The 11 Best YouTube Channels for Learning French in 2023
In the digital era of language-learning, YouTube has become a go-to destination for French learners around the world, due to its abundant educational content and immersive resources available for free. Whether you're a complete beginner in French or an intermediate learner looking to level-up your skills, you will find a large number of French YouTubers who are knowledgeable and passionate about teaching their language. In this article we are going to present a hand-picked selection of the best YouTube channels for learning French. Packed with comprehensive lessons, expert tips, and cultural insights, these channels cover all aspects of language learning, and are a great complement to other study methods such as reading in French and taking lessons.
Why Study YouTube French Lessons?
Everyone loves free content!
When you turn to French YouTubers to learn French, you’re getting unlimited 24/7 access to the knowledge and expertise of native speakers; the equivalent in 1:1 French lessons would cost you a lot of money. The best French YouTube channels offer pronunciation lessons, vocabulary tips, grammar explanations, conversation practice, and cultural immersion too – so learners will easily find content that aligns with their specific learning goals and interests.
YouTube videos combine audio and visual elements
Learners can listen to authentic French while observing the facial expressions, gestures, and mouth movements of native speakers. While French podcasts are a fantastic resource – especially for French immersion on the go – French learning videos provide a fuller experience, and the visual element makes it easier to stay focused rather than letting your mind drift elsewhere (as the mind-wandering effect can happen with podcasts, especially if the language level is a little too high).
Supportive community
The supportive community that often builds up around French YouTubers can be another motivating factor. YouTube French learners are encouraged to share their experiences, ask questions, and provide support to one another. Engaging with this virtual community can foster a sense of connection and motivation that ultimately boosts your determination to continue learning French.
You’ll discover language in context
One more positive aspect of learning from French YouTubers is that you’ll discover language in context, and you will then be able to take this forward into your own use of French. Keep reading to the end of the article for tips on getting the most out of watching YouTube French lessons.
By the way, if you have an advanced level of French and are looking for YouTube TV French channels aimed at a native speaker audience, check out our previous article on learning French with Netflix shows. Of course there is lots more YouTube French content of a native speaker level, but in today’s article we’re focusing exclusively on French YouTube channels aimed at learners.
The Best YouTube Channels for Learning French
Learn French With Alexa (@learnfrenchwithalexa)
Alexa is a very well-established YouTuber who creates French learning videos for beginner-level and up. Since she uses English quite liberally in her videos, newbies will find her content accessible, as will elementary and intermediate learners looking to expand their vocabulary and develop more native-like pronunciation. Alexa has a fun and engaging style that makes her videos – from French exam advice, to cooking tutorials – very enjoyable to watch.
Piece of French (@pieceoffrench)
French YouTuber Elsa promises to help her audience increase their vocabulary, master French idioms, and improve comprehension and pronunciation skills. Her channel Piece of French has everything from travel vlogs, to real conversations with other native French speakers, as well as recommendations for French books and TV shows. The typical video clocks in at under 15 minutes and is entirely in authentic everyday French – ideal for intermediate learners.
French Mornings with Elisa (@FrenchmorningswithElisa)
Elisa makes engaging YouTube French lessons delivered in a warm conversational style of French, with a little English sprinkled in occasionally, so it feels as if you were getting language advice from a helpful friend. Her channel includes French travel vlogs, analysis of Hollywood celebrities speaking French (is your French better than Bradley Cooper’s? Or how about Timothee Chalamet’s?), and bitesize French lessons on everything from slang words to the subjunctive. She also hosts occasional live masterclasses where her international audience can come together to practise French.
Français avec Fluidité (@francaisavecfluidite)
This excellent French YouTube channel is also a podcast, spanning a huge range of topics presented in comprehensible French. There is lots to learn here about French history, geography, contemporary culture, and the French language itself. Multilingual subtitles are available, and transcripts are provided for free.
Français Authentique (@francaisauthentique)
Johan’s channel offers some of the best YouTube French lessons available in 100% authentic French. Here you will find an amazing breadth of content covering vocabulary, grammar, idiomatic expressions, and motivational advice on language learning and self-improvement. Visually engaging, with integrated French subtitles on every video, the quality and clarity of the content will be appreciated by intermediate learners with a solid foundation in the language.
InnerFrench (@innerFrench)
Hugo has a well-established YouTube French channel packed with interesting and unique content for intermediate learners. In clear and natural French, he shares tips on grammar, conversational phrases, and an authentic French perspective on current affairs. The average video length is around 15 minutes long, but there are also longer videos if you fancy more of a deep-dive. And if you enjoy the InnerFrench YouTube channel, be sure to check out the podcast too, as the material is different from the YouTube videos.
Ma Prof de Français (@maprofdefrancais)
If it’s français québécois that you’re interested in, look no further than this channel. The teacher provides unique insights into French-Canadian culture, vocabulary, and pronunciation. She also hosts fascinating interviews with French speakers of various nationalities and walks of life.
French Talks (@FrenchTalks)
This channel has animated French learning videos suitable for A1 to B1 learners, demonstrating how to use everyday French for conversational purposes and travel scenarios. There are also short stories, dialogues, and quizzes to help learners build a solid foundation in French.
Français avec Pierre (@FrancaisavecPierre)
Pierre has a well-established channel going back several years, which offers some of the best videos for learning French, in terms of the breadth and quality of content. You will find vocabulary and grammar tips, exam advice, and even a course for complete beginners, delivered entirely in clear and natural French.
Français avec Nelly (@francaisavecnelly)
Nelly is a qualified French teacher making videos to help learners speak more accurate, sophisticated, native-like French. Her video titles are mostly in English, so it’s easy to navigate her channel to find exactly what you want, while the videos are narrated entirely in French. Nelly shares expert advice on diversifying and upgrading your vocabulary, as well as improving your conversational skills.
French Comprehensible Input (@FrenchComprehensibleInput)
Learn French with language teacher Lucas, who makes vibrant and engaging instructional videos for all levels. He uses diverse resources such as comics, TV shows, and even memes to bring the language to life for his audience.
Tips to Learn Effectively with French YouTubers
It’s true that passive exposure to your target language is a worthwhile immersive experience. But in order to gain maximum benefits from using French YouTubers to learn French, we highly recommend taking additional practical steps to help you retain new information and actively grow your language skills. The following are a few suggestions to get the most value out of French YouTube channels:
Take notes
During a live French lesson or lecture, you would probably take notes to help you remember the content. So why not do the same during YouTube French lessons? Compared to passive listening, the act of writing facilitates better learning and memorisation, not to mention it’s also handy to be able to return to your notes at a later date to refresh your memory. You needn’t write down everything you hear, but select some key points, useful vocabulary or phrases, and/or example sentences that you would most like to remember, and write them in your notebook. (If you find it hard to get motivated to write, some people find that having high-quality stationery and colourful pens really helps!)
Shadowing
Some would say that watching French learning videos is of lesser value than attending a live French lesson, because you don’t have the opportunity to interact with other French speakers, and you can’t get immediate feedback on your speaking. While that may be true, it doesn’t mean that you can’t use French YouTube channels to improve your speaking. Firstly, some of the French YouTubers listed here provide guided role-plays and pronunciation exercises that you can practise with – check out Français avec Nelly or Learn French with Alexa, for example. We also recommend that you try a technique called shadowing, whereby you listen to the native speaker (and follow the transcript if needed), repeating what they say as accurately as you can, with the same pronunciation and intonation. If you are not a confident speaker or you don’t get many speaking opportunities, shadowing is a great way to get used to producing French sounds and melodies, without having to worry about the judgement of others.
Using subtitles
As shown below, YouTube settings allow subtitles to be turned on in French or English, and sometimes other languages are available too. In some cases, the subtitles are auto-generated, so be advised that they may not always be 100% accurate.
To improve our listening skills, it is best to refrain from using subtitles unless necessary – after all, real-life interactions don’t come with subtitles! If we do find subtitles necessary, then using French subtitles is better than English ones, to maximise our immersion in the target language. With that said, English subtitles can serve a useful purpose as a temporary crutch in some cases: for example, for beginners, or people coming back to studying French after a long break.
Apply what you’ve learned
Knowledge is most valuable when it’s applied – so you should challenge yourself to use whatever new vocabulary or grammatical structures you picked up from watching French YouTube channels, ideally as soon as possible, in order to reinforce your learning. This could include using a new French phrase during a conversation, if you have the opportunity to speak. Alternatively, do some French writing practice after watching, and try summarising the video content using the target vocabulary/grammar.
Summary
This article has presented some of the best videos for learning French via expert native-speaking instructors such as Français Authentique, Ma Prof de Français, French Mornings with Elisa, and more. Check out the above channels and subscribe to the ones that provide the most interesting and relevant content for you. Many of these creators also offer additional bonus material or online courses, for a fee.
Of course, we have merely scratched the surface of French YouTubers in this article; but you will find that once YouTube figures out that you’re interested in French videos, the algorithm will introduce you to lots more great content to accelerate your learning. Happy watching!
Author:
Daisy Ward is an experienced online English teacher, writer and content creator with a passion for foreign languages and cultures. Her expertise in effective language-learning strategies is derived from many years in language classrooms, both as a teacher and as a student. Fluent in French and competent in Mandarin Chinese, she attributes much of her success in learning languages to the use of apps and other online tools.
