About

Language learners don’t need another “three months to fluency” gimmick, and they definitely don’t need another AI-powered app where they’re stuck talking to a bot.

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What language learners really need is a space to connect.

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To use the language.

To feel supported.
To make progress.

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That’s why we created Pardon my French.

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It’s not an app.

It’s not a game.

It’s not another AI chatbot.

It’s a community for intermediate to advanced French learners who are stuck somewhere in the messy middle - past the basics, but not yet fluent.

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I’m Riley, an American living in Paris, and I started Pardon my French with Dorianne, a Swiss French teacher helping students from around the world.

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We met in 2020. I was looking for a French tutor and Dorianne was teaching from the Philippines, one of several stops on her scuba diving adventures.

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Over five years of Zoom calls, we built a friendship and a shared belief that learning a language doesn’t have to feel isolating, repetitive, or robotic.

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When I finally moved to France to use the language Dorianne had taught me, we decided to build the kind of language-learning experience we both wanted.

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We help real people make real progress. Here's how:

Small-group French lessons (3–5 students), live on Zoom, at your level and actually fun.
An original A2–C1 curriculum built around grammar, conversation, and culture.
A community that shows up with challenges, vocab drops, weekly conversation calls, and people who keep you motivated.
A twice-weekly newsletter packed with grammar tips, cultural insights, and real-world vocab.

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If you’re just getting started with French, this isn’t the right fit. But if you’re living (or planning to live) in France, or prepping for a French exam, then Pardon my French is perfect for you.

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We’ve already helped hundreds of students improve their French.

And we’re just getting started.

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Bienvenue,