If you have ever been asked “what level is your French?” and not known what to say, this guide is for you. The CEFR is the scale teachers, schools and exam boards actually use, and once you understand it, your whole learning journey makes more sense.
The CEFR stands for the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. It was developed by the Council of Europe to describe language ability in a consistent way across countries and languages, so that a B1 in French means broadly the same thing as a B1 in Spanish or German.
Rather than measuring grammar in the abstract, the framework describes what you can actually do with the language. That is why its descriptors are written as “can-do” statements: can introduce yourself, can follow a discussion, can argue a point of view. I find this enormously helpful as a teacher, because it keeps lessons pointed at real ability rather than memorised rules.
The six levels at a glance
A1 and A2 are the Basic user band. B1 and B2 are the Independent user band, where most practical goals live. C1 and C2 are the Proficient user band, approaching and reaching near-native command.
Here is what each level looks like in practice, with a few of the things a learner at that level can typically manage. Most people sit between two levels rather than squarely on one, and that is completely normal.
The very first steps. You are building a foundation of everyday words and the most useful phrases. Conversation works when the other person is patient, speaks slowly and helps you along.
You can handle short, predictable exchanges. Daily life starts to feel possible: shops, directions, simple plans. You speak in short sentences and still rely on familiar topics.
The turning point, and the level most learners are aiming for. You become independent: you can cope with most situations while travelling and hold a real, if simple, conversation.
You can hold your own with native speakers without either side straining. Abstract topics, work discussions and films with subtitles all open up. This is solid working fluency.
Language becomes a flexible tool. You express ideas smoothly, catch implied meaning and adapt your register to the moment. You can study, work and socialise in French with real ease.
Near-native command. You understand almost everything you hear or read, draw on different sources effortlessly, and handle the finest shades of meaning. The summit of the framework.
This is the question I am asked most, especially by parents. The mappings below are widely used guides rather than exact equivalences, because exams test things in their own way, but they give a useful sense of scale.
| CEFR level | UK school exams (approx.) | French diplomas | Rough guided hours* |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Early GCSE foundation work | DELF A1 | 70–100 |
| A2 | GCSE foundation tier | DELF A2 | 150–200 |
| B1 | GCSE higher tier | DELF B1 | 350–400 |
| B2 | A-Level | DELF B2 | 500–650 |
| C1 | Beyond A-Level / degree level | DALF C1 | 700–800 |
| C2 | Near-native / specialist | DALF C2 | 1,000–1,200 |
*Guided hours are cumulative from a standing start and vary enormously between learners. They are a rough planning aid, not a promise. As a reference point, the language is considered one of the more accessible for English speakers, with several hundred hours of good teaching typically taking a committed learner to confident working fluency.
So, in short: a strong GCSE candidate is often working around A2 to B1, an A-Level student around B1 to B2, and the DELF and DALF diplomas (issued by the French Ministry of Education) line up cleanly with the framework if you ever want a formal, lifelong certificate of your French.
You do not need a test to get a useful first answer. Read back through the can-do statements above and find the highest level where you can honestly tick most of the boxes. That is roughly where you are.
The most accurate way, though, is simply to talk. In a relaxed first lesson I can usually place a learner across all four skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) within the first twenty minutes, and explain exactly what would move you up to the next level.
The framework is most useful as a map, not a verdict. At the lower levels we build the foundations that everything else stands on: sound patterns, the present and past tenses, and the courage to speak. In the middle, we widen your range so conversation flows and you stop translating in your head. At the higher levels, the work becomes finer: nuance, idiom, register and the confidence to be yourself in French.
Wherever you are starting, the next level is closer than you think. The trick is knowing precisely what to practise, which is exactly what a good teacher is for.
If you would like me to assess your level and sketch a path to your goal, that is what a first lesson is for.
A relaxed first lesson tells you exactly where you stand and what comes next.
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