FAQs

You should enroll in any A1 course level or one entitled "Introduction to French." Our "French for Travel" mini course is also designed for beginners.

The best way to place you in the right class is to take the Online Placement Test and/or contact us for help. It is important that you are placed in the level that best matches your current skills and needs from the start, so that you can get the most out of your French learning experience.

It really depends on each individual, and you may remember more (or less) than you think. Self-assessing your foreign language skills can be tricky; this is why we recommend you take the Online Placement Test or contact us to have your French level assessed. If you feel more comfortable going back to the first level, you are welcome to do so.

Yes we do! We offer some classes online for different levels including beginners. When browsing our courses, the location will show if the class is online or in-person. Private tutoring can also be done online.

• If you have little time: we recommend working with a tutor for private lessons catered to your needs ahead of your trip.
• We offer a mini course called "French for Travel"a few times a year. Check our class calendar to see if the timing of that class will work for your schedule!
• If you have more time: enroll in one of our group courses to complete as many levels as you can before your trip. 
  'The more you learn before you go, the more enjoyable and culturally satisfying your trip will be'.

Aim to reach a B1 level (independent user of the language level). Usually, to become an independent user of the language takes about 200 - 250 hours ofclasses.

If you start at the beginning and learn in a classroom situation it will take at least 400 hours of learning. If you already have some French or will be going to France for a while it can be much faster. Exposure is key when it comes to language learning. Joining our conversation groups, book clubs, and other social gatherings can be a great way to practice, learn, and increase your exposure on top of classes.

Any class will help you to achieve this, but we also offer a number of monthly conversation groups, book clubs, and many other social/cultural events, which are a great way to practice your speech and pronunciation. If you are enrolled in a course or working with one of our tutors, you are automatically granted AFG Membership, which gives you access to all of our cultural offerings. We encourage all of our students to take advantage of all that the AFG has to offer!

Most courses will require a textbook and/or exercise book. These books vary depending on the teacher and level, so please check the courses page for details.

Pen and paper are necessary, as well as a positive attitude! : )

No, it is not. Most of the time spent in our classes is conversation-oriented, and homework is typically assigned from a textbook that students are asked to purchase at the beginning of a course. No one is required to use a tablet, laptop, or other device to complete homework or participate in class.

We can issue certificates of level completion upon request. Please be sure to ask us if you would like to have one. We are not an accredited academic institution, so our classes do not count for credits.

The Alliance Française of Greenwich is NOT an accredited DELF and DALF exam center. Please check with the Alliance Française of Westchester or  L'Alliance New York.