Raconte ton histoire
Learn to finally understand French people and tell them your story!
Why do they speak so fast?!
You’ve been learning French for years.
Now you are able to understand the innerFrench podcast and videos without too much trouble.
But whenever you watch a French movie or hear a conversation between French people, you feel like a beginner again.
It almost seems like they speak a completely different language from the one you’re trying to learn.
They merge random words together, they use idioms you’ve never heard, and they invent new slang everyday.
But the biggest obstacle, of course, is that they speak way too fast!
Did you spend all this time learning French for nothing?
How can you have a pleasant conversation if you’re constantly afraid of not understanding what French people are saying?
The real problem
Trust me: it has nothing to do with French.
Anyone who’s ever learned a foreign language has been through this.
I’ve experienced all these mental blocks myself hundreds of times in English, Spanish and Polish!
I know how frustrating and demotivating they can be.
Luckily for us, the solution is quite simple: you just need (a lot) more practice!
But here comes the real problem: there is very little content that can provide you with this type of training.
Most French courses are either a long list of grammar lessons, or awkward scripted dialogues that you would never hear in France.
And even if your French-speaking friends are very patient, you probably don’t want to stop them every 10 seconds to ask them to explain a phrase you didn’t get.
In this course, you can!
How this course will help you
👂🏻 Train Your Ear for Natural French Conversations
You won’t suddenly understand every French movie, but you’ll develop specific skills to better follow real conversations. You’ll learn to recognize common informal expressions, understand how French speakers naturally connect words, and feel less overwhelmed when listening to unscripted French.
“The interviews were a lot of fun to watch! I listen to a lot of podcasts and YouTube videos in French but almost never more than once, so having to do so with the quizzes really helped impress on me how useful that can be.”
😌 Practice in a Stress-Free Environment
Get all the benefits of listening to natural French conversations without the pressure of having to respond in real-time. You can pause, rewind, and work through challenging parts at your own pace with my guidance and explanations.
“It was like listening in to real conversations but with friendly support and explanations. It was the perfect way to bridge the gap between artificially constructed dialogues and the pressure of being in a real-life interaction.”
🗣️ Learn Vocabulary Through Stories, Not Lists
Instead of memorizing isolated words, you’ll encounter new vocabulary naturally within real conversations. The course uses repetition strategically—words you learn in one lesson will appear again later, helping you retain them without cramming.
“The conversations were very interesting and excellent training for understanding spoken French. I learned a lot of French vocabulary, grammar, culture and history.”
✅ Fill Grammar Gaps That Hold You Back
Focus on the specific grammar points that upper intermediate learners struggle with most: passé composé vs. imparfait, conditional forms, and hypothesis structures. Instead of abstract rules, you’ll see how these work in real conversations and practice with interactive exercises.
“I loved how the grammar was painlessly integrated into each step. It allows you to review it in every lesson without even realizing it!
🎬 Bridge the Gap to Authentic French Media
This course serves as your training ground before tackling movies, news, and podcasts. You’ll develop strategies for following natural speech patterns and cultural references, making authentic French content much more accessible.
“At first I thought it would be impossible for me to understand Hugo’s friends because they speak so fast, but it has become easier and easier. Now I understand French podcasts and movies better.“
🛟 Get Personal Support from Your Teachers
Access Hugo and Ingrid directly in the lesson comments. Ask questions about specific lessons, get clarification on grammar points, or seek advice about your French learning journey. You’re not just buying a course—you’re joining a community with dedicated teacher support.
“I loved it all! The exercises, the interviews, the commentaries… I liked the speed with which Ingrid or Hugo answered my questions in the comments.“
Meet your teachers
Hugo
I started my career 10 years ago at the Institut français in Warsaw. In 2017, I created innerFrench to help people learn French naturally through topics that speak to them.
Ingrid
Journalist by trade, I started teaching French after moving to Peru. I joined the innerFrench team in 2020 to develop the podcast and support our advanced students.
😄 Real-life conversations with a smile
In Raconte ton histoire, I’ll introduce you to four of my best friends. They agreed to share some personal experiences and important moments from their lives.
You’ll learn to understand them thanks to a step-by-step method:
- Watch the conversation a first time to get discover the topic
- Watch it again while answering a comprehension quiz to understand the tricky parts
- Watch it another time while doing a vocabulary quiz to learn new words in context
- Watch a behind-the-scenes video where I dissect the conversation to show the differences between formal and informal French, and explain cultural references.
By following this method, you’ll get an amazing training for your ear without getting bore
“I’ve tried several methods to learn French online. In my opinion, there is no better course than InnerFrench. There’s a lot of variety in the lessons and they’re never boring. Plus, I can go back and redo the content several times. I have a very bad memory, so for me it’s very useful.”
🌱 Grow your vocabulary organically
You won’t understand French people until you know enough words.
The most efficient way to increase your vocabulary is by learning phrases in context.
In the interviews, we’ll focus on informal French and daily phrases.
But the course also contains fascinating stories about France and French society to enrich your general vocabulary and learn some captivating anecdotes.
You don’t even need to have une mémoire d’éléphant [a good memory] to remember these phrases! We’ve done the hard work for you by designing the course around repetition.
You’ll discover a new important word in a lesson, and magically, it’ll come back a few lessons later, and probably a 3rd and 4th time to make sure you never forget it!
🔧 Actionable grammar lessons
You won’t learn French by memorizing a set of grammar rules and their (endless) list of exceptions.
That’s why in this course, we’ll focus on actionable grammar topics that can actually help you better express yourself:
• French learners’ most dreaded question: passé composé or imparfait?
• The different types of hypothesis and how to stop making mistakes with “si”
• How to use the passive form to make your sentences more elegant
+ a lot more!
If you’re struggling with these topics, you’ll find plenty of interactive exercises to practice and build your confidence.
“The course is very useful for learners like me who already have a B2 level in French. I really appreciated its well-structured lessons and easy-to-use interface. The format and content of the conversations are interesting.
The practical exercises are varied and stimulating, making learning French more engaging and dynamic. What’s more, interactive features such as the discussion forum let you get in touch with the whole innerFrench team and other learners.”
Is this course for you?
✅ Who this course is for
- If you’re an intermediate or advanced learner (B1-B2 level on the CEFR scale).
- If you can understand Hugo without too much trouble, but you find his interviews with other speakers challenging.
- If you’ve already completed Build a Strong Core, then this course will be the perfect next step. If you haven’t, it’s not mandatory but we highly recommend it.
⛔️ Who this course is NOT for
- If you’re a beginner (A1-A2 level on the CEFR scale).
- If you recently started listening to the innerFrench podcast or watching our YouTube videos and you find them challenging, we recommend doing the Build a Strong Core course before this one.
- If you’re an advanced learner (C1 or above on the CEFR scale) who can already follow French TV/radio.
Lifetime Access
199€ one-time payment
Your success matters to us.
If you’re not satisfied within the first 30 days (and haven’t completed more than 50% of the course), we’ll refund your purchase.
“I’m happy to find real, unscripted conversations and no boring stand alone grammar explanations.
Using Hugo’s course has helped me enormously. My understanding of natural spoken French has improved and I often find myself using the language I heard in the course in my own French conversations.
Using the conversations in context and breaking down the expressions and grammar has been the most engaging way to learn.”
Lifetime Access
Use the course for ever + get all the future updates
30 Lessons
Fascinating conversations with a sprinkle of grammar
10 Hours of Video
+ downloadable MP3 files and detailed transcripts
Over 100 exercises
From listening comprehension quizzes to phonetic tests
“Like a lot of students, I had been feeling frustrated that despite years of study, I was still floundering when I tried to converse with a French-speaking person or engage with content created for the Francophone world. I’d describe this course as the perfect stepping stone between a classroom and a confident chat.
For me, there are two factors that distinguish it from others: the immersion element and the relevance of content. It’s been so valuable to immerse myself in casual, real French conversation, and be able to listen over and over with Hugo’s insights and guidance.”
I thought the whole course was very good and well-balanced. If I had to choose, I would say that my favorite lessons were the videos presented by Hugo on French history and society. For example, I found the one on the Trente Glorieuses entertaining, interesting and educational. But really, everything was excellent!
This is the first time I’ve ever taken a course like this. I was stunned when I heard the first interview, but realized that I could follow it. That boosted my motivation. I like that I can re-listen to the course over and over. The topics were varied and I learned a lot. This course was a good investment for me. Hugo is a natural teacher and have a solid grasp of pedagogy. I always felt I was in good hands throughout the course.
This course introduced me to the vocabulary and, above all, the pronunciation heard on the streets of Paris. The explanations of grammar points are crystal clear. When a student highlights a difficulty, the instructors’ answers are a great help. I was very pleased with my progress from the beginning to the end of the course.
I found the course to be exactly what someone at an intermediate level needs in order to progress in a foreign language: equal parts engaging and challenging. The attention to detail as I was taking the course stood out to me, especially as someone that has listened to InnerFrench and learned more about the emphasis the team has on effectively learning languages. I am excited to retake the course as I see value in the structure, quizzes, and interviews that extend beyond the initial course completion!
“Raconte ton histoire” is a perfect fit for intermediate level learners, people seeking to improve their listening comprehension, and even speaking skills, and for those who want to build up their vocabulary. Hugo’s videos are creative. It is not a classic teacher-student sorta material, but rather very engaging, not tedious or exhausting. I had lots of courses in the past, but nothing was so unique, diversified, comprehensive, and had real-life topics like this course.
Hugo’s course and teaching methods are great! The organization of the lessons is coherent, complete and easy to follow. I especially liked the richness of the topics and the human warmth conveyed in the interviews with his friends.
I’m convinced learning should be a pleasure, and Raconte ton Histoire was. Hugo and his team chose very interesting subject matter, including some relating to feminism in France (Simone Weil, for instance), so I was never bored. Even the grammar worked well. The instructions were clear and concise and the quizzes had a game-like quality to them, plus you could do them all over again if you wished. I feel I learned more than from textbook oriented classes I’ve taken. My oral understanding improved a lot, thanks to listening to a variety of voices: not only Hugo’s, but his friends’ too.
I enjoyed all the lessons, especially the ones on culture, current events and literature. I will be doing the course again. Thank you!
‘Raconte ton histoire’ is an amazing course. I can’t believe how much progress I’ve made in such a short time. Listening to people talking in a natural way and having a detailed transcript of the conversation is the the best way to learn. If I had to pick one word to describe this course, I’d say: sensational!
I believe this course truly caters to the needs of intermediate-level students who may feel stuck or blocked in their language learning journey, just like I did. I loved the idea of the natural and authentic interviews with Hugo’s friends and the quizzes on them, the part where Hugo analyses the interview to highlight some of the vocabulary and grammar points within the conversation which helped me a lot better understand the French natives, a thing that I always struggled with. Simply, everything is well-organized and coherent in a magnificent way. Additionally, there was always the patient and supportive team of “InnerFrench” who are always ready to answer all of my questions and inquiries.
I loved Hugo’s method, using personal stories and stories related to the history of France. It kept me interested through the course. Hugo’s explanations after each module were concise, clear and to the point. I also thought that the use of tests after each module was very helpful, and I enjoyed doing them.
I would recommend this course wholeheartedly. I found it carefully worked out, well structured and quite dense. I thought I was going to finish it in a month, but in the end it took me three months of a bit of daily work. The subjects are a lot of fun. I had a lot of fun during the course. This is the best French course I’ve ever taken. It helped me so much to improve my listening comprehension. I find that the French I learned before and the way Hugo’s friends express themselves in the course are remarkably different.
I’ve been an avid follower of Hugo and his podcast all the way back to his first in the spring of 2017. When he began offering online courses, I was excited to continue my discovery of the French language, learning about French culture along the way. Though there are the requisite grammar tutorials, the emphasis is on mastering the language for everyday use. I’ve been to France recently and was happily surprised how my progress with Hugo paid off as I could both understand and communicate with the people I met along my journey. Many thanks for the keys to unlock a world outside my US border!
I learned so much and it was a great opportunity to meet four of Hugo’s friends and share with them their passions and a bit of their lives, while developing the ability to listen to different accents and speaking speeds. However, the course offers much more than this, as we also explore the vocabulary, grammar and expressions used so that we can better understand these conversations. People who love grammar won’t be disappointed either. This course gives plenty of opportunity to practice with quizzes, many of the things that even fairly advanced students continue to struggle with.
The course itself is excellent and not just the content, the guidance and encouragement you receive from Hugo and the team throughout is second to none. I have done several French courses over the years and InnerFrench has been the best by far, I feel more motivated now than ever!
My favorite part of the course is the interviews. At the beginning, it was very difficult, but now I understand well Laure, Marie, Timothée and Jean (a big thank you to them too, by the way).
I also really liked the lessons on great historical figures, like Simone Veil or Gérard Depardieu.
This is the best listening-comprehension course I have ever taken in my many years of studying French. The interviews with Hugo’s friends were both wonderfully authentic and highly interesting. I couldn’t wait to watch the next chapter in the stories of Jean, Marie and Timothée, and Laure and improve my listening, grammar, and vocabulary skills along the way. As a language teacher myself (I teach ESL at a community college), I see Hugo applying many of the same principles of effective language teaching that I strive every day to incorporate into my own classroom.
Frequently asked questions
“When we find ourselves halfway between intermediate and advanced levels, Raconte ton histoire can be a stairway. I like the way Hugo puts all the information together in a simple and interesting way, not boring at all. As I was preparing to DELF B2 I found it pretty convenient, because it brings a lot of useful content that can be used in the exam.“
Course syllabus
Contenu Cours
“As a teacher of foreign languages, I understand very well the importance of the human element in learning, and that’s what I particularly like about the course. Hugo’s friends are so interesting and passionate, and of course the exercises and explanations are really clear.“
“Simply put, the format of this course works: its content is interesting and its explanations are clear. Hugo’s contagious enthusiasm and unwavering encouragement are most effective: I’ve not only successfully resurrected my French (I hadn’t touched it in 30 years!), but reignited my love for languages in general.”
“Despite my B2 level in French, I’ve had difficulty following normal (rapid) conversations when I’m in France. InnerFrench’s entertaining blend of actual recorded conversations and commentaries has helped me move to a much higher level of understanding and confidence.“
“I was really impressed with the course. With many well-conducted interviews, there’s plenty of authentic material to practice and progress. The large number of exercises have been created with great care and effort. I highly recommend this course to anyone who wants to practice their French.”
“The course is well laid out and very varied. The grammar is clearly explained, the interviews are interesting and fun, and the exercises are instructive.”
“I looked forward to each lesson, knowing that I was in good hands to help me perfect my French.”
“I think there’s a good balance between interviews and grammar (this course filled in a lot of the gaps I had left in grammar)! But on top of that, I really enjoyed the videos in which Hugo talks about interesting topics like collapse and uchrony.”
“I found the course very useful. The content was interesting and I was able to improve my listening comprehension. I will repeat the course to better memorize the grammar. Thank you so much!”
“The interviews gave me a sense of real French. With the comprehension tests, comments and related grammar, the work certainly helped me improve my knowledge of the French language.”
“The course was fantastic, and I highly recommend it to everyone! I don’t think there’s anything like it on the internet. It offers an excellent combination of tools to help you improve your French.”
“I enjoyed the course so much that I took all the lessons twice in a row! 😊 Thanks to the whole team for a well-prepared and enjoyable course.”
“All the lessons and exercises are excellent. I enrolled in this course to improve my listening and speaking skills. But as a bonus, I improved my grammar! Hugo is a wonderful teacher and storyteller who can teach difficult topics in a simple way. I also love his humor and in-depth analysis of each topic.”
“The course offered me a perfect mix of topics, speakers, language style, pace and level. I really felt taken seriously as a student. Many thanks to Hugo and the whole InnerFrench team.”
“I’ve been teaching Chemistry and English for seven years and I’ve seen hundreds courses in my career, so I’m pretty well versed in the art of teaching. I found Hugo’s course brilliant!”
“I discovered Hugo’s podcast last summer after becoming quite discouraged with classes at the Alliance Française. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this course, with its clear explanations and interesting content. I’m going to do it again!”
“I recommend the ‘Raconte ton histoire’ course. It’s a challenge, like any good course, but also a great way to learn French.”
“I enjoyed trying to understand the interviews. Excellent ear training.”
“It’s the first course I’ve taken that I’ve enjoyed so much! Not too much grammar, mostly living French. Clear explanations, easy to follow, done with enthusiasm.”
“Returning to learn the language many years after leaving school, I found this course perfect for its focus on how the French speak naturally and informally about their country, their work and day-to-day lives and recent experiences. My progress has seemed effortless because it’s been so enjoyable!”
“I’ve been learning French for a few years but I still have trouble understanding French conversations sometimes. But this course has helped me to revise grammar that I had forgotten and by listening to interviews several times I’m more comfortable speaking with French people now!”
“Raconte ton histoire était à la fois fascinant et efficace. Combiné avec le tutorat en ligne, j’ai pu élever mon niveau à intermédiaire avancé après avoir été bloqué pendant des années au niveau débutant avancé. Merci Hugo et son équipe !”
“The course provides new vocabulary and expressions. It helps you learn how to speak in everyday situations. The grammar explanations are clear and understandable. I’ve made enormous progress – it’s amazing!“
“This course has really helped me to improve my understanding of spoken French. Taking this course is also a great way of staying motivated to learn French. Hugo and his friends are very nice and it was a pleasure to listen to them.”
“Raconte ton histoire” is the best sequel since Godfather II. Chapeau Hugo! You make learning fun.”
“In retrospect, I wish I’d learned languages this way when I was at school. But it’s never too late to start again. Thank you so much for this. It really helps me to feel at home in France.”
“When I first heard the interviews I had to work hard to decipher words and phrases, but then after completing the comprehension and vocabulary exercises that accompany them, I was astonished to find that I could understand practically everything.”
“I’m usually such a procrastinator, but this is a course I didn’t have to force myself to do! That’s because the lessons, topics, challenge level and especially how personal it feels made it a real pleasure. I moved to France with extremely basic French and this course (after also many podcasts!!) have given not only my French level, but my motivation and confidence, the boost it needed.”
“I really like Hugo’s approach to learning. The explanations are clear and practical, and he brings a calm, philosophical demeanor that really encourages thought. I finished half the course before having to take a long break, but I picked it up again and completed it. The course is well-designed with a variety of videos and quizzes that provide a lot of support and make the course feel very personal. I look forward to reviewing it and to taking other courses from InnerFrench.”
“Hugo’s way of explaining grammar is very easy to understand, and the quizzes, videos and documentaries, always with beautiful images, are carefully arranged and always very informative in many areas. As a result, everything is entertaining and fun, and his very personal way of telling a story, creating connexions and explaining it well, makes it a pleasure to improve and be able to resurrect the grammar you learned at school a long time ago!”
“For those of you who think you’re too old to learn a new language, think again. I am 76 years old and didn’t begin my voyage of discovery until I was in my late 50s when I moved to France. In these last few years I have learned to speak French and have many French friends but I was never *really* confident. I joked that ” je parle anglais comme un natif mais français comme un anglais“. As Hugo says, it is very difficult to move beyond that “intermediate level” but innerFrench with its unique mixture of articles, interviews, insights into grammar and exercises, has allowed me to feel that I am moving on to the next exciting phase in my relationship with the French Language and culture.”
“Thanks to Hugo and his team, my grammar and comprehension skills have improved considerably. I really enjoyed the interviews with his friends and learned a lot from them. At last, I can speak with confidence!”
“I especially appreciated the good balance between lessons devoted to grammar and those based on listening comprehension and vocabulary learning. I thought it was great that the language spoken in the videos was authentic. I watched them forgetting that I was learning something, and it was far from unpleasant!”
“The course has a good mix of videos on interesting topics, as well as easy-to-understand explanations of vocabulary usage and grammar. I would choose to do it again any time.”
“I’ve taken a lot of French courses, learning grammar and rules. The InnerFrench courses are different because I’ve been able to take the time to understand the language by listening to the guests and Hugo.”
“I really enjoyed the course. When I started, I couldn’t understand spoken French, but by the end of the course I could understand almost everything. The interviews are very interesting and the content is very well organized.”
“I’ve tried many courses and it’s the best I’ve found. I loved the interviews with Hugo’s friends. It was nice to improve my listening skills with real-life conversations.”
“I really enjoyed the videos. I made progress with the comprehension and grammar quizzes. I also enjoyed the comment area. I would like to thank you for this well thought out course! “
