French A1 — DELF A1

The first French diploma. At A1 you can introduce yourself, ask and answer simple personal questions, and handle very basic needs — provided the other person speaks slowly and is willing to help.

The four papers

Compréhension de l'oral — very short recordings, usually heard twice.
Compréhension des écrits — notices, timetables, short messages.
Production écrite — completing a form and writing a few simple sentences.
Production orale — a guided interview, a simple exchange, and a short role play.

Each paper is marked out of 25 for a total of 100. You need 50 out of 100 overall and at least 5 in each paper — so a zero-scoring paper fails the whole diploma however strong the rest.

Who needs A1

Some family and spouse visa routes.
Occasionally expected alongside an English-taught course, for daily life.
The natural first milestone for anyone starting French from nothing.

A1 is nowhere near enough for study in French or for most work. Treat it as a checkpoint on the way to B2 rather than a destination.

A1 — FAQs

2 questions

Does DELF A1 expire?

No. All DELF and DALF diplomas are valid for life.

What is the pass mark?

50 out of 100 overall, with a minimum of 5 out of 25 in each of the four papers.

More levels (a1–c2) question types

A2 Elementary — DELF A2 B1 Independent — nationality level B2 The usual university requirement C1 Advanced — DALF C1 C2 Mastery — DALF C2

Sources

Written from the test board's own published material and checked on 1 October 2026.

france-education-international.fr/en/diplome/delf-dalf