The words that matter
Madeleine teaches 874 words and 400 phrases, chosen for useful everyday French. Build a practical vocabulary foundation, from common verbs to expressions you'll use in conversation.
French vocabulary for iPhone
Build a stronger foundation in French
Madeleine is a French vocabulary app for iPhone. Learn useful words and everyday phrases with lifelike French audio and review that adapts to your memory.
Du coup
so, as a result
How it works
A few minutes a day.
One short session a day. Madeleine chooses the cards — new words entering, known ones due back — and most days it takes about ten minutes.
- 01
See it, hear it
One card at a time: the written word, read aloud in a native French voice. You learn what it looks like and how it sounds at the same time.
- 02
Hold to recall
Press and hold to reveal the meaning and check yourself. Madeleine grades from how you respond — you never rate yourself.
- 03
It comes back
Each word returns right before you’d forget it, on a schedule that adapts to what you know.
Inside the app
The whole app, in four screens.
Why Madeleine
One job, done well.
Written and spoken, together
Every card pairs the written word with lifelike native audio, so you learn to read it and catch it by ear at the same time.
It knows when you’re about to forget
Every review teaches Madeleine how your memory behaves: solid words stretch further apart, shaky ones come back sooner.
Makes your lessons count
Madeleine skips grammar drills on purpose — grammar and conversation are what tutors, classes, and time in France are for. Arrive already knowing the words, and those hours go further.
Only French
No menu of thirty languages spread thin. One language, one carefully built curriculum, with audio and content made only for it.
Calm and private
No streaks, no points, no leaderboards, no guilt. No account and no server — your progress stays on your iPhone.
FAQs
- How is Madeleine different from other French apps?
- Madeleine does one thing: it builds your French vocabulary. The course is finite — the most common words and phrases real people use in France — and every item is learned in written and spoken form together, with native audio. It is also calm by design: no streaks, points, leaderboards, or guilt. And it can be finished.
- Is Madeleine for beginners?
- Yes — and for anyone restarting. The curriculum starts with useful everyday French. There's no placement test and nothing assumed.
- How many French words does Madeleine teach?
- Madeleine teaches 874 words and 400 phrases: 1,274 items in a curated French curriculum. You learn their written forms and sounds together, then review them over time.
- Does Madeleine teach grammar or speaking?
- Madeleine focuses on vocabulary and listening to words and phrases. It does not provide grammar lessons, conversation practice, or speech scoring. Use it alongside a tutor, a class, or conversation practice to build a stronger foundation.
- How long does a session take?
- About five to ten minutes. Madeleine chooses the day's cards, and the session ends on its own — there's no daily goal to chase and nothing to catch up on if you miss a day.
- Will I actually remember the words?
- That's the whole design. Every review teaches Madeleine how your memory behaves, and each word comes back right before you'd forget it — the engine is FSRS-6, the modern spaced-repetition algorithm. Grading is inferred from how you respond, so you never rate yourself.
- Can I hear how the words are pronounced?
- Yes. Every word and phrase is spoken aloud in lifelike, native French audio — four voices to choose from — so you learn how French actually sounds, not just how it is spelled.
- Does Madeleine have a free trial?
- Madeleine has no standard free trial or free app tier; it is a paid subscription, and the App Store shows current pricing. Eligible offer codes can provide access under their own terms. Billing runs through Apple; you can cancel in your App Store account, and refunds follow Apple's refund policy.
- Can I use Madeleine on Android or in a browser?
- The full app requires an iPhone with iOS 26 or later and uses English translations. There is no Android app. The website has a free 100-card browser sample; its progress is separate from the iPhone app.
- Is my data private?
- Yes. Madeleine has no account, no login, and no server of its own — your progress stays on your iPhone. The only thing handled online is the subscription itself, through Apple.
