There's no single app that prepares you for the whole DELF or DALF, because the exams test four separate skills and no app does all four well. The best approach is a small, honest stack: official past papers for exam format, a reference for grammar and vocabulary, a typed-answer conjugation trainer to stop bleeding production points, and a human for the oral. Here's what each tool is actually good for, rated by skill.
First, what the DELF/DALF actually grades
Every level (A1 through C2) tests the same four skills, each worth 25 points, and you need an overall 50/100 with no skill below 5/25. That structure should shape your prep:
- Compréhension de l'oral (listening)
- Compréhension des écrits (reading)
- Production écrite (writing)
- Production orale (speaking)
Notice that half your marks, both production sections, are graded partly on grammatical accuracy and range. That's where verb conjugation quietly decides pass/fail, more on that below.
Not sure which exam you even need? See DELF vs TEF vs TCF: which French exam should you take?
The tools, rated by skill
Official DELF/DALF apps and past papers
Best for: exam format. The France Éducation international sample papers (free) and publisher prep apps (Didier, Hachette) give you the real task types and timing. Nothing else replicates the exam as faithfully.
Falls short: they test you rather than teach you. You'll find your weak spots, but you need other tools to actually fix them.
Duolingo / Babbel / Busuu
Best for: vocabulary, listening exposure, and keeping a daily habit in the months before the exam. Busuu's native-speaker corrections are a small taste of production feedback.
Falls short: none follow the DELF format, none train timed exam tasks, and all treat conjugation, especially the subjonctif needed at B2+, too shallowly. Warm-up, not exam prep.
Le Conjugueur / Reverso / WordReference
Best for: references. Instant conjugation tables, definitions, and example sentences while you study. Free and reliable.
Falls short: references, not trainers. They answer "what's the form?" but never drill you or track progress.
A typed-answer conjugation trainer (e.g. Bonjour Verbs)
Best for: the accuracy-and-range points you lose in both production sections. Bonjour Verbs drills every tense and mood, including the futur, conditionnel, and the subjonctif examiners look for at B1–C2, by making you type each form (no multiple choice) and showing the derivation when you miss. It tracks per-tense mastery, so before the exam you can see exactly which tenses are still shaky and fix them.
Falls short: it's verbs-only by design. It won't teach essay structure or exam vocabulary, it removes conjugation as a source of lost marks so your prep time goes to the harder tasks.
iTalki / Preply / language exchanges
Best for: the production orale section, which no app fully covers. Book a few sessions with a tutor who knows the DELF and simulate the interview and monologue. This is the single most common gap in app-only prep.
Falls short: costs money and scheduling, but for the oral it's close to non-negotiable.
The verb-conjugation blind spot
Here's what trips up otherwise-strong candidates: both production sections are graded on grammatical accuracy and range. That means:
- Accuracy: wrong endings, wrong auxiliary (
êtrevsavoir), missing past-participle agreement, or a mangled irregular verb costs marks in every task, in writing and out loud. - Range: using the imparfait vs passé composé correctly, slipping in a conditionnel, and handling the subjonctif after its triggers all signal a higher level and pull your score up.
You can't fake this in the exam room, and reference tables don't build it. It has to be drilled to automaticity beforehand, which is exactly the kind of production practice a typed-answer trainer is for.
A realistic DELF/DALF prep stack
- Official past papers → learn the format, time yourself.
- A conjugation trainer → stop losing accuracy/range points in both production sections.
- A reference → look things up while you study.
- A tutor or exchange → rehearse the oral, ideally with someone who knows the exam.
- Optional broad app → vocabulary and habit in the background.
Skip any of the first four and you'll feel the gap on exam day. The conjugation piece is the one most people underrate, and the easiest to fix with daily drilling.
Common questions
What is the best app to prepare for the DELF?
No single app covers all four skills well, so the best setup is a small stack: an official or publisher app for format and mock tests, a reference for grammar and vocabulary, a typed-answer conjugation trainer to stop losing production points, and a tutor or exchange for the speaking exam. Apps help most with reading, listening, and written production; the oral almost always needs a human.
Can you pass the DELF using only apps?
You can prepare most of it with apps, but passing reliably, especially the oral production section, usually needs live speaking practice with a person. Apps are excellent for building the underlying skills and for timed mock exams, but they can't fully replicate the interactive spoken exam.
Is Duolingo enough for the DELF?
No. It builds vocabulary and habit but doesn't follow the DELF format, doesn't train timed exam tasks, and treats conjugation and the subjonctif too shallowly for B2 and above. Use it as a warm-up, then prepare with official past papers, a conjugation trainer, and speaking practice.
How do French verbs affect my DELF score?
A lot, quietly. Both production sections are graded partly on grammatical accuracy, so shaky endings, wrong auxiliaries, missing agreement, or avoiding the subjonctif cost marks in every task. Examiners also reward range, using the imparfait, conditionnel, and subjonctif correctly signals a higher level. Solid conjugation is one of the highest-leverage things to drill before the exam.
