A1 - Diplôme de langue et de culture françaises, Apr 23, 2025

This A1 level is the first step towards being independent in French in France and then mastering the language. To know more about the A1 program, you may click here.

For individuals who will be paying individually, you can choose to pay by installment through our bank Oney. Oney offers the option to pay in 3 or 4 installments and will charge a small fee for handling.

If you are paying through your OPCO or CPF, the fees will be 15 euros per hour, including study materials. The exam fee for DCL is 100 euros.

For those paying directly, the discounted price is 10 euros per hour. Study materials are to be purchased from Amazon.

For OPCO, please contact us for a quote. For CPF, please use the link on the right-hand column.

PS: If you are comfortable using computers and can quickly adapt to Zoom for online classes, you should have access to an internet connection allowing for convenient two-hour discussions.

You need to know how to use the Latin alphabet and have a basic understanding of English.

For absolute beginners, no pre-assessment of level is done.

Listening: To be able to recognize familiar words and very basic phrases about myself, my family, and my immediate surroundings when people speak slowly and clearly.

Reading: To be able to understand familiar names, words, and very simple sentences, such as those found on notices, posters, or in catalogs.

Spoken interaction: To be able to communicate in a simple way, provided the other person speaks slowly and is willing to repeat or rephrase things, and to be able to ask and answer simple questions about immediate needs or familiar topics.

Spoken production: To be able to use simple phrases and sentences to describe where I live and the people I know.

Writing: To be able to write a short and simple postcard, for example, to send holiday greetings, or to fill out forms with personal details, such as my name, nationality, and address on a hotel registration form.

As per the guidelines of CEFRL (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), after completing the A1 level, learners can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. They can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help. They can :

introduce themselves and others (name, age, nationality, country of origin, profession, contact details, languages spoken, where they live) and can ask and answer questions about personal details, people they know and things they have;

make a reservation;

express possession;

introduce and describe their family;

describe themselves and others physically and psychologically;

discuss preferences with others;

describe a location and gather information about it;

ask for and give directions;

invite people;

accept and refuse invitations;

tell and understand the time;

schedule appointments for various purposes;

talk about daily activities and their routine;

talk about sports they play and their leisure activities;

go shopping;

describe items of clothing and accessories;

do grocery shopping and talk about food;

go to the doctor’s;

express themselves in present tense, common past tense (passé composé), and near future tense;

discuss educational and career history;

go to a real estate agent to find accommodation;

talk about the weather;

engage in basic telephone communication for various purposes.

At a cultural level, they can differentiate between formal and informal situations and interact accordingly. They know about some French landmarks, understand the concept of “francophonie” and know some facts about some francophone countries. They are also aware of the different government services at a local and national level.

At the end of our program, you will take a test at our center to assess whether you have reached the desired level for which you opted for this program. Our tests are based on the DELF models. Successful candidates are awarded a certificate from our center.

For students who are unable to sit for this exam, they can attend it later depending on their availability and our scheduled dates for the same level examinations.

DCL (Diplôme de compétence en langue)

The DCL is a diploma by France's ministry of education.

DELF (Diplôme d'études en langue française)

The DELF is a diploma by France Education International, for France's ministry of education.

Our students who want to take the DCL or DELF exams after completing our program are requested to inform us when they join the program. We can book your place in one of our partner universities that organize the DCL or DELF exams.

It is essential to book your place well in advance for either of the exams (DCL and DELF) as places are limited.

Both the DCL and DELF have a lifetime validity and can be used for all official purposes, such as applying for the 10-year resident card or French nationality.

For students who are paying through CPF or whose fees are paid by Pole Emploi through us, appearing in the DCL examination after completing your program is mandatory.

In our Bezons centre, we are located on the 4th floor of a building that is easily accessible by wheelchair. The elevator is spacious and there are no stairs that need to be climbed to reach our center.

In our Gare de Lyon centre, we are located at the ground floor, and accessible by wheelchair.

If you have any other concerns, such as if you hear or see differently from most others and need special accommodations, please send a WhatsApp message to Sourav, our point of contact for disabled individuals at Centre Zenith, at 07 78 64 53 16.

You can also email us at formation@centrezenith.com or send us a direct message through our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/centrezenith.