When you are learning a new language choosing the best French book for your needs might seem like a daunting task. Where do you start? What is your level of the language right now? Which French book is appropriate for my level? Why am I trying to learn this language?



All of these questions are important in order to choose the best French book for your particular language goals. Fear no more. I have compiled THE list of the best French books for learners of any level, from beginners to advanced there is the perfect book for you, but first……

How To find the Best French Book For Your needs?

1. Find out your learning style – This step is crucial whenever you are trying to learn any language.

If you try to use a boring block of text and you are a visual learner you will end up not using that book. Period!

If you don’t know your learning style take this simple quiz! Do pay attention not only to your most dominant style but to your second dominant style which leads me to…

2. Use your two most dominant learning styles together and boom! Your results will skyrocket! More on that later.

3. Full Immersion – If you think you need to buy a ticket to Paris to have the ‘full immersion experience’ think again!

There are tons of ways of being fully immersed in the language without the expense. In this article, I’ll give you a couple of ways of doing so.

4. Space Repetition – What is that? Well, you know that you have to study, right. That’s a no-brainer but studying and studying smarter are two different things altogether.

That’s why I recommend that you space out your study sessions and you plan them so you can study smarter in way less time than you would in traditional programs.

For a more in depth definition of what is space repetition and how to use it check out this article and this one too!

But there’s a catch, you need to know:

What are your language goals? Are you looking to learn a language just to communicate with friends? Are you thinking about looking for a job abroad or maybe enroll on that awesome college that you have been dreaming of but the language barrier is keeping that dream out of reach?

Are you going to France in the near future and just want to master the basics so you can have a more enjoyable time as a tourist?

Your language goals are just as important in determining how to approach a new language as any other goal in life. They will help you focus on the results that you want and how to achieve them.

Picking the Best French book will be a great asset and your best companion when you embark on the journey of learning a foreign language. So without further ado let’s review some options and the benefits of each of them as well as how suitable a particular book might be for you.

Beginners are probably the category that has more options and because of that probably the most difficult category to choose from! There are a lot of books for beginners, a lot of them are really good books, a lot of them a waste of your time so let’s review some really good options.

Beginners Books:

1. Living Language French Edition by Living Language

This is a beginner’s collection that starts you off with vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation in easy to read, very short lessons. This is the perfect book for someone that is starting out with the language and does not have any background on it at all.

The only con that I see with this series is that is not very visually appealing for those of us that really like to engage with beautiful images along with the content. It is tough an excellent book, if not the best if you are studying French on your own. How awesome is that?

If you don’t mind the simple layout and you are just starting, this is the perfect book for you. It builds up your knowledge from one lesson to the other and the audio makes the process way easier than other programs.

If you are an auditory person you will enjoy this book’s easy approach to language.

2. Easy French Step by Step by Myrna Bell

This book is a very simple approach to French language. Each lesson builds up on the previous one and each topic is clearly and easily explained followed by practice exercises.

If you are just beginning and prefer a book that you can sit down, read and write reviews and flashcards, this book is for you. It is designed to master high frequency words fast with grammar exercises and short readings.

This is a great French book for beginners that can be coupled with spaced repetition ( more on this technique later) for maximum results. In short, is more suitable for those students that prefer a more passive, traditional approach to learning a language.

3. D’accord Level 1 by Vista Higher Learning

This book is more useful for those students that need a deeper understanding of French. It is designed to build your knowledge from lesson to lesson, very visually appealing for those that are visual learners as well as the auditory learners since it comes with audio for each lesson.

You can also purchase the student workbook that complements the book to practice even further.

Drawbacks: this book is made for a classroom setting not for studying on your own so if you already have a background in French or if you are enrolled in a class or tutoring services this might be a good book for you. Another drawback is the price. It is on the expensive side although the content is truly worth it.

4. Alter Ego A1 by Hachette

This is by far the best French book that I have used as a French teacher. It packs a bunch in a really decent size book, is very straight to the point without the use of a lot of grammar, the visuals are amazing and you can’t beat the price. It is completely in French but because of that you can get the full immersion experience without living in France.

It is both useful for classroom use or if you are learning on your own. It also comes with lots of audio for most parts of each lesson which means you get a conversational French pretty quick.

You also have a separate student handbook for even more practice and audio recordings by natives.

If your language goal is to learn French to communicate with natives this book is your perfect companion.

5. Grammaire Progressive du Francais Niveau Debutant by Clè International

This is not a language book ‘per se’, it is more like bite sized lessons followed by practice exercises on what you just learned.

It does not have a lot of visuals but the simplicity of it and the focused lessons is what makes this collection of books a truly awesome choice.

This is what I love about this series: You are first introduced to a grammar structure that will be presented using bold letters, then an explanation of that grammar topic is presented then followed by some practice exercises. Voila!

You just learned one single topic in an easily digestible chunk and you just focused on one aspect at a time which is perfect for beginners.

No more frustration over exercises that ask you to put to use multiple grammar points that were explained throughout a long lesson or chapter.

With this format you will feel accomplished about just completing one tiny bit that you now master really well. Très bien!

The only drawback that I can see is that the format is very simple with tables and bullet points but no visuals at all.

If you are very visual consider if you might get bored by the simple layout. Other than that it’s a really good French book for beginners.

Any Level:

6. Merde by Geneviève

A pretty handy book if you want to curse in French! or if you want to dig deeper into those idioms, slang and gestures so typical of the French culture.

At best you will laugh at the very silly or incomprehensible idioms, at least you will be better equipped to have more than a ‘survival’ French.

Adding these idioms to your language will certainly graduate you from beginner to street master. Beware, this is not a French language book.

This is more like an addition to your French to make it sound, how I can say, less textbook and more authentic.

7. Merde Encore by Geneviève

They did it again. This time with even more slang, French sign language and guillotined French. Interesting word your say, well the French did like la guillotine right? well now they use it to cut words that are too long. That is some progress right?

8. Contacts by Jean-Paul Valette

This book is very close to my heart. It was the book that I used throughout my Bachelor degree in French. Don’t blame me if I swear by it after more than a decade of being fluent in French.

Contacts has a very defined, structured quality that makes understanding the content really easy. Also, it is very visual with lots of pictures, bullet points, tables, bold letters, highlighted keywords or verb endings that makes the heart of a visual person like me sing with pure joy.

The only drawback that I can see about this book is that is on the expensive side but…. it will take you from the beginner level to the advanced level with just one book. Most books are designed for a specific level and when you go over that level you then have to purchase the next level book.

It’s a matter of how serious you are about learning French and how much of an investment are you willing to make. To be honest, It’s a great price for a book that will take you from Je m’appelle to the most advanced French grammar structures.

Intermediate Books:

9. En bonne forme by Simone Renaud

When I first picked up a copy of this book a few years ago I was utterly impressed! Most French books, in my opinion, have a commercial quality to them that does not show very well how the French speak the language in real life but this book is different! and by different I mean it in a good way.

There are a lot of idioms, slang and it’s a really good reference book for all things grammar. Very well explained and with great attention to details. A great choice for intermediate learners.

10. D’accord Level 2 by Vista Higher Lea

As with Level 1, D’accord level 2 is a great choice for intermediate learners that are very visual and auditory with plenty of images and audio files included, tons of exercises and a companion workbook if you want to further practice beyond the books already good practice exercises.

However, as I said, it is more suitable for those students taking formal classes or tutoring lessons than for a student that is learning on their own.

11. Alter Ego B1 by Hachette

This book pictures, graphics and overall layout makes you want to learn French right now. with the addition of plenty of audio you are sure to have a great conversation in French really fast.

Since this book is more suitable for the intermediate levels you do need to be at this level if you choose this book. Otherwise, you will likely feel overwhelmed by the content since they do provided great content in a decent size book.

It would work perfectly for visual and auditory learners alike and the price is amazing for the quality of the content. You can also purchase th e student handbook, full of practice exercises and more audio practice, also at a good price point.

Advanced Books:

12. Thèmes by Eliane Kurbegov

Now let’s move to the advanced level books. I have had the joy of teaching AP French and boy it is hard to teach that class. Just imagine my poor students as I tried to get them to the level that they needed to be able to pass the AP French exam.

Even if you are not an Advanced Placement student you can still benefit from this book. It is specifically targeted for AP students but it is equally relevant for any advanced student trying to polish up their French. I think this is the best French book for advanced learners.

13. Améliorez vos écrits professionnels by Patricia Maillet

This book is from my dear friend Patricia Maillet. She does a really good job at organizing a simple layout for you to master French grammar like a pro.

Her book is designed with mini lessons introducing the topic with great explanations and practice exercises after each mini lesson.

I love the simplicity of it yet she manages to also point out the most common mistakes so you don’t make them yourself! A great choice for advanced learners that want to polish their grammar until it is simply flawless.

14. Grammaire Progressive du Francais by Michèle Boulares

This is the advanced version of this series and it surely does not disappoint. With mini lesson specifically targeted on one topic and practice exercises after each lesson this book will allow you to focus on one thing at a time and on making process in manageable sized chunks of information.

A great tool for advanced learners as they approach those more difficult skills in French.

15. Alter Ego C1 by Hachette

As with the other levels of the Alger Ego series this book is a treasure for advanced students. It is very straight to the point without the use of a lot of grammar, the visuals are amazing and you can’t beat the price of any of the books on this series.

It is both useful for classroom use or if you are learning on your own. It also comes with lots of audio for most parts of each lesson which means you get a conversational French pretty quick but now they are more elaborate and well , advanced.

You can also purchase the student handbook for more in depth practice and even more audio practice.

If your language goal is to learn French to communicate with natives this book is your perfect companion as it also comes with many French idioms and slang.

Conclusion

Pick the book that is best suited to your language goals and your learning style. With that said, how you study is another crucial aspect of mastering a foreign language.

Here are my tips on a couple of really cool techniques that I have developed, used or practiced with over both my years as a teacher of Spanish, French and Italian and also as a college student where I learned my third and fourth language. With your good companion and a couple of these strategies you will achieve those goals, fast…

1. Know your 2 best learning styles and use them together

I discovered early on that I am a very visual person, writing things down and looking at them allowed me to remember them a lot easier but I also knew that I was very inclined to music and just the beat of any type of music coupled with the lyrics was my golden ticket to shorter learning sessions.

Therefore, strange as it may sound, I started to record myself with whatever material I needed to learn. I listened to my recordings and I had my review on hand to read it along with the audio.

I already had good grades but this technique really skyrocketed my results ten fold. For example I am 30% auditory, 60% visual and 10% tactile. I use that information to my advantage whether I am studying or planning any teaching activity.

I will link down below, at the very end of this post, to a great quiz that will help you determine your learning style/s.

Do you know your learning style? Knowing which learning styles you are most dominant on can help you get better results way faster than with a traditional one approach method.

I will link below to a simple quiz that you can take to discover your learning style and when you do, don’t forget to use your 2 most dominant ones!

2. Full immersion

Granted, most of us simply cannot recreate a full immersion environment 24/7. You have classes to go to, a job, perhaps kids requiring your attention and just life. That does not mean you can not try! There are tons of ways of having the feeling of a full immersion experience without booking a single way ticket to Paris.

– Start your day with French news– There are a ton of digital French newspapers and broadcast that you can choose from. –

Change your phone’s settings to French– Believe me, it will feel weird at first but after a while it will become second nature to use all of those functions in those cute French words.

– Binge watch on French series, films or documentaries– Netflix have a wide array of selections that you can choose from or you can simply watch your favorite movies and change the audio to French.

Don’t add subtitles! That defies the purpose of trying to create a full immersion environment right? Learn to get used to the idea of not understanding everything!

This is key when learning another language. Just absorb all of that input until you are able to put the pieces together. You did it like a baby when you learn your native language.

Full Immersion Does Not Mean You Have To Travel Abroad

– Try to meet a Penpal There are a ton of websites that you can choose from where people are just eager to learn your language and to teach you theirs. Best of all, a penpal is the best resource to learn that slang that is difficult to find in most commercial books.

A nice addition to your vocab if you ask me. Trying to curse in French? Ask your penpal, he/she will be more than happy to share their knowledge.

Another good aspect of having a penpal is that you get to know the nuances of the language as well as the culture. Something that most of the time is not accurately displayed on textbooks or is sometimes outdated.

I had a penpal for a decade and he really helped me tons, specially with the slang and when I was struggling with some aspects of the very advanced levels of the language such as writing a 50 page thesis in French.

3. Your book should be tailored to your language goals and your learning style

Needless to say, if you pick the wrong book you might end up either frustrated because it’s too complicated for you or bored because it’s too easy for your level or not very appealing to your language style.



For example, I am very visual and very auditory but not very tactile. Therefore I choose books based on the learning styles that I am most dominant on. Choose wisely your book!

4. Space repetition

This is a term that simply means that you should space out your learning sessions. It is not very useful nor entertaining to recite a hundred words in French hoping that some of them will stick to your brain.



Your learning sessions should be spaced out so you can spend less time studying but getting better and better results.



Ideally you should aim to space your sessions to have a certain set of words every other day and then every 4 to 5 days once you are beginning to forget them.

Yes, you heard that right, you need to learn something new, let your brain almost forget it and then introduce it again.

This causes those words to move from your short term memory to your long term memory, in short, you will never forget them even years after not hearing that word anymore.

I will write an in depth article on learning techniques, including spaced repetition, so stay tuned, for now look at this sample schedule that I used during college, years ago and how I included word study everyday mixed up with other skills such as writing, reading and listening.

If you liked this article please feel free to share with friends. You can also subscribe to my newsletter for more awesome tips and strategies to learn French fast!

Au revoir, et a la prochaine!

Frances López

Resources mentioned in this article:

Beginners:

Living Language French Edition- https://amzn.to/2Fs0rjW

Easy French Step by Step- https://amzn.to/2FEijHm

Grammaire progressive du francais ( beginner’s level)- https://amzn.to/2VQKj0i

D’accord Level 1- https://amzn.to/2SUDCrY

D’accord cahier de l’eleve level 1- https://amzn.to/2SYZlzm

Alter ego A1 Beginners Level- https://amzn.to/2RKoG2C

Alter ego cahier d’activites a1- https://amzn.to/2CjY6DD

Any Level :

Merde- https://amzn.to/2MgczFn

Merde Encore- https://amzn.to/2Cwmnq

Contacts- https://amzn.to/2Del3tG

Intermediate:

Grammaire progressive du francais ( intermediate level) – https://amzn.to/2M8nJM4

D’accord Level 2- https://amzn.to/2TRPKKF

D’accord cahier de l’eleve level 2- https://amzn.to/2M8iwUE

En bonne forme- https://amzn.to/2CsO3Ms

Alter ego B1 Intermediate Level- https://amzn.to/2VPyfMK

Alter ego cahier d’activites B1- https://amzn.to/2CqvEQm

Advanced:

Themes- https://amzn.to/2ST4FEj

Ameliorez vos ecrits professionnels- https://amzn.to/2M8FRWi

Grammaire progressive du francais (advanced level) – https://amzn.to/2AJYNWX

Alter ego C1 Advanced Level- https://amzn.to/2FwCh6Y

Alter Ego cahier d’activites C1- https://amzn.to/2Cm05XY

Resources Used in this Article:

Quiz to know your learning styles- http://www.educationplanner.org/students/self-assessments/learning-styles-quiz.shtml

Quiz to know your language level- https://savoirs.rfi.fr/en/test-your-french-level

Remember that A1-A2 are beginner levels, B1-B2 are intermediate levels and C1-C-2 are advanced levels. This will help you to choose your book, specially the Alter Ego series.