CEFR A1 French Explained: What Beginners Can Do [2026 Guide]

What is CEFR A1 in French? See exactly what A1 learners can do, how A1 maps to Quebec's Francisation Scale, official A1 exams (DELF A1), and how to advance.

Apr 15, 2026

·2 min read

CEFR A1 French Explained: What Beginners Can Do

Quick answer: CEFR A1 is the entry level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. An A1 French speaker can interact in a simple way provided the other person speaks slowly and is prepared to help.

Want to confirm your French level? Take our free French placement test — get your CEFR + Quebec score in 10 minutes.

What an A1 French Learner Can Do

At A1, you can:

Recognize and use common everyday expressions and basic phrases
Introduce yourself and others; ask and answer questions about personal details (name, where you live, things you have)
Interact in a simple way with help from a patient interlocutor
Read very short, simple texts (signs, menus, basic notices)
Write a short, simple postcard or fill in basic forms

What's still difficult at A1:

Forming sentences spontaneously beyond memorized phrases
Following French at normal speed
Reading paragraphs of connected text
Producing past or future tenses

How A1 Maps to Other Scales

CEFR	Quebec Francisation Scale	DELF/DALF	TCF Score
A1	Levels 1–2	DELF A1	~100–199

For details on Quebec's scale, see our Quebec French levels guide.

Official A1 Exams

DELF A1: A lifetime certificate testing all four skills (listening, reading, speaking, writing). Issued by France Education International. Useful for proving baseline French to employers, universities, or immigration authorities.
TCF: Numerical score; A1 corresponds to ~100–199 in oral and written modules.

How Long Does A1 Take?

For complete beginners, reaching A1 typically takes 60–80 hours of guided practice (roughly 2–3 months of consistent part-time study). For learners with prior exposure to another Romance language (Spanish, Italian, Portuguese), this can be faster.

How to Move from A1 to A2

What works:

Build a 500–800 word active vocabulary (words you produce, not just recognize)
Practice simple sentence structures in present and basic past tenses
Speak from day one — listening alone keeps you stuck
Use everyday contexts — greetings, shopping, transportation, simple workplace exchanges

Conversaflex's AI tutor is designed for this stage — daily speaking practice with instant feedback.

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