How to improve your French as an intermediate learner

Camille Alayrangues
Dec 28, 2025
4 min read

Woman in a blue sweater works intently at a laptop with sticky notes, a notebook, and a mug. Sunlit room with a plant and bookshelves.

From intermediate to confident: how to improve your French

Have you been stuck at A2 or B1 level for a while? Often called the intermediate plateau, this phase is a very common part of the language-learning process. So don’t worry—you’re not alone. Many language students (myself included 😉) experience this stage. The good news? There is a way out! In this article, I’ll show you how to improve your French as an intermediate learner.

Understand the intermediate level in French

At intermediate level, learners can usually talk about a wide range of topics: their past experiences, future plans, dreams, hopes, and opinions. They are able to express their ideas with simple words, argue a point of view, and communicate comfortably in familiar situations—whether at work, at school, during hobbies, in everyday life, or while traveling in a Francophone country.

This phase can feel quite comfortable, as students can already express many ideas and have simple conversations. However, it can also be frustrating—when discussions get more deep, they may lack the right words, struggle to understand idiomatic expressions, or find it hard to speak spontaneously.

➡️ Intermediate level in French usually covers CEFR level B1 or advanced A2.

Become aware of your recurring mistakes en français

This is also the stage when many learners start making what we call fossilized mistakes. These are errors that keep coming back because incorrect grammar, vocabulary, or structures have become deeply ingrained.

Here are a few classic examples:

“~~Je suis~~ 65 ans” instead of “J’ai 65 ans.”
“Hier, ~~j’ai allé~~ au cinéma” instead of “Hier, je suis allé au cinéma.”
“~~Je suis~~ bien” instead of “Je vais bien.”
“~~Nous apprendons~~ le français” instead of “Nous apprenons le français.”
Or pronouncing the “ent” at the end of “Ils parlent français”, instead of keeping it silent. 🙊

Hand holding red pen, writing on paper with sketches and notes. Purple pen and closed notebook on wooden table, natural light from window. — Become aware of your recurring mistakes en français

To keep improving your French at B1 level, one very effective strategy is to become aware of these recurring mistakes and work on correcting them consciously, before your brain memorizes them long-term. If you know you always struggle with remembering a specific word or with the conjugation of a verb like apprendre, take the time to learn it properly—once and for all. 💪

But of course, you know my motto: it’s always better to speak and make mistakes than not to speak at all. So no pressure!

➡️ Mistakes are absolutely fine, as long as you try to correct them little by little. 😉

Enrich your vocabulary with real-life content from France

Person with headphones holds a phone displaying sound waves, near a notebook and steaming coffee, in a cozy, bright workspace. — Enrich your vocabulary with real-life content from France

To improve your level at the intermediate stage, one of the most effective strategies is to enrich your vocabulary—but not by memorising long lists of words (which can quickly become boring for most people).

Instead, here’s what I recommend:

Step 1: Start by picking a notebook and dedicating it to new French vocabulary, and idiomatic expressions. 📒

Step 2: Then, think about what you genuinely enjoy: binge-watching series, learning about neuroscience, cooking, following the news… Whatever sparks your interest!

Step 3: Next, find authentic content from Francophone countries related to those topics.

Step 4: Every day, spend at least five minutes engaging with this material. It doesn’t have to be long—consistency matters more than quantity.

Step 5: As you go, write down the new words or expressions you learn each day (sometimes it might just be one word, and that’s perfectly fine!) 🖊️

For example: if you love the series Stranger Things, you could watch an episode with French dubbing! It will quickly expose you to recurring words such as “monstre” (= monster), “à l’envers” (= upside down) or “piège” (= trap). 🧙

A person reads on a couch, wrapped in a striped blanket. A lit lamp and TV in a cozy living room create a warm atmosphere. — Watch an episode with French dubbing

The same strategy applies to any topic you’re interested in! Whether you read the news in Le Monde, watch a Francophone YouTube channel about parenting, or read a book about astrophysics… The key is to find content that truly interests you. This way, you can mix learning with pleasure!

➡️ Find out some resources for improving your French listening outside of class!

Practise speaking your favourite language regularly

This is probably the most important piece of advice I can give you. Are you ready?

The best way to improve your French and get past the intermediate plateau is to… speak. 😉 I know—that’s often easier said than done. But there are several effective ways to make speaking in a foreign language a regular habit.

First, if you have the opportunity, you can immerse yourself in a French-speaking country and speak with locals as much as possible! This can happen in very simple, everyday situations: joining a running club, doing your grocery shopping, chatting with your neighbours, etc.

Another option is to meet Francophones in your own country who are willing to practise their language with you.

Person in a purple sweater on a video call using a laptop in a bright room with a window and plant, orange notebook on the table. — Practise regularly with a native tutor

Finally, you can choose to practise regularly with a native tutor, either in one-on-one sessions or in conversation groups. This gives you a safe space to express yourself, make mistakes, receive personalised feedback and, why not, progress to an advanced level!

➡️ By the way, our native tutors come directly from France and would be happy to help you practise your French—if you’d like additional support!😉

To sum up: how to improve your French as an intermediate learner

Work on correcting your recurring mistakes consciously (no pressure, take it step by step!)
Enrich your vocabulary with real-life French content, especially material related to topics you genuinely enjoy (even five minutes a day makes a difference!).
Practise speaking it regularly, whether with locals, language partners, or a native tutor.
And don’t forget, the key is consistency!

I hope this article has inspired you! And remember, it’s perfectly normal to feel stuck at times. Becoming fluent takes time, but by applying these strategies, you’re already on the right path. 😄

What about you? What are you doing to keep making progress in the language of Ratatouille as an intermediate learner?

⬇️ Share your strategies in the comments! ✨✨✨