Last updated: November 2026
Duolingo French is one of the oldest and deepest courses on Duolingo, and it is the course most English speakers start with. It is also a course that changed a lot in 2025 and 2026: it was rebuilt twice, and in April 2026 Duolingo extended it to CEFR level B2, so it now teaches far more than it used to. This review looks at the course as it is now.
The short answer: Duolingo French is a good way to learn the basics and build a daily habit, and it can now carry you further than it used to, through B2 material. It will not make you fluent on its own. You will still need real conversation, real listening, and a grammar resource to get past the intermediate stage.
Duolingo French at a Glance
| Fact | Detail (November 2026) |
|---|---|
| Sections | 8 sections of new content, plus Daily Refresh for review |
| Units | About 994 units, according to a fan-run tracker |
| Stories | About 1,147 short Stories for reading and listening |
| Highest level taught | CEFR B2, a Duolingo Score of 129 |
| Cost | Free with ads and a daily Energy limit; Super about $12.99 a month or about $83.99 a year in the US |
| Best for | Beginners, daily habit builders, and travellers to France or Quebec |
| Not for | Learners who want deep grammar, fast speaking progress, or a certificate level |
What Changed in 2025 and 2026
Three changes matter. First, the French course was rebuilt in September 2025 and again in February 2026, so the lesson order and content shifted. If your path looks different from a friend’s, that is probably why. Second, on 22 April 2026 Duolingo announced that nine of its most popular courses, French included, now teach advanced content through B2 on the CEFR scale, a Duolingo Score of 129, free for most learners. Before that, most learners could only reach A2, a Score of 59. Third, Explain My Answer, which tells you why your answer was right or wrong, became free for most French learners in January 2026.
The B2 extension is the biggest change. The later sections now include harder lessons, longer Stories, and more DuoRadio episodes, with topics like news, culture, and abstract discussion. But keep one distinction in mind: B2 is what the course teaches, not a level it certifies. Your Duolingo Score shows how much of the course you have covered. It is not a certificate, and no school, employer, or visa office will ask for it.
The 8 Sections of Duolingo French
Duolingo’s own CEFR mapping for the French course says finishing Section 3 means you have reached A1, finishing Section 4 means A2, finishing Section 6 means B1, and finishing Section 8 means B2. Daily Refresh sits after Section 8 as a daily review, which is why some guides count 9 sections. The 8 learning sections are:
| Section | CEFR Level | What You Learn |
|---|---|---|
| Section 1 | A1 | Greetings, numbers, food, present tense |
| Section 2 | A1 | Family, daily life, describing people and places |
| Section 3 | A1 | Travel, shopping, past events; end of A1 |
| Section 4 | A2 | Making plans, giving opinions; end of A2 |
| Section 5 | A2 to B1 | Places and directions, prepositions, imperatives |
| Section 6 | B1 | Work and school, professions, conditional mood; end of B1 |
| Section 7 | B1 to B2 | Complex sentences, subjunctive triggers, sequence of tenses |
| Section 8 | B2 | Culture and media, subjunctive, passive voice, idioms, abstract discussion; end of B2 |
Unit counts are approximate. Duolingo does not publish them, and a fan-run tracker counted about 994 units in March 2026. The number moves when the course is rebuilt. If you already know some French, each section has a “Jump here” test, and the placement test at the start can place you further along. The placement cannot be undone, so take it when you are fresh.
What Duolingo French Does Well
- It is the deepest free French course in an app. About 994 units and about 1,147 Stories is far more content than most paid apps offer, and all of it is free, including the B2 material.
- It builds a daily habit. Short lessons, streaks, leagues, and reminders make it easy to study every day, which is what actually moves a language forward.
- Stories and DuoRadio are genuinely useful. The Stories are short dialogues with questions, and DuoRadio adds longer podcast-style listening. Together they train your ear far better than single-sentence drills. The French course has more of both than almost any other Duolingo course.
- Grammar tips exist, if you find them. Short explanations sit behind lightbulb icons in the lessons, and Explain My Answer is now free, so you can ask why an answer was wrong. This is a real improvement on the old course, which left you to guess.
- It teaches the subjunctive and other hard grammar. The later sections cover the subjunctive mood, the conditional, the passive voice, and relative pronouns. Few free resources go this far.
- It is free, and the full course is free. Super removes ads and the Energy limit, but it does not unlock extra French lessons.
Where Duolingo French Falls Short
- Grammar is still shallow. The explanations are short, and the course still mostly teaches by showing you examples and expecting you to work out the rule. For French verb forms, gender, and the subjunctive, most learners need a grammar book or a course that explains the rules properly.
- Speaking practice is thin. There are exercises where you repeat sentences into the microphone, and Video Call offers AI conversation practice, but there is no real conversation with a person. Translating sentences is not the same skill as speaking.
- Some sentences sound unnatural. Learners and reviewers still report translations that a native speaker would not say. If a sentence looks odd, check it elsewhere instead of memorising it.
- The audio is not real French at full speed. The voices are clear and slow, which is good for beginners but does not prepare you for how French people actually talk. You will need films, podcasts, and radio to train your ear.
- The B2 label has not been independently tested. The only peer-reviewed study of Duolingo learners’ outcomes measured the old beginner courses and found reading and listening around A1 level. Nobody has measured outcomes from the new B2 content, because it only shipped in April 2026. Treat the B2 label as a description of the material, not proof of your level.
- Energy limits free study on mobile. You start each day with 25 Energy, and every exercise uses some of it. When it runs out, you wait, watch an ad, spend gems, or pay for Super. On the web, study is unlimited.
- There is no Canadian French course. Duolingo teaches one French, and it does not say which variety. Learners heading to Quebec will need extra work on Quebec vocabulary and pronunciation.
How Long Does It Take to Learn French with Duolingo?
Duolingo gives no official time estimate for finishing the French course, and any guide that gives you an exact number of months is guessing. What we can say honestly:
- At 15 minutes a day, most learners take many months to reach a comfortable A2 level, and a year or more to work through the B1 and B2 sections.
- The course has about 994 units, so even at several units a day, it is a long project.
- Your real level is not your Duolingo Score. It is what you understand when a French person talks at normal speed, and whether you can hold a conversation without switching to English. Test that separately.
Old claims that Duolingo can get you a job in a language in 34 weeks come from a small, old study of beginner courses and should not be taken as a promise. Consistency matters more than speed: a little every day beats long sessions once a week.
Free vs Super for French Learners
The free version gives you the entire French course, including all B2 content, with ads between lessons and a daily Energy limit on mobile. Super removes the ads, gives unlimited Energy, and adds personalised practice in the Practice Hub and offline lessons. Super costs about $12.99 a month, or about $83.99 a year if you pay yearly, in the US. Super Family is about $119.99 a year for up to six people.
Video Call, the AI conversation practice with the character Lily, is available in French and is moving to all Super subscribers by the end of 2026. Roleplay, the other AI speaking feature, has not been confirmed for the same move. Max, Duolingo’s higher tier, is being sunset in November 2026 and should not be bought or counted on.
Duolingo French vs Other Ways to Learn French
| Option | Approach | Best For | Drawback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duolingo | Gamified short lessons, free, through B2 | Daily habit, beginners, free study | Thin grammar, little speaking |
| Babbel | Structured lessons with grammar explanations, through B2 | Learners who want grammar explained | Paid, less content than Duolingo |
| Pimsleur | Audio-first, speak from lesson one | Speaking and pronunciation | Paid, about $20 a month, less reading and writing |
| Busuu | Structured course with corrections from native speakers | Feedback on your writing and speaking | Paid for full access |
| Classes or a tutor | A teacher, real conversation, personal feedback | Fluency and accuracy | Most expensive, least flexible |
The best approach for most learners is a combination: Duolingo for the daily habit and vocabulary, plus one of the options above for grammar or speaking, plus French films, shows, and podcasts for real listening.
How to Get the Most Out of Duolingo French
- Do a little every day. Streaks work because daily practice works. Even 10 minutes a day beats an hour once a week.
- Read the grammar tips. Tap the lightbulb icons in lessons, and use Explain My Answer every time you get something wrong. It is free now.
- Do the Stories and DuoRadio. They are the best listening and reading practice in the app, and French has more of them than almost any other course.
- Add a grammar book. A book like French Grammar in Context, or a site with proper explanations, will cover what Duolingo skips, especially the subjunctive and verb tenses.
- Speak from the start. A language exchange partner, a tutor, or a conversation group will do more for your speaking than a year of repeating sentences into a microphone.
- Listen to real French. French radio, podcasts, films, and TV at natural speed will train your ear in a way the app cannot. Start with content made for learners, then move to native content.
- Do not trust every sentence. If a translation sounds odd, check it with a native speaker or a good dictionary before you memorise it.
Is Duolingo French Worth It?
Yes, as a starting point and a daily habit. It is free, it is the deepest free French course in any app, and it now teaches through B2. It will give you a real base in vocabulary, grammar, reading, and listening, and it will keep you studying every day.
No, as a complete method. It will not teach you grammar deeply, it will not teach you to speak, and its B2 label describes the material in the course, not your tested level. Use it as the daily core of a wider plan: Duolingo plus a grammar resource, plus real listening, plus real conversation. That combination can take you a long way.
For comparison, see our Duolingo Japanese review and our guide to all the languages Duolingo teaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you learn French with Duolingo?
You can build a strong base, from beginner through B2 material. You will learn vocabulary, grammar, reading, and listening. You will not become fluent from Duolingo alone, because it does not give you real conversation practice or deep grammar teaching.
What level does Duolingo French reach?
CEFR B2, a Duolingo Score of 129, since the April 2026 expansion. Before that, most learners could only reach A2. No Duolingo course teaches C1 or C2.
How many sections are in Duolingo French?
8 sections of new content, from A1 to B2, plus Daily Refresh at the end for review. Some guides count Daily Refresh and say 9.
Is Duolingo French free?
Yes. The full course, including B2 content, is free with ads and a daily Energy limit on mobile. Super removes the ads and the Energy limit but adds no extra French lessons.
Is Duolingo better than Babbel for French?
It depends on what you need. Duolingo is free, has more content, and builds a better daily habit. Babbel explains grammar more clearly and focuses more on practical conversation. Many learners use Duolingo daily and Babbel for grammar.
Does Duolingo teach Canadian French?
No. Duolingo teaches one French and does not name the variety. Learners heading to Quebec should add Quebec-specific vocabulary and pronunciation practice separately.
