Play with purpose:

master French through the power of video games

Learning French doesn’t have to be boring drills or endless grammar charts. With my method, video games become the spark that keeps you motivated 🔥, while conversations and feedback turn that spark into real progress. Step by step, you’ll build the confidence to use French naturally, not only in games, but also in your 📕 studies , 🧑‍💼 career , 🛫 travels , or 🥐 daily life . Think of it as slow but steady “leveling up”: fun, motivating, and always leading to results that actually matter.

Life is busy. Between work, family, and everything else, finding time for French feels impossible. But while you wait, life doesn’t stop and neither do the opportunities that require French.

Do any of these sound familiar?

• You’re at dinner with your French-speaking in-laws, but you still miss the punchline of the uncle’s joke.

• You need to prepare for a French exam, but grammar books are so boring that you never stick with them.

• You’d like to seize new career opportunities in French, but your workload leaves you with no energy to study.

• Or maybe you simply love culture and games, but when you switch your favorite title into French, it suddenly feels way too hard to enjoy.

If that’s you, good news: there is a way to make French learning lighter, fun, and finally effective.

My name is Marvin even though online, most people know me as Darv. I’m both a French teacher and a lifelong gamer.

I started gaming before I could even read. I still remember wandering through Pokémon Red without understanding a word, and then how everything changed when I finally unlocked language: it was like discovering a new world. My English learning started way later in middle school. I was a good student, but turning my video games in English made me even better, I remember so much from my Final Fantasy X run.

Over the years, I applied the same approach to Spanish and Galician, and today I’m doing it again with Portuguese and Japanese. For me, games have always been more than just fun: they’re powerful learning tools.

On the professional side, I earned a master’s degree in French Didactics and an Alliance Française certification. I’ve taught in France, Scotland, Sweden, and Spain, and delivered more than 3,000 online lessons on platforms such as Italki and Languatalk. All of this has led me here: building the language school I always dreamed of. One that brings together my two passions: teaching and gaming.

And my objective is to offer you a new alternative: if you’re here, you’ve probably already tried the “usual” ways:

• You spent hours on Duolingo or other apps, tapping on your phone to match words with pictures only to realize that the vocabulary rarely shows up in real conversations.

• You tried talking with an AI partner such as GPT or one of those “virtual tutors” with a stock photo face. It can feel fun at first, but it quickly becomes awkward. An AI will never challenge you, adapt to your quirks, or push you when you need it most.

• You bought a big textbook and promised yourself: one chapter a day. But after a long day of work, who really has the energy to grind through dry grammar explanations? The book ends up collecting dust on your shelf.

Now, imagine this.

Instead of having to choose between studying French or relaxing with your favorite hobby, you can finally do both. 🎮📚

With the right method, every gaming session becomes a French practice session. You’re immersed in a world where the language is everywhere: reading quests, learning new words, picking up expressions as you play. Your vocabulary grows naturally, without forcing yourself through boring drills.

But here’s the truth: video games alone can’t do everything. They’re made for natives, so the first step often feels way too high. You see words or grammar you don’t understand, dialogues fly too fast, and worst of all: games don’t train your speaking. You might repeat a line here and there, but it doesn’t make you fluent.

Picture this 🖼️: you’re playing a game in French 🎮, you come across a tricky sentence😡. Instead of getting stuck 😮‍💨, you take a quick note or screenshot 📸, and then we go over it together 🧑‍🏫. Suddenly, it makes sense 😲 and the next time you see it, you understand it instantly 😎. You can even share it on Discord and get answers faster from me and the community.

And because your goals go beyond gaming, our conversations will too: hobbies, travel, culture, even work-related topics. You’ll get the fluency you need in-game and IRL.

You probably have dozens, maybe hundreds of games waiting in your Steam library. I know I do. But instead of stacking new titles you’ll never touch, why not invest in yourself so you can truly enjoy the games you already own? But this time, in French.

Here are your options:

Here’s how it works:

First, you can check my calendar to see if my availability matches yours. If this your first time visiting this website, feel free to book a 20 minutes discovery call.

To secure your lesson, simply choose your option below and click “Order now”. You’ll enter your personal info and payment details, and once your purchase is confirmed, you’ll get access to the booking page.

At this stage, you’ll be asked to choose your time slot. You’ll also be able to add your name, email, and even the specific topic or vocabulary you’d like to focus on during the lesson. This way, I can prepare the session to match your goals.

Once you submit your booking request, I will review and approve it. If it is your first class with me, in addition to that, I will send you a questionnaire to get to know you and the general terms and conditions that you need to send me back after signing it. You’ll then receive a confirmation email including all the details of your session and a Google Meet link. On the scheduled day, simply click the link and join me for your lesson.

If you’re based in the Americas, keep in mind that certain time slots are in high demand due to the time difference. Reserve early to secure the time that works best for you!

What my students say:

I could keep telling you why my lessons work. But instead, let’s hear it directly from the learners who’ve already studied with me. Here’s what they say:

PS: If you have any questions or doubts, feel free to reach out at contact@levelupyourfrench.com.

Also, remember that I’m live on Twitch every Tuesday and Thursday, from 7 to 9 pm French time (https://www.twitch.tv/darv_levelupyourfrench). It’s the perfect chance to explore French games with me, ask your questions, and see firsthand how I can support your learning.

See you on stream , and hopefully in class too!

FAQ - Frequenly asked questions

• Is this method for me if I need to learn French fast (e.g., in 2–3 months)?
  Not really. Level Up Your French is about adding small doses of learning to your daily life. You’ll definitely make progress in 2 months, but if you have a tight deadline, this isn’t the most efficient method.

• Why should I work with a teacher if I can just play video games in French on my own?
  You can improve on your own, but you won’t maximize your progress. I’ll show you how to get the most out of your games, and, most importantly, I’ll give you the speaking practice that video games alone can’t provide.

• Do I need to be a hardcore gamer to follow your method?
  Not at all. You just need to enjoy playing games, whether short sessions or long, and be curious enough to turn them into learning opportunities.

• What if my level is too low to understand French in games?
  If you’re a total beginner, we’ll start with games designed for you.
  If you already know some French but your games feel too hard, that’s exactly where I can help. Show me the tricky parts, or let’s explore them together, and little by little, they’ll start making sense.

• What if my level is already advanced, will I still benefit from this?
  Absolutely. Even at C1, I’m still learning new words and expressions through games. They’re an endless source of input.

• I’m not really into RPGs like Baldur’s Gate or Mass Effect. Will the lessons still fit my style of games?
  Of course. You choose the games. We’ll work with what you enjoy.

• I don’t have much time — can I still make progress with your method?
  That’s exactly what it’s designed for. By combining your hobby with your learning, you make every session both enjoyable and productive. Even one hour of gaming after work can help you keep improving.

• What makes your approach different from Duolingo, textbooks, or AI tutors?
  Human connection and real context. Video games immerse you in a world where every word has a purpose, and I help you make sense of it. Plus, I keep you accountable and push you forward, something an app or AI can’t really do (and I’d like to think I have a better sense of humor too 🙃).

• How do the lessons actually work? Will we play together, or just talk about the games?
  Most often, we’ll talk about your gaming sessions: what you played, the challenges you faced, and the language you want explained. Then we can open up to new themes, with resources ready if you need them.
  If you’d like, we can also play together. I can share my screen, give you control, and guide you through a new world in French.

• What if I get nervous speaking French?
  That’s normal, we all do at first 🙂. That’s why practicing in a safe space with a supportive teacher is so helpful. You’ll build confidence step by step.

• Do I need special equipment (gaming PC, headset, Discord, etc.)?
  Not really. A microphone and camera for video calls are enough.
  If you want to take control of my screen and play one of my games remotely, then a solid internet connection is important, but my setup will handle the heavy lifting 😎.

• I’m more interested in culture and travel than in gaming. Is this still for me?
  Yes. While gaming is my main focus, informal learning can come from series, songs, podcasts, or any other resource you enjoy. In my 6+ years of teaching, I’ve guided conversations on travel, culture, geopolitics, work, daily life, you name it.