Why French tenses feel impossible when your first language is Chinese
Chinese marks time with context; French marks it inside the verb. Once you see that difference clearly, the imparfait stops being a mystery.
18 August 2026Grammar
Bonjour !
French, Mandarin & Cantonese lessons in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore by video call.
Cantonese & Mandarin for French expatsFrench for expat childrenFrench for Chinese speakersFrench taught in EnglishChinese ⇄ French document translationLive on Zoom with our trainers in France
Cantonese & Mandarin for French expats
French for expat children
French for Chinese speakers
French taught in English
Chinese ⇄ French document translation
Live on Zoom with our trainers in France
Qualified trainers, based in France
Our lessons are delivered from France by qualified trainers. Not teachers passing through, nor exchange students: professionals who do this for a living and take on a deliberately limited number of learners.
French, taught by native-speaking trainers
Our French trainers are native speakers with university degrees in French literature. That changes what they can pass on: not only the language, but grammar, register, and the exercises specific to the French system — the dissertation, the commentaire composé, the baccalauréat paper.
Grammar explained in Mandarin, Cantonese or English
Our trainers handle the grammar in Mandarin, Cantonese or English — whichever you actually think in: tenses, the subjunctive, pronouns, everything that has to be understood before it can be used. Explained that way, a rule takes five minutes instead of three frustrated lessons.
Cantonese and Mandarin, taught in French
For the French community in Asia, our Chinese-speaking trainers teach their own language directly in French, with no detour through English — which is rare, since nearly every Cantonese course routes learners through English-language materials.
Follow-up between lessons
Homework is collected and corrected between sessions, and questions are answered in the learner's own language. That is often where progress actually happens, rather than during the hour itself.
Why learn with us
We are not a marketplace. Our trainers are based in France, and we deliberately cap how many learners each of them takes on.
Grammar taught in your own language
The usual beginner problem is not French — it is being taught French entirely in French. Our trainers teach the grammar in Mandarin, Cantonese or English: tenses, the subjunctive, pronouns. A rule takes five minutes instead of three frustrated lessons.
One-to-one first, small groups too
Lessons are one-to-one by default, so the whole hour is built around what you specifically get wrong. And if you would rather learn with a friend, a partner or a colleague, small groups of two or three work beautifully.
A teacher trained in the language, not just fluent in it
Anyone who grew up in France speaks French. Knowing why a sentence is wrong, and how to write for a French university or a French employer, is a different skill — and it is the one our trainers spent five years acquiring.
The time difference works for you
Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Singapore are all UTC+8. Your evening is the middle of our working day, so evening slots are genuinely open — not a favour squeezed in at midnight.
You book us directly
No platform sitting in the middle taking fifteen to twenty percent. You deal with us, we set the price, and it stays lower because of it.
Your homework is followed, not just handed out
Between lessons, your trainer goes through your corrections in your own language and answers the questions you did not dare raise in class. Most of the progress happens there, not during the hour itself.
What we teach
French for Chinese and Cantonese speakers, and — for the French community living in Asia — Chinese lessons, school support and translation.
See pricing- (01)€32per hour, one-to-one
French lessons, all levels
From your very first word to fluent, confident French.
Complete beginners through to advanced speakers, adults and university students
Learn more → - (02)€35per hour, one-to-one
DELF, DALF and TCF preparation
The exam is not just French. It is a format you can train for.
Anyone who needs a certified French level for study, work, immigration or citizenship
Learn more → - (03)€50per hour, one-to-one
Business French
The French of meetings, emails and negotiations.
Professionals, executives and expatriate postings
Learn more → - (04)€35per hour, one-to-one
Academic writing and methodology
What French universities expect, and no one explains.
Students heading to France, Belgium, Switzerland or Québec
Learn more → - (05)On requestrate being finalised
Cantonese and Mandarin for French speakers
For the French community living in Asia — and those about to move.
French expatriates in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Singapore
Learn more → - (06)€35per hour, one-to-one, online
French tutoring for expatriate children
Keeping a child's French at French level, from the other side of the world.
French families abroad, and bilingual families raising children in French
Learn more → - (07)€0.12per word (Chinese ⇄ French)
Translation and language support
Chinese, French and English, by people trained to write.
Companies, associations and individuals needing careful translation rather than machine output
Learn more →
Where our students are
Four places, four different reasons to learn French, and four different languages to be explained in.
Hong KongCantoneseFrench lessons for Hong Kong, taught live from France, with explanations in Cantonese whenever you need them.Learn more →MacauCantoneseFrench lessons for Macau, one-to-one online, with Cantonese explanations whenever they help.Learn more →TaiwanMandarinFrench lessons for Taiwan, live from France, with Mandarin explanations when you need them.Learn more →SingaporeEnglish and MandarinFrench lessons for Singapore, one-to-one online, in English or with Mandarin support.Learn more →
The time difference is on your side
Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Singapore are all UTC+8 — six hours ahead of France in summer, seven in winter. Your evening lesson lands in the middle of our working day, which is why evening slots are genuinely open rather than grudgingly offered.
| Your time (UTC+8) | Our time (France) |
|---|---|
| 7:00 pm | 1:00 pm — 12:00 pm |
| 8:00 pm | 2:00 pm — 1:00 pm |
| 9:00 pm | 3:00 pm — 2:00 pm |
| 10:00 pm | 4:00 pm — 3:00 pm |
First figure is French summer time, second is winter time. Morning and weekend slots are available too.
How it works
Four steps, and the first two cost you nothing.
Message us in your own language
WhatsApp, LINE, WeChat or email. We answer in Cantonese, Mandarin, English or French. You do not need a word of French to write to us.
A free 20-minute call
We work out where you actually are, what you need French for, and by when. If we are not the right fit, we will say so — it costs you nothing to find out.
We agree a rhythm
One or two lessons a week, at fixed times that suit your schedule. Packages of ten or twenty hours come at a reduced rate.
We start
Zoom or Google Meet, materials prepared for you, and a written note after each lesson so you know what to review before the next one.
Notes on learning French
What we end up explaining over and over in lessons — written down, so you can read it before you even book one.
Passing DELF B2 in six months: an honest timeline
What is realistic from a B1 start, how many hours a week it actually takes, and the three papers where candidates lose the most marks.
12 August 2026Exams
The French R, explained for Cantonese speakers
It is not the Mandarin h and not an English r. Here is where the sound actually sits in your throat, and a drill that fixes it in a week.
5 August 2026Pronunciation
Studying in France: which French certificate does your file need?
TCF, DELF, DALF, TEF — which one Campus France accepts, which level each programme asks for, and when to sit the exam.
29 July 2026Studying in France
Questions we get asked
I do not speak any French at all. Can I still start?
Yes — that is exactly the case we are built for. Our Chinese-speaking trainers teach the grammar in Mandarin and Cantonese, so the rules are explained in the language you already think in, while our French trainers build the language itself. Beginners are our most common students, not our exception.
What times can I have lessons?
Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Singapore are all UTC+8, six or seven hours ahead of France. A 8 pm lesson for you is 1 or 2 pm for us — the middle of the working day. Evenings, mornings and weekends are all workable.
Do you prepare students for DELF, DALF and TCF?
Yes, from A1 through to C2, including TEF. Preparation covers all four papers, with timed mock exams corrected against the official marking criteria. Many of our Taiwanese and Hong Kong students come to us specifically for a certified level needed for a study or immigration file.
How long is a lesson, and how often should I take them?
One hour is standard. Most students take one or two lessons a week — twice a week is noticeably faster for beginners, once a week works well for maintenance and exam preparation over a longer period.
Which platform do you use?
Zoom or Google Meet, whichever you already have. Materials are shared before the lesson and a short written summary follows after it.
How do I pay from Hong Kong, Taiwan or Singapore?
International bank transfer, Wise, or card. Lessons are invoiced in euros. Packages of ten or twenty hours are paid up front at a reduced rate; single lessons are paid as you go.
Do you teach children?
Yes — mainly the children of French families living in Asia, for school French and preparation for the épreuve anticipée de français. We also teach teenagers learning French as a foreign language.
Can I take Cantonese or Mandarin lessons instead?
Yes. Our trainers teach Cantonese and Mandarin in French — rare, since most materials route learners through English — or in English if that suits you better. It is a popular option with French expatriates who have just arrived.
Get in touch
Write to us in Cantonese, Mandarin, English or French — whichever is easiest. The first 20-minute call is free and there is nothing to commit to.
Book a free 20-minute call