A title at the end of the DELF exam confirms your proficiency as you answer “Ouï” to “Parlez-vous Français” confidently? French, unarguably, is one of the international languages of great literature, first-class films, fashion, cooking, theatre, dance, architecture, and whatnot. To let people know that fluency in French is one of the many capabilities, you would need to secure a DELF title. Wondering what that is and how to get one? We have collated everything for you here.
What is the ‘DELF Exam?’
DELF offers diploma certifications to students who undertake the exam. The Council of Europe’s Common European Framework arranges this exam for aspirants. DELF stands for Diplôme d’études en langue française or Diploma in French Studies. The exam is meant for students or young learners who have a keen interest in learning a foreign language. In case you apply for a job in a European corporation, the knowledge of French would help you better your chances by increasing your employability. There are four levels of this examination. The first two levels are considered ‘beginner level,’ and the last two are considered ‘independent.’ The levels are:
- A1
- A2
- B1
- B2
DELF exam in Indian Cities
The DELF exam will be held across almost all the important cities of India. Their official website mentions that the exam centres will be scattered across fourteen cities. These cities are:
- Trivandrum
- New Delhi
- Panjim
- Ahmedabad
- Coimbatore
- Chennai
- Bhopal
- Kolkata
- Pune
- Hyderabad
- Bengaluru
- Mumbai
- Chandigarh
- Pondichéry
There is one Alliance française in each of these cities. These are the exam centers for the DELF test. The states and addresses of these exam centres are as follows:
| City of exam | Exam centre | State and address |
| Trivandrum | Alliance française de Trivandrum | Sudarshana, Forest Office Lane, Vazhuthacaud, 695014 Trivandrum, Kerala |
| New Delhi | Alliance française de Delhi | New Delhi |
| Panjim | Alliance française de Panjim-Goa | House B-305-306 Akah Bhavan, H, Salgado RD off 18th June Rd, Opposite Canara Bank, 403001, Goa |
| Ahmedabad | Alliance française d’Ahmedabad | Ahmedabad, Gujarat |
| Coimbatore | PSG Institute of Management | PB 1668, Avinashi Road, Peelamedu 641004, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu |
| Chennai | Alliance française de Madras | Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
| Bhopal | Alliance française de Bhopal | E-7/639, Area Colony, 462016, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh |
| Kolkata | Alliance française du Bengale | Kolkata, West Bengal |
| Pune | Alliance française de Poona | Pune, Maharashtra |
| Bengaluru | Alliance française de Bengalore | Bengaluru, Karnataka |
| Hyderabad | Alliance française d’hyderabad | Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh |
| Mumbai | Alliance française de Bombay | Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| Chandigarh | Alliance française Le Corbusier | Chandigarh, Punjab |
| Pondichéry | Alliance française de Pondichéry | Pondichéry, Tamil nadu |
However, do keep in mind that all centres of all cities might not hold exams for all levels. Some might be a centre for the DELF A1 exam, while some might hold an exam for the B2 level. To know more in detail, you need to look for the recent notifications on the website.
DELF Exam in India Format
There will be four exams of two levels each. The exams are:
- DELF A1 exam
- DELF A2 exam
- DELF B1 exam
- DELF B2 exam
Now, the exam will have four parts- reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
The DELF exam 2021 format has still remained unchanged in 2022 as the official website has not announced any change. The format is as follows:
Reading
If you go through DELF A1 sample papers with answers, you will find that this section has short comprehension questions. There will be multiple-choice questions or questions where you need to identify whether the given options are true or false.
The same applies to the DELF B2 level also. In DELF B1 sample papers, the texts are longer than that of A1. It tests whether the learners can read and understand written instructions or not.
Writing
The writing section in the DELF test is not the same at all levels. The learners are asked to write, following the instructions given in the question paper. But the length and time of the exam vary.
For DELF A1 level, the question will ask you to write an introduction of yourself in 40 words. You will also write personal information, and that’s all for the A1 level.
At the A2 level, you have to present more descriptive writing. Here, you will have to describe a particular event or share your experience in written form.
In B1 and B2 levels, you will have to write an argument on the topic given to you. The level of difficulty will vary and increase from B1 to B2.
Speaking
Learners of A1 and A2 levels will have to converse in small and simple sentences. The conversation will be a guided one.
At the B1 level, you will be given a picture or a situation that you will describe in your own words.
The difference between B1 and B2 levels is that, in the latter, you will not only be describing but also presenting an argument or defending your opinion.
Listening
S ecordings will be played for levels A1, A2, and B1. Each recording will be around three minutes in length, and you get to hear it twice.
At the end of the recorded audio clipping, you will be asked questions about it. These will be small and simple questions with easy and direct answers.
For the B2 level, there will be two recordings. You will get to hear the first recording twice, and the second will play only once. All you have to do is listen closely and carefully to answer the questions.
The time format of DELF exam levels is as follows:
| Level of DELF | Reading | Writing | Listening | Speaking |
| DELF A1 exam | 30 minutes | 30 minutes | 20 minutes | Preparation time 10 minutes
Speaking time 5-7 minutes |
| DELF A2 exam | 30 minutes | 45 minutes | 25 minutes | Preparation time 10 minutes
Speaking time 6-8 minutes |
| DELF B1 exam | 35 minutes | 45 minutes | 25 minutes | Preparation time 10 minutes
Speaking time 15 minutes |
| DELF B2 exam | 60 minutes | 60 minutes | 30 minutes | Preparation time 30 minutes
Speaking time 20 minutes |
DELF Exam Dates 2022 India
DELF Exam 2022 will be held in June, and registration for this exam starts on 12th May 2022. The exam will continue from 13th June to 17th June, as per the official website. However, there is a last day of registration for this exam session, and this time, it is 31st May. Exams of various levels will be held on different days. The DELF exam dates for 2022 are:
| DELF Level of Exam | Date | Day |
| DELF A1 level | 13th June 2022 | Monday |
| DELF A2 level | 14th June 2022 | Tuesday |
| DELF B1 level | 15th June 2022 | Wednesday |
| DELF B2 level | 16th June 2022 | Thursday |
DELF Number of available seats
| Level | Number of seats |
| A1 | 50 |
| A2 | 50 |
| B1 | 50 |
| B2 | 50 |
DELF Exam Fees in India
The fees for the exam vary at different levels. Also, the fee structure is different for AFD students and external students. DELF A1 exam fees are similar to that of the A2 level. Again, the exam fee for the B1 and B2 levels are similar. The fee structure is as follows:
| Exam level | Exam Fee (in INR) for AFD students | Exam Fee (in INR) for external students |
| A1 | 6608 | 9440 |
| A2 | 6608 | 9440 |
| B1 | 7930 | 11,328 |
| B2 | 7930 | 11,328 |
For more in-depth details, you can check the official website from here.
DELF Exam in India: How to Crack
For native speakers, learning the French language and then coming out with flying colours in the DELF exam requires extra practice and true sincerity. A few strategies for DELF A1 exam preparation will include:
Continuous Practice
There is nothing like a rigorous practice that yields the best result in education. Practicing the language and questions from DELF A1 sample papers time and again will make you reach your target more smoothly.
Solving French DELF A1 sample papers
Solving previous years’ question papers within the given time always sharpen your skills. The more you solve these, the more familiar you become with the question patterns, type of questions asked, etc. You can find sample papers here. For more resources, you can check this out.
You can find DELF A2 sample papers here.
DELF A1 Syllabus
At the A1 level, the DELF exam syllabus includes a wide range of textual and grammar topics. In the initial levels, the learning goals are Greeting in French, learning basic vocabulary, spelling words, etc. The grammar topics include genders, articles, auxiliary verbs, etc.
As prepared by the Alliance Française for the beginner level, the syllabus is again classified in sections to ensure that the learners experience holistic learning. The detailed syllabus can be found here.
A glimpse at the syllabus:
The French proverb goes “Petit a petit, l’oiseau fait son nid”. You might not be a pro in French today, but with patience and sincerity backed by education and knowledge, you can be the bird that makes its nest little by little- that’s what the proverb means. Choose a trustworthy course and sign up to quench your thirst to learn the French language today itself. A DELF title will be crowned to you in no time.