How to improve French listening comprehension outside class

How to get better at French listening comprehension outside of class? 

French lessons are great… but let’s be honest: they won’t make you bilingual on their own. What if I told you that you can improve your listening skills even passively? Yes, you heard me! From the comfort of your sofa, you can keep making progress. In this article, I’ll show you exactly how to improve French listening comprehension outside class! 😉

Watch francophone series and films

It’s classic advice… and for good reason! Watching in French combines pleasure and practice—two things your brain loves. And trust me, it really works: as a teenager, this was how I improved my English (between you and me, I was totally addicted to American TV series 🙊!)

The key is to pick a series or movie you genuinely enjoy. Otherwise, you’ll get bored quickly. You can even rewatch your favourite shows or films with French dubbing!

Once you’ve chosen what to watch, here’s a simple 3-step method to boost your listening skills:

• Step 1: Beginners—start with English subtitles.

• Step 2: Intermediate learners—switch to French subtitles to match the sounds and words.

• Step 3: Go subtitle-free! Challenge yourself and see how much you can understand.

➡️ And... To help you decide, here is a list of French movies and series ideas!

Use different media to surround yourself with French

You can also improve your comprehension in a more passive way by incorporating the language of Céline Dion into your daily routine while doing other activities.

How can you do that? Here are some ideas:

• Play a French playlist while driving.

• Listen to a French podcast during dinner.

• Put on a francophone TED Talk while doing the dishes.

• Let a radio station from France play in the background while doing the housework.

• Follow francophone influencers on Instagram or Tiktok (like them for example!)

Here again, choose a topic that really interests you! Cooking, travel, self-development, cinema, true crime, astrophysics… it doesn’t matter, as long as you’re hearing the language of Molière. 😉

The goal isn’t to focus on every word or understand everything. Instead, it’s about training your ear to the rhythm of the language and catching the general meaning. Little by little, you’ll notice that more and more words start to make sense!

➡️ Scroll down to the second part of this page for francophone resources to try!

Listen to audiobooks en français

If you enjoy listening to stories, you can give French audiobooks a try! You will find plenty for free on YouTube, or you can also purchase them on Audible or other websites. Start with simpler ones and gradually move on to more challenging stories.

Another fun idea is to listen to your favorite book in French—chances are, a translation exists! Why not try listening to Harry Potter in the “baguette language”, for example? (no pun intended 🥖😂)

➡️ Here’s a free audiobook of le Petit Prince!

Write down new vocabulary

This is a more active way to improve your listening skills. Grab a notebook and jot down the words you hear that are new to you. Don’t try to write everything—just focus on the words that keep popping up.

For example, if you’re watching a TV series and you notice the word “voisin” coming up again and again without knowing what it means, look it up and add it to your vocabulary notebook. Little by little, you’ll build a personalized word bank that actually reflects the French you’re hearing!

Surround yourself with French-speaking people

One of the best tips to improve your comprehension is simple: surround yourself with Francophones.

Travel to a French-speaking country

If you have the chance to travel to France or another francophone country, go for it! Just by walking down the streets, taking public transport, or sitting in cafés, you can listen in and pick up what people are saying (while staying discreet, of course 🙃). 

Being in a foreign country means your brain is completely surrounded by a new language, leaving it no choice but to adapt and start making sense of this new world! 

Talk to Francophones from your home country

Even if you can’t travel yet, you can still hear French live in your own city. Try apps like HelloTalk or Tandem to chat and listen to native speakers, or join a local conversation group. By listening (and speaking) to others, your brain will naturally start making sense of what you hear!

➡️ Want to practice your favourite language with others 😉? Join our French conversation group! 

To sum up: How to improve French listening comprehension outside class

• Watch a francophone movie or series that you truly enjoy.

• Turn everyday moments into French listening practice—listen to music, podcasts, or the radio while doing other activities.

• Try audiobooks in the language of Victor Hugo.

• Keep a notebook and write down new vocabulary you hear. 📓

• Surround yourself with people who speak the most romantic language in the world! 😘

So here’s the recipe! The most important thing is to combine listening with fun. 

For more podcast and video ideas, download our free interactive checklist.

How about you, do you have any other methods to improve French oral comprehension? Let us know in the comments!