Welcome from the French Film Festival

French, on your coffee break.

Podcast and video lessons that fit into the day you already have. We've been teaching French this way since 2006.

The first three lessons are free, and you don't need to give us a card.

Starting from scratch

Your first three lessons in French, free

Short video lessons for complete beginners on Coffee Break TV. Each one runs four to six minutes and covers one thing, so you can watch a lesson and still get on with your day.

The three free lessons
  • 1Your first words. Hello, goodbye, please and thank you, and what people say back to you.
  • 2Ordering your first coffee. This one is taught entirely in French. Don't worry, you'll follow more of it than you expect.
  • 3When you don't understand a word. Saying you haven't understood, asking someone to repeat, and asking if they speak English.
Watch the first three lessons
Already have some French

If you've done a bit before

Plenty of people come to us with school French from a long time ago, or a season or two of something else. Every level starts as a free podcast, so listen to the first few episodes and see whether it's pitched right for you before you spend anything.

1
A1-A2Absolute beginner
Your first French, from zero.
Listen free →
2
A2-B1Beginner plus
Build on the basics and widen your range.
Listen free →
3
B1-B2Intermediate
A story set in Nice, for handling real conversations.
Listen free →
4
B2-C1Advanced
A Paris email story, for refining the French you have.
Listen free →

There's a fifth level beyond these for advanced learners, and when a level feels right the matching course adds the lesson notes, exercises and bonus audio. See all the French levels.

Free to listen

Listen and watch

Most people start with the podcast, and plenty of learners never need anything else. That's how Coffee Break began in 2006, and it's still free.

The podcast

Four levels, from your first words through to real conversation. Season 1 starts at the very beginning and assumes nothing.

Start at Season 1 →

On YouTube

New video lessons every fortnight, plus grammar explainers and the things French learners ask about most.

Watch on YouTube →
When you want more

Where it goes next

Coffee Break TV

The full video library. Beginner lessons, grammar, culture and travel films, on the web and on your TV. New French videos every week.

See what's on →

The courses

The podcast with everything around it: full lesson notes, bonus audio, video and exercises, level by level.

Find your level →
2006
Teaching languages since
400m
Podcast downloads
196
Countries with learners