Learning French in Paris

Hi,

Many french universities offer French courses to foreign students, including courses designed specifically to teach basics to people with no French knowledge at all — which I understand is your situation. These public universities offer such services at a rather low rate, comparing to US colleges’ fees 😉 However, it might be hard to do so if you don’t know anyone to help you get settled and manage alone in the city within the first weeks.

There are also private institutions, but they are much more expensive.

The Sorbonne University offers French to foreigners. The only problem is that their web site is in French. Not much help if you don’t speak it.

You might try the Institut de Francais web site at http://www.institutdefrancais.com. They offer excellent language courses. I know they have courses in southern France, but I seem to recall they also have courses in Paris.

You could Google "French and language learning" or something like that. "French Language Schools" might work.

I met a delightful young man once who spoke five or six languages quite well and I asked him how he learned them. His answer was, "Girlfriends, girlfriends!" I think he may have been serious.

You could also check Berlitz on the web. I know they have a language school in Paris because I’ve walked past it.

Good luck.

ok thx much, i did look on the web but all i could find is some expensive private institute, which i can’t really afford !

and salB, the guy was serious, girlfriend is how i learnt english hehe, actually i m looking for infos for her to learn french =)

Well, if it works, she could get a French boyfriend. That would sort of leave you out in the cold, though, wouldn’t it? 8)

I don’t know where you live, but you could check your local colleges, even community colleges. They often have very inexpensive French courses and then offer a semester in France as a cultural experience. Your friend could try to get a sponsor like a local Rotary Club or something similar to help her with expenses. (Check Service Clubs in the yellow pages.)

If you want a course, you will have to pay money. If you just want to learn French, you might check volunteer opportunities in France. This would probably not be in Paris; it would be out in the countryside helping rebuild antiquities somewhere. You would get to meet a lot of interesting French people and do something useful while learning French. Run "Volunteering in France" on Google.

Another possibility is checking with local churches to see if you could help on a mission project in France or a French speaking country.

If I were you, I think I’d check my local community colleges before anything else. They are very inexpensive.

Good Luck!