Helping you understand the French beyond the classroom
I’m a teacher—and a language learner too.
Bonjour, I’m Iris. I’m a native French teacher, and over seven years of teaching online, I’ve worked with more than 1,000 students.
One frustration comes up again and again: “I understand in class, but when French people speak, I’m lost.”
I see why. In lessons, we teachers often slow down, articulate clearly and use slightly more formal language. I do it too. Outside the classroom, familiar words can sound very different.
My mission is to help you bridge that gap, so you can recognise more of the French you already know and follow everyday conversations with greater confidence.
Why French outside the classroom feels different
As teachers, we often adjust how we speak to help our students. I do it too: I slow down, articulate more clearly and sometimes use slightly more formal language.
That support is useful. But everyday conversations can sound quite different. People shorten familiar phrases, drop sounds, link words together and use expressions you may never have encountered in a textbook.
You can know a phrase on the page and still struggle to recognise it in conversation. I want to help you understand what happens between those two moments—and practise making the connection.
I’m a language learner too
I speak seven languages, and I’ve experienced the gap between studying a language and using it myself.
After four years of studying Spanish at school, I went to Seville and realised I could barely speak. Learning Lebanese with my grandmother taught me how important it is to feel safe making mistakes. Portuguese taught me the value of speaking, receiving corrections and trying again.
Across my own learning, I’ve also seen how different familiar language can feel when you hear it in a real conversation.
Those experiences, alongside my master’s degree in Teaching French as a Foreign Language, shape the way I teach today: with patience, practical examples and room to try again.
What you’ll find here
This blog is for learners who already know some French but struggle to follow French people in everyday conversations.
I share listening practice, explanations of how spoken French sounds, and practical ways to work with what you hear.
My aim is to help you recognise more of the French you already know, lose the thread less often and feel more connected to the people you’re speaking with.
Start with a little listening practice
My free French listening practice guide includes a listening exercise and a printable worksheet to help you practise recognising familiar words in everyday spoken French.
