What is the DELF exam?

DELF (Diplôme d'études en langue française) is an official French government diploma issued by France Éducation international, the agency of the French Ministry of Education. It certifies your French proficiency at CEFR levels A1, A2, B1, or B2. Each level is a separate, independent exam. The diploma is valid for life, there is no expiry. DELF is recognised worldwide and required for university admission in France (B2 minimum) and for French citizenship by naturalisation (B1 minimum).

How is the DELF scored?

Every DELF level uses the same scoring grid: four skills (oral comprehension, written comprehension, written production, oral production) worth 25 points each, total 100. To pass, you need at least 50/100 overall and at least 5/25 in every single skill. Score 4.5 or below in any one skill and you fail the entire exam, even with 90/100 on the others.

How long should I study for DELF?

France Éducation international's own guidance, aligned with CEFR hour estimates: A1 around 60–100 hours of study, A2 around 150–200 hours cumulative, B1 around 350–400 hours cumulative, B2 around 500–650 hours cumulative. At 45 minutes a day of focused study, that's roughly 3 months to A1, 9 months to A2, 18 months to B1, and 3 years to B2. Cut these in half if you're immersed (living in France, French partner) or in an intensive program.

Which DELF level should I take?

DELF levels are independent, you don't need to pass A1 before taking B1. Pick the one your target requires: A1 for personal milestones; A2 for basic work/social use; B1 for French citizenship by naturalisation; B2 for French undergraduate university admission and many professional roles in France. If you're aiming higher than B2, you'll move on to DALF (C1, C2), which is a separate exam suite.

Is DELF accepted for Canadian immigration?

Generally no for Express Entry, IRCC accepts only TEF Canada and TCF Canada for immigration points. DELF is accepted as proof of language for citizenship and for some specific Quebec programs, but if you're applying for permanent residence, you should take TEF Canada or TCF Canada instead.

Official lifelong diploma · CEFR A1–B2

DELF exam prep

The DELF is the only French-government-issued diploma that's valid for life. This is the complete prep guide for English speakers: format, scoring, the verb & tense scope per level, and a free practice tool calibrated to your target level.

What the DELF is, in one paragraph

The Diplôme d'études en langue française (DELF) is issued by France Éducation international, the agency of the French Ministry of Education. It comes in four independent levels, A1, A2, B1, B2, and a single passing score gives you a lifelong diploma that's accepted worldwide for university admission, immigration, and professional credentials. (Levels C1 and C2 are a separate exam called the DALF.) Every DELF exam tests four skills: oral comprehension, written comprehension, written production, oral production, each scored out of 25 for 100 total.

The scoring rule that catches everyone

To pass any DELF level, you need 50/100 overall AND at least 5/25 in every single skill. If you score 4.5/25 on oral production but 24/25 on the other three (total 76.5/100), you fail. This is why English-speaker prep that focuses only on reading and listening, the skills where English speakers naturally excel via shared vocabulary, backfires. The exam catches you on the production side, which is where verb conjugation lives.

DELF levels at a glance

Level	Total time	Pass mark	Verb & tense scope	Prep guide
A1 Beginner	~1h20	50/100 min 5/25 each	Présent indicatif on top 20–30 verbs. Basic impératif. Periphrastic futur proche (aller + infinitive).	Coming soon
A2 Elementary	~1h40	50/100 min 5/25 each	+ Passé composé (avoir & être), imparfait introduction, impératif. Top ~50 verbs.	Coming soon
B1 Intermediate	~1h45	50/100 min 5/25 each	+ Imparfait (full distinction from passé composé), futur simple, conditionnel présent, subjonctif présent (basic triggers). Top ~100 verbs.	DELF B1 guide →
B2 Upper-intermediate	~2h30	50/100 min 5/25 each	+ Subjonctif présent (full triggers), conditionnel passé, plus-que-parfait, gérondif. Top ~200 verbs. Recognition of passé simple in literary texts.	Coming soon

The verb side of the DELF (where most English speakers leak points)

Across every DELF level, the production tasks (writing + speaking) are where verb conjugation gets tested live. Examiners aren't grading you on whether you recognise nous fassions, they're grading you on whether you can produce it under time pressure, with a clean accent and the correct subject agreement. A few patterns we see repeatedly:

A1 → A2: Candidates know je suis, tu es, il est, then blank on vous êtes because they've never typed it without thinking. Drill production, not recognition.
A2 → B1: Auxiliary choice in passé composé (avoir vs être) is the single most common mistake at this transition. J'ai allé is heard in 1 in 3 B1 oral exams.
B1: Imparfait vs passé composé. The rule isn't about time, it's about aspect. Candidates who memorize a list of "imparfait triggers" (tous les jours, souvent, autrefois) fail when the sentence has no such trigger.
B2: Subjunctive triggered by bien que, il faut que, avant que. The exam will put a subjunctive trigger in the writing prompt to see if you bite.

How to prepare (the realistic version)

Know which level you're taking. Don't take B2 because it sounds prestigious if your honest level is B1. Failing B2 doesn't downgrade to B1, you fail outright and re-pay the exam fee.
Take a real past exam under timed conditions. France Éducation international publishes free past papers at france-education-international.fr. Do one before you start studying so you know your starting point.
Drill verbs every day, not vocabulary. Vocabulary you learn passively from reading and listening; verbs you only get from typed-answer production. 15 minutes a day on the verbs in your level's scope beats 2 hours a week of vague "studying."
Practice production-mode for every skill. If you only do listening + reading exercises, you'll arrive at the oral and written sections cold. Write a 160-word essay (B1) or 250-word argued essay (B2) every week, ideally checked by a tutor on iTalki.
Memorize the format, not the content. Knowing the exact structure of each section (e.g. "B1 oral comprehension is 3 short audio docs + 1 long one, 25 minutes total, listened to twice") removes test-day anxiety and saves time you'd waste reading instructions.

Free + paid prep resources

Past papers (free). France Éducation international's official site has free past papers (épreuves blanches) for every level.
Reading & listening. RFI's Français Facile for B1+; TV5MONDE's Apprendre le français for A1–B2 graded video.
Verb conjugation drill. Bonjour Verbs (our app, typed-answer practice across 2,000+ verbs and 15 tenses, level-targeted Custom Quizzes). Free web version here.
Speaking practice. A weekly tutor on iTalki ($8–15/hour). Filter by "DELF preparation", many tutors run mock oral exams.
Books. Réussir le DELF series (Didier) and Le DELF 100% réussite (Hachette) are the two standard textbooks.

Practice DELF-scope verbs right now

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Drilling top 100 verbs · présent, passé composé, imparfait, futur simple, conditionnel présent. For B1-targeted scope, head to the DELF B1 guide.