DELF and DALF Overview

How the official French diplomas work, how they are scored, and how to choose your level. Start here before you book anything.

What they are

DELF and DALF are official diplomas from the French Ministry of Education, matched to the Common European Framework levels. DELF covers A1, A2, B1 and B2. DALF covers C1 and C2.

Each level is a separate diploma. You don't have to pass a lower level first: you can register directly for the one that suits you. Diplomas don't expire.

This sheet describes the adult version (tout public). There are versions for children and teenagers too, and for professional contexts.

Scoring

These are the numbers to remember. A paper below the minimum fails the whole diploma, even if your total is high. All the papers for a level are normally taken in one session, and marks generally don't carry over to a later session. Confirm this with your centre.

Diploma	Papers	Marks	Pass mark	Minimum per paper
DELF A1, A2, B1, B2	Listening, reading, writing, speaking	25 each, 100 total	50/100	5/25
DALF C1	Listening, reading, writing, speaking	25 each, 100 total	50/100	5/25
DALF C2	Oral (with listening), written (with reading)	50 each, 100 total	50/100	10/50

DELF A1, A2, B1, B2

PapersListening, reading, writing, speaking

Marks25 each, 100 total

Pass mark50/100

Minimum per paper5/25

DALF C1

PapersListening, reading, writing, speaking

Marks25 each, 100 total

Pass mark50/100

Minimum per paper5/25

DALF C2

PapersOral (with listening), written (with reading)

Marks50 each, 100 total

Pass mark50/100

Minimum per paper10/50

Question formats

Since the 2020 format, DELF listening and reading use multiple-choice questions. Writing and speaking are marked by trained examiners against published criteria covering task completion, range and accuracy.

Durations, session dates and fees vary or may change. Don't rely on any figure you read online: candidates should check their centre's convocation and the centre's website.

What each level asks for

A summary of what each diploma tests. Word targets are given in each paper's instructions: check them in your paper.

Level	You can...	Writing	Speaking
A1	Handle very simple everyday situations	Form-like message, short note	Directed interview, information exchange, role-play
A2	Manage routine tasks and short exchanges	Two short texts on everyday topics	Directed interview, information exchange, role-play
B1	Cope independently, give and justify opinions	One text, for example an opinion essay or letter	Directed interview, interaction, giving a point of view from a short document
B2	Argue a position, understand complex texts	One argued text, for example a formal letter or article	Exposé on a short prompt text, then debate
C1	Use French flexibly for study and work	Synthesis of several documents, then an argued essay	Exposé from a document file, then discussion
C2	Understand nearly everything, express fine nuance	Structured text from a reading file	Monologue on a listening document, then debate

You can...Handle very simple everyday situations

WritingForm-like message, short note

SpeakingDirected interview, information exchange, role-play

You can...Manage routine tasks and short exchanges

WritingTwo short texts on everyday topics

SpeakingDirected interview, information exchange, role-play

You can...Cope independently, give and justify opinions

WritingOne text, for example an opinion essay or letter

SpeakingDirected interview, interaction, giving a point of view from a short document

You can...Argue a position, understand complex texts

WritingOne argued text, for example a formal letter or article

SpeakingExposé on a short prompt text, then debate

You can...Use French flexibly for study and work

WritingSynthesis of several documents, then an argued essay

SpeakingExposé from a document file, then discussion

You can...Understand nearly everything, express fine nuance

WritingStructured text from a reading file

SpeakingMonologue on a listening document, then debate

DALF topics

C1 and C2 papers cover general topics. France Éducation International's format changes removed the old choice between a humanities and a sciences specialism from the C1 production papers and both C2 papers. Check the current rules with your exam centre when you register, in case your centre's information differs.

How to choose your level

The right level is one you can pass with a margin. Test yourself under realistic conditions before you register. The score thresholds and the goal table below are personal rules of thumb, not official rules.

1. Take a full Lingo Pal mock exam at the level you think you've reached, in one sitting, with no dictionary and with timed writing. 2. Mark it honestly. Have someone or an AI assess the writing and speaking against the criteria. 3. A useful rule of thumb: register if you repeatedly score around 65/100, with every paper at 12/25 or better (24/50 at C2). Then you have room for a bad day. 4. If one paper is far below the others, fix it first. The minimum per paper can fail you on its own. 5. Another rule of thumb: if you score well above 80 on the mock, try the level above.

Goal	Often useful level
Personal milestone, first exam	A2 or B1
Daily life, some residence procedures	A2 or B1 (check the current rule)
Work in a French-speaking setting	B2
Studying at a French university	B2, sometimes C1 (check the course)
Selective courses, top-level professional use	C1
Proof of near-native mastery	C2

DELF and DALF compared with TCF and TEF

TCF and TEF are tests, not diplomas. Their results are usually valid for a limited time. They suit procedures like immigration or naturalisation that specifically ask for them. DELF and DALF diplomas never lapse. Check what your institution actually asks for before you pay for anything.

How to book

Registration goes through an approved exam centre, such as an Alliance française, Institut français or university in your country. Centres set their own session dates, registration deadlines and fees, so look at each centre's calendar early. Your convocation gives you the place, the times and what to bring. See the exam-day sheet.

The collective papers (listening, reading, writing) are generally taken together. Speaking is usually a separate appointment, sometimes on another day. C2 is organised differently, because listening belongs to the oral paper.

Results

You usually receive an attestation of results first, and the diploma itself later. Marks generally don't carry over between sessions: if you fail, you normally retake the whole exam. Confirm this with your centre.

Next steps

Read the listening-strategy, reading-strategy, writing-strategy and speaking-strategy sheets. Then the exam-day sheet.