Important updates about reopening
The Alliance will remain closed until further notice. French classes will continue online for the moment. Learn more.
reopening postponed
Please note that our reopening is postponed until further notice. We’ll have more information soon.
Update posted on 26 October 2020
WE’RE REOPENING IN NOVEMBER!
Hello and bonjour. We are happy to announce that we are (finally!) reopening starting Monday, 2 November 2020. Our library, bookstore, café and reception will be ready to welcome members and visitors then. French classes will continue online until further notice.
We remind you that masks are mandatory on the premises at all times and must cover your nose and mouth for the duration of your visit. There will be a cap of 20 people in the library to prevent overcrowding and spaces will be assigned on a first come, first served basis. We ask for your cooperation in practicing proper social distancing so we can keep each other safe.
Our timings will be Monday to Saturday from 9:30 AM to 5 PM.
Looking forward to welcoming you again at the Alliance in November! À très bientôt.
Update posted on 22 October 2020
Important updates relating to Covid-19 closure
Faced with the health risk due to the advance of the novel coronavirus pandemic, we are under obligation to interrupt our cultural activities and workshops from Tuesday, March 17, 2020 until further notice.
Based on the escalating public health situation in the city, we have decided that the Alliance Française de Karachi, including our reception, will remain closed until further notice.
However, our staff will continue to be available by email or by phone between 10 AM and 6 PM everyday except Sunday. Get in touch.
Our French classes have moved to an online format for both new and current students.
In addition, we are proud to have launched an online store to allow our students to register and pay for their French courses online. Registrations are now open for our next session. Learn more about our classes and browse our online store to register.
Translation services continue to be available. Browse and purchase translation services here.
Some examinations scheduled for June 2020 have been cancelled or postponed. The DELF Junior and Tous Publics exams scheduled for June are canceled; applicants can register for the next sessions coming up in November 2020. The DELF Prim exam is postponed and new dates will be announced shortly.
We hope you understand that the current situation and the risk of the spread of the pandemic compel us to make this decision to remain closed.
Update posted on 16 March 2020
This page is frequently updated as new information becomes available. Please check back often to stay informed.
AFK Student Diaries: Kisa
Learning French has helped me forge connections with francophones all over the world and discover the beautiful French culture, cinema and literature.
“I enrolled in classes at the Alliance Française de Karachi just to see how it goes but during my first class, I had a “coup de foudre” (instant crush) on the French language! ”
“Learn a foreign language” has always been one of the items on my bucket list. However, at first, I thought that it’s an unreachable goal. I enrolled in classes at the Alliance Française de Karachi just to see how it goes but during my first class, I had a “coup de foudre” (instant crush) on the French language!
The classes are such a delight to attend. I absolutely love the teachers: they are so competent, supportive, patient, and non-judgmental.
One of them, Ahlam, soon became a favorite because of how invested she was in my learning. Once, when I was feeling frustrated at not being able to understand a conversation between native speakers, she told me, “If you don’t understand it today, don't worry you will understand it tomorrow”. That gave me so much hope!
I also really enjoyed the learning games our professors organized for us which I think is a super effective teaching method.
“Learning French has helped me forge connections with francophones all over the world and discover the beautiful French culture, cinema and literature.”
Learning French has helped me forge connections with francophones all over the world and discover the beautiful French culture, cinema and literature.
I'm currently watching a French series on Netflix called Call My Agent. I'm also reading a book titled Un si petit oiseau written by Marie Pavlenko. And I've also started listening to a podcast called La vérité eclate toujours by Coffee Break French.
It has been a bittersweet journey with its fair share of setbacks, self-doubt, learning and discovery but it made me believe that I can do anything in the world if I just put my heart in it. So merci beaucoup à l’AFK for one of the most intellectually enriching experiences of my life!
—Kisa
6 great French language resources
From websites to videos to blogs to podcasts to games, check out 6 of our favorite French language resources.
Short of hopping over to your nearest Francophone town to chat up everyone around you en français, what can you do to keep your French skills sharp?
No matter which level you are at, there are many free online resources that you can use to practice French during a long commute, in between classes, or whenever you have some downtime. From websites to videos to blogs to podcasts to games, find which resource works for you and invest in your language skills—it pays off. Here are 6 of our favorites:
1. CULTURETHÈQUE
Culturethèque is an easy-to-use digital library with many resources to help French students according to their level (from A1 to C2). Plus, you can read French classics, find your favorite French magazines & newspapers, discover the latest literary sensations, listen to podcasts or concerts, watch live news programs or download fun science shows. Alliance Française de Karachi members have free access to Culturethèque.
2. TV5MONDE
TV5Monde offers a comprehensive website to learn the French language. Discover a wealth of interesting articles, tips, tests and activities for each level.
3. COFFEE BREAK FRENCH
Coffee Break French like going for a coffee with your friend who happens to speak French and is helping you learn in a relaxed, enjoyable way. Add to that a solid structure and carefully constructed pedagogy which ensures that you progress through the lessons and build on previously-learned language. Aimed at beginners, this podcast series has episodes of 15-20 minutes each.
4. DUOLINGO
Duolingo is a free, fun and science-based app to learn languages. In as little as 5 minutes a day, you can improve your French through short game-like activities, customized vocabulary revision, and the option to pick from various topics. You can even practice having interactive conversations in French thanks to their latest chat bots feature!
5. LAWLESS FRENCH
Lawless French is a free website is packed with resources for students of French at all levels. Find lessons and exercises by topic and by level and get language learning tips that work.
6. READLANG
Readlang is a reading-focused way to learn a language. The website offers interesting texts and videos with translation for every level. Plus, its browser extension allows reading or importing of almost any website and quick translation of words and phrases you see online. Try uploading or copy-pasting any digital text (even entire novels!) in your target language and read almost anything you can get your hands on.
So, which other websites, apps or channels do you use to brush up your French skills? Share your favorites in the comments below!
Playing Tanagram
We are big believers in using games for language learning and discovery. Find out how our young learners stay engaged in their French classes!
Led by Professor Munifa Ayub, our young French learners challenged each other with the game of Tanagram! One team put together shapes to make different animal forms while the other one had to guess (en français!) which animal was being portrayed. Et vous? Can you guess which animals they tried to make?
Celebrating Francophonie
March is the international month for celebrating the French language, French speakers and Francophone cultures around the world. Like last year, we have a range of events lined up in Karachi to join the international celebrations.
March is the international month for celebrating the French language, French speakers and Francophone cultures around the world. Like last year, we have a range of events lined up at the Alliance Française de Karachi to join these international celebrations. Check them out:
The World’s Greatest French Dinner at Côte Rôtie on 21 March 2019 (7 to 11 PM)
Unsurprisingly, the celebrations begin with French food. Goût de France/Good France celebrates French gastronomy around the world in partnership with French embassies abroad and chefs from over 3,000 participating restaurants who simultaneously host French dinners on 21 March. This unique global event is held on 5 continents in over 150 countries, including Karachi, Pakistan at Côte Rôtie. This popular evening has limited seats that go fast! Book yours early by calling Côte Rôtie at (021) 35296345 or (92) 316 2882880.
A French Play: Où on va, papa ? (Where we going, Daddy?) on 22 March 2019 (8 PM)
This poignant play, to be performed by Xavier Carrar and directed by Layla Metssitane, is based on a largely autobiographical novel by Jean-Louis Fournier telling the story of a father raising his two sons, Mathieu and Thomas, both born with debilitating physical and mental challenges. Free entry but please be punctual. Seats will be given on a first come, first served basis. The play will be performed in French with English subtitles appearing on a screen.
Francophonie Open Day on 30 March 2019 (11 AM to 2 PM)
Are you interested in learning the French language and discovering French culture? Wondering why you should study French? Come to our yearly Francophonie Open Day on Saturday, 30 March 2019 and try out a free demo French class and other activities. You don't need to know any French to attend and the event is free and open to all. Just send us an email at frontdesk[at]afkarachi[dot]com if you or your child (we welcome ages 7 and up) would like to attend the demo French class. Last year, we had a full house with our current and prospective students and visitors who enjoyed a free demo French class, a quiz about French culture with prizes, a game of pétanque, and a French potluck lunch!
We hope to see you all chez nous. À bientôt !
Votre maison n'est pas sale. Pourquoi votre classe ?
Take a look at these thought-provoking handmade posters from our A2a students encouraging us all to keep our classrooms and our environment clean.
Votre maison n'est pas sale. Pourquoi votre classe ?
“Your house isn’t littered. So why your classroom?” asks a thought-provoking poster in one of the Alliance Française de Karachi classrooms. Made by our environmentally-conscious and artistic A2a French students with our very own professor Akmal Abbasi, these handmade posters—en français of course—raise awareness about the importance of a clean environment and offer suggestions to keep your spaces clean. Check out their work.
Build your French vocabulary:
environnement: environment
maison: house
salle: room
sale: dirty
propre: clean
déchet: waste
poubelle: dustbin or garbage can
Self-portraits, en français
In one class activity, our young French students made whimsical self-portraits to learn to describe themselves, en français. Check them out!
At the Alliance Française de Karachi, our students don’t just learn by memorizing French conjugation tables—they live, speak and even draw the language! In one class activity, our young French students made these whimsical self-portraits to learn to describe themselves, en français. Check them out!
Un grand merci to our very own Prof Farah for organizing such a creative and delightful French lesson.