A1 to C2. What each level actually means.

What is CEFR?

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is the international standard for describing language ability. It divides proficiency into six levels across three bands: A (Basic User), B (Independent User), and C (Proficient User).

Every French exam — DELF, DALF, TEF Canada — maps to these levels. Canadian immigration uses CLB (Canadian Language Benchmarks) which map directly to CEFR. When someone says “you need B2 for Canada PR,” they mean CEFR B2, which equals CLB 7.

A1 — Beginner

You can introduce yourself, ask and answer basic personal questions (where you live, people you know, things you have), and interact in a simple way if the other person speaks slowly and clearly.

What you can do at A1

• Greet people, say your name, age, nationality, and profession
• Order food and drinks using basic phrases
• Understand very short, simple texts — signs, menus, forms
• Write a simple postcard or fill in a form with personal details
• Count, tell time, say dates, use basic numbers

At The French Skool: Our A1 course runs 8 weeks. Goldy starts every absolute beginner here. The focus is confidence before complexity — you speak from day one.

A2 — Elementary

You can handle routine tasks and direct exchanges on familiar topics. You can describe your background, immediate environment, and matters of immediate need in simple terms.

What you can do at A2

• Describe your family, education, job, and daily routines
• Shop, ask for directions, use public transport
• Have simple social conversations — likes, dislikes, weekend plans
• Read short notices, emails, and simple articles
• Write informal messages and short personal letters
• Understand the past tense and start using it

At The French Skool: A2 takes 10 weeks. This is where French becomes functional — you can survive in a French-speaking environment, not just be polite in one.

B1 — Intermediate

B1 is the independence level. You can deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling, describe experiences and events, explain dreams and ambitions, and give brief reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.

What you can do at B1

• Travel independently in French-speaking countries without relying on English
• Discuss familiar topics in depth — work, hobbies, current events
• Express opinions and feelings, agree and disagree politely
• Read and understand news articles on familiar topics
• Write formal and informal letters, describe experiences in detail
• Follow the main points of TV programmes and films in standard French

At The French Skool: B1 runs 12 weeks. This is one of Goldy’s most-taught levels — it’s the minimum for many immigration pathways and where French starts to feel natural.

B2 — Upper Intermediate   ← The Target

This is the level most of our students target. B2 means you can interact with fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers possible without strain. You can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint, giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

What you can do at B2

• Have fluent, spontaneous conversations on complex and abstract topics
• Understand the main ideas of complex text, including technical discussions in your field
• Write clear, detailed essays, reports, and arguments
• Follow extended speech, news broadcasts, films, and lectures without difficulty
• Present and defend opinions in debate, handle hypothetical situations
• Pass TEF Canada with CLB 7+ — the threshold for significant CRS points

At The French Skool: B2 takes 14 weeks. TEF Canada preparation is embedded throughout. Goldy teaches not just the language but the exam — scoring patterns, time management, the specific French that TEF tests.

C1 — Advanced

C1 is professional fluency. You can express yourself fluently and spontaneously without searching for expressions. You can use language flexibly for social, academic, and professional purposes, producing clear, well-structured text on complex subjects.

What you can do at C1

• Participate in professional meetings, academic seminars, and formal debates in French
• Write sophisticated essays, reports, and analysis with nuanced arguments
• Understand implicit meaning, humour, irony, and cultural references
• Read French literature, academic papers, and specialist articles
• Function in a French university or professional environment without language-related difficulty

At The French Skool: C1 runs 16 weeks. Goldy teaches this to students with strong B2 foundations who need genuine professional fluency — typically for French universities, research positions, or senior roles in Francophone environments.

C2 — Mastery

C2 is near-native mastery. You can understand virtually everything heard or read with ease. You can summarise information from different sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. You can express yourself spontaneously, very fluently, and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in complex situations.

Very few learners formally pursue C2 certification. At this level, the learning comes less from structured courses and more from immersion — living in a Francophone country, consuming French media exclusively, reading French literature, and thinking in French. It’s the level where language stops being a skill and becomes a part of identity.

The realistic timeline.

Every language school has a different estimate. Here’s ours, based on a decade of teaching Indian students — mostly Hindi and Punjabi speakers — who study 6–10 hours per week:

That’s the honest answer. Anyone promising fluent French in 3 months is selling something, not teaching something. B2 is achievable in under a year with consistent effort and structured guidance — which is exactly what we provide.