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A1–B2 · Leveled passages

French reading comprehension exercises

French reading comprehension exercises graded A1 through B2 — 10 free French passages with questions, answers, vocabulary grids, and English translations. Read in your browser with no signup.

Prefer narrative format? Try French stories for beginners or French reading practice for more leveled input.

Learning loop

How it helps you learn

Texts work differently from stories — shorter, topical, and built for vocabulary mining. Read first, confirm meaning, then lock in words.

Step 1 Pick a CEFR level and open a passage
Step 2 Read in French for gist before peeking at English
Step 3 Review the vocabulary grid and translation
Step 4 Carry new words into Melolingua French stories with audio

What you get

Free reading, no signup

Browse by level

French text library

Passages and short paragraphs — each tagged A1–B2. Open one below or jump to a level page.

Full passages

Read in French

Tap highlighted words for glosses. Open one passage at a time — only the active reader stays expanded.

Interactive reader A1

Dimanche chez Marie

Marie vit dans un petit appartement lumineux à Lyon.

~62 words 5 sentences Tap any word
Interactive reader A1

Au café avec Lucas

Lucas commande un chocolat chaud et un croissant au café près de la gare.

~45 words 4 sentences Tap any word
Interactive reader A2

Une journée grise à Nice

Hier il a plu toute la journée à Nice et Claire n'a pas pu aller à la plage comme prévu.

~65 words 4 sentences Tap any word
Interactive reader A2

La carte postale du Québec

Marc a reçu une carte postale de son cousin qui voyage au Québec.

~60 words 4 sentences Tap any word
Interactive reader B1

Marché bio à Montpellier

Ce matin Léa visitait un marché bio où les producteurs expliquaient avec fierté comment ils réduisaient les pesticides.

~65 words 4 sentences Tap any word
Interactive reader B1

Réunion au bureau hybride

Pendant la réunion vidéo certains collègues étaient fatigués par les coupures audio alors que dautres préféraient éviter les trajets matinaux.

~50 words 3 sentences Tap any word
Interactive reader B2

Essai sur la francophonie citoyenne

Les observateurs relèvent que la francophonie ne se résume plus aux institutions officielles mais aussi aux communautés numériques qui créent du vocabulaire hybride.

~63 words 3 sentences Tap any word
Interactive reader B2

Courrier des lecteurs — linguistique appliquée

Une lectrice demandait si les registres soutenus étaient encore utiles dans les mails professionnels courts.

~50 words 3 sentences Tap any word

Quick drills

Short paragraphs

Compact French paragraphs for a five-minute session — same tap-to-learn tools as the full passages.

Interactive reader A1

Le chat et la fenêtre

Sophie ouvre doucement la fenêtre pour laisser entrer l'air frais.

~42 words 4 sentences Tap any word
Interactive reader B1

Mobilité douce à Strasbourg

Depuis quelques années les pistes cyclables sécurisées encouragent les familles à laisser la voiture au garage pour les trajets courts.

~38 words 2 sentences Tap any word

Prefer stories?

Graded French stories

Narrative arcs with cover art and glossary — a different format, same Melolingua reading tools. Browse all A1 stories →

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Related resources

Answers

Frequently asked questions

Q01

Where can I find French texts to read for free?

Right here—eight graded French texts with translation for A1–B2, plus bonus paragraph drills. For story libraries with narration, open the French reader routes linked above or launch MeloLingua.

Q02

What is a good French paragraph for beginners?

Aim for seventy to ninety words about concrete routines—cafés, commutes, neighbors—with present tense dominance and glossed connectors so liaison-heavy lines stay approachable.

Q03

How do I choose the right French level?

Stick with the eighty-percent rule: miss roughly two lines worth of nouns—not whole paragraphs—and graduate upward only after comfortable second-pass reads without peeking.

Q04

Can paragraphs replace listening practice?

They prime decoding, but listening locks liaison and intonation—carry vocabulary straight into MeloLingua French stories where narration mirrors what you read.

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