French Lessons for Expats in Paris: Private, Practical and Flexible

You have just moved to Paris, or you are about to. You can get by in English at work, but the rest of daily life happens in French: the préfecture, the doctor, the school gates, the bakery, your neighbours. Private French lessons with Prof. Elaine are designed for exactly that moment. They take place in Paris or online, at times that fit around a working day, and they start from your real level, not from page one of a textbook.

Prof. Elaine has taught French as a foreign language (FLE) for more than 25 years. She is a qualified FLE teacher (DAEFLE, Alliance française de Paris) and an examiner for the TCF speaking test, accredited by France Éducation international. She is an expat herself: born in Rio de Janeiro, she grew up in Egypt, Iran, Uruguay, Tunisia and Brazil, lived in Canada and settled in Paris. She knows what it feels like to arrive somewhere new and to need the language quickly.

The first step is a free assessment. You come away with your level, a realistic goal and the number of lessons it will take to get there.

Book my free assessment

Why take private lessons when you have just moved to Paris?

Because time is the one thing you do not have. Group classes follow a fixed programme; private lessons follow you. If you need to open a bank account this week, that becomes this week’s lesson. If your job interviews are in French next month, you rehearse them. Every hour is spent on French you will actually use, in the order you need it.

Private lessons also remove the fear of speaking in front of others. Many expats understand more than they dare to say. One-to-one, you speak from the first minute, you make mistakes safely, and you are corrected in a way that helps you the next time.

Who are these lessons for?

  • Newly arrived expats and their partners who want to be independent in daily life within a few months.
  • International professionals whose company operates in English but whose colleagues, clients and paperwork do not.
  • Students and researchers who need French for their studies, their housing and their social life.
  • Long-term residents who have ‘got by’ for years and now want to speak properly, or who need a certified level of French for a residence permit or citizenship.

Complete beginners are welcome. So are advanced speakers who want to refine their French: accent, register, writing, professional vocabulary.

What will you actually learn?

Practical French, organised around real situations and aligned with levels A1 to C1 of the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages):

  • Daily life: introducing yourself, shopping, restaurants, transport, appointments, small talk with neighbours and colleagues.
  • Paperwork and admin: understanding letters and forms, phoning a public service, explaining your situation clearly and politely.
  • Health and family: the doctor, the pharmacy, the school, the crèche.
  • Work: meetings, emails, presentations and the unwritten rules of French professional culture.
  • Culture and confidence: the expressions people really use, the humour, the difference between spoken and written French.

Grammar is taught when you need it, as a tool, never as an end in itself.

Lessons in Paris or online: how does it work?

  1. Free assessment. A first conversation to assess your level in listening, speaking, reading and writing, and to define your goal.
  2. Personalised plan. The number of lessons, the pace and the priorities, agreed together and adjusted as you progress.
  3. Lessons where and when you need them. In Paris or online by video call. Early-morning, lunchtime and evening slots are available for working professionals.
  4. Regular check-ins. You can see your progress, and the plan changes when your life does.

Explanations can be given in English, Portuguese or Spanish whenever a point calls for it. The aim is always for you to speak French as early and as much as possible.

Do you need French for a residence permit or citizenship?

Since 1 January 2026, residence and citizenship applications in France require a certified level of French: A2 for the first multi-year residence permit, B1 for the resident card, B2 for citizenship. The reference test is the TCF IRN, the version of the TCF used for integration, residence and nationality. As an examiner for the TCF speaking test, Prof. Elaine prepares candidates for every part of the exam. Read more about preparing for the TCF IRN (page in French).

Frequently asked questions

With regular lessons and a little practice between them, most beginners can start handling everyday conversations after a few months. Reaching a comfortable, independent level (B1 to B2) usually takes longer. The free assessment gives you an honest estimate for your own situation.

No. Complete beginners start with the sounds of the language, basic greetings and their first useful sentences. If you already speak some French, we start from where you actually are.

Explanations can be given in English when needed, especially at the beginning. The lesson itself is in French as much as possible, because that is how you learn to speak it.

Rates depend on the format: in person or online, single lessons or a package. Ask for a quote after the free assessment, and there is no obligation to continue.

Yes. Couples can learn together if their levels are close, and lessons for teenagers can also be arranged. Just mention it during the assessment.

Book your free assessment

Tell me where you are with your French, what you need it for and when you are available. I usually reply within 24 hours, in English or French.

Prof. Elaine

You can also email me directly at elaine.ramos@profelaine.com.