🇫🇷 Learn French
Learn French with Podcasts
Spoken French is famously far from written French — syllables vanish, ne drops, je suis becomes chuis. Podcasts are the cure, and French podcasting is unusually learner-friendly: several major shows publish full transcripts. Study the text in InputDojo, then listen and hear the elisions land where you expect them.
Why podcasts works for French
Transcripts decode elision
Seeing "je ne sais pas" while hearing "chais pas" is the single fastest fix for French listening — the transcript teaches your ear what to expect.
A graded path exists
From learner-paced shows to native talk radio, French podcasts scale smoothly with your level — no cliff between steps.
Dead time becomes French time
Commutes and chores absorb an hour of French a day without costing you anything — volume is the whole game in listening.
How it works in InputDojo
- 1
Pick a show that publishes transcripts and listen to an episode once.
- 2
Import the transcript into InputDojo; study what your ear missed.
- 3
Save the spoken-French contractions and fillers, then re-listen — the difference is startling.
Where to start
InnerFrench
Intermediate-paced French about interesting topics, with full transcripts — the canonical learner show.
Journal en français facile (RFI)
Daily news in simplified French with transcripts — ten minutes, every day.
Transfert
True personal stories told by one voice — native speed, but clear and intimate.
Interview shows (advanced)
Two-voice conversation with interruptions — the register of real French social life.
Frequently asked questions
Why can I read French but not understand podcasts?
Because spoken French deletes sounds written French keeps. Transcript-first study bridges the two systems — after a few weeks the deletions become predictable and your listening jumps.
What level do I need to start?
A2–B1 for learner shows like InnerFrench, which are designed for exactly that bridge. Native podcasts become workable around B2 with transcript support.