Languages learners interested in this melodious language should know: French isn't only for France! It has official status in 37 countries and has over 300 million speakers in Europe, Africa and America. Do you want to join their number? We are living in a globalised world and there are plenty of reasons to take French courses!
- A French language course is the best way to explore French culture
- French lessons can be helpful if you are planning a trip to France, Canada or another French-speaking country too!
- For history lovers, French can be an excellent means to learn about the Normans who influenced the English language so much
- If you are interested in university studies, France is famous for its top-notch education system
- Do you want to discover French cuisine? You may want to taste lots of fine dishes in outstanding restaurants in Paris
Whether you are into French literature or simply like the sound of this language, French is definitely worth learning.
The question is: how much will French courses in New Zealand cost? How long will take to become fluent? And where can you find a qualified French teacher offering fun classes? Let us have a look the most affordable ways to learn French. On y va!
The current Rate for French Classes in New Zealand
According to a study carried out by the British Council, French is one of the most influential languages in the world, alongside Spanish and Chinese.
Some more good news is that French is a Romance language. This means that its direct ancestor is Latin, from which so many modern languages derive.
Just to mention a few of them, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese are also Romance languages having similar grammar and a lot of common vocabulary. Therefore, French courses can open a door to other popular tongues.
There's hardly anyone who regretted learning French.
On the contrary, most learners who have attended a French course wish they had kept on learning this language, and why not even try out other languages! Given all the benefits of having a good level of skills in another language, you can only benefit from French courses.
It's widely known that French is sometimes dubbed the language of culture. That's not all! It is also the language of Human Rights, diplomacy and international law in general.
The declaration of the Rights of Man and of the citizen was originally drafted by the Marquis de Lafayette and the Count of Mirabeau in French. Along with the English Bill of Rights, it laid the foundation for the United Nations later on.
But history aside, can French also be useful in the present world where everyone is supposed to speak English?
Among other things, French can open up enormous career opportunities. It is highly likely that some of the clothes you wear are designed or manufactured in France or at least inspired by a French fashion designer.
Maybe, you washed your hair with a L'Oréal shampoo this morning or you might have a Citroën or Renault in your garage.
France is home to numerous successful global companies and a good level of French will certainly be a plus for you, whether you specialise in engineering or cosmetic science.
To learn more than a simple bonjour and bonsoir, you'll need to take your French course seriously.
So, how can you become fluent in French? The best way to build your French vocabulary, and develop solid reading, writing, speaking and listening skills is to take a thought-out language course.
Given the popularity of French, you can easily find a good in-person or online course in New Zealand or you can contact a private tutor and learn the language of Molière at your own pace!
French lessons in a Private Organisation
It is possible to take a course in la langue française in lots of organisations employing native French and non-native teachers.
In some cases, you can be offered lessons online or at your home but generally, language schools tend to teach small classes of students in their office. Also, there are businesses providing one on one lessons at their facility.
The advantage of taking courses with such businesses is that they carefully select their teachers based on their competence with the language, their teaching qualifications and experience.
You won't have to worry about the professionalism of your teacher and the effectiveness of their lessons.
Before a course takes off, you will probably sit an informal quiz to evaluate your current level of skills and assign you to the right class. The test may cover French grammar, listening skills and speaking.
Most often, each lesson starts with a conversation in French, so you can practise the expressions you've learnt so far. They may even include some French slang or idioms!
At the end of each lesson, a French teacher may give out a list of words and phrases to revise as well as written homework for practice.
The price for such courses could reach $150 or more per term, and some language academies may charge an initial membership fee.
You can find such institutes all over New Zealand. What you need most to learn a new language is practice. Find tips on practising French on our blog.
Classes at French Organisations
Another option to learn how to speak French is to enrol in courses offered by French-based outlet specialising in the promotion of the French language and culture.
Courses offered in this type of organisation are similar to those in New Zealand academies, the only difference is that you are more likely to learn with a teacher from France.
One of the largest companies of the kind is L'Alliance Française. It has offices in Auckland, Palmerston North, Hamilton, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin and offers language lessons for all levels of students.
If you live in one of those cities you can sign up for a course and have several hours of lessons every week.
Aside from group courses, L'Alliance Française also offers one-to-one tutoring services at a rate of around $40 per hour.
After you complete a course and learn the basics of the French language, a good learning option is to go to France on a stay in order to improve your skills by immersion. That could also be a great way to get a grasp of French cultural codes and customs.
If, however, trips to France are out of the question, students can also take French lessons online to practise with natives and boost their level of fluency lesson by lesson.
You can find a lot of information about language courses and learning trips on the Alliance Française website and select the best option for you.
As you advance in your course, you can ask your teacher to suggest helpful online resources, such as conjugations tables, dictionaries or podcasts to hone your level of French in your free time during the week.
Average Cost of French classes with Superprof
From Christchurch to Auckland, students can take French classes anywhere in New Zealand with a Superprof tutor!
Whether you want to pick up French idioms or master French verbs, there are qualified teachers for all levels of students. You will be able to meet a language tutor suited to your goals among the hundreds of tutors offering their services on our platform.
A fun fact: some French verbs can take 23 forms. Happily, you don't have to use all of them every day.
You can master the different aspects of the French language with an inspiring tutor. Depending on your level, you can contact a native French speaker living close to you, or an English speaker who is proficient in the language and knows the difficulties faced by learners.
The average rate for a one-hour lessons on Superprof is $38, and in most cases, the first hour of lessons is free. You can make sure that their teaching approach matches your learning style and start learning with the right tutor for you.
In Summary
Given that about 20% of the words used in everyday English have French roots, you may find that French is not that difficult after all.
According to the Shanghai Ranking, English and French-speaking countries house most top universities in the world.
On the other hand, , since France is a rather distant country from New Zealand, going on a language stay may not always be possible.
Only a low proportion of New Zealand students can speak a second language fluently.
Anyhow, whether you are planning to travel to France or not, French language courses can be a lot of fun, so you shouldn't hesitate to sign up for your French course!
Why not pick up some French idioms or master the French accent? You can use flashcards or note down new words in a notebook for revision and expand your French vocabulary in no time at all.
Then, once you've mastered the basics, the fun part begins as you'll be able to talk to any native speaker! You can simply talk in French to friends or colleagues, watch French TV, and read newspapers and your level of fluency will constantly improve.
And if you need to certify your skills, you can always take the DELF exam recognised in French-speaking countries all over the world.
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