Learn French Your Way!
Whether you’re just beginning your French journey or looking to refine advanced language skills, the French Library offers classes designed to fit your goals, schedule, and learning style.
Choose from in-person and online courses held mornings, afternoons, evenings, and Saturdays. Our programs combine expert instruction, engaging conversation, and authentic cultural exploration to help you build confidence in French every step of the way.
Why Learn with the French Library?
– Experienced native and near-native instructors
– Small, interactive classes
– In-person and online options
– A welcoming community of learners
– Access to French and Francophone culture beyond the classroom
– Programs designed for both personal enrichment and professional development
Join us and discover that learning French is more than studying a language. It’s opening the door to a global culture, new perspectives, and meaningful connections.
Explore Our Adult Programs
Language Classes:
Progress through the CEFR levels (A1 to C1) in a supportive and interactive environment. Develop speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills while gaining practical confidence for real-life communication.
Conversation Classes:
Practice French in a relaxed setting through guided discussions, current events, cultural topics, and meaningful exchanges with fellow learners.
Theme Classes:
Discover the richness of the Francophone world through courses focused on literature, art, history, film, society, language, and culture.
Intensive Programs:
Need faster progress? Our immersive intensive courses are designed to help you accelerate your learning in a concentrated format. Perfect for students with busy schedules or specific goals.
New to the French Library?
Bienvenue! We’re delighted to welcome new students to our community of language learners and Francophiles.
Getting Started:
Complete beginner? –> You can enroll directly in A1.1 Beginner French.
Already know some French? –> Take our free placement test to identify the class that best matches your level and ensures a successful learning experience.
You can also explore our level guide to better understand the CEFR framework and the progression from beginner to advanced proficiency.
Need Help?
Our Education Team is here to assist you with placement, registration, and course selection.
adultprograms@frenchlibrary.org or call 617.865.2314
Find Your Class
B2+/C1 | Marie Curie: science, persévérance et place des femmes dans la recherche
Découvrez le parcours exceptionnel de Marie Curie, pionnière de la recherche scientifique et figure emblématique de la persévérance. À travers l'étude de sa vie, de ses découvertes révolutionnaires et de son héritage, ce cours B2+/C1 invite les participants à réfléchir aux avancées scientifiques, à la place des femmes dans la recherche et aux enjeux de l'égalité. Discussions, documents authentiques et débats permettront d'améliorer son français tout en explorant l'actualité d'une personnalité qui continue d'inspirer le monde entier.
B1+/ B2 | Founding Myths: Why Do We Still Need Heroes?
If you love stories, history, culture, and big ideas, this class is for you. Join us for an engaging exploration of founding myths and heroic figures, from ancient legends to modern icons. As you strengthen your French through lively discussions and authentic cultural content, you'll reflect on the role heroes play in shaping societies, inspiring individuals, and helping us make sense of the world. A rewarding blend of language learning and cultural discovery, this course examines one timeless question: Why do we still need heroes?
B2+/C1 | Je t'aime — moi non plus ! 250 years of passionate relationship between France and the US
Embark with Tony on a thrilling adventure through 250 years of Franco-American history, culture, and mutual influence. From the American and French Revolutions to the present day, this course delves into the major events, fascinating personalities, and groundbreaking ideas that have shaped one of the most enduring international relationships of our time. Along the way, you’ll meet legendary figures like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Alexis de Tocqueville, Ernest Hemingway, Josephine Baker, and many more. We’ll revisit pivotal moments like the Louisiana Purchase, the gift of the Statue of Liberty, and the Allied fight against fascism during World War II. But that’s not all! This either 5- or 10-week course also explores two centuries of cultural and technological exchanges, rivalries, and fascinations, from aviation and cinema to fashion and public transportation. Through historical documents, photographs, film excerpts, anecdotes, and lively discussions, this course offers an easy-to-understand introduction to the rich dialogue between France and the United States, two nations whose histories have been closely intertwined for over two centuries.
B2+/C1 | Victor Hugo: pourquoi son œuvre nous parle-t-elle encore ?
Découvrez pourquoi Victor Hugo demeure l'une des figures les plus influentes de la littérature française. À travers l'étude de sa vie, de ses œuvres majeures et de ses combats politiques et sociaux, ce cours B2+/C1 explore les thèmes universels qui continuent de faire écho aujourd'hui. Discussions, analyses de textes et échanges permettront aux participants d'améliorer leur français tout en réfléchissant à l'héritage durable de cet écrivain engagé.
B2 | L'art français dans les collections du Massachusetts
Ce cours vous propose un voyage à travers l’histoire de l’art français à partir des œuvres conservées dans le Massachusetts. Du classicisme au néoclassicisme, du réalisme à l’impressionnisme et au postimpressionnisme, nous explorerons les grands mouvements artistiques, leurs contextes historiques et les artistes qui les ont façonnés.
B2 | Les Impressionnistes français au MFA
À l’occasion du 250ᵉ anniversaire des États-Unis, découvrez la remarquable collection impressionniste du Museum of Fine Arts de Boston. À travers les œuvres de Monet, Renoir, Degas, Pissarro, Sisley et Cassatt, ce cours explore l’histoire de l’impressionnisme, ses grands artistes et le rôle essentiel des collectionneurs américains dans la reconnaissance et la préservation de ce mouvement artistique.
B1+/ B2 | Mystères de Paris
Paris is a city of beauty, history... and mysteries. From the famous phantom said to haunt the Opéra Garnier to the labyrinth of underground catacombs, the French capital is filled with legends, unsolved enigmas, and fascinating historical secrets. In this five-week conversation and culture course, students will explore some of Paris's most intriguing stories while developing their French through discussions, authentic documents, short videos, historical accounts, and cultural debates. Along the way, participants will discover iconic monuments, hidden corners of the city, famous historical figures, and the legends that continue to shape the Parisian imagination. Ideal for Francophiles, travelers, and lovers of history, architecture, and mystery, this course offers a captivating journey through the darker and more mysterious side of Paris.
B2 | L'humour francophone
From irony and satire to stand-up comedy and social commentary, humor plays a central role in French culture. In this engaging B2+ course, you'll explore the many faces of French and Francophone humor through authentic media, discussions, and performances. Improve your listening and speaking skills while discovering what makes French audiences laugh and what comedy can reveal about society. Perfect for advanced learners who enjoy culture, current events, and lively conversation.
B2 | Ateliers de Grammaire: maîtriser les points les plus difficiles du français
Idéal pour les apprenants de niveau B2 souhaitant consolider leurs acquis et franchir un cap dans leur maîtrise du français, cet atelier combine rigueur grammaticale et pratique communicative pour transformer les règles complexes en outils réellement utiles au quotidien.
A1+ French Express (mid to advanced beginners)
Don't have the time to attend a full session this summer? Not a problem! Join us for our new French Express program! 15h of French in one week. Are you ready for the challenge? French Express is designed to connect language structures directly to real-world use, ensuring fast progress, high engagement, and immediate results in an immersive, supportive environment. PLEASE NOTE THAT REGISTRATION FOR THE SUMMER FRENCH EXPRESS WILL CLOSE ON AUGUST 25.
A2 | French Express (Intensive Week)
Don't have the time to attend a full session this summer? Not a problem! Join us for our new French Express program! 15h of French in one week. Are you ready for the challenge? French Express is designed to connect language structures directly to real-world use, ensuring fast progress, high engagement, and immediate results in an immersive, supportive environment. PLEASE NOTE THAT REGISTRATION FOR THE SUMMER FRENCH EXPRESS WILL CLOSE ON AUGUST 25.