If you are an absolute beginner, you can register for the A1.1 class. If you already know or speak some French, even if the last time was many years ago in high school, make sure to take your free placement test. You can learn more about our levels and how long it takes to learn French here.
Our policies have changed! Make sure to read them before you register.
For online learning: In the event of power and/or internet outages, here are some general tips:
– If you experience a power outage or a Zoom interruption at your home, please contact the Education Dept. via email: adultprograms@frenchlibrary.org or at (617) 912-0400. You might also want to be in touch with the teacher directly, to make arrangements to review any missed material.
– If a teacher loses connection during a class, please stay in your virtual classroom for a few minutes while the teacher logs back in. If your teacher is unable to make it back quickly, please check your e-mail for further instructions from your teacher or a member of the education team.
Find Your Class
B1+ | Maîtrise de la grammaire: les hypothèses et concordance des temps | In Person
Maîtrisez l’art des hypothèses et de la concordance des temps ! Ce cours vous guide pas à pas dans l’univers fascinant des phrases hypothétiques, des conditionnels et des subtilités temporelles du français. Grâce à des explications claires, des exemples concrets et des exercices ciblés, vous apprendrez à exprimer des possibilités, des regrets, ou des situations imaginaires avec justesse et élégance. Idéal pour ceux qui veulent affiner leur expression écrite et orale !
B1+ | Dictées d'hiver
Build your vocabulary and knowledge of idioms through various creative writing techniques and activities.
B1+ | Cuisine et gastronomie | In Person
Did you know the word “repast,” the first English word for meal, derives from the ancient French "past,” the collection of dishes served and eaten at regular hours? Food has always been central in French culture. The French have always celebrated their unique local dishes, their history of great chefs, and their diversity of culinary style and technique. In this class, we invite you to join us and travel through time and rediscover and discuss famous dishes and cultural staples created by famed chefs. From Carème to Ducasse and Bocuse and Alix Lacloche, and from profiteroles to slow fooding, vous en aurez l'eau à la bouche! Taught by Isabelle and intended for intermediate + to advanced students.
B1+ | Maîtrise de la grammaire: les temps du passé | In Person
Ce cours vous permettra de maîtriser l’imparfait, le passé composé, le plus-que-parfait et bien plus encore. À travers des exemples concrets, des exercices pratiques et des mises en situation, vous apprendrez à raconter des histoires, décrire des souvenirs et exprimer des actions passées avec clarté et précision. Rejoignez-nous pour enrichir votre français et donner vie à vos récits !
B1+ | Paris's Greatest Museums | In Person
Embark on an in-depth historical and artistic tour of some of Paris's iconic museums. Visit the collections, get great insights and the tools to understand and talk about art!
B1+ | Parisian Art de Vivre | In Person
Découvrir Paris à travers ses traditions, sa gastronomie, sa mode et ses lieux culturels emblématiques, tout en développant la compétence de communication en français.
B1+/B2 | How the French Talk... and Think | In Person
"How the French Talk… and Think” (B1+/B2) is an intermediate to advanced language course designed for learners seeking to refine their French proficiency while engaging with the intellectual traditions, cultural values, and social practices that shape French thought. Drawing on adapted excerpts from Sudhir Hazareesingh’s How the French Think alongside authentic materials—such as articles, interviews, and short essays—participants will consolidate their vocabulary, grammatical accuracy, and comprehension skills. The program integrates cultural analysis with practical language development through reading, listening, discussion, and writing activities, enabling learners to deepen their understanding of French culture while enhancing their ability to communicate with confidence and nuance in French.
A1+ | Ateliers de Grammaire
Learn elements of grammar through structured practice. Topics vary based on class needs.
B2 | Urban Conspiracies - Season 1 | In Person
Step into the shadowy world of urban legends and conspiracy theories—all in French! This 10-week conversation course invites students to explore some of the most intriguing and controversial narratives that have shaped modern culture and collective imagination. Through lively discussions, multimedia resources, and thematic vocabulary, students will sharpen their speaking skills while diving into stories that blur the line between fact and fiction.
B2 | French Irony - l’esprit et les nuances du discours | In Person
Unlock the secrets of French irony, a cornerstone of French culture and communication. Through literature, film clips, songs and conversation, you’ll learn to recognize, understand, and play with irony—that elegant blend of humor, understatement, and intelligence that defines French expression. A unique and engaging course designed to help you sound more natural, confident, and culturally fluent in French.
B1+/ B2 | Les Classiques de la littérature française - Parlons-en! | In Person
Explorez ou revisitez les œuvres majeures et les auteurs emblématiques de la littérature française — de Molière à Camus, de Balzac à Duras — dans un cadre pédagogique dynamique et interactif. À partir d’extraits soigneusement sélectionnés, de débats argumentés et d’activités communicatives, ce cours propose une immersion dans la langue, la culture et l’imaginaire français. Il constitue une opportunité privilégiée pour perfectionner vos compétences conversationnelles, enrichir votre lexique et approfondir votre compréhension des fondements du prestige culturel français, tout en cultivant le plaisir de la lecture et de l’échange intellectuel.
B1+/ B2 | Breaking Boundaries: French Women Artists across three Centuries | In Person
Deepen your understanding of art history while advancing your French proficiency. This course offers an exploration of three centuries of artistic production through the works and careers of women artists whose contributions to major aesthetic movements were significant yet frequently overshadowed by their male counterparts.
B1+ | Famous Opera Houses
This intermediate + curriculum consists of 5 sessions (90 minutes each) for adult learners already familiar with opera and famous singers. It emphasizes on cultural analysis, interpretation, and global perspectives through interactive tasks.
B1+ | Revue de Presse with Benoit! | In Person
Dive into the heart of current events with our dynamic and engaging French course! Each week, explore the major events shaping our world — politics, environment, culture, technology — while improving your language skills. This interactive course will allow you to debate, analyze, and better understand the world around you, in French. Join us to learn a living language through exciting and always relevant topics!
A2+/B1 | Lunch Break
Come join us for this casual conversation class! Learn French in a relaxed environment during your lunch break. Sharpen your skills and discuss everything from daily activities to social issues. No homework and no required textbook.
B1+/ B2 | Breaking Boundaries: French Women Artists across three Centuries
Deepen your understanding of art history while advancing your French proficiency. This course offers an exploration of three centuries of artistic production through the works and careers of women artists whose contributions to major aesthetic movements were significant yet frequently overshadowed by their male counterparts.
B2 | Le musée imaginaire de Proust
Ce cours propose une approche originale du chef-d’œuvre proustien à travers le prisme des arts visuels, en particulier celui de la peinture. Sans exiger la lecture intégrale du roman, il s’appuie sur des extraits soigneusement sélectionnés afin de mettre en évidence le rôle fondamental de l’art dans l’écriture de Proust et dans la construction de ses personnages. Cette démarche constitue une introduction privilégiée à l’univers proustien, tout en permettant d’enrichir la culture artistique et de perfectionner la maîtrise de la langue française.
B2 | Urban Conspiracies - Season 2
Step into the shadowy world of urban legends and conspiracy theories—all in French! This 10-week conversation course invites students to explore some of the most intriguing and controversial narratives that have shaped modern culture and collective imagination. Through lively discussions, multimedia resources, and thematic vocabulary, students will sharpen their speaking skills while diving into stories that blur the line between fact and fiction.
B2 | Les Badinter: histoire d'un couple iconique
This course undertakes a comprehensive examination of the lives, intellectual trajectories, and historical significance of Robert and Élisabeth Badinter, whose partnership exerted a profound influence on the evolution of modern French society. Far from constituting a mere “celebrity couple,” their union embodies a sustained commitment to principles of justice, human rights, and cultural advancement. Through rigorous historical inquiry, biographical analysis, and critical discourse, participants will investigate the factors that culminated in Robert Badinter’s induction into the Panthéon in 2025—a symbolic act that enshrines his lifelong struggle against injustice and affirms the enduring legacy of their shared moral and intellectual engagement.
B2+ | Je ne sais queer… French History with a queer eye! Season 3 | In Person
This course invites students to explore French language and culture through a queer lens, engaging with historical figures, literary voices, and cultural icons who have shaped—and challenged—traditional narratives of gender and sexuality. Designed for learners at the B2+ level, the course combines language development with cultural analysis, offering a rich and nuanced journey through French history.
B2+ | From War to Words: French Literary Masterpieces
This class invites you to discover or further explore the artistic and conceptual worlds of five acclaimed writers of 20th-century literature, including two Nobel Prize in Literature recipients, and Albert Camus. We will address crucial topics, such as existential questions revolving around the (possible) beauty and meaning of life—questions that are most vividly present during wartime but remain central regardless of one’s circumstances—and when hasn’t there been wartime somewhere, anyway? Each author will be approached through one work, studied closely over two sessions each, for a total of 10 sessions spanning over 10 weeks. From each work’s themes and concepts, we will delve into the analysis of its composition and artistry, exploring the author’s possible intentions and motivations and examining how these translate into an artwork of words that resonates both with its original context and with us today. Through multimedia documents and workshops that stimulate written and oral comprehension and production, this process will help you (re)discover the main conceptual and lexical tools needed to describe, analyze and, ultimately, impress when discussing literature (and in French, no less!) More seriously (or maybe not), the class is designed as a conversation where you will enjoy expressing yourself and sharing views on the topics at hand in a relaxed atmosphere.
A2+/B1 | A la découverte de Montpellier et de l'Occitanie | In-Person
Join Florine to learn about the beautiful city of Montpellier and the region of Occitanie!
A2+ | Prononciation en Action!
Master French sounds with flair! TV5MONDE’s Prononciation en action series is your go-to toolkit for leveling up your French pronunciation. Through fun, interactive videos led by phonetics expert Magali Boureux, you'll explore the rhythms and sounds of French using the verbo-tonal method. Whether you're in class or learning solo, these bite-sized lessons blend visuals, repetition, and real-life examples to help you speak more clearly and confidently. Say goodbye to tricky nasal vowels and hello to smooth, natural French!
B2+/C1 | Hot Couture
French haute couture transcends mere apparel; it constitutes a cultural phenomenon, a political discourse, and an artistic practice that has profoundly influenced global aesthetics for centuries. This ten-week course traces its historical trajectory from medieval origins to contemporary icons, examining how fashion operates as a mirror of societal structures, power dynamics, and identity formation.
B1+ | Ateliers de Grammaire: special Indicatif and Subjonctif
This speciall edition of our B1+ Ateliers de grammaire will be dedicated to the indicatif and the subjonctif.
B1+ | Maîtrise de la grammaire: les pronoms relatifs
Maîtrisez les pronoms relatifs ! Ce cours explique le rôle des pronoms relatifs, des mots comme qui, que, dont ou lequel, qui servent à relier deux parties d’une phrase. Ils permettent d’ajouter des informations sur un nom ou un pronom sans commencer une nouvelle phrase. Ces pronoms sont importants pour rendre le texte plus clair et plus fluide. Dans ce cours, nous verrons comment les utiliser correctement, leurs différentes formes, et comment ils changent selon le contexte. Des exemples simples et des exercices pratiques aideront à mieux comprendre leur usage dans l’écriture.
B2 | Literature: Les Liaisons dangereuses: Langue, séduction et pouvoir | In Person
Approfondissez votre compréhension du XVIIIᵉ siècle en explorant Les Liaisons dangereuses de Choderlos de Laclos, œuvre majeure et singulière de la littérature française. Ce roman épistolaire, entre stratégie, séduction et subtilité d’esprit, illustre les tensions sociales et morales de son époque tout en exerçant une influence durable sur la culture mondiale, comme en témoignent ses nombreuses adaptations cinématographiques — de Dangerous Liaisons à Cruel Intentions. Ce cours propose une analyse des codes sociaux, des mécanismes discursifs et des rapports de pouvoir, tout en offrant un cadre stimulant pour perfectionner la maîtrise du français et enrichir la réflexion critique.
B1+ | La Liberté d’Expression | In Person
Discuss and argue the current state of human rights in France.
B1+ | Les Grandes dates de l'Histoire | In Person
Ce cours documentaire plonge au cœur des grands tournants de l’histoire qui ont façonné le destin du monde. Chaque classe met en lumière une date clé et en dévoile les enjeux : le contexte politique, social et culturel, les protagonistes qui ont joué un rôle décisif, ainsi que les répercussions à court et à long terme. Grâce à des images d’archives saisissantes et à des analyses claires et accessibles, le cours offre une compréhension approfondie de la manière dont ces événements ont influencé notre société contemporaine. Elle invite les élèves à réfléchir sur les liens entre passé et présent, et sur l’impact durable de ces moments historiques sur nos vies.
B1+ | Une langue, cinq continents
Do you know what is the biggest French-speaking city in the world? If you think of Paris, you're wrong! Join Julien to discover several countries on different continents where daily life is spent en français. You will meet people who will introduce you to their culture, ways of life and causes they support. You will realize how French is a language that is very much alive, dynamic and in constant evolution. Join Julien on this virtual tour of some of the French-speaking-world's greatest places!