The listening paper ("compréhension de l'oral") comes first on exam day and is marked out of 25. The recording plays from start to finish with every instruction and pause built in, so the timings below are exactly what you get in the room.
| Level | Time | Format 1 | Format 2 | Plays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DELF A1 | 20 min | 5 exercises, 21 questions | 4 exercises, 17 questions | Twice |
| DELF A2 | 25 min | 4 exercises, 22 questions | 4 exercises, 21 questions | Twice |
| DELF B1 | 25 min | 3 exercises, 20 questions | 3 exercises, 20 questions | Twice |
| DELF B2 | 30 min | 3 exercises, 20 questions | 2 exercises, 20 questions | Twice or once |
| DALF C1 | About 40 min | 2 parts (one format) | - | Part 1 twice, part 2 once |
| DALF C2 | Within the speaking paper | A 15-min recording | - | Twice |
At A1, A2, B1 and B2 two formats of the listening and reading papers are still in official circulation, and you find out which one you have on the day. Format 1 is the newer design: multiple choice only, with more and shorter documents. Format 2 is the older design, with multiple choice plus short written answers and, from A2, true/false items you must justify with a quotation. FEI states that neither format makes the exam easier or harder.
20 minutes, /25. Every recording is played twice. The longest document lasts at most 3 minutes.
Format 1 · 5 exercises, 21 questions
| Exercise | Task | Questions | Points | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Identify an event: a voicemail about an upcoming event (45-50 words) | 4 MCQ, written or pictures | 4 | 30 s to read, 1st listening, 30 s, 2nd listening, 30 s |
| 2 | Identify an activity: an announcement in a public place or a radio flash (45-50 words) | 4 MCQ (2 written, 2 pictures) | 4 | As exercise 1 |
| 3 | Understand instructions: recorded instructions, work setting (45-50 words) | 4 written MCQ | 4 | As exercise 1 |
| 4 | Identify situations: 4 mini-dialogues (up to 30 words each) to match with 6 pictures | 4 matches (2 pictures are extra) | 8 | 30 s to look at the pictures; each dialogue then 15 s; all four again |
| 5 | Identify objects: one message (50-55 words); say for 5 pictures whether the object is named | 5 yes/no | 5 | 15 s, message, 15 s, message, 30 s |
Format 2 · 4 exercises, 17 questions
| Exercise | Task | Questions | Points | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Voicemail (an invitation) | 4 (MCQ and short answers) | 4 | 30 s to read, listening, 30 s, listening, 30 s |
| 2 | Airport announcement | 4 | 5 | As exercise 1 |
| 3 | Voicemail with the day's programme | 4 | 6 | As exercise 1 |
| 4 | 5 short dialogues to match with 6 pictures | 5 matches | 10 | 15 s after each dialogue; played twice |
25 minutes, /25. Every recording is played twice; all documents together last at most 5 minutes.
Format 1 · 4 exercises, 14 recordings, 22 questions
| Exercise | Task | Questions | Points | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Understand announcements and instructions: 6 announcements (25-30 words each) | 6 MCQ (3 pictures, 3 written) | 6 | Per announcement: 15 s to read, listening, 10 s, listening, 10 s |
| 2 | Understand short radio programmes: 3 extracts (30-40 words each) | 6 MCQ (2 per extract) | 6 | As exercise 1, per extract |
| 3 | Understand a message: one voicemail (70-80 words) with dates, prices, times, places | 6 MCQ (2 pictures, 4 written) | 6 | 30 s, listening, 30 s, listening, 30 s |
| 4 | Understand short exchanges: 4 informal dialogues, each matched to one of 6 speech acts | 4 matches (2 extra speech acts) | 7 | 30 s to read; the 4 dialogues; 30 s; all 4 again; 30 s |
Format 2 · 4 exercises, 7 recordings, 21 questions
| Exercise | Task | Questions | Points | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Public announcement | 5 | 5 | 30 s to read, listening, 30 s, listening, 30 s |
| 2 | Voicemail from a shop | 6 | 6 | As exercise 1 |
| 3 | Radio programme | 6 | 6 | As exercise 1 |
| 4 | 4 dialogues matched to 4 speech acts | 4 matches | 8 | 30 s, all 4, 30 s, all 4 again, 30 s |
25 minutes, /25. Every recording is played twice; the longest lasts at most 6 minutes.
Format 1 · 3 exercises, 20 questions, all 3-option MCQ
| Exercise | Task | Questions | Points | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Understand an interaction between native speakers: a dialogue of 1 min to 1 min 40 | 6 MCQ | 7 | 1 min to read, listening, 10 s, listening, 30 s |
| 2 | Understand a radio programme (interview, news, chronicle), about 2 min | 7 MCQ | 9 | As exercise 1 |
| 3 | Understand a radio programme on a work-related subject, about 2 min | 7 MCQ | 9 | As exercise 1 |
Format 2 · 3 exercises, 20 questions, MCQ and open answers
| Exercise | Task | Questions | Points | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conversation | 6 | 6 | 30 s to read, listening, 30 s, listening, 1 min |
| 2 | Radio programme, with open answers | 6 | 8 | As exercise 1 |
| 3 | Longer radio interview, with open "why" answers | 8 | 11 | 1 min to read, listening, 3 min, listening, 2 min |
30 minutes, /25. Some recordings are played twice and some once.
Format 1 · 3 exercises, 5 documents, 20 MCQ
| Exercise | Task | Questions | Points | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Understand a radio programme (news, interview, debate), 2 min 30 to 3 min | 7 MCQ | 9 | Played twice: 1 min to read, listening, 30 s, listening, 1 min |
| 2 | The same task on an educational or work subject | 7 MCQ | 9 | Played twice, as exercise 1 |
| 3 | 3 short documents of 60-80 s each (monologue, discussion, announcement...) | 6 MCQ (2 per document) | 7 | Played once: 15 s to read, listening, 20 s |
Format 2 · 2 exercises, 2 documents, 20 questions
| Exercise | Task | Questions | Points | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A talk, lecture, documentary or programme of about 5 min | 13 (MCQ and open answers) | 18 | Played twice: 1 min to read, listening, 3 min, listening, 5 min |
| 2 | An interview or news bulletin of 1 min 30 to 2 min | 7 | 7 | Played once: 1 min to read, then 3 min to answer |
About 40 minutes, /25, one format. Documents last at most 10 minutes. The DALF did not adopt the multiple-choice-only design, so open questions and true/false items remain.
| Exercise | Task | Questions | Points | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | One long document (interview, lecture, talk) of about 6 minutes. A column is left for notes, which are not marked. | 10 (4 MCQ and 6 open questions in the official sample) | 18 | Played twice: 3 min to read, listening, 3 min, listening, 5 min |
| 2 | Several short radio extracts (news flashes, polls, adverts) | 7 MCQ in the official sample | 7 | Played once: 50 s to read, listening, 50 s per extract |
DALF C2 has no separate listening paper. The individual paper "compréhension et production orales" (/50) starts with a recording of about 15 minutes (a radio programme, debate or interview), heard twice with note-taking and a 3-minute pause between the two hearings. You then have an hour to prepare and up to 30 minutes with the jury, where your understanding is judged through your report of the recording. See the speaking page.
Practice tasks with transcripts are on the listening samples page.
Practise DELF / DALF online
The TestSucceed app has DELF practice for A1, A2 and B1, with more levels on the way. The tasks are timed like the real exam and marked instantly, and your writing and speaking are assessed by AI trained by our French exam experts. Start with DELF / DALF practice or sit a full DELF / DALF mock test.
Written by Kirill O'Nayd
French exam expert and educator at TestSucceed. He prepares candidates for the DELF and DALF from A1 to C2 and studies how each paper is marked against the official grids. See all TestSucceed preparation materials.