A French Tutor for Adults, Picked for You
Adult French lessons matched to your goals. Dr. Kerley pairs every adult learner with a native French-speaking tutor based on your background and how you learn best.
We’ll respond within 24 hours.
Who Our Adult French Lessons Are For
It’s never too late to learn French, and every lesson is one-on-one, online, and built around your goals. You are in the right place if you are:
- A complete beginner who wants a structured, patient start
- A rusty returner rebuilding French you studied years ago
- A travel planner who wants practical, conversational skills for a trip
- A working professional who needs French for a role, a promotion, or francophone colleagues
- A lifelong learner studying French for the joy of it, with no exam
- A heritage speaker who wants to build reading, writing, and grammar from family French
Looking for help for your child? We also offer French tutoring designed for teens, or compare all of our online French tutoring programs.
Tutored by Native Speakers, Matched by Dr. Kerley
Every tutor is a native French speaker, personally vetted by Dr. Melissa Kerley, who holds a Ph.D. in French from Tulane University and has taught French for more than 30 years. Our team spans 15 Francophone countries across five continents, and Dr. Kerley matches each learner to the right tutor. Every session is one-on-one over Zoom.
How Our Adult French Lessons Work
- Free consultation: every new student starts with a free conversation, not a test, so we learn your goals and how you like to learn.
- Get matched with your tutor: Dr. Kerley personally selects a tutor based on your goals, background, and learning style. No algorithms, no random assignments.
- Your tutor builds your plan: a curriculum around your level and goals, adjusted as you improve.
- Live one-on-one sessions: every lesson is live over Zoom. Sessions run 45 minutes and are scheduled when they work for you.
- Ongoing progress tracking: your tutor adjusts the plan as you go, so improvement stays steady and visible.
What Drives Our Adult French Learners
Adults come to French for reasons that usually overlap. It is an official language of 29 countries and the fifth most spoken in the world, so whatever brings you here, we build a plan around it.
Travel and Cultural Confidence
Real travel French means directions, menus, and real conversations with locals. Your tutor builds a plan around what you will actually use on the ground.
French for Your Career
Need French for a posting, a client, or a Foreign Service exam? Sessions cover meetings, emails, presentations, and the vocabulary of your industry. We also offer French tutoring in Washington, DC.
Learning for Its Own Sake
Not every goal needs a deadline. Your tutor builds sessions around your interests, from reading Le Petit Prince in the original to finally watching Truffaut without subtitles.
Family and Heritage Connections
Maybe your grandparents spoke French at home, or your partner’s family does. When the motivation is family, your tutor starts from the French you grew up hearing and builds the reading and grammar around it.
Exams and Certification
Some adults need a credential: a DELF (Diplôme d’Études en Langue Française) B2 for citizenship, or a TCF (Test de Connaissance du Français) for Canadian immigration. See our DELF and DALF preparation program.
What Adult Learners Say
Adult learners come to us with different goals, but they often share the same worry: can I really do this? Here is what that has looked like for others.
Melissa is friendly and inviting with her approach which has allowed me to learn while not being bothered by mistakes or feeling inadequate.
Kaylyn, adult learner
My boyfriend got us a few classes before going to Paris to learn a few basics. Knowing what we learned from Melissa made the trip even more fun and memorable! Even after the trip we are still continuing and are now reading French cookbooks and short stories with more confidence.
Audra, travel and conversation
Frequently Asked Questions About Adult French Lessons
Yes. Many of our adult learners begin as complete beginners, and many are returning to French after years away. Your tutor will start where you are, not where a textbook expects you to be. You’ll be surprised how much comes back once you start, and you are never starting from zero even if it feels that way.
Each lesson is a live, one-on-one session with your tutor over Zoom, typically lasting 45 minutes. Your tutor plans each session based on your goals and progress, blending conversation, grammar, vocabulary, listening practice, and cultural context. Most adult learners meet with their tutor once or twice a week; consistency matters more than intensity, and your tutor will recommend a cadence during your free consultation.
No. Your tutor provides all lesson materials. If a grammar reference, a reader, or a podcast would help, your tutor will recommend specific options. There is no required textbook purchase.
Yes. Life changes, and your lessons can change with it. If you started learning French for travel but now need it for work, your tutor adjusts the plan.
That’s what the free consultation is for. We’ll have a conversation with you, as much as you’re comfortable with, and help assess your current level across speaking, listening, reading, and writing. You’ll leave with a clearer picture of where you stand and what a realistic plan looks like.
Pricing depends on lesson frequency and program length. Tell us about your goals during your free consultation and we’ll walk you through your options.
Ready to Start? Let’s Find Your Tutor.
You don’t need to know your exact level or have a plan figured out. Tell us your goals, and Dr. Kerley will match you with the right tutor and reply within 24 hours.