DELF B1 Syllabus: Everything You Must Know

Beginning the path toward learning the French language is both exciting and gratifying. The DELF B1 level will hone your proficiency to an intermediate level, which means you will be able to understand and use familiar everyday expressions and basic phrases. Its syllabus delves deep into the intricacies of French grammar, vocabulary, and communication skills. This article will provide all the necessary details about the DELF B1 examination.

About DELF B1

First of all, let us revise what the DELF exam is. DELF stands for “Diplôme d’Études en Langue Française,” which translates to “Diploma in French Studies.” It is an official certification awarded by the French Ministry of Education to certify the competency of candidates from outside France in the French language.

Moving on, DELF B1 is a certification in French language proficiency. It is an official qualification awarded by the French Ministry of Education to certify the competency of candidates from outside France in the French language. The DELF B1 exam evaluates candidates on four language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. This exam is widely recognized and can be helpful for academic or professional purposes and for those interested in demonstrating their French language proficiency.

Exam Structure

The DELF B1 examination will follow this exam structure. The table below shows it. 

DELF B1 Syllabus 

1. Communication Skills – DELF B1

These are the moderate communication skills that will be required at this level. You can converse with people you meet daily and discuss your daily routine, present events, etc. You can tell basic to intermediate information about people or things. 

Social Interaction 

These are the moderate communication skills that will be required at this level. You can converse with people you meet in daily life and talk about your daily routine, present events, etc. You can tell basic to intermediate information about people or things. 

• Asking and giving information about daily routines, schedules 
• Ask for and give news about someone 
• Talking about likes and dislikes 
• Talking about plans 
• Ask for or offer help 
• Interact on the phone 
• Make suggestions and react to proposals (agree, accept, refuse, make excuses) 
• Giving a reason, explaining choices 
• Expressing doubts, opposing views 
• Talk about what you liked or disliked
• Express interest and lack of interest 
• Organize an event/ outing, discussing what is needed 
• Asking for and giving advice 
• Expressing a wish and offering services 
• Warning, cautioning 
• Talking about work experience, work environment 
• Expressing and discussing feelings 
• Expressing wishes and hopes
• Expressing intentions and goals 

Description and Stories 

Here, you will be able to describe life situations and events. You can tell a story or describe a specific event. It can be related to the past, present or future. You can recall a memory of your past or narrate live events to people.  

• Narrate past events 
• Recall a memory, an anecdote, a sequence of events 
• Tell a story 
• Recount an experience 
• Discuss the plot of a book or film 
• Describe a hypothetical situation 
• Find out about places / Describe the characteristics of places 
• Present a country, a town and its inhabitants. 
• Enquire about people / Describe and characterize people 
• Describe relationships between people 
• Write a biography, a portrait of a person 
• Convey a third person’s point of view, sayings 
• Enquire about things / Describe and characterize things 
• Compare things, people, media content etc. 
• Present a topic, a project 
• State a fact / describe a phenomenon / an (artistic) activity

Share Information 

In this section, you will learn about sharing information from one person to another. You can ask for or give information about certain things. You can help people by explaining to them how to do something. 

• Seek information
• Provide information 
• Explain how to use a device 
• Ask for / give an explanation, details 
• Conduct or participate in an interview 
• Rephrase what you said to offer clarity 
• Express a supposition 
• Summarize a short story, an article, a presentation, an interview, a documentary and give an opinion.

Opinions and Arguments 

This section will allow you to express your opinions freely. You can express your likes and dislikes to the other person.

• State your agreement or disagreement. 
• Give your perspective and viewpoint, and provide evidence to support it. 
• Clearly state the cause and the effect. 
• Determine an issue and provide a fix. 
• Create theories
• Describe the benefits and drawbacks of the various solutions. 
• Formulate a notion, a straightforward logic 
• Create a reasoned and well-organized argument. 
• Make a case and support your position.
• Discuss and evaluate (movies, novels, etc.)

Goods and Services 

• Confirm, ask for confirmation
• Express expectations clearly
• Express satisfaction, dissatisfaction, complain

2. Grammar at the B1 Level 

These are the various grammar topics that you have to cover at this level.

• Past tenses, agreement of past participle with the subject and the direct object (L’imparfait, Le passé composé, Plus-que-parfait)
• Future tenses (Le futur simple, Le futur proche, Le futur antérieur, Le futur en -ant)
• Present conditional: wish and hypothetical events 
• Past conditional: regret and hypothesis 
• Reported Speech: In the present and past 
• Subjunctive 
• Active-Passive Voice 
• Gerunds and present participle 
• IF conditions 
• Double pronouns 
• Pronouns: Relative, Possessive, Demonstrative 
• Impersonal phrases and verbs with il :Il est interdit de, Il est utile de, Il est important de 
• Adverbs: time, manner, place, frequency
• Comparatives & Superlatives of adjectives and adverbs 
• Negations 
• Connectors / Conjunctions and articulators: Cause, Consequence, Opposition

At La Forêt French Class, our expert tutors can help you understand the grammar of the French language. Check out our DELF B1 course page to learn more. 

3. Vocabulary Themes at the DELF B1 Level 

• Customs, cultural traditions 
• Professional sphere 
• Family, social relationships 
• People: physical description, character, personality 
• Feelings and emotions 
• Health daily activities 
• Leisure, sports 
• Holidays, travel 
• Housing: furnishing and devices
• Consumption: food, beverage, media 
• Fashion 
• Cultural topics: cinema, literature, painting, music, théâtre 
• Media and news 
• Information and communication technologies
• Environment, climate, ecology 
• The education system, studies, and technical training 
• Politics, societal values

Conclusion 

French is a relatively easy language when you have the proper guidance. While French can be self-taught, to pass these DELF examinations with a good score and gain confidence in fluency, you will require professional training from experts. You have seen the comprehensive syllabus above, so save time and start learning this beautiful language. This will be very beneficial for your career advancement as well. La Forêt French Class offers all the training courses required to clear this examination and get the certification for specific levels. We have trained professionals who will guide you through your language-learning journey. ENROLL NOW and take the first step towards your French language success!

Frequently Asked Questions 

Q: Is DELF B1 difficult?

Ans: The difficulty of the DELF B1 exam can vary depending on your proficiency in French and how much preparation you have done. Generally, if you have a solid understanding of French grammar vocabulary and can communicate in everyday situations, you should be able to handle the B1 level. However, practising and familiarising yourself with the exam format is always a good idea to feel more confident on test day.

Q: How long is the DELF B1 certificate valid?

Ans: The DELF B1 certificate is valid for life and does not expire. Once you have obtained the certificate, it remains valid indefinitely and does not need to be renewed.