Questions, answered plainly
How can I teach my kid French when I don't speak it?
You don't need to speak it, you need to say it, and those are different skills. The scripts tell you exactly what to say inside moments you already have (bedtime, dinner, the car), and the audio does the modelling so your child hears French said right. If you have zero French, start with La Phonique, which is free; if you have rusty school French, you're exactly who this was built for.
Can I raise a bilingual child if I'm not fluent?
Yes, with honest caveats. One parent's non-fluent input alone rarely produces full bilingualism; what it reliably produces is comprehension, warmth toward the language, and a child who answers back. Combine home rituals with any other native source, school, media, family, playgroups, and full bilingualism is within reach. Fluency in the parent is not the ingredient people think it is; consistency is.
What's the best way of learning a language with my toddler?
Attach it to rituals, not lessons. A toddler won't sit for instruction, but they'll hear the same ten bedtime sentences three hundred times a year without noticing they're learning. Narrate rather than quiz, pair every phrase with its action, and expect nothing back for months, comprehension runs far ahead of speech at this age.
What level should my 4-year-old be at in French?
There is no level a 4-year-old 'should' be at, and a level chart would only add worry where none is needed. At four, meaningful markers look like: responding correctly to familiar French instructions, producing single words or set phrases in the right context, and mixing languages freely (which is competence, not confusion). Range is enormous and depends almost entirely on input hours, not ability.
My French is terrible. Can I really do this?
If you can read the phrases on this site, yes. The scripts carry the retrieval, the audio carries the pronunciation, and you carry the warmth. If you have no French at all, start with La Phonique, it's free, and build from there.
Is the audio a real person?
No, and we would rather say so plainly. The French audio is AI-generated, using voices modelled on native speakers. We chose it deliberately: it means every single phrase gets audio rather than only the popular ones, the voice stays consistent across hundreds of lines, and when we change a word we can re-record it the same day instead of booking a studio. What matters for your child is hearing French pronounced accurately and often, and this does that. If you would rather learn from a human voice, French nursery rhyme recordings and your local Alliance Française are both good company alongside this.
Will my accent hurt my child's French?
No. Children calibrate to the native input in their environment, not to a parent's imperfect accent. Every imperfect sentence, said warmly, counts in full, the only French that does nothing is the French that stays unsaid, and the scripts make sure yours doesn't. La Phonique covers this in full.
Is this a course for my child to watch?
No. There is no screen for your child anywhere in it. You learn the scripts; you speak them; the ritual happens between the two of you.
Is it a subscription?
No, and it never will be. Le Dodo will be $29 once when it opens, with a fourteen-day refund honoured without argument. Everything currently on this site is free and stays free.
What if my child answers in English?
They will, usually within a fortnight, and it's worth celebrating: an English answer means the French was understood. Don't correct; recast. La Reprise is the library of exactly what to say.
What ages does it cover?
The MVP is built for 18 months to 3 years, with guidance for 3 to 5. Younger and older tiers are coming; the age quiz will put you on the right list.