10 Common French Learning Dilemmas: Honest Advice from a Native Teacher

Let's avoid losing your time here, this article is for you if :

• You don’t want anyone selling you anything; you just need honest advice.

• You feel overwhelmed about which direction to follow in your French journey.

• You’re tired of reading anything and everything on any given topic.

Everyone has an opinion, everyone has something to sell. Whether it’s about choosing a brand of shampoo or deciding on a specific program for your gym sessions, you scroll through social media and find about 367 different “best products,” “best programs,” “best brands,” “best routines,” and an additional 53 promo codes, free trials, “satisfied or money back” offers. We all suffer from this, and at the same time, it’s very difficult to avoid.

I’m a professional native French teacher, and yes, I offer one-on-one personalized lessons, and of course, I use my online presence as a way of displaying my offers and finding potential students. However, I’m writing this article from the perspective of a typical overwhelmed consumer in this ever-growing industry of infinite offers and infinite needs.

Let’s go through 10 common doubts and try to clarify them one after the other.

1. Should I study with a native French speaker or with someone who speaks my language?

The short answer: it depends on what you need. A native speaker can offer you authentic pronunciation and cultural nuances. But here’s the catch—being a native doesn’t mean being a good teacher. They need to know how to teach. On the other hand, someone who speaks your language can make grammar explanations more relatable. Ideally, find someone who ticks both boxes: they understand how you learn and can guide you with real expertise. Bonus: if they’re fun and engaging, you’ll stick to it longer!

The long answer is: your background and history must come into consideration when you make your decision. If you come from a multicultural setting, either through family, school, or your living/working situation, and already speak more than two languages, you probably won’t be scared of finding yourself in the hands of a native speaker. But if this is your first encounter with language learning and you’re not much of an international person, finding a teacher that comes from your country and speaks your language can feel reassuring. It doesn't mean they're the best, but it might be a way of starting before moving onto someone better with authentic pronunciation and knowledge.

2. Do I really need to be immersed in French all the time when I don’t even know how to have a basic conversation?

I know how tired you must feel always hearing French teachers repeating the same words all the time: “immersion,” “real French,” “spoken French,” “authentic French.” I myself am very big on this, and having learned many languages through immersion, I can never defend it enough. However, in order for immersion to work, you need to actually listen. There’s no magic language absorption mode, especially if you're just beginning.

So no, you don’t have to be surrounded by French all the time—this could cause exhaustion and a real loss of interest. But defining a precise time slot of activity that you’ll allocate to authentic French is a smart move. Try listening to one podcast on your way to work and reading your easy French story during your lunch break. Giving yourself a clear framework avoids the feeling of “too much, too fast.”

Careful though, the type of content you choose to immerse yourself in should be of an adequate difficulty—it’s all about comprehensible input.

3. Is the French from my textbook worth anything at all?

Oh, textbooks. Useful? Yes. Perfect? Nope. The French in textbooks gives you structure and a solid foundation, but it often lacks the everyday vibe of real conversations. I’m pretty sure you’ve already noticed that some of the tasks suggested to you just feel fake and boring, if not completely out of touch with reality.

This depends a lot on your level, but it is true that before B1, the exercises, tasks, and documents you’re exposed to feel a little too good to be true and can create a general disinterest in your textbook. This is absolutely normal, but it doesn’t mean you have to throw it away.

As weird as textbooks can be, they are built to encompass as much theory as possible, and the index of grammar, verbs, and language tips you usually find at the end is your best friend. But like in life, you can have more than one best friend. Finding other sources for French is really important to actually make something out of what’s in the textbook.

4. Should I study with a private French tutor or in a French group setting?

It depends on you. Private lessons? Tailored to your needs, full focus on you, and faster progress. Group classes? Great for social learners and more budget-friendly. Both work, but the real question is: how do you learn best?

This debate is the same as the first question. Your past experiences, personality, and preferences will definitely impact your choices. Even if private tutoring is probably the most efficient learning setting, an extroverted person would thrive in a group setting!

The environment you find yourself in should definitely match your preferences, because learning is a very emotional process. You have to feel comfortable. If you prefer personalized attention and customized feedback, private lessons are your jam. If you thrive in group energy, go for it. Just remember, the quality of the teaching matters more than the format : for example, attending a poor quality group lesson won't bring you any good, even if this is usually your preference. Same goes for private tutoring

5. I’ve never lived in France, I don’t know anyone who can speak French, I feel like it’s impossible...

It’s not impossible—promise. Living in France helps, sure, but it’s not a requirement. Thanks to technology, you can create a mini-French bubble wherever you are. Join online communities, attend virtual language exchanges, and surround yourself with French media.

You don’t need to pack your bags for Paris, Bamako, or Brussels; you just need to build consistent habits that bring French into your daily life. Most people around the world learn English as a second language without having ever lived around or even spoken to a native English speaker.

This is where your “authentic spoken French” content will play a huge role. But come on, in this era, we can literally access any type of content from anywhere in the world. You don’t have to be in a French-speaking environment to succeed. Even though linguistic and cultural immersion are key factors, they’re not the only important elements when it comes to learning a language.

6. I can understand everything I read but I can’t speak, whose fault is it ? How do I fix it ?

I'd love to tell you that it's nobody's fault but that is unfortunately not true. Let's be honest and straightforward here. Either your teacher is not making you practice speaking enough, either you're not making the effort to speak as much as possible. Depending on the reason, you need to either change tutor, or change your habits.

Hear me out, I'm not saying you've done something wrong. You’ve probably been spending most of your time on passive skills (reading, maybe listening), and that's great : it’s an important foundation! But speaking requires active practice. No amount of reading will magically make you a fluent speaker. You need to practice speaking regularly, even if it’s messy, awkward, or slow at first. The more you speak, the faster your brain will get used to forming sentences out loud. For a complete 6 steps guide on how to be a better French speaker, I highly recommend you reading the dedicated article :

7. Everyone keeps saying Duolingo is stupid and useless. I don’t know what to think.

Duolingo gets hate, but let’s give it some credit. It’s fun, accessible, and great for beginners. Yes, it does give you weird-ass sentences like “the apple is under the chair” or “my dentist has a brown horse,” and you might acquire generic vocabulary and simple sentence structures, but practice is always welcome. Any practice. Even 5 minutes while sitting on the toilet is useful!

The hate for Duolingo and similar services, to me, is not justified. It’s very obvious that it is not perfect, but it’s a tool, not a full solution. We can’t expect one tool to do a whole toolbox’s job! Build your own toolbox; think of it as a DIY project. Duolingo or your favorite vocab app can be paired with daily podcast listening, a bi-weekly private class, and a monthly conversation group. Again, find yourself a program that works for you. There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to skill development.

8. How can I stay motivated with French when there’s so much to learn?

Motivation comes and goes. Discipline sticks. If you go to the gym, like to exercise, or have a very demanding hobby, you must already know that motivation is only a tiny part of your journey.

To achieve a goal and stick to it, you need to be precise. What is it that you want to achieve? Do you want to be able to find a job in France? Do you want to be able to understand most of the content you like? Do you want to take an official exam? Are you learning for fun or because you have to? All these things come into consideration.

Once you know where you’re headed, make a plan. Having a precise program with achievable tasks and realistic time management will help you stay on track because you’ll always know what to do and when, even if you’re not motivated.

For motivation to exist and last, you need to be able to visualize the outcome of all the effort and work you’re putting into the process. That’s why your French journey must be yours and yours only. It needs to match your style, your needs, and your passions.

9. I have the impression that modern French tutors don’t teach grammar properly and that they’re all about context and skill, instead of being precise and strict.

Well, this is not completely wrong, to be honest, but it’s also not exactly right.

The language teaching world has been, and is still, going through evolution and groundbreaking research that fundamentally change teaching methods.

During the 20th century, we saw very famous “direct” methods emerge, like Berlitz and Assimil, that completely relied on context-based acquisition, ready-made sentences, and self-paced progress.

This was a total break-up with the traditional “grammar-translation method” in fashion since the 15th century.

It means that, yes, today, grammar and precise translation are not the front-and-foremost skills studied in French class, but it doesn’t mean that they disappeared. They’re just treated differently through task-based learning. This means your grammar is not studied as a topic itself (except in some specific cases) but in the context of a task, a real-life situation, or an authentic piece of documentation that will lead you through the acquisition of a lot more than just grammar.

Modern tutors didn’t give up on grammar; they’re treating it differently. Bringing emotions, life, and experience into the classroom helps with memorizing and comprehending concepts. They’re not just abstract language theories anymore; they’re turned into practical skills you can apply to your daily life.

10. I use a platform like Preply or Lingoda to learn French. Is it worth it?

Platforms like these are a mixed bag. They’re convenient, offer variety, and let you choose from many different people, classes, options. The price range makes classes accessible for almost anyone, and that is very important. Of course, I truly believe that working with a qualified professional is best, but some practice is better than no practice.

Sometimes, a great connection with a native tutor without qualifications will bring you more than a cold relationship with a professor with a huge academic background.

I’d say that finding a teacher is a bit like finding a therapist; you may try a few until you can settle with someone that matches your needs. For that reason, platforms are great because they let you book a class with as many people as you want.

Be careful, however, of the time you’re losing in this process. Depending on your needs, style, and goals, sticking to a single teacher in whom you can put the trust to take you wherever you need to go will be more efficient in the end.

Conclusion

Learning French, like learning anything, can feel like navigating a maze with endless options, opinions, and advice at every turn, especially when browsing the Internet.

Your doubts are absolutely normal.

Whether you’re unhappy about the grammar you're learning, hesitating on how to find the right teacher, figuring out how to stay motivated, or deciding whether your textbook makes any sense, the most important thing is to take a step forward and stay consistent.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Your journey should reflect your personality, goals, and learning style. You’ve got this, and French is waiting for you to make it yours. Ignore the noise of everyone's opinions, and stay on your own track.