Your first session is about getting to know each other and understanding your goals. A tutor will assess your current French level through conversation, learn what you want to accomplish (casual travel, professional communication, etc.), and discuss which conversational topics matter most to you. From there, they'll create a personalized plan that matches your pace and interests.

Classroom French often prioritizes grammar rules and test preparation, while conversational French focuses on real communication—the words and phrases you actually use when speaking. With personalized tutoring, you practice responding naturally, learn colloquial expressions, and get immediate feedback on pronunciation and flow. This makes you comfortable speaking in real situations rather than just understanding written French.

The Foreign Service Institute estimates that English speakers need approximately 600-750 hours of study to reach professional working proficiency in French. However, conversational fluency—being able to hold everyday conversations—typically develops much faster, often within 3-6 months of consistent practice with a tutor, depending on your starting level and how frequently you study. Regular tutoring sessions combined with practice between meetings accelerates progress significantly.

Many students struggle with pronunciation and listening comprehension, especially distinguishing sounds that don't exist in English. Others feel anxious about making mistakes while speaking or worry about understanding native speakers who talk quickly. A tutor can slow things down, correct pronunciation gently, and create a judgment-free space to practice—which builds confidence much faster than classroom settings where students feel self-conscious.

Varsity Tutors connects you with expert tutors who specialize in conversational French and understand your specific goals. When you start, you'll share details about your level, what you want to accomplish, and your schedule. We match you with someone whose teaching style fits your learning preferences, and you can always request a different tutor if the fit isn't right.

Your tutor will suggest practice activities tailored to your level—like listening to French podcasts, watching French films with subtitles, journaling, or using language apps to reinforce vocabulary. The key is consistent, low-pressure exposure. Even 15-20 minutes of daily practice between sessions makes a huge difference in building muscle memory for speaking and understanding.

In group classes, you might only speak a few minutes per session. With personalized 1-on-1 instruction, nearly the entire session is dedicated to your speaking practice and your specific weak areas—whether that's pronunciation, listening comprehension, or confidence. A tutor can also adjust the pace and topics to match your interests, making learning more engaging and effective.