Learn French through real reading
Lire — Learn French through real reading
Graded passages from French literature, journalism, and everyday life — with interlinear English translation and vocabulary built in. No grammar drills. Just reading.
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Chapitre I — L'oiseau
Lorsque j'avais six ans, j'ai vu, une fois, une magnifique image,
When I was six years old, I once saw a magnificent picture,
dans un livre sur la Forêt Vierge qui s'appelait « Histoires Vécues ».
in a book about the Virgin Forest called 'Stories of Real Life'.
Ça représentait un serpent boa qui avalait un fauve.
It depicted a boa constrictor swallowing a wild beast.
J'ai alors beaucoup réfléchi aux aventures de la jungle,
I then thought a great deal about the adventures of the jungle,
et j'ai réussi, avec un crayon de couleur, à tracer mon premier dessin.
and I managed, with a coloured pencil, to trace my first drawing.
magnifiquemagnificent, beautiful
la Forêt Viergethe Virgin Forest
avalaitwas swallowing
un fauvea wild beast
réfléchithought, reflected
un crayon de couleura coloured pencil
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Reading is the fastest way to learn a language
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Each French line sits above its English equivalent. Toggle it off when you're ready to go without the safety net.
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New passages added weekly across fiction, news, travel, food, and culture. Real French, not textbook French.
The library
20 free passages across every level and topic
Fiction · A2
Le Petit Prince — I
Lorsque j'avais six ans, j'ai vu, une fois, une magnifique image,
Daily life · A1
Au marché du matin
Marie arrive tôt au marché.
Travel · B1
Paris sous la pluie
Quand il pleut à Paris, la ville prend une couleur différente.
Daily life · A1
Une journée ordinaire
Je me lève à sept heures.
Food · A2
La boulangerie du quartier
Il y a une boulangerie au coin de ma rue.
Travel · A2
Les vacances en Bretagne
Cet été, nous sommes allés en Bretagne en famille.
Free tools
Quick answers to everyday French questions
Verb Conjugator
Conjugate the 50 most common French verbs across six tenses.
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Gender Checker
Is it le or la? Look up any French noun and learn the rule.
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False Friends
40 French words that look like English but mean something else.
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Level Test
A 10-question quiz that estimates your CEFR level (A1–C1).
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Pronunciation Guide
The French sounds English speakers find hardest, in plain English.
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