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Thinking about taking GCSE French? Or maybe you've just started and want to know what's coming?
GCSE French is one of the most popular language options at secondary school. Aside from learning to communicate in French, it’s about understanding French culture and building skills you can use in the real world.
Let's break down exactly what GCSE French is, how you'll be tested, and why French could be a smart GCSE choice.
Key Takeaways
GCSE French teaches real communication skills – you'll learn to speak, listen, read and write in French for everyday situations
Four exams, four skills – Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing each count for 25% of your grade
Topics you can relate to – family, holidays, school, future jobs and world issues
French opens doors – it's spoken by 300 million people worldwide and looks brilliant on CVs and university applications
What Do You Learn in GCSE French?
GCSE French isn't about becoming fluent overnight. It's about building practical skills you can use.
By the end of the course, you'll be able to:
Have conversations about everyday topics
Understand spoken French in different situations
Read French texts like emails, adverts and articles
Write in French about your life, opinions and experiences
Vocabulary and grammar
You'll learn tons of useful words and phrases while speaking about yourself, describing things, making plans and giving opinions.
Grammar includes tenses (past, present and future), verb patterns, adjectives, and sentence structures. It sounds scary, but you'll build it up gradually over two years.
Everything you learn connects to real life. You're not memorising random words, you're learning how to really communicate with French speakers.
Don’t worry - Save My Exams have all the French GCSE Revision Resources you need, organised by exam board.
Main Topics You'll Cover
GCSE French is organised around themes that relate to your life. Here are the main topics:
Identity and Culture
This covers who you are and French culture.
You'll learn to talk about:
Your family and relationships
Friends and what you do together
Hobbies and interests
French food and mealtimes
Festivals and celebrations
Social media and technology
Example: Describing your family, saying what you like doing at weekends, or chatting about your favourite French foods.
Local Area, Travel and Holidays
All about where you live and places you visit.
Topics include:
Describing your town or city
Asking for directions
Talking about holidays
Booking hotels and activities
Transport and travel experiences
Weather
Example: Writing about a trip to France, describing your local area, or having a conversation about travel plans.
School Life
Your school experience – something you know plenty about!
You'll cover:
School subjects and your opinions
Teachers and friends
Your school day and timetable
School rules and uniform
Comparing schools in different countries
Example: Explaining which subjects you love or hate, describing a typical day, or discussing school uniform.
Future Plans and Careers
Looking ahead to what's next.
Topics include:
Career dreams and job ideas
Work experience
Part-time jobs
Plans for college or university
Skills you'll need
Example: Talking about your dream job, describing some work experience, or explaining why education matters to you.
Global and Social Issues
The bigger picture – world issues and making a difference.
You'll discuss:
Environmental problems and solutions
Volunteering and charity work
Social issues
Technology's impact
Being a global citizen
Example: Giving your opinion on climate change, talking about volunteering, or discussing social media's effects on young people.
These topics appear across all exam boards (AQA (opens in a new tab), Edexcel (opens in a new tab), WJEC Eduqas (opens in a new tab), WJEC (opens in a new tab)). They might be organised slightly differently, but the content is essentially the same.
How GCSE French Is Assessed
GCSE French has four exam papers. Each tests a different skill, and each is worth 25% of your final grade.
Listening (25%)
You'll hear recordings in French and answer questions – sometimes in English, sometimes in French.
The recordings include conversations, announcements, interviews and news clips. Some are easy, others more challenging.
Duration: Around 35–50 minutes (depending on board and Foundation or Higher tier)
Speaking (25%)
This worries most students, but honestly, it's doable with practice.
Your speaking exam includes:
Role play – you get a scenario and have to respond
Photo card – describing a picture and answering questions
General conversation – chatting about topics you've studied or a piece of text
Duration: Around 7–12 minutes (depending on tier)
Good news: you do this with your teacher in a private room, not in front of your whole class! It's recorded and sent to examiners.
Reading (25%)
You'll read texts in French – adverts, emails, articles, blog posts – and answer questions.
Some questions are in English, some in French. There's usually a translation from French to English too.
Duration: Around 45–75 minutes (depending on board and tier)
Writing (25%)
You'll write responses in French on different topics.
This includes:
Short messages or answers
Longer pieces expressing opinions
Translation from English to French
Creative writing
Duration: Around 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes (depending on board and tier)
Foundation or Higher tier?
You'll take either Foundation (grades 1–5) or Higher (grades 4–9). Your teacher helps you decide which tier suits you best. Our article about GCSE Tiers will tell you more.
Why Choose GCSE French?
French is spoken everywhere
More than 300 million people speak French worldwide. It's an official language in 29 countries across Europe, Africa, Canada, and the Caribbean.
Learning French opens up travel opportunities, helps you understand different cultures, and could be useful in future careers.
Universities and employers value it
Having a language GCSE (especially French) looks impressive on university applications and CVs. It shows you can challenge yourself and communicate across cultures.
Some university courses require or prefer a language GCSE. Even when it's not essential, it helps you stand out.
It leads to amazing opportunities
GCSE French is just the start. You could:
Take A Level French
Study or work in French-speaking countries
Use French in careers like teaching, tourism, business or translation
Travel confidently and understand what's happening around you
It strengthens your brain
Learning languages improves memory, problem-solving and multitasking. It literally makes your brain work better!
French culture is fascinating
Exploring French music, films, food and traditions is genuinely interesting. Plus, once you know French, learning other languages (like Spanish or Italian) becomes easier.
Is GCSE French Hard?
GCSE French is challenging. Learning any language takes effort.
The tricky bits:
Speaking – feeling nervous, pronouncing words correctly, thinking quickly
Grammar – verb tenses and patterns can be confusing
Vocabulary – a great deal to learn and remember
Why it's manageable:
You've got two years to build skills gradually
Everything is practical and relevant to real life
With regular practice, it gets easier
Your teacher supports you throughout
Apps and French media make learning fun
The secret is consistency. Practising a bit every day beats cramming before exams. Stay on top of vocabulary and practise speaking regularly – you'll be fine.
Tips for Doing Well in GCSE French
Want to ace French? Here's how:
Learn vocab regularly
Don't cram hundreds of words the night before tests. Learn 5–10 new words daily instead. Use flashcards, or stick notes around your room.
Practise speaking out loud
Talk to yourself in French! Describe what you're doing, practise exam answers, or chat to your pet in French. It feels weird but works brilliantly.
Use language apps
Duolingo (opens in a new tab), Memrise (opens in a new tab) or Babbel (opens in a new tab) make learning fun and help you practise daily. Perfect for building vocabulary and getting comfortable with French.
Watch French content
Put French subtitles on Netflix shows, listen to French music, or watch French YouTubers. Even if you don't understand everything, it trains your ear.
Do past papers
When exams approach, practise with past papers. They show you exactly what to expect and help you get used to timing and question styles. Save My Exams has plenty of GCSE French past papers.
Ask for help
Stuck on grammar? Don't give up. Ask your teacher or friends to help.
Make mistakes
Everyone makes mistakes learning languages – that's how you improve! Don't be embarrassed. Every error teaches you something valuable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be good at French already to take it?
Not at all! GCSE French is designed for learners. You'll start with the basics and build up over two years. Even if you struggled in Year 7 and 8, you can still succeed at GCSE, as long as you’re willing to learn and practise regularly.
Will I need to do a speaking exam in front of the class?
No. Your speaking exam is just you and your teacher in a private room. It's recorded and sent to examiners, but your classmates won't hear it. Teachers sometimes do practice speaking in class to help you prepare, but the actual exam is always private.
Is GCSE French useful for university applications?
Absolutely. Universities love seeing language GCSEs because they show:
You can handle challenging subjects
You're culturally exploratory
You've got strong communication skills
Some courses (especially languages, international relations or business) prefer or require a language GCSE. Even when it's not essential, it makes your application stronger.
Plus, knowing French opens doors to studying abroad or doing exchanges at university.
Final Thoughts
GCSE French is a brilliant choice if you want to learn genuinely useful skills whilst exploring a new culture.
Whether you're aiming for top grades or simply want to explore French, the subject offers something valuable – practical skills, cultural knowledge and doors opening to future opportunities.
So if you're thinking about GCSE French, go for it!
Bonne chance! (Good luck!)
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