DELF · CEFR A1 · breakthrough beginner
DELF A1 prep
Everything an English-speaking beginner needs to pass DELF A1: format, scoring, the 20-verb / présent-only scope, and a strict-accent typed-answer drill so you arrive at the writing section ready.
What A1 actually means
CEFR A1 is the breakthrough level. You can introduce yourself, give your age / nationality / job, say what you like and don't like, order in a café, ask directions, count, tell the time, and exchange simple personal information. The vocabulary is concrete (food, family, work, weather), the tenses are essentially présent only, and the sentences are short. If you can describe a typical day in 5–6 sentences, you're at A1.
What gets tested, exactly
| Section | Time | Score | What you do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oral comprehension | 20 min | /25 | Listen to 4 short audio clips (announcements, voicemails, very short dialogues). Each heard twice. Answer MCQ + numbers/dates. |
| Written comprehension | 30 min | /25 | Read 4 short documents (signs, ads, schedules, a short personal message). Match information, identify dates/places/prices. |
| Written production | 30 min | /25 | Two tasks: (1) fill out a simple form about yourself (name, age, address, profession), (2) write a short message of around 40–50 words (postcard, invitation, note). |
| Oral production | ~7 min (+ 10 min prep) |
/25 | Three tasks: (1) guided interview about you (name, hobbies, family, ~1.5 min), (2) ask the examiner basic questions from prompt cards (~2 min), (3) simple role-play / dialogue from a topic card (~2 min). |
The verb & tense scope you actually need
Active production (must produce without prompts)
- Présent indicatif across all subjects for the top ~20 verbs.
- Futur proche (je vais manger, on va sortir), periphrastic future is enough at A1, you do not need futur simple.
- Impératif in the simplest fixed forms (écoutez, regardez, répétez, asseyez-vous), recognition is enough, you won't be asked to produce them spontaneously.
- S'appeler, avoir [age], habiter, parler conjugated in présent for the personal-introduction tasks. Je m'appelle, j'ai 28 ans, j'habite à Toronto, je parle anglais.
The exact 20-verb minimum
If you can conjugate these 20 verbs in présent and use them in basic sentences, you have the verb foundation for A1:
être · avoir · aller · faire · dire · parler · habiter · travailler · manger · boire · vouloir · pouvoir · prendre · voir · aimer · s'appeler · venir · comprendre · regarder · écouter
NOT tested at A1
- Passé composé (A2 territory)
- Imparfait, futur simple, conditionnel, subjonctif (B1+)
- Pronominal verbs beyond s'appeler and se lever
- Liaison subtleties, clear pronunciation is enough
The four A1 mistakes that cost beginners points
1. Je suis 28 ans instead of j'ai 28 ans
English speakers translate "I am 28" literally. In French, age uses avoir: j'ai 28 ans. Same with hunger (j'ai faim), thirst (j'ai soif), being hot/cold (j'ai chaud / j'ai froid). Drill these as set phrases until they sound automatic.
2. Confusing tu and vous with the examiner
Always vous with the examiner, unless they explicitly say tu. Examiners will sometimes test this by saying "parle-moi de ta famille" (tu), they want to see if you maintain vous in your answer anyway. Use vous. Always.
3. Forgetting articles
In English we say "I'm a teacher." In French, je suis professeur (no article). But "I love teaching" needs an article: j'aime le travail. The rule isn't intuitive, memorize the patterns rather than translating word-for-word.
4. Accent omission in writing
The DELF A1 writing section grades correct accents. J'habite a Paris (no à grave) loses you points; je suis francais (no ç) loses you points. Practice typing with accents from day one. Either learn your keyboard's dead-keys (option+e on Mac, AltGr on Windows) or switch to a Canadian-French / international layout for the duration of your prep.
Recommended timeline (absolute beginner to A1-ready)
- Weeks 1–4, Pronunciation + 200 most-frequent words. Learn the French sound system (nasal vowels, French r, silent endings) before bad habits set in. Coffee Break French Season 1 episodes 1–10.
- Weeks 5–8, The top 20 verbs in présent. 15 minutes a day of typed drill. Build them into 50 personal sentences ("je travaille à Toronto", "ma sœur habite en France").
- Weeks 9–12, A1 communicative tasks. Practice the 12 topic cards: family, hobbies, daily routine, food, weather, holidays, transport, work, home, shopping, health, music. Each one needs a 5-sentence personal answer.
- Weeks 13–16, Mock exams + tutor sessions. One past paper per week, timed. iTalki tutor for the oral production mock (the 5-minute role-play is what catches A1 candidates most).
Free + paid prep resources for A1 specifically
- Past papers (free): France Éducation international publishes free A1 épreuves blanches.
- Listening at A1 level: TV5MONDE Apprendre le français with the A1 filter. Coffee Break French Season 1.
- Vocab: Memrise A1 deck or Anki "1000 most common French words."
- Textbook: Le DELF A1 100% réussite (Didier). The audio CD is the only realistic way to get A1-paced listening drill.
- Speaking: An iTalki tutor for the role-play mocks. Even one session a week makes a measurable difference at A1.
- Verb drill: Bonjour Verbs (free tier covers all 20 A1 verbs in présent with strict-accent typed answers).
Practice DELF A1 verb scope right now
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