What DELF A2 tests
The DELF A2 diplôme, issued by France Éducation international, certifies that you can “communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a direct exchange of information” — the CEFR A2 descriptor. Once earned, the certificate is valid for life and is accepted for Alliance Française and university entry pathways.
There is one paper and one live oral, sat on the same day at an accredited centre. The current syllabus was last revised in 2020 and applies unchanged for 2026 sessions.
The four sections at a glance
| Section | French name | Duration | Marks | What you do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Listening | Compréhension de l’Oral | ~25 min | /25 | 3–4 short audio clips (announcements, messages, dialogues). Multiple-choice + short-answer questions. |
| Reading | Compréhension des Écrits | 30 min | /25 | 3–4 short texts (email, form, blog post, schedule). Multiple-choice + short-answer questions. |
| Writing | Production Écrite | 45 min | /25 | Two short texts (~60–80 words each) — an email/message and a personal account. |
| Speaking | Production Orale | 6–8 min + 10 min prep | /25 | Three tasks — guided interview, monologue, role-play interaction. |
Free 3-minute AI speaking trial in French — no card, no signup. Speak to an AI examiner and get a CEFR-referenced verdict.
Section-by-section: what actually appears
Listening (Compréhension de l’Oral) plays each recording twice, with a 30-second gap in between. Recordings are ~30 seconds to 1 minute each. Topics are personal and social: a train station announcement, a friend leaving a voicemail, a short conversation at a shop.
Reading (Compréhension des Écrits) uses one short informational text (opening times, an ad) and 2–3 personal or transactional texts (a friend’s email, a review, a blog entry). Questions test literal comprehension, not inference.
Writing (Production Écrite) sets two tasks with strict word limits. Task 1 is usually a message to a friend accepting or declining an invitation. Task 2 asks you to recount a past event or describe an experience. Under-length answers are penalised on task achievement.
Speaking (Production Orale) is scored on the same three-task structure as A1 but at a higher grammatical and lexical bar. The role-play now requires you to handle an unexpected turn — the examiner will introduce a small complication.
What CEFR A2 competencies each section rewards
- Present, past (passé composé, imparfait) and near future (futur proche) — expected in Writing and Speaking.
- Common connectors — mais, parce que, quand, après. Answers without connectors cap at ~15/25 on Writing.
- Registers — the informal tu with friends and family; the formal vous with strangers and officials. Getting this wrong on Speaking or Writing costs marks.
- Everyday vocabulary — food, weather, transport, work, health, leisure. Specialist or academic vocabulary is not required and often flagged as inappropriate.
Ready to sit a full DELF A2 mock? Our 3-mock pack is ₹599 and includes a full-length paper with instant AI-graded feedback on every section.
How much of the syllabus can you skip? Almost none
Because each section is elimination-scored — a single section below 5/25 fails the whole diploma even if your total is 70/100 — you cannot afford to skip prep for the section you are weakest in. Most India-based candidates lose their pass on Compréhension de l’Oral because they’ve done all their prep on the reading and writing sections that are easier to self-study.
The single highest-return study block is 10 minutes of French audio per day at TV5Monde’s Apprendre le français (A2 level) — it maps directly to the recording types the exam uses.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the DELF A2 exam in total?
The written paper is 1 hour 40 minutes: 25 minutes Listening, 30 minutes Reading, 45 minutes Writing. The Production Orale is a separate 6–8 minute interview with 10 minutes of prep beforehand. Most centres schedule Speaking earlier or later the same day.
What is the passing score for DELF A2?
You need 50 out of 100 total marks — 12.5/25 average per section. You must also score at least 5/25 on every individual section. Fail either condition and the diploma is not awarded, even if the other section scores are strong.
Has the DELF A2 syllabus changed for 2026?
No — the format last changed in 2020 to add the current shorter Reading section and the two-task Writing structure. The 2026 sessions use the same syllabus, task types, and marking grid.
How many mock tests should I take before DELF A2?
Most candidates who pass on the first attempt have done at least 3 full-length mocks under exam conditions — one to calibrate weak sections, one to time-manage, one final rehearsal in the week before. Skill-specific mocks in between are what actually move scores.
Want the full French prep set — syllabus, sample papers, and skill-by-skill guides? Explore all French exam resources.
Related Guides
Ready to practice?