Best Books for Learning French

Struggling to work out which books you need?

You are not alone, the challenge often faced when buying books or resources to learn French is not that there isn’t enough available.

The problem is that there’s so much out there that it can be overwhelming to decide what’s good and what is not.

At the end of the day, French is French and you will mostly find the same content or same approach packaged up and presented a little differently. While some are good,  some are bad and a lot is simply awful and more confusing than helpful.

So how do I know?

If it claim to be able to teach or help you learn a language in a few days, weeks or months or it promises you fast fluency, save your money. 

Anything promising you a way to ‘get fluent quickly’ is no different to an add promising you six-pack abs without effort even if I truly understand the tempatation! 

Languages take time, a lot of effort, a few fails, trials and errors, fun moments where everything seems to fall into place followed by frustrating moments. Even the most diligent, focused student will go through this.

You absolutely will need to purchase a book or two to help you study but stay realistic and go for the trusted classics. Make sure you flick through them before you buy.

Ideally you want to instantly feel an attraction, you will need to use it over and over again, you will probably put some coloured post its, write some notes, underline things...it's a commitment. Picture yourself working with that book for a while.

Simplicity of design and explanation is key in my opinion.

Here are my favourite in no order: 

• Grammaire Progressive du Français
• Schaum's (classic, old fashioned, solid) 
• Complete French Grammar
• 501 French Verbs (to learn)
• The Ultimate French Review and Practise (cover mostly everything)
• French Verb Drills  (to practise)

Which books do you use, or have tried and loved/hated and why?

I really would love to know.

A bientot,

Alexandra