6 places to learn French for free in Geneva
If you’ve just moved to Switzerland or want to improve your language proficiency, there are several ways to elevate your French skills without spending a lot of money.
While French is often referred to as the most beautiful (and romantic) of all languages, romance aside - it is also known to be one of the more challenging ones to learn.
However, the difficulty is not the only reason many foreigners may struggle to pick up the local language as much as they would like. Sometimes, it is just that you are working too much to find time to learn, or you are unemployed and find these courses quite expensive, or you are a homemaker who does not need much language skills, so your time and energy are required elsewhere.
Fortunately, there are various ways you can still learn French on your own time for free (or on a modest budget).
In this article, we have compiled some of the French learning programmes that are offered for free in Geneva for various foreigner groups.
International Geneva Welcome Centre
The International Geneva Welcome Centre’s invites both foreigners and locals to register online to be matched with a language partner as part of its Language Exchange programme.
The programme, which currently has some 1,400 participants, is meant to complement language classes and is free of charge.
However, before you register, note that an intermediate level of French will be required in order to be matched with a language partner. Anyone at beginner level will not be accepted.
READ MORE: Eight reasons Swiss-French is better than French-French
Geneva libraries
According to Français & integration, the municipal libraries of the City of Geneva and the Office for the Integration of Foreigners offer French conversation and language sharing groups which meet regularly in several libraries (currently these libraries: Cité, Jonction, Servette, Saint-Jean and Pâquis).
We recommend reaching out to the individual libraries for further information.
If a traditional school set-up is not your cup of tea, one way of getting a grasp of the French language (and fast) is by meeting up with a language partner.
Meetup is a great way of joining both French speakers and other language learners who are new to the area on organised meet-up outings, so you can not only improve your French (for free) but also make friends while learning more about Geneva.
The downside? You may still want to consider investing in one or two grammar books as meeting up with locals may well see your conversational skills skyrocket, but you may find yourself lagging behind on your writing skills.
If you are gunning for a language partner of your choice, however, a good website to try out is Language Exchange where you will quickly find multiple native French speakers – either to meet up with or write to.
However, there is a small downside. While creating a profile and responding to messages is free, if you’re looking to reach out to an individual of your choosing, you will need to become a Gold Member.
READ MORE: From 'natel' to 'ça joue': The Swiss French words which help you sound like a local
With a third of international students and 700 students/researchers welcomed each year on student mobility, the University of Geneva has come up with the Linguistic Tandems platform.
The programme intends to connect university students who wish to learn or practice a foreign language – including French – free of charge.
Students can register here.
As the title suggests, this one is worth earmarking for the coming summer. During the summer months in Geneva, you have the unique opportunity to learn French for free – and without registration - in several parks across the city.
Just keep an eye out on the timetable for next year here.
And for a minor fee…
Université Populaire du Canton de Genève
Established in 1982, the university is made up of around 300 voluntary teachers who impart their knowledge to some 3,500 students in Geneva.
The university offers lessons (at a minimal cost) in written French as well as grammar and conversation, however, you will need to register to be considered for the classes. If the course is full, you can be added to a wait list for the coming year.
And if you’d like a free learning month…
If you’re undecided whether a school environment is the right fit for you long-term, a great way to start learning French is to try out the Swiss French School. The school teaches small classes (1-3 students) and can therefore adapt to your level, time availability and budget as you go along.
You have until November 30th, 2023, to sign up to the school’s standard course to get a whole month’s worth of free lessons. The hang-up? You will need to sign up to at least 9 months’ worth of classes to enjoy the free trial month.
If you are a non-French speaker, parent of a child attending school in Geneva, refugee, migrant, or similar, you can also check out a compilation of free French language courses in Geneva here.
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While French is often referred to as the most beautiful (and romantic) of all languages, romance aside - it is also known to be one of the more challenging ones to learn.
However, the difficulty is not the only reason many foreigners may struggle to pick up the local language as much as they would like. Sometimes, it is just that you are working too much to find time to learn, or you are unemployed and find these courses quite expensive, or you are a homemaker who does not need much language skills, so your time and energy are required elsewhere.
Fortunately, there are various ways you can still learn French on your own time for free (or on a modest budget).
In this article, we have compiled some of the French learning programmes that are offered for free in Geneva for various foreigner groups.
International Geneva Welcome Centre
The International Geneva Welcome Centre’s invites both foreigners and locals to register online to be matched with a language partner as part of its Language Exchange programme.
The programme, which currently has some 1,400 participants, is meant to complement language classes and is free of charge.
However, before you register, note that an intermediate level of French will be required in order to be matched with a language partner. Anyone at beginner level will not be accepted.
READ MORE: Eight reasons Swiss-French is better than French-French
Geneva libraries
According to Français & integration, the municipal libraries of the City of Geneva and the Office for the Integration of Foreigners offer French conversation and language sharing groups which meet regularly in several libraries (currently these libraries: Cité, Jonction, Servette, Saint-Jean and Pâquis).
We recommend reaching out to the individual libraries for further information.
If a traditional school set-up is not your cup of tea, one way of getting a grasp of the French language (and fast) is by meeting up with a language partner.
Meetup is a great way of joining both French speakers and other language learners who are new to the area on organised meet-up outings, so you can not only improve your French (for free) but also make friends while learning more about Geneva.
The downside? You may still want to consider investing in one or two grammar books as meeting up with locals may well see your conversational skills skyrocket, but you may find yourself lagging behind on your writing skills.
If you are gunning for a language partner of your choice, however, a good website to try out is Language Exchange where you will quickly find multiple native French speakers – either to meet up with or write to.
However, there is a small downside. While creating a profile and responding to messages is free, if you’re looking to reach out to an individual of your choosing, you will need to become a Gold Member.
READ MORE: From 'natel' to 'ça joue': The Swiss French words which help you sound like a local
With a third of international students and 700 students/researchers welcomed each year on student mobility, the University of Geneva has come up with the Linguistic Tandems platform.
The programme intends to connect university students who wish to learn or practice a foreign language – including French – free of charge.
Students can register here.
As the title suggests, this one is worth earmarking for the coming summer. During the summer months in Geneva, you have the unique opportunity to learn French for free – and without registration - in several parks across the city.
Just keep an eye out on the timetable for next year here.
And for a minor fee…
Université Populaire du Canton de Genève
Established in 1982, the university is made up of around 300 voluntary teachers who impart their knowledge to some 3,500 students in Geneva.
The university offers lessons (at a minimal cost) in written French as well as grammar and conversation, however, you will need to register to be considered for the classes. If the course is full, you can be added to a wait list for the coming year.
And if you’d like a free learning month…
If you’re undecided whether a school environment is the right fit for you long-term, a great way to start learning French is to try out the Swiss French School. The school teaches small classes (1-3 students) and can therefore adapt to your level, time availability and budget as you go along.
You have until November 30th, 2023, to sign up to the school’s standard course to get a whole month’s worth of free lessons. The hang-up? You will need to sign up to at least 9 months’ worth of classes to enjoy the free trial month.
If you are a non-French speaker, parent of a child attending school in Geneva, refugee, migrant, or similar, you can also check out a compilation of free French language courses in Geneva here.
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