FIND THE RIGHT FRENCH COURSE FOR YOUR LEVEL AND INTEREST

Fall Term: September 8 — November 15, 2025

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The Alliance offers group classes well as private instruction. Select from a variety of options to enhance your French language skills, including 10-week specialty and French culture courses, core classes, 4-week mini courses, or unique 2-hour workshops. Learn French online or immerse yourself with in-person classes.

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Enroll now for Fall!


Build your skills in our Core language courses or dive into Specialty classes that bring French to life through culture, conversation, grammar, and more. There’s something for everyone this fall!

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December Mini Classes


December mini classes run for three weeks, with 2-hour sessions between December 1 and December 19. You’ll find a variety of cultural and skill-focused options, as well as general review classes. Don’t let your French slip during the winter break—join a class to stay sharp and keep practicing!

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Fall Mini Classes: October-November 

Mini classes are a perfect opportunity to keep studying French without a long commitment. Each class targets a specific area or theme. Mini classes are offered in a series of 4 weeks, 1h 30 hours per session.

Fall Minis Session: October 20 - November 15, 2025

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French Class Types for Every Level

Core Skills

Learning French grammar, pronunciation and speaking skills

Core classes move students through well-defined coursework toward fluency. They are organized in five levels, with regular or accelerated pacing available for lower-level courses. 

  • Beginner - A1 level classes, 101 through 106
  • Lower Intermediate - A2 level classes, 201 through 206 
  • Intermediate - B1 level classes, 301 through 306
  • Lower Advanced - B2 level classes, 401 through 406
  • Advanced – C1 level classes, 501 through 506

Learn all about level progression and classes for adults.

Beginning students new to the Alliance: please read information about true beginners classes on this page.


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Specialty And Cultural Classes 

Discussion-based classes in arts, history, language mastery, etc.

 Cultural classes are discussion-based classes exposing students to different aspects of French arts, history or current events. 

Specialty classes offer students the opportunity to improve their French while concentrating on specific skills like grammar, phonetics, or conversation.


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Mini Classes 

Pressé? Opt for our mini sessions

Mini Classes
Our curriculum includes a diverse range of new Mini Classes each quarter. Minis are the perfect opportunity to keep studying French without a long commitment with 90-minute weekly sessions for four weeks.

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Intensive Program 

Maximum Progress in Just 4 Days

Kick-start French
You can also accelerate your language skills with an intensive class: a four-day brush-up class (2.5 hours per day) right before the current term classes begin. 

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Seasonal Workshops 

End the Year with New French Adventures

Try Something New Week
During the long winter break, the Alliance offers French learning experiences that go with the holiday spirit. Treat yourself to something exclusive and entertaining, or try something you haven't had a chance to do this year, before it's over.

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Registration

 You have four ways to filter classes to suit your interests

  1. Unsure of your level? Click here to take a free placement test.
  2. Select by Level to view all classes in that level.
  3. Or select Type of class to see all Core, Specialty & Cultural Classes or Mini Classes.
  4. Or select Pace to find Accelerated or Normal-paced classes.
  5. Select Location to see whether classes are online or in-person.

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Click on the gray box with the day and time to register.

 Teacher information

To see the teacher of a class, hold your cursor over the circled exclamation point in the class date/time box.

Beginning students

Students new to the Alliance: please read information about true beginners classes on this page.

 All students

Plan to pick up books before your first class, or arrange shipping for additional fee with our office. Books are not automatically shipped.

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Level
Location
Pace

Unsure of your level?  Click here to take a free placement test.

A1 - Beginner

French for Travelers

Minis
Planning a trip to a French-speaking country but concerned about navigating the language barrier? Join our four "French for Travelers" mini lessons and master essential skills like hotel check-ins, using the metro, purchasing tickets, ordering food, and taking the train. This course is designed for beginners with basic French knowledge and will be predominantly taught in French, with English as needed. Prerequisite is having completed level 101 or possessing an equivalent level online.
Pace: Regular

French Sounds & Spelling Basics

Minis
The Basics of Phonie-Graphie is a course designed to help you master the relationship between French sounds and their written forms. Through practical exercises, you'll learn to improve your pronunciation, identify the unique sounds of French, and understand how these sounds are represented in writing. This course is perfect for learners looking to enhance both their pronunciation and spelling while strengthening their understanding of French phonetic and spelling rules. Prerequisites: basic French, 103 or equivalent.
Pace: Regular

Grammar Workshop

Minis
This four week workshop will review different verbs and tenses every week through drills and conversation while incorporating and recycling vocabulary typically learned in the A1 series. No prerequisite.
Pace: Regular

Intro to French Communication

Minis
Join us for a Beginning French Conversation class designed for learners eager to develop their speaking skills in a supportive environment.In this course, students will explore a selection of everyday themes tailored to the group's level. Topics may include introductions, family discussions, sports, leisure activities, daily routines, grocery shopping, weather preferences, seasonal clothing, and pets. Participants will engage in interactive activities, group discussions, and role-playing, allowing them to build confidence and fluency in everyday French conversation. Prerequisites: basic French, 102 level or equivalent.
Pace: Regular
A2 - Lower Intermediate

Conversation Starters

Minis
Build confidence and fluency in everyday French conversations with this interactive A2-level course. Through small group sessions and engaging activities, you'll practice essential conversation skills for real-life situations including personal introductions, daily routines, shopping, making plans, and expressing opinions. By the end of the course, you'll feel confident initiating and maintaining simple conversations in French while having fun in a supportive, encouraging environment. Come ready to speak, laugh, and discover the joy of communicating in French! Prerequisite 106 or equivalent.




Pace: Regular

FOCUS: Past Tenses

Minis
Get ready to master three of the most commonly used past tenses in French- le passé composé, l'imparfait, and le passé récent- through fun and engaging short stories, songs, and movie clips! With tons of practice activities, you'll have plenty of opportunities to become a pro at this unique aspect of the French language while also honing your conversation skills. Don't miss out on this exciting chance to conquer "the past" and take your French to the next level! The continuation of this class will be offered in Session 2 of Mini Classes. Prerequisite 106 or equivalent.

Pace: Regular

French Flow: Dictation Practice

Minis
La dictée is how the French learn French. Considered to be one of the best ways to learn the nuances of spelling and grammar in the French language, it is done by millions of children in French schools every day. In this 4-week workshop, you will improve your listening comprehension skills, spelling, and vocabulary while solidifying your understanding of grammatical points taught in the DEFI method in the same way as the French: through a series of dictation activities and short discussions about some of the most troublesome areas of spelling, agreement, and conjugation. Prerequisites: DEFI 201 or equivalent.
Pace: Regular
A2/B1

Sounding French

Minis
Pronunciation is the key to successful communication in French, and this 4-week workshop concentrates on areas typically troublesome for intermediate learners at the A2 and B1 level. Focus on mastering intonation and rhythm while strengthening the connection between written and spoken French. Through word games, dictations, and tongue twisters, you'll improve your pronunciation and accent while enhancing your listening comprehension and grammar skills. Perfect for building confidence in speaking and understanding authentic French. Prerequisites: A2 level or equivalent.
Pace: Regular
B1 - Intermediate

Learning with Dictée

Minis
In this 4-week workshop, you will improve your listening comprehension skills, spelling, and vocabulary while solidifying your understanding of intermediate grammatical points in the same way as the French: through a series of dictation activities and short discussions about some of the most troublesome areas of spelling, agreement, and conjugation. Prerequisites: DEFI 206 or equivalent
Pace: Regular

Les contes de Maupassant B1/B2

Minis
Considered one of the early masters of the short story form, Guy de Maupassant is famous for his tales depicting the everyday lives and struggles of working French people in the late 19th century. Ranging from comic to tragic and everything in between, his stories are always entertaining and thought-provoking, and often come with a surprising twist. In this literature-focused mini-class, students will read a few adapted versions of Maupassant's works for B1/B2 learners, respond orally to comprehension and discussion questions, and engage in creative writing activities in response to these texts. (There will be no required work outside of class, but students will be provided with the original texts as well as some film adaptations as options to extend the challenge at home.) Prerequisite: one class at B1 level or above (or equivalent).
Pace: Regular

Les Réalisatrices: La Nouvelle Nouvelle Vague du Cinéma Français

Minis
This course explores the revolutionary impact of contemporary French women filmmakers who are transforming the industry and redefining cinematic narratives. You'll discover how directors following in the footsteps of pioneers like Alice Guy and Agnès Varda are challenging traditional male-dominated cinema by reimagining women's representation on screen and boldly addressing complex social issues including abortion, immigration, LGBTQ identity, and domestic violence. Unlike the escapist New Wave of the past, today's women filmmakers create socially reflective cinema that has achieved both popular success and critical recognition at prestigious international film festivals, making this an essential study for understanding the current evolution of French cinema. To learn more about each film click here. Class is open to students at level B1 and above, with the prerequisite of having completed level 303 or possessing an equivalent level. 
Pace: Regular
B1/B2

Everyday French Idioms

Minis
Discover the meaning, usage, and cultural nuances of authentic French expressions involving fruits, vegetables, animals, body parts, and more! This interactive course helps you understand these colorful idioms in different contexts while learning to integrate them naturally into both spoken and written French. Through engaging communicative activities, you'll enrich your vocabulary, improve fluency, and develop deeper cultural understanding that makes your French conversations more authentic and expressive. Perfect for intermediate learners ready to sound more like native speakers. Prerequisites: B1 level or equivalent.
Pace: Regular

Les contes de Maupassant B1/B2

Minis
Considered one of the early masters of the short story form, Guy de Maupassant is famous for his tales depicting the everyday lives and struggles of working French people in the late 19th century. Ranging from comic to tragic and everything in between, his stories are always entertaining and thought-provoking, and often come with a surprising twist. In this literature-focused mini-class, students will read a few adapted versions of Maupassant's works for B1/B2 learners, respond orally to comprehension and discussion questions, and engage in creative writing activities in response to these texts. (There will be no required work outside of class, but students will be provided with the original texts as well as some film adaptations as options to extend the challenge at home.) Prerequisite: one class at B1 level or above (or equivalent).
Pace: Regular

Les Réalisatrices: La Nouvelle Nouvelle Vague du Cinéma Français

Minis
This course explores the revolutionary impact of contemporary French women filmmakers who are transforming the industry and redefining cinematic narratives. You'll discover how directors following in the footsteps of pioneers like Alice Guy and Agnès Varda are challenging traditional male-dominated cinema by reimagining women's representation on screen and boldly addressing complex social issues including abortion, immigration, LGBTQ identity, and domestic violence. Unlike the escapist New Wave of the past, today's women filmmakers create socially reflective cinema that has achieved both popular success and critical recognition at prestigious international film festivals, making this an essential study for understanding the current evolution of French cinema. To learn more about each film click here. Class is open to students at level B1 and above, with the prerequisite of having completed level 303 or possessing an equivalent level. 
Pace: Regular
B2 - Upper Intermediate

Hidden Treasures of France

Minis

Discover France beyond the popular destinations! Join us on a virtual journey to explore charming villages, secret gardens, forgotten castles, and local traditions that most visitors never see. From ancient stone bridges to bustling weekly markets, uncover the authentic France through engaging stories, stunning visuals, and cultural insights. Perfect for intermediate learners ready to expand their vocabulary while falling in love with France's best-kept secrets. Come explore the France that locals call home!
Prerequisite: 306 or equivalent.


Pace: Regular

Les contes de Maupassant B1/B2

Minis
Considered one of the early masters of the short story form, Guy de Maupassant is famous for his tales depicting the everyday lives and struggles of working French people in the late 19th century. Ranging from comic to tragic and everything in between, his stories are always entertaining and thought-provoking, and often come with a surprising twist. In this literature-focused mini-class, students will read a few adapted versions of Maupassant's works for B1/B2 learners, respond orally to comprehension and discussion questions, and engage in creative writing activities in response to these texts. (There will be no required work outside of class, but students will be provided with the original texts as well as some film adaptations as options to extend the challenge at home.) Prerequisite: one class at B1 level or above (or equivalent).
Pace: Regular

Les Réalisatrices: La Nouvelle Nouvelle Vague du Cinéma Français

Minis
This course explores the revolutionary impact of contemporary French women filmmakers who are transforming the industry and redefining cinematic narratives. You'll discover how directors following in the footsteps of pioneers like Alice Guy and Agnès Varda are challenging traditional male-dominated cinema by reimagining women's representation on screen and boldly addressing complex social issues including abortion, immigration, LGBTQ identity, and domestic violence. Unlike the escapist New Wave of the past, today's women filmmakers create socially reflective cinema that has achieved both popular success and critical recognition at prestigious international film festivals, making this an essential study for understanding the current evolution of French cinema. To learn more about each film click here. Class is open to students at level B1 and above, with the prerequisite of having completed level 303 or possessing an equivalent level. 
Pace: Regular

The History of Wine

Minis
Dive into picturesque vineyards and centuries of tradition that have shaped the fascinating history of French wine. This course will take you on a journey through the most renowned wine regions of France, exploring the evolution of viticulture, winemaking techniques, and the cultural impact of wine on French society. You will explore:
-The history of wine, including its fascinating origins.
-The intimate relationship between wine and French culture, encompassing the art of living, the art of the table, and social relations.
-The diverse wine regions of France, as well as those from other parts of the world.
-The great wines and iconic liqueurs, such as Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Calvados, Pastis, Chouchen, and more.
This class is open to students at levels B2 and C1, with the prerequisite of having completed level 306 or possessing an equivalent level.
Pace: Regular
B2/C1

Hidden Treasures of France

Minis

Discover France beyond the popular destinations! Join us on a virtual journey to explore charming villages, secret gardens, forgotten castles, and local traditions that most visitors never see. From ancient stone bridges to bustling weekly markets, uncover the authentic France through engaging stories, stunning visuals, and cultural insights. Perfect for intermediate learners ready to expand their vocabulary while falling in love with France's best-kept secrets. Come explore the France that locals call home!
Prerequisite: 306 or equivalent.


Pace: Regular

Les Réalisatrices: La Nouvelle Nouvelle Vague du Cinéma Français

Minis
This course explores the revolutionary impact of contemporary French women filmmakers who are transforming the industry and redefining cinematic narratives. You'll discover how directors following in the footsteps of pioneers like Alice Guy and Agnès Varda are challenging traditional male-dominated cinema by reimagining women's representation on screen and boldly addressing complex social issues including abortion, immigration, LGBTQ identity, and domestic violence. Unlike the escapist New Wave of the past, today's women filmmakers create socially reflective cinema that has achieved both popular success and critical recognition at prestigious international film festivals, making this an essential study for understanding the current evolution of French cinema. To learn more about each film click here. Class is open to students at level B1 and above, with the prerequisite of having completed level 303 or possessing an equivalent level. 
Pace: Regular

The History of Wine

Minis
Dive into picturesque vineyards and centuries of tradition that have shaped the fascinating history of French wine. This course will take you on a journey through the most renowned wine regions of France, exploring the evolution of viticulture, winemaking techniques, and the cultural impact of wine on French society. You will explore:
-The history of wine, including its fascinating origins.
-The intimate relationship between wine and French culture, encompassing the art of living, the art of the table, and social relations.
-The diverse wine regions of France, as well as those from other parts of the world.
-The great wines and iconic liqueurs, such as Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Calvados, Pastis, Chouchen, and more.
This class is open to students at levels B2 and C1, with the prerequisite of having completed level 306 or possessing an equivalent level.
Pace: Regular
C1 - Advanced

Hidden Treasures of France

Minis

Discover France beyond the popular destinations! Join us on a virtual journey to explore charming villages, secret gardens, forgotten castles, and local traditions that most visitors never see. From ancient stone bridges to bustling weekly markets, uncover the authentic France through engaging stories, stunning visuals, and cultural insights. Perfect for intermediate learners ready to expand their vocabulary while falling in love with France's best-kept secrets. Come explore the France that locals call home!
Prerequisite: 306 or equivalent.


Pace: Regular

Les Réalisatrices: La Nouvelle Nouvelle Vague du Cinéma Français

Minis
This course explores the revolutionary impact of contemporary French women filmmakers who are transforming the industry and redefining cinematic narratives. You'll discover how directors following in the footsteps of pioneers like Alice Guy and Agnès Varda are challenging traditional male-dominated cinema by reimagining women's representation on screen and boldly addressing complex social issues including abortion, immigration, LGBTQ identity, and domestic violence. Unlike the escapist New Wave of the past, today's women filmmakers create socially reflective cinema that has achieved both popular success and critical recognition at prestigious international film festivals, making this an essential study for understanding the current evolution of French cinema. To learn more about each film click here. Class is open to students at level B1 and above, with the prerequisite of having completed level 303 or possessing an equivalent level. 
Pace: Regular

The History of Wine

Minis
Dive into picturesque vineyards and centuries of tradition that have shaped the fascinating history of French wine. This course will take you on a journey through the most renowned wine regions of France, exploring the evolution of viticulture, winemaking techniques, and the cultural impact of wine on French society. You will explore:
-The history of wine, including its fascinating origins.
-The intimate relationship between wine and French culture, encompassing the art of living, the art of the table, and social relations.
-The diverse wine regions of France, as well as those from other parts of the world.
-The great wines and iconic liqueurs, such as Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Calvados, Pastis, Chouchen, and more.
This class is open to students at levels B2 and C1, with the prerequisite of having completed level 306 or possessing an equivalent level.
Pace: Regular

Order This Course

$150.00 USD

Code: 25A Session 2 Minis - Communication A1 IN PERSON
Join us for a Beginning French Conversation class designed for learners eager to develop their speaking skills in a supportive
environment.

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PARKING

Street parking on SW 20th St. facing the Kamm House is limited. Free parking is available in Lot A at SW 18th and SW Columbia. Please obtain a parking pass from the office. After 6 pm weekdays, students may park in the Willamette Dental lot at SW 20th and SW Jefferson as available.

OFFICE HOURS

The Alliance office is open 10am-3pm Monday through Friday.
Call us at 503.223.8388 during business hours or leave a message.
Email us at  info@afportland.org.

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