DELF A1 Syllabus, Exam Structure, Vocab, and More 

Are you setting out to learn the French language? Your first milestone is the DELF A1 exam. It is not just a test,  it is a starting point approved by the French Ministry of Education for non-native speakers. The A1 introductory level assesses your proficiency in handling everyday situations. Let us explore its DELF A1 syllabus, structure, grammatical nuances, and necessary terminology to prepare you for your journey into the French language.

What is DELF?

The DELF is an official qualification awarded by the French Ministry of Education. It certifies the competency of candidates from outside France in the French language. It is designed for beginners who can communicate in simple, everyday situations. The exam assesses listening, reading, writing, and speaking skills.

This exam has many levels- A1, A2, B1 and B2. All of these have different proficiency levels. A1 and A2 are the basic level exams by which you can understand basic French and everyday conversations. B level is the intermediate level, where you will learn more about the language. The C2 level is the highest and the most advanced level in the hierarchy. It is the most proficient level where you can speak like the French people. 

DELF A1

It is the basic French proficiency test and the easiest according to the other levels. DELF A1 is for beginners and assesses basic linguistic skills in everyday situations. It covers four areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. This exam is designed for beginners who have just started learning French. It is a great way for beginners to get a formal certification of their French language skills, and it is recognized worldwide by employers and educational institutions. Here is the exam format that will be followed in this exam.

Exam structure

It’s essential to have the right resources and support to help you prepare effectively for the DELF A1 exam. La Forêt specializes in providing training for individuals aiming to excel in the DELF A1 exam. Our tailored courses, personalized coaching, and comprehensive study materials ensure you’re ready to excel in every section.

DELF A1 Syllabus

I – Communication skills – DELF A1

You will understand and use familiar everyday expressions and basic phrases here.

1.1 Social Interaction

Approach someone and ask for something 

• Bonjour! Où est l’arrêt de bus, s’il vous plaît? (Good morning. Where is the bus stop, please?)

• Excusez-moi, il est quelle heure? (Excuse me. What is the time?)

Get acquainted with someone

• Bonjour! Je m’appelle Rahul. Tu t’appelles comment? (Hello, my name is Rahul. What is your name?)

• Je m’appelle Lise, et toi? / et vous? (My name is lise, and yours?)

Ask, give news about someone

• Comment va Emily? (How is Emily)

• Ma sœur habite toujours en ville. (My sister still lives in town)

Talking about your likes and dislikes

• J’aime les fruits et les légumes, mais je n’aime pas la viande. (I like fruits and vegetables, but I don’t like meat.)

• Je n’aime pas aller à la piscine, je préfère la mer. (I don’t like going to the pool, I prefer the sea.)

Talk about your plans

• Ce week-end, je vais à la campagne. (This weekend, I am going to the countryside)
• Ce samedi, je fête mon anniversaire. (This Saturday, it’s my mom’s birthday)

Ask or offer help

• Tu peux m’aider? (Can you help me?)

• Je peux vous aider? (Can i help you?)

Interact on the phone

• Allô, c’est Emile Lambert.. (Hello, this is…..)

• Bonjour, c’est Tara. Est-ce que je peux parler à ta sœur, s’il te plaît? (Hello, this is tara. Can I talk to your sister please?)

• Marie, c’est Lucien. (Marie, this is Lucien)

Congratulating, wishing

• Bravo! (Bravo)

• Très bien! (Very good)

• Bonne chance! (Best of luck)

1.2 Description and Stories

Here, you will have to describe an event or tell some stories about the past, present, and future. You can also describe a place, weather or an object.  You have to describe people’s physical appearance and a lot more like that. 

Speak about past events

• Hier soir, j’ai vu un beau film à la télé. (Yesterday evening, i saw a good film on the television.)

• Il a fait beau, la semaine dernière. (The weather was nice last week.)

Learn about places – Describe places

• Comment est la plage d’Étretat? Elle est petite mais très jolie. (What is Étretat beach like? She is small but very pretty.)

Introduce a country, a city and its residents

• La ville de Paris est la capitale de la France. Les Parisiens sont sympathiques. (The city of Paris is the capital of France. The people are nice.)

Describe a physical condition

• Je suis fatigué et j’ai mal à la tête. (I’m tired and I have a headache.)

• Les invités ont très chaud. (Les invités ont très chaud.)

Learn about people – Describe people 

• C’est qui Zinedine Zidane? C’est un joueur de football. (Who is Zinedine Zidane? He’s a football player.)
• Qui est cette femme? C’est une actrice connue. (Who is this woman? She is a famous actress)

Describe the relationship between people

• Lexi et Max sont mariés. (Lexi and Max are married)
• Marie et Pierre ont deux enfants. (Marie and Pierre have two kids)

Learn about objects – Describe objects 

Est-ce que vous avez des T-shirts? Je voudrais un T-shirt noir.

1.3 Share information

In this section, you will have to talk about sharing information from one person to another and giving the information to another person. You can give or ask for instructions.

Ask for and give instructions/directions

• Où est le marché? (Where is the market)

• Prends la rue Dupuis jusqu’à la rue Guy. (Take rue Dupuis to rue Guy)

• Vous allez tout droit et vous tournez à gauche. (You go straight and turn left)

Ask for information 

• Quel temps fait-il? (What weather is it?)

• Où sont les toilettes? (Where is the toilet?)

1.4 Opinions and Arguments 

This section will help you put your opinions and arguments before people. You can express your likes and dislikes for anything.

Express agreement/disagreement 

• Je suis d’accord. (I am okay)

• Je ne suis pas d’accord. (I am not okay)

Goods and services

Counting , Asking and telling time, schedules, prices, date

• Le train pour Rouen part à 16h. (The train to Rouen leaves at 4 pm)
• Le billet coûte 98 € (The ticket costs 98 euros) 

Stating quantities 

• Le matin, je bois deux tasses de café avec du sucre. (In the morning, I drink 2 glasses of coffee.)
• Il y a 13 régions en France (There are 13 regions in France.)

Make purchases, simple transactions

• Avec du lait et du sucre? (Do you have milk and sugar?)
• Avec du lait, s’il vous plaît. (Can I have milk, please?)

Talk about the different modes of transportation 

• Lucille prend le bus pour aller à son travail. (Lucille takes the bus to go to work.)

Make a reservation at a restaurant

• Je voudrais réserver pour ce soir, s’il vous plaît. (I would like to make a reservation for this evening, please.)

II – Discursive skills – DELF A1

These skills involve stopping someone in the middle of a sentence or asking your query.

Exclaim 

• Bonjour! (Good morning, hello)
• Excusez-moi! (Excuse me)

Interrupt politely to ask people to repeat themselves 

• Pardon! Excusez-moi, je ne comprends pas. (Sorry, excuse me, I do not understand)

• Excuse-moi, tu peux répéter la question? (Excuse me, can you repeat the question?)

III – Sociocultural knowledge  – DELF A1

These skills are basically about daily life greetings required to converse with people. You will be able to greet people casually and formally.

3.1 Greetings 

• Bonjour Max, comment ça va? (Good Morning, how are you?)

• Bonsoir monsieur Lambert. (Good evening sir)

• Bonne journée. (Have a good day)

• Bonne soirée. (Good evening)

3.2 Politeness in social settings (using tu / vous)

• Comment allez- vous? (What is your name?)

• Ça va? (How’s it going?)

• Très bien et vous / toi? (Very good and you?)

3.3 Format for invitations, thanks, apologies 

• Tu veux aller au cinéma? (Are you going to the cinema?)
• Merci beaucoup.  (Thank you so much.)
• Désolé, je ne peux pas. (Sorry, I can’t.)

Bonne idée!

3.4 Basics of a friendly letter/email

• Cher Lucille, (dear)

• Bises. (Kisses)

• Bisous. (Kisses)

3.5 The basic expressions of a phone conversation

• Bonjour ! Marie est là ? (Hello, is it Marie?)
• Un moment, s’il vous plaît. (One moment, please.)

• À plus tard! (See you later)

• Au revoir. (Good bye)

• Salut (Informal) (Hello)

IV – Grammar at the DELF A1 level

This section solely depends on different grammar topics covered in the A1 level.

4.1 Tenses 

Present tense (regular + common verbs) 

• Elle mange beaucoup de biscuits. (She eats a lot of biscuits.)

• Ils habitent à Paris. (They live in Paris.)

• Il travaille à l’université. (He works at a university.)

Présent progressif (être + en train de + infinitif) 

• Il est en train de manger. (He is eating.)

• Nous sommes en train de préparer le petit déjeuner. (We are preparing breakfast.)

• Je suis en train d’étudier le français. (I am studying French.) 

Futur proche (je vais + infinitif…) 

• Je vais manger plus tard. (I am going to eat later.)

• Elle va regarder la télé. (She is going to watch television.)

• Je vais jouer au basket avec mes amis. (I am going to play basketball with my friends.)

Passé composé with avoir and être 

• J’ai mangé de la viande hier. (I ate meat yesterday.)

• Il est resté à la maison. (He stayed at home.)

• Je suis descendu au bureau. (I went down to the office.)

Passé récent (je viens de + infinitif …) 

• Je viens de finir mon travail. (I just finished my work.)

• Je viens de manger une crêpe. (I just ate a pancake

Imparfait:

• C’était bien. (It was good.)

4.2 Questions – DELF A1

Here, you can ask basic, simple questions. 

• Qui est-ce? / Qu’est-ce que c’est? (Who is it? / What is it?)

• Qui est-ce? C’est ma sœur. (This is my sister.)

• Qu’est-ce que c’est? C’est un cahier. (This is a notebook.)

Question format (Subject + verb / Est-ce que +S + V/ Interrogative +S+V) «Pourriez-vous»

• Est-ce que tu aimes le chocolat? (Do you like chocolates?)

• Est-ce que tu viens avec moi? (Are you going with me?)

• Combien d’enfants vous avez? (How many children do you have?)

• Comment vas-tu à ton travail? (How are you at your work?)

• Est-ce qu’il pleut? Non, il ne pleut pas. (Is it raining? No, it’s not raining.)

4.3 Negation

Structure : ne…pas, ne….jamais.

• Il ne travaille pas le samedi. (He does not work on Saturday.)

• Il n’étudie pas beaucoup! (He does not study much.)

• Il ne va jamais au théâtre. (He never goes to the theatre.)

4.4 Infinitif form and impératif form

Structures with  

• Je vais à la bibliothèque pour étudier. (I am going to the library for studying.)

• Il faut / il ne faut pas + infinitif

• Il faut bien apprendre ses leçons. (You have to learn your lessons well.)

• Il ne faut pas crier. (You must not shout)

Modal verbs and infinitif

• Je dois faire un dessert. (I have to make dessert.)

• Je sais parler français. (I know how to speak french.)

• Je peux faire un gâteau pour ton anniversaire. (I can make a cake for your birthday.)

• Je veux aller à la piscine aujourd’hui. (I want to go to the swimming pool today.)

Impératif (some verbs)

• Ouvrez votre livre à la page 4. (Open your book to page 4.)

• Répétez s’il vous plaît. (Please repeat.)

• Viens avec moi! (Come with me.)

4.5 Conditionals 

Le conditionnel présent des politesses (Je voudrais, j’aimerais, on pourrait avoir…) 

• Je voudrais une pizza, s’il vous plaît. (I would like a pizza please.)

• J’aimerais une chambre pour deux, s’il vous plaît. (I would like a room for two, please. )

4.6 Other verb groups

Verbes pronominaux 

Je m’appelle Lucille. (My name is….)

Je me lève à 6h30. (I get up at…)

4.7 Gender and number

Masculin and Féminin 

• Le magasin est ouvert. (The store is open.)

• La ville est grande. (The city is big.)

• La fille est jolie. (This girl is pretty.)

Singulier and Pluriel 

• Le bureau est fermé. (The office is closed.)

• La vie est belle. (Life is beautiful.)

• Mes voisins sont gentils. (My neighbours are nice.)

4.8 Articles 

Definite and indefinite articles

• La secrétaire a les cheveux noirs. (The secretary has black hair.)

• Un garçon joue dans le parc. (A boy is playing in the park.)

• Des touristes attendent devant le château. (Tourists wait in front of the castle.)

Partitifs 

• Je voudrais du fromage, de la salade et de l’eau. (I would like some cheese, some salad and water.)

• Ils mangent des croissants et des œufs au petit déjeuner. (They eat croissants and eggs for breakfast.)

4.9 Adjectives 

Adjectives (place and agreement) 

• C’est une bonne question. (This is a good question.)

Adjectifs – possessifs et démonstratifs 

• Mon manteau est trop petit. (My coat is very small.)

• Nos parents sont à la maison. (Our parents are at home.)

4.10 Adverbs 

Adverbs of quantity (un peu de, beaucoup de, pas de) 

• J’ai beaucoup d’amis. (I have a lot of friends.)
• J’ai un frère, mais pas de sœur. (I have one brother but no sister.)

Adverbs of intensity (très, trop, beaucoup) 

• Excusez-moi, je suis très en retard. (Excuse me, I am very late.)
• Mon fils aime beaucoup le cinéma français. (My son really likes French cinema.)

4.11 Space and time  

Prepositions for place (à, au, de, chez, dans) 

• J’habite à Delhi (I live in Delhi.)
• Je vais au club de sport tous les soirs. (I go to the sports club every evening.)
• Je viens de Rennes. (I come from Rennes.)

Adverbs for place (ici, là) 

• Les chaussures de sport sont là, dans l’armoire. (The sports shoes are there, in the wardrobe.)

• Le journal est ici, sur la table. (The newspaper is here, on the table.)

Prepositions for time (à, en, de …à…) 

• Le match de tennis commence à 9h. (The tennis match will start at…)
• Je suis née en 1763 (I was born in ….)

Adverbs for time (maintenant, bientôt, demain) 

• Je suis dans ma chambre maintenant. (I am in my room now.)
• Il arrive bientôt. (He is coming soon.)

Indicators of time (dans, depuis, il y a) 

• Je suis en vacances depuis 3 jours. (I’ve been on vacation for 3 days.)

4.12 Pronouns

Personal pronouns (sujets, toniques) 

• Moi, j’aime le jazz. (Me, I love jazz.)

• Moi, je suis italienne. Lexi, il est francais. (Me, i am italian. Lexi is French.)

• Il y a six personnes dans ma famille. (There are 6 people in my family.)

4.13 Présentatifs 

• C’est, ce sont, voici! Voilà! (This is, these are, here, there.)

• C’est Lexi au téléphone! (It is Lexi on the phone.)

4.14 Logical relationships

• J’aime les bananes, mais je n’aime pas les pommes. (I like bananas but i do not like apples )

• Il est fatigué, mais il travaille. (I am tired but I’ll work.)

4.15 Connectors

•  Articulateurs (et, ou)

• J’ai un crayon et un stylo. (I have a pencil and a pen.)

• Je peux marcher ou prendre l’autobus. (I can walk or take the bus.)

V – Vocabulary themes

These are the vocabulary themes that you will learn at this level. You need to learn words related to all of these topics.

5.1 Date, day, month, season, celebration

• Aujourd’hui, c’est le 18 novembre. (Today, it is 18 November.)

• Le cours commence mercredi prochain. (The course will start next     Wednesday.)

• J’aime l’hiver. (I like winters.)

5.2 Weight, measurements, quantities

• Un kilo de tomates, s’il vous plaît. (1 kilogram of tomatoes please.)

• 3 cafés et un croissant, s’il vous plaît. (3 coffees and one croissant, please.)
• 4 litres de lait, 8 œufs et du fromage. (4 liters of milk, 8 eggs and some cheese.)

5.3 Personal and everyday objects

• Il y a sept livres sur la table. (There are 7 books on the table.)

• Le sac est en cuir. (The bag is made of leather.)

5.4 Numbers 

• Je suis né en 1564. (I was born in…)
• La ville est à 80 km de Rouen. (The city is 80 km from Rouen.?

5.5 Marital status

• Ma sœur est mariée. (My sister is married.)

• Je suis divorcé (I am divorced.)

5.6 Country and nationality

• Emmanuel habite à Lyon, en France. (Emmanuel lives in Lyon, in France.)

• Je suis italienne. (I am Italian.)

5.7 Work and professional life

• J’aime mon métier. (I love my job.)

• Mon voisin est avocat. (My neighbour is an advocate.)

5.8 Family and social life 

• Mon meilleur ami habite près de chez moi. (My best friend lives near me.)

• Je vois souvent ma sœur. (I see my sister often.)

5.9 People: physical character and personality

Il a une barbe. (He is a barber.)

Ma tante est gentille et mon oncle est drôle. (My aunt is nice and my uncle is funny.)

5.10 Daily activities

• Je prends mon petit déjeuner à 5h du matin. (I have breakfast at 5am.)

• Je me couche à 23h. (I go to sleep at 11 pm.)

5.11 Leisure and sports

• Emily joue au foot (Emily plays football.)

• Mon voisin va à la piscine le jeudi soir. (My neighbour goes to the swimming pool on Thursday evening.)

5.12 Modes of transport

• Je prends ma voiture pour aller au travail. (I take my car to go to work.)

• Je vais à la piscine à pied. (I go to the swimming pool on foot.)

5.13 Vacation and travel

• Je passe mes vacances à la campagne.  (I spend my holidays in the countryside.)

• Je vais voir mes amis en été. (I am going to see my friends in summer.)

5.14 Housing: furniture and facilities

• Dans le salon, il y a une table et un canapé. (In the living room there is a table and a sofa.)

• Les lampes sont modernes. (The lamps are modern.)

5.15 Places in the city (Businesses and services) 

• La pharmacie est près de la boulangerie. (The pharmacy is near the bakery.)

• Les appartements du centre-ville sont chers. (Downtown apartments are expensive.)

5.16 Clothes and accessories

• Je porte un pantalon noir. (I am wearing black pants.)
• Les robes sont à la mode. (Dresses are in fashion.)

• J’adore les sacs à main. (I adore handbags.)

5.17 Weather 

• Il fait beau et il y a du soleil. (It is pleasant and there is the sun.)
• Il pleut. (It is rainy.)
• Il fait froid. (It is cold.)
• Quel temps fait-il? (How is the weather?)

Conclusion

French is not that difficult when you have the correct guidance with you. As you learned, basic skills are expected at this level for specific social situations, and with proper study material, you can master the DELF A1 level exam. La Forêt offers professional guidance and comprehensive study materials tailored specifically for the DELF A1 exam. Our experienced language experts provide personalized support to help you prepare effectively. Whether you’re a student, a working professional, or learning French for personal reasons, La Forêt is here to support you on your journey. Start learning with us today and embark on the road to achieving your language goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Is the DELF A1 exam hard?

Ans. The difficulty of the DELF A1 exam can vary depending on your familiarity and proficiency in French. Generally, the A1 level is considered beginner, so if you have a basic understanding of French grammar and vocabulary, you should be able to pass with some preparation. It is always a good idea to familiarize yourself with the exam format and practice with sample questions to gauge your readiness. La Forêt can help you with the professional guidance you need; there are language experts who will provide you with all the study material and the details. 

Q2. What age is DELF A1 for?

Ans. The DELF A1 exam is not restricted by age. It is designed for anyone, regardless of age, who is a beginner in French and wants to certify their language skills at the basic level officially. So, whether you are a student, a working professional, or someone learning French for personal reasons, you can take the DELF A1 exam.