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How to use Nirécol

How to use Nirécol

Nirécol is a free French academy you can use right in your browser — or install it like an app. Here is how to learn with it, and how to add it to your phone or computer.

Learning with Nirécol

1

Choose your level

Pick a level from A0 to C2, or take the short placement test to find your starting point.

2

Follow your path

Open a level and work through its lessons in order. Each lesson has Learn, Vocabulary, Dialogue, Practice and Review tabs.

3

Practice and review

Reinforce with quizzes, the spaced-repetition Review Center, and DELF/DALF mock tests with audio.

4

Track your progress

Your day streak, daily XP goal and completed lessons update as you go — no account needed.

5

Pick up where you left off

“Continue learning” takes you back to the exact lesson and spot you last had open.

Practice speaking out loud

Some lessons include voice practice: you say the French phrase aloud and Nirécol shows the recognized words and whether they matched. Speech processing depends on your browser and device; audio may be handled by the browser’s speech-recognition service.

1

Open a lesson and go to Practice

Inside any lesson, open the Practice tab, then choose the “Speaking” mode.

2

Tap the microphone and speak

Press the round mic button, then say the French phrase shown — clearly, in a quiet place. The button glows while it is listening.

3

See your result and continue

Nirécol shows what it heard and marks it correct or not, then moves to the next phrase. Tap the mic again to retry.

Allowing the microphone

The first time you tap the mic, your browser asks permission to use the microphone — choose “Allow”. If you tapped “Block” by mistake, voice practice can’t hear you; here is how to turn it back on:

  • Chrome / Edge on a computer: click the 🔒 (or microphone) icon at the left of the address bar → set Microphone to “Allow” → reload the page.
  • Chrome on Android: tap the ⋮ menu → tap the lock / ⓘ icon next to the address → Permissions → Microphone → Allow.
  • Still blocked? Open your device Settings → Apps → your browser (or Nirécol) → Permissions → Microphone → Allow.

Which browsers can hear you

Voice input uses the browser’s built-in speech engine, which only some browsers provide:

  • Chrome & EdgeFull support on Android and computer. Recommended for speaking practice.
  • Safari (iPhone, iPad, Mac)Partial — it may ask to “Allow” speech, but voice input is unreliable and sometimes does nothing. If it doesn’t start, use Chrome or Edge.
  • FirefoxNot supported — the Speaking tab will tell you to switch to Chrome or Edge.

Speaking in the installed app

  • On Android, speaking support in the installed app depends on the browser engine and device. Allow the microphone when asked; if recognition is unavailable, open Nirécol in a supported Chrome or Edge browser.
  • On iPhone and iPad, availability depends on iOS and the browser. If recognition does not work in the installed app, try Nirécol in a supported browser or on another supported device.

Tip: speak right after the button starts listening, in a quiet place, at a normal pace. The phrase to say is shown on screen — tap “Replay” to hear it first.

Put Nirécol on your home screen

Cautious about installing unknown apps? Good instinct. Adding Nirécol creates an installed web app, not an app-store package. Your browser adds an icon and may cache site resources and lessons you open so they can be available offline.

Changed your mind later? Two taps. Hold the Nirécol icon and choose “Remove app”; on a computer, use the installed app’s uninstall control. Website data may remain until you clear it separately in browser or device settings.

Not your device? Pick the right one:

No button? Do it by hand:

  1. Open Nirécol in Chrome or Edge.
  2. Tap the ⋮ menu in the top-right corner.
  3. Choose “Install app” or “Add to Home screen”.
  4. Confirm — the Nirécol icon appears on your home screen.

Your browser shows a confirmation like this; the exact wording can vary

Install app?nirecol.fr
CancelInstall
1Tap ShareUse the Share button in your current browser.
2Tap “Add to Home Screen”Scroll down a little in the menu to find it.
3Review and addCheck Nirécol — nirecol.fr, enable “Open as Web App” if shown, then tap “Add”.
4Open from the iconNirécol now opens as a web app; the installation itself grants no new permission.

The phone above replays the exact taps on a loop, so you can watch the whole thing before touching anything. When you do it for real, every screen will already look familiar.

If “Add to Home Screen” is missing, open nirecol.fr in Safari and use Share → Add to Home Screen there.

No button? Do it by hand:

  1. Open Nirécol in Chrome or Edge.
  2. Click the install icon at the right end of the address bar (or ⋮ menu → “Install Nirécol”).
  3. Confirm — it opens as its own app window.

Your browser shows a confirmation like this; the exact wording can vary

Install app?nirecol.fr
CancelInstall

What installing the web app actually does

No “trust us” here: every row states a fact and shows how to check it yourself, on your own device, right now.

No app-store package is installedcheck it yourself

Your browser installs this website as a web app and adds an icon. To support faster and offline use, it can also cache website resources and lessons you open.

Space it uses on this device, measured right now: estimate unavailablethe current estimate reported by this browser; it changes as resources and lessons are cachedcheck it yourself

Check it in your browser’s site-storage settings. Removing the home-screen icon or app may not remove its website data; clear that data separately in browser or device settings if you want to remove it too.

Installing grants no new permission by itselfcheck it yourself

Speaking practice may ask for microphone access when you choose to use it. The browser or operating system shows the permission prompt, and you can allow or refuse it.

Browser security limits its accesscheck it yourself

The installed web app runs in the browser’s sandbox. Installing it does not give Nirécol access to your other apps or personal files; access to a protected feature requires browser and operating-system controls.

The install button itself comes from your browsercheck it yourself

The browser or operating system draws the “Install” or “Add to Home Screen” confirmation. This page cannot complete the installation without your action.

No account or payment; opened lessons can work offlinecheck it yourself

The browser can cache resources and lessons you have opened. Anonymous progress and other site data may be stored separately in a browser tab and the installed app, depending on the browser and platform.

Installing Nirécol: questions and answers

Is it safe to install Nirécol on my phone?

Nirécol installs as a web app, not an app-store package. The browser adds an icon and may cache website resources and opened lessons. It runs within the browser’s security sandbox, which limits access to protected device features.

Does the Nirécol app need any permissions?

Installing itself grants no new permission. If you choose speaking practice, the browser or operating system may ask for microphone access, which you can allow or refuse.

How much space does Nirécol use?

Storage varies as the browser caches website resources and lessons you open. Check the current amount in your browser’s site-storage settings; removing the app icon may not clear that website data.

How do I remove Nirécol from my home screen?

Hold the Nirécol icon and choose “Remove app”; on a computer, use the installed app’s uninstall control. Website data may remain and can be cleared separately in browser or device settings.

Does Nirécol work offline or need an account?

No account or payment is needed, and lessons you have opened can work offline when their resources are cached. Anonymous progress and other site data may be separate between a browser tab and the installed app, depending on the browser and platform.

Updating the App

Nirécol updates silently in the background. When a new version is ready:

  • A prompt will appear asking if you want to reload and apply the update.
  • Tap "OK" to instantly refresh to the newest version.
  • If you are in the middle of a lesson, you can tap "Cancel" and the app will update the next time you open it.

Which browser to use

Nirécol works in every modern browser. For the best experience and one-tap install:

  • Chrome / EdgeAndroid & desktop. Best experience and one-tap install.
  • iPhone / iPadIn your browser, use Share → Add to Home Screen.
  • Firefox / Samsung Internet / OperaWork well for browsing; install support varies.

Ready to start?

Pick a level and begin — your progress saves automatically on this device.

Start learning