start, but your conversations will get much more interesting once you can explain your actions and understand people’s motivations. It can be as simple as saying that you don’t want dessert because you’re full, or as complex as elaborating on your tastes in music or movies.
Describing your reasons is quite straightforward in French. You just need a few key intermediate French words and phrases, and you’ll be able to talk about causes and consequences.
Je ne mange ni œufs ni poisson car je suis allergique. |
I eat neither eggs nor fish because I’m allergic. |
J’espère que tu viens ce soir, sinon tu vas me manquer. |
I hope you’re coming tonight, or I will miss you. |
Literally: I hope that you come tonight, otherwise I will miss you. |
J’aime cette musique parce qu’elle me détend. |
I love this music because it relaxes me. |
J’ai un peu bu, alors je vais rentrer à pied. |
I’ve been drinking a little, so I’ll walk back home. |
Literally: I have drunk a little, so I will go back on foot. |
Comme j’étais épuisé, j’ai dormi jusqu’à midi. |
Because I was exhausted, I slept until noon. |
Je parle doucement pour ne pas la réveiller. |
I’m speaking softly so I won’t wake her up. |
J’ai choisi cette ville pour trois raisons : D’abord, sa taille, ensuite, son climat, mais surtout pour ses bars ! |
I chose this city for three reasons: First of all, its size; secondly, its weather; but most of all, for its bars! |

J’ai dormi jusqu’à midi car j’étais épuisé. (“I slept until noon because I was exhausted.”)
- ➜ Learning more conjunctions is one of the best ways to start creating elaborate and interesting sentences. Feel free to check our extensive guide to French conjunctions on FrenchPod101.com.
4. Praise and Complain
Sharing our opinions and insights helps us create bonds and allows us to learn from each other’s experiences. Whether you want to recommend something or discourage your friends from anything terrible, you can do so using these useful French phrases and patterns.
C’est mon cinéma préféré. |
This is my favorite movie theater. |
You can use this sentence pattern with anything. You should just keep in mind that préféré agrees with the object in both gender and number.
- C’est ma musique préférée. (“This is my favorite music.”)
- Ce sont mes films préférés. (“These are my favorite movies.”)
- Ce sont mes séries préférées. (“These are my favorite series.”)
C’est le meilleur film d’action depuis John Wick. |
This is the best action movie since John Wick. |
C’est la meilleure adresse pour manger japonais. |
This is the best address to eat Japanese food. |
Je te conseille de le voir en version originale. [Casual] | Je vous conseille de le voir en version originale. [Formal] |
I recommend that you see the original version. |
J’ai beaucoup aimé ce film, je le reverrais avec plaisir. |
I really enjoyed this movie. I would gladly watch it again. |
Literally: I have really liked this movie. I would see it again with pleasure. |
The conditional form is a bit tricky here. It sounds exactly like the future je le reverrai, and only the spelling is different. You can find the conjugation of the verb revoir over here.
La suite est très mauvaise. À éviter à tout prix. |
The sequel is really bad. To be avoided at all costs. |

C’est mon livre préféré ! (“This is my favorite book!”)
- ➜ In France, we love constructive criticism and—okay, fine, we love to complain! We go on and on about what we dislike and why it’s so terrible. If you want to join in on our verbal jousting, get some ammunition from our free vocabulary list on expressing dislike!
5. Are You Kidding Me?
Let’s change the tempo with some short conversation examples. In this section, you’ll learn how you can react to different statements and express enthusiasm, annoyance, curiosity, or disbelief.
On your road to fluency, being able to express interesting and nuanced reactions (rather than just saying yes or no) is a great step forward that will add a lot of flavor to your conversations.
1 – Great!
A: J’aime beaucoup la série que tu m’as conseillée. (“I really love the series you recommended to me.”)
B: C’est cool, je suis content que ça te plaise. (“That’s great. I’m glad you like it!”)
2 – Sorry.
A: Je suis allergique au poisson. (“I’m allergic to fish.”)
B: Oh, désolé, je ne savais pas. (“Oh, sorry, I didn’t know.”)
3 – I can’t believe it.
A: Je n’aime pas le fromage. (“I don’t like cheese.”)
B: Sérieusement ? (“Seriously?”) [Formal or Casual]
B: T’es sérieux ? (“Are you serious?”) [Casual]
B: Tu rigoles ? (“You kidding me?”) [Casual]
B: C’est pas vrai ! (“No way!”) [Formal or Casual]
B: N’importe quoi… (“Whatever…”) [Mostly Casual]
4 – That’s bad.
A: Je ne peux pas venir ce soir. (“I can’t come tonight.”)
B: Oh, c’est dommage. (“Oh, that’s a shame.”) [Formal or Casual]
B: Ah, c’est nul ! (“Ah, that sucks!”) [Mostly Casual]
5 – Keep me posted!
A: Je ne sais pas si je pourrai venir ce soir. (“I don’t know if I can come tonight.”)
B: OK, tenez-moi au courant ! (“Alright, keep me posted!”) [Formal]
B: Ok, tiens-moi au courant ! (“Alright, keep me posted!”) [Casual]
6. Yes, Milord
France is known for its exquisite etiquette and its slight obsession with polite protocol, so you bet there’s more to it than just s’il vous plaît (“please”) and merci (“thank you”).
Sure, these two expressions will take you a long way, especially if you stick to casual settings and relaxed, friendly gatherings. But as soon as you step into the business world or any formal event, you’ll be glad to have learned more. And even among friends, pleasantries never hurt!
Below are several polite French phrases for the intermediate level.
Bon appétit. |
Enjoy your meal. |
Literally: Good appetite. |
Faites comme chez vous. [Formal] | Fais comme chez toi. [Casual] |
Make yourself at home. | |
Literally: Do like at your home. |
Profitez bien de vos vacances ! [Formal] | Profite bien de tes vacances ! [Casual] |
Enjoy your vacation! |
Bon voyage ! |
Enjoy your trip! |
Literally: Good travel! |
C’était un plaisir. |
That was a pleasure. |
Excusez-moi de vous déranger. [Formal] |
I’m sorry to disturb you. |
Literally: Excuse me for disturbing you. |
À la vôtre ! [Formal] | À la tienne ! [Casual] |
Cheers! | |
Literally: To yours! This is a shortened version of À votre santé ! [Formal] / À ta santé ! [Casual] (“To your health!”) I personally prefer the shortened version, but it’s a matter of taste. |
À vos souhaits. [Formal] | À tes souhaits. [Casual] |
Bless you. | |
Literally: To your wishes. This is used when someone is sneezing. If they do it again, you could add à tes amours (“to your loves”) but it’s old-fashioned and mostly used as a joke. |

Fais comme chez toi ! (“Make yourself at home!”)
- ➜ This is just the tip of the iceberg, but if you’re interested in the topic of French etiquette, you’re in luck! We have a complete guide on how to be polite in France. It’s freely available on FrenchPod101.com.
7. Le mot de la fin
In this guide, you have learned a lot of intermediate French phrases with over 50 common examples covering various aspects of our daily lives.
Did we forget any important topic or some specific structures you’d like to learn about? Feel free to share it in the comments below!
To practice what you learned from our list of intermediate French phrases, I’d recommend following these steps:
- Read the sentence carefully and see if you can understand it.
- Try and translate it yourself using the words and grammar that you already know.
- Compare your results to the given translation (and to its literal translation, when needed).
- Once you understand the words and the grammatical structure, you can make some changes to the sentence to make it more personal.
- Once you’re comfortable enough, you could even try to rephrase it completely or to make it more complex.
Make sure to explore FrenchPod101.com, as we have plenty of free resources to help you practice your grammar and learn new words. Our vocabulary lists are also a great way to review words and learn their pronunciation.
Remember that you can also use our Premium PLUS service, MyTeacher, to get personal 1-on-1 coaching with your own private teacher. They can help you practice with the intermediate phrases you’ll come up with as you work through this list. In addition, your teacher can give you assignments, provide you with personalized exercises, and record audio samples just for you; they can then review your work and help improve your pronunciation.
Happy learning with FrenchPod101!
About the Author: Born and bred in rainy Northern France, Cyril Danon was bouncing off various jobs before he left everything behind to wander around the wonders of the world. Now, after quenching his wanderlust over the last few years, he’s eager to share his passion for languages.

The 15 Best Podcasts to Improve Your French

Do you wish there were a way to practice your French without going through the tedious grind of flashcards and grammar exercises? Some low-key technique that would save you from the hardships of academic learning?
What if I told you that you could practice any language efficiently without feeling like you’re putting actual work into it? This is not a life hack—it’s just what happens when you listen to engaging content in your target language!
Just like with movies and TV shows, you can learn French by listening to podcasts on a regular basis. Simply through natural exposure, you’ll learn new words, pick up a variety of idioms, and solidify the grammar structures you’ve already learned.
In this article, you’ll find 15 of the best French podcasts for learners at any level. You can use them to give your French learning a speed boost, especially when combined with the tips we’ve listed at the end.
Put on your headphones and let’s dive in!

- Why learn French from podcasts?
- The 15 Best French Podcasts
- How to Make the Most of Your French Podcasts
- Le mot de la fin

Effortless practice is just one podcast away.
1. Why learn French from podcasts?
The best way to learn French is to fully immerse yourself: travel to France, forbid yourself from speaking any other language, live and breathe French until it becomes second nature… I’m sure you’ve heard that before, right?
This is good advice, for sure, but what if it’s not an option? Maybe you need to achieve a specific proficiency level before your trip to France, in order to pass an exam, or even to land a job. In any case, when full immersion is not on the table, it leaves us with all the other options.
Taking classes, learning grammar, and going through the usual tedium of vocabulary lists and fill-in-the-blank exercises has proven to be a reasonable approach. But in this day and age, why not take advantage of everything the internet has to offer? Streaming, YouTube videos, vlogs, online radio shows, and of course, podcasts.
1 – The Benefits of Passive Learning
Practice makes perfect. The more exposure you get, the better.
On top of whatever method or academic program you may be following, the simple habit of listening to French every day in your car, on the bus, or while doing the dishes will foster a slew of benefits. It will:
- Improve your listening skills
- Reinforce your pronunciation, especially early on
- Consolidate your grammar as you hear the structures in context
- Enrich your vocabulary on the topics of your choice
2 – Different Levels, Different Perks
As a beginner, listening to podcasts in French gives you a good sense of how the language sounds and allows you to tackle the pronunciation as early on as possible. This is something I always advocate for because fixing pronunciation mistakes further down the line would be significantly more difficult.
Intermediate learners always experience the effect of diminishing returns. Simply put, it takes more work to achieve the same level of progress than it used to. Through consistent exposure, you’ll enhance your grammar, learn new vocabulary, and get more comfortable with your French without putting too much pressure on yourself.
Advanced students may benefit the most from podcasts, especially once they’re fluent enough to choose from the massive amount of content for native speakers. Suddenly, you’ll be able to listen to hundreds of podcasts on any possible topic while still making progress.

Podcasts are a great tool at any level.
2. The 15 Best French Podcasts
1 – CoffeeBreak French
- Level: True Beginner to Advanced
- Theme: Teaching Podcast
- Free content with ads + Premium paid content
If you’re a true beginner, you may find that very few podcasts allow you to jump right in, and this is what makes CoffeeBreak French stand out. Its four seasons cover every level, all the way up to advanced. It begins with lots of English in the first episodes, then gradually shifts to more French as you progress through the seasons.
They also have a 40-episode paid course specifically aimed toward children, while the main entries are free.
2 – Podcast Français Facile
- Level: Beginner to Advanced
- Theme: Teaching Podcast
- Free
Another great podcast for beginners and advanced learners alike, Podcast Français Facile has dozens of recorded dialogues sorted by level. They often come with a transcript, a PDF, exercises, and questions. Some of them have attached videos as well. The website also features a collection of short grammar points and pronunciation exercises.
3 – News in Slow French
- Level: Beginner to Advanced
- Theme: News
- Paid content with subscription
The name is self-explanatory: This is just like the French news, but slower. Pick your level, and the content will adjust in terms of speed and complexity. There are options to change the playback speed, if you want (for example) to hear beginner-level vocabulary with faster audio.
The site is paid; as a free user, you can only listen to the first minute of each episode to get an idea of what it’s about.
4 – FrenchPod101
- Level: Absolute Beginner to Advanced
- Theme: Teaching Podcast
- Free content + Premium and Premium PLUS subscriptions
I feel like I’m preaching to my own choir, but there was no way I could leave FrenchPod101 off this list! The website is essentially a giant collection of podcast lessons ranging in difficulty from absolute beginner to advanced.
You’ll find dialogues depicting common daily situations, cultural insights, and lots of first-hand information about the country and its lifestyle. You can complement this info with grammar points, exercises, quizzes, vocabulary lists, and even personal coaching (for Premium PLUS members).
5 – Histoires à écouter
- Level: Intermediate
- Theme: Stories
- Free
These are short stories for kids and teenagers, read by professional French actors for a pleasant and sharp delivery. Some of them use simple vocabulary, while others are more literary. Overall, even though they’re targeted at a young French audience, I’d not recommend it for beginners.
6 – Learn French by Podcast
- Level: Intermediate
- Theme: Teaching Podcast
- Free
This is a great French podcast for intermediate learners, featuring more than 200 free recordings of around 15 minutes each. They cover a wide variety of topics: news, politics, society, etc. Unlike most of the other podcasts I’ve listed so far, Learn French by Podcast doesn’t provide the transcript, but the recordings are slow and very well-articulated.
7 – One Thing in a French Day
- Level: Intermediate
- Theme: Life Stories
- Free
I was introduced to this podcast with a description along the lines of: “This lady’s talking about whatever, with a soothing voice,” and that’s pretty much it. Nearly 2000 episodes of five to seven minutes, offering a slice of a Frenchwoman’s day in France.
8 – InnerFrench
- Level: Intermediate to Advanced
- Theme: Teaching Podcast
- Free
To this day, InnerFrench has almost 100 episodes of 40 minutes each. There are a few interviews, but most of them are essays on different topics: French culture, news, science, psychology, languages, politics, books, music… It’s a great way to learn French and reflect on interesting topics of discussion.
This is really a teaching podcast at heart, and expressions and idioms are sometimes explained. However, although it’s slow and deliberately articulated, it features some rather complex vocabulary.
9 – Change ma Vie
- Level: Intermediate to Advanced
- Theme: Personal Development
- Free
This French podcast has around 200 episodes of 10 to 20 minutes, each one covering a topic related to personal development or soft psychology. It’s primarily aimed at native speakers, but its slow and carefully articulated speech makes it accessible enough for learners. The website sells life-coaching services, but the podcast is available for free.
10 – Journal en Français Facile
- Level: Intermediate to Advanced
- Theme: News
- Free
The most important thing you need to know about Journal en Français Facile is that it’s anything but facile (“easy”). Even though the speakers are very articulated with their neutral newscaster speech, you’ll need some serious vocabulary to keep up. Luckily, the transcript is a big help.

Newscasters articulate very well, making it easier for foreign learners to follow.
11 – Transfert
- Level: Advanced
- Theme: Life Stories
- Free
Transfert is a widely acclaimed blog about life stories. Various speakers come to share intimate tales about love, grief, family, and lifestyle. It doesn’t shy away from controversial topics, and some of them can be emotionally trying, but I’ve always found the podcast strangely absorbing.
With more than 140 episodes (and counting) ranging from nine to 75 minutes, it’s a great resource for advanced students to practice with many different tones and accents while dealing with everyday topics.
12 – Blog Histoire
- Level: Advanced
- Theme: History
- Free
What we have here is a massive collection of hundreds of recordings from 1999 to 2020, mainly about history and literature. Most of them are from the French radio station France Inter, and you can also hear these episodes on their official website.
The radio show used to be called 2000 ans d’histoire (“2000 Years of History”), and it had various experts and academics discussing fascinating subjects. With so many topics, you’re bound to find something you’ll be curious about!
13 – La Poudre
- Level: Advanced
- Theme: Society
- Free
La Poudre (“The Powder”) is an activist blog on racism and feminist struggles, with around 100 episodes of one hour each. Various guests come to share their insights and experiences, or to discuss the most recent news and cases on those topics.
It’s definitely not the easiest podcast to follow, but you can find the transcript for many of their episodes at this address.
14 – Culture 2000
- Level: Advanced
- Theme: History & Geography
- Free
Another one of the best French podcasts about history, this highly educational blog will teach you more about the world and its history. What better way to practice your French and enrich your cultural knowledge at the same time? Episodes are chunky pieces of 60 to 90 minutes each and can be downloaded for offline use.
15 – Une Histoire Intime
- Level: Advanced
- Theme: Death
- Free
Posted in March 2021 on France Inter, Une Histoire Intime (“An Intimate Story”) is a miniseries by French author and blogger Maïa Mazaurette. With seven episodes of around eight minutes each, this is by far the shortest podcast on our list.
Maïa’s boyfriend died from a heart attack. He was just 29. Seven years later, she’s sharing the tale with the abrupt candor and disconcerting honesty she’s known for. This is surprisingly not a sad story, but it’s still a story about death, mourning, and acceptance.

Whatever topic you’re into, there’s a French podcast for you!
If you’re advanced enough to tap into the wide pool of French podcasts for native speakers, you can find a staggering amount of content. I’ve only listed a few in this article, but you might want to dig deeper until you find exactly what’s right for you.
- → France Inter is a great place to start. They have countless free programs of professional quality available on their website. Among many others, I would recommend Affaires sensibles, a program about legal cases, unsolved crimes, and other gripping investigations.
- → France Culture is another radio channel that offers a wealth of free podcasts on a wide variety of subjects. On this page, you can sort through them by category (Philosophy, Music, Cinema, and much more) and find the best programs for your tastes.
3. How to Make the Most of Your French Podcasts
And there you have it, the 15 best podcasts for practicing your French. But this is still a bit raw. Let’s see how you can pick the perfect podcast for you and make the most of it.
- First of all, you should pick a podcast for your level.
What might sound really obvious can be challenging when you’re somewhere between levels. I would recommend starting with something on the easier side so you don’t get discouraged. Then, once you feel ready, you can always move up to some more challenging content later.
- Make sure you choose the right country and accent for your needs or preferences.
The podcasts on this list are from France; if you want to learn French from Quebec or Belgium, you might want to look specifically for that. They will also address cultural topics in line with the country you’re interested in.
- Select the right topic for you.
It may take some trial and error to figure it out. Especially if you’re advanced and have the luxury of choice, I strongly believe you should choose based on the topic over any other consideration. Listening to something you’re passionate about will keep you invested and coming back for more.
- Listen to several podcasts, and value diversity.
You don’t have to find the perfect program from Day One, and keeping your options open is often the smart choice. This is also a good way to be exposed to more than one voice and accent.
- Practice makes perfect.
You’ll often find some “listen & repeat” exercises on beginner podcasts, and I’d encourage you to take them seriously. Especially if you’re at home or in the comfort of your car, you can go wild and repeat as loud as you want. It will help you practice your pronunciation.
- Daily exposure is key.
If you can find the time for a daily podcast session by setting up a routine, this consistency will take you a long way. Commuting time is a popular option, but any downtime can be transformed into progress, as long as your ears and brain are fully available (don’t multitask too much!).
- Don’t forget to mix it up.
Although it might be possible to learn solely through passive learning, you will achieve the best results by mixing things up. I’d recommend using podcasts as a complementary activity to accompany some classic grammar and vocabulary work.

Transform your commute time into learning sessions.
4. Le mot de la fin
In this guide, we’ve discussed how you could boost your studies with the help of French podcasts and how to make the best of everything they have to offer. We’ve also listed our top picks for the 15 best podcasts for learning French.
Did we forget any amazing podcasts you’re following? We’d love to discover more useful content, so feel free to share your favorites in the comments below!
Make sure to explore FrenchPod101, as we have plenty of free resources to help you practice your grammar and learn new words. Our vocabulary lists are also a great way to review words and learn their pronunciation.
Remember that you can also use our Premium PLUS service, MyTeacher, to get personal 1-on-1 coaching with your own private teacher. They can help you solidify the new vocabulary and structures you learn from podcasts, and much more. In addition to giving you assignments and personalized exercises, your teacher can record audio samples for you and review your work to help you improve in all areas.
Happy learning on FrenchPod101.com!
About the Author: Born and bred in rainy Northern France, Cyril Danon was bouncing off various jobs before he left everything behind to wander around the wonders of the world. Now, after quenching his wanderlust over the last few years, he’s eager to share his passion for languages.

Simple French Phrases for Beginners

Do you sometimes feel that learning French is no small feat? Sure, the grammar can be intimidating at first, and the pronunciation a little challenging. But there are various ways to conquer these hurdles. One way is to practice using basic French phrases geared toward beginners right from the start.
The traditional academic route has its perks. It has been yielding good results for generations of language learners. But there is only so much to be gained from studying the basic grammar rules, learning lists of elementary vocabulary words, and practicing with written exercises. I believe in a more active approach.
With active learning, you develop the ability to think in French as a subconscious process and overcome the habit of translating everything in your head. How? Through the repetition and imitation of easy phrases with simple structures.
In this article, you’ll find more than 50 phrases every French beginner must know, from simple greetings to polite sentences. We’ll also cover phrases for a variety of common situations such as shopping, eating out, asking for help, or getting directions.

Ils parlent français. (“They speak French.”)

- Greetings and Self-introductions
- Courtesy Phrases
- Shopping
- Eating and Drinking Out
- Lost in Translation
- Asking for Directions
- Getting Out of Trouble
- Le mot de la fin
1. Greetings and Self-introductions
The first beginner phrases anyone gets to use are the greetings. Until you get more experienced, the conversation might not go much further than simple salutations—but you’ll still be making a great first impression.
For any informal encounter, Salut is an amazingly versatile word that works for both “Hello” and “Bye” toward both genders, at any time of day. For anything more formal, Bonjour (“Good day”) and Bonsoir (“Good evening”) are the way to go. Let’s have a look at the finer details.
Bonjour. [Formal or casual] | Salut. [Casual] |
Hello. | Hi. |
Literally: “Good day,” in one word | Literally: Greeting. |
Bonsoir. [Formal or casual] |
Good evening. |
Bonjour monsieur. [Formal] |
Hello, sir. |
Bonsoir madame. [Formal] |
Good evening, madam. |
Bonjour mademoiselle. [Formal] |
Hello, miss. |
Then, you may want to ask how they’re doing:
Comment allez-vous ? [Formal] | Comment ça va ? [Casual] |
How are you? | |
Literally: How are you going? |
Je vais bien, merci. [Formal] | Ça va. / Ça va bien. [Casual] |
I’m fine, thank you. | All good. |
Literally: I’m going well, thank you. | Literally: It goes. / It goes well. |
The common steps when meeting someone in France are rather similar to what you’d expect in any other country: “What’s your name?” and “Where are you from?” are all-time classics.
Comment vous appelez-vous ? [Formal] | Comment tu t’appelles ? [Casual] |
What’s your name? | |
Literally: How do you call yourself? |
Je m’appelle Cédric. |
My name is Cédric. |
Literally: I call myself Cédric. |
Enchanté(e). [Formal or casual] |
Nice to meet you. |
Literally: Enchanted / Delighted This is an adjective that agrees in gender with the person speaking (the one being delighted). So, if you’re a woman, you would be enchantée; if you’re a man, you would be enchanté. |
Je suis français. |
I’m French. |
J’habite en France. |
I live in France. |
J’habite à Paris. |
I live in Paris. |
Quel âge avez-vous ? [Formal] | Tu as quel âge ? [Casual] |
How old are you? | |
Literally: Which age do you have? |
J’ai trente ans. |
I’m thirty years old. |
Literally: I have thirty years. |
- → Once you feel comfortable with greeting and asking simple questions, you might want to step up your game and go further with the introductions. Why not have a look at our complete guides on how to say hello and how to introduce yourself?

Salut ! Comment ça va ? (“Hi, how are you doing?”)
2. Courtesy Phrases
Courtesy is the lubricant that makes society run smoothly. It helps ease the friction between people with different cultural backgrounds and values, and it acts as a framework for peaceful social interactions. It may seem forced at times, but especially when meeting new people in a different country, I’d rather appear uptight than rude.
Overall, the French are not especially stiff or overly apologetic. But forget to greet with a Bonjour when you enter a shop, and you’re already losing brownie points.
Below are several beginner phrases in French that you can use to put your best foot forward.
Excusez-moi.[Formal] | Excuse-moi. [Casual] |
Excuse me. | |
This is used to catch someone’s attention before asking for something, or to apologize in advance for an inconvenience. For example: Excusez-moi, est-ce que vous avez l’heure ? (“Excuse me, do you have the time?”) |
S’il vous plaît[Formal] | S’il te plaît[Casual] |
Please | |
Literally: If it pleases you. |
Merci |
Thank you |
De rien |
You’re welcome |
Literally: Of nothing Even though it’s as commonly used as “you’re welcome,” this phrase is closer to “no problem,” meaning that it was no big deal and there’s no need to thank you. |
- → For more information on French étiquette, you might want to stop by our list of do’s and don’ts when visiting France on FrenchPod101.com.
If you make a mistake despite your best efforts and want to apologize for it, you can keep it simple:
Pardon. |
Sorry. |
Literally: Pardon. |
Désolé(e). |
Sorry. |
Je suis désolé(e). |
I’m sorry. |
- → A simple pardon might not be enough if you really messed up, but you’ll find everything you need in our extensive guide on how to apologize in French.
As with greetings, you’re expected to say goodbye when you part ways with friends or even people you’ve just met. The same goes for leaving a bank or a shop.
Au revoir. [Formal] | Salut ! [Casual] |
Goodbye. | Bye! |
Literally: Revoir means “to see again” or “to meet again,” so this literally means “Until we meet again.” | Literally: Greetings! |
À plus tard. [Formal or casual] | À plus ! [Casual] |
See you later. | See you! |
Literally: Plus tard means “more late.” So this phrase literally means “Until later.” | This is just a shortened version of à plus tard. |
À bientôt. |
See you soon. |
À demain. |
See you tomorrow. |
Bonne chance. |
Good luck. |
- → With so many ways to say goodbye, it’s good to know that you can find them all in one place. That place would be our article 22 Ways to Say Goodbye in French.

Je suis désolée ! (“I’m sorry!”)
3. Shopping
As you travel through France, you’ll soon enough surrender to the temptation of the many shops, markets, and bakeries. You would then have to test your skills by ordering from unsuspecting clerks who have limited English skills.
First off, let’s be proverbially French and see how to order a buttery croissant:
Je voudrais un croissant, s’il vous plaît. |
I’d like a croissant, please. |
Je voudrais acheter un croissant, s’il vous plaît. |
I’d like to buy a croissant, please. |
Then, it’s easy to change the number and ask for more:
Je voudrais deux croissants, s’il vous plaît. |
I’d like two croissants, please. |
- → If you’re going to the market, make sure you synchronize your grocery list and your flashcards! You can start by studying this list of fruits & vegetables with example sentences and recordings.
Here are a few more common phrases:
Est-ce que vous avez des croissants, s’il vous plaît ? |
Do you have croissants, please? |
Combien coûte un croissant ? |
How much is a croissant? |
Literally: How much does a croissant cost? |
Combien je vous dois ? |
What do I owe you? |
Literally: How much do I owe you? |
Je vais payer par carte. |
I’ll pay by credit card. |
Literally: I will pay by card. |
- → Do you need more shopping-related words? Make sure to stop by our free vocabulary list on FrenchPod101.com.

Je vais payer par carte. (“I’ll pay with a credit card.”)
4. Eating and Drinking Out
Now that you’ve passed the trial of shopping, let’s move on to another life-or-death situation: ordering in a restaurant.
J’ai faim. |
I’m hungry. |
Literally: I have hunger. |
Je voudrais voir la carte. |
I would like to see the menu. |
Quel est le plat du jour ? |
What is today’s special? |
Literally: What is the dish of the day? |
Je voudrais une tartiflette, s’il vous plaît. |
I would like a tartiflette, please. |
But what’s a tartiflette? Potatoes, fried onions, sliced bacon, with a hint of white wine and garlic. Top it with a thick layer of melted reblochon cheese, and you get one of the most amazing French specialties. Why would anyone order anything else? |
- → Did I successfully whet your appetite? Then I suggest you go and check our in-depth guide to French cuisine on FrenchPod101.com.
Sur place ou à emporter ? |
For here or to go? |
Literally: On the place or to take away? |
L’addition s’il vous plaît. |
The bill, please. |
- → You can find many more useful phrases for ordering food on our free vocabulary list, with recorded examples to practice your pronunciation!

L’addition s’il vous plaît ! (“Check, please!”)
5. Lost in Translation
If you’re reading these French beginner phrases, chances are you’re not fluent yet and will likely get a little lost or confused during your visit. That’s perfectly fine, as long as you can explain the situation and move on.
Maybe you want to say that you don’t speak French very well, that you don’t understand, or that you’d like the other party to repeat what they said. It’s better to say it in French, because the longer you keep the conversation going, the more you’ll progress!
Parlez-vous français ? [Formal] | Tu parles français ? [Casual] |
Do you speak French? |
Je ne parle pas très bien anglais. |
I don’t speak English very well. |