What is the best time of day to learn French?

Learn French, yes, but when?

Is there an ideal time of day to learn French? This is the question that several researchers have studied, and the answer seems to be yes! There is indeed a time of day during which learning is best consolidated in our memory.

Learn French before going to sleep

Numerous scientific studies have been conducted to try to better understand the mechanisms of learning, and in particular the links between learning and sleep. The results reveal several eloquent facts.

It appears that learning a language before sleeping, on a regular basis, would lead to better memorization in the long term. Indeed, participants who learned at night and revised in the morning showed better memory performance than those who learned in the morning and revised in the evening. Sleeping between two French learning sessions would therefore be beneficial! More precisely, other researchers have highlighted the role of the deep slow sleep** phase in the consolidation of learning achieved during the day.

Having regular practice in French

More than the time of day at which learning takes place, it is the regularity of practice that influences results. A study reveals that those who practice French regularly in the evening have better results than those who practice inconsistently and at different times of the day. But don't worry, you don't have to be a night owl to learn French effectively! Regular practice alone plays a very important role in the retention of vocabulary and notions learned. To learn French, consistency is key!

Learning French on a daily basis

Here are a few tips on how to maintain consistency in learning French, even though it is not possible for everyone to take a course every day. Swiss French School courses are designed to allow you to learn French regularly, at your own pace. In addition to the lessons with a teacher and the various workshops, students have access to numerous online pedagogical resources, 24/7: pronunciation or grammar exercises, videos, texts, multimedia content, etc. This gives you the possibility to learn French on a daily basis, whatever your schedule and wherever you are: in the car, before bedtime, during your lunch break... It's up to you to find the ideal moment to devote yourself to learning French, even if it's only for a few minutes a day.

It is possible to considerably increase the progress made in training by inviting the practice of French into your leisure time! Watching your favorite French-language series with French subtitles, listening to a French podcast on your way to work, reading an article in French... There are many ways to practice French on a regular basis without it being an additional burden on your life.