DELF A1 Reading Made Easy: 5 Tricks Every Beginner Should Know

The DELF A1 reading (compréhension des écrits) section can look easy at first — short texts, simple questions — but it often surprises students! It tests how well you understand practical, everyday French. Let’s break it down with five quick tips to help you score better.

1️⃣ Read the questions first!

Before reading the text, skim through the questions. This helps you know what to look for — names, numbers, dates, or specific words. You’ll save time and read with purpose instead of guessing.

2️⃣ Don’t translate everything

Many beginners try to translate each line into English. ❌ Instead, focus on key words and context clues. For example, if you see “soldes d’hiver” and “-50 %,” you already know it’s about a winter sale!

3️⃣ Watch out for traps

Sometimes, an option uses a word from the text but changes the meaning slightly. Always check if the sentence matches the idea — not just the vocabulary.

4️⃣ Learn to recognise formats

At A1, texts often come from everyday life:

📅 timetables

🛍️ ads

📧 short emails

🏨 hotel or travel info

Get familiar with these formats so you can find answers faster.

5️⃣ Practise reading short texts daily

Even 5 minutes a day helps! Try reading café menus, Instagram captions in French, or simple French news (like 1jour1actu). The more you see French in real contexts, the more natural the exam will feel.

💡 Final tip: Stay calm. DELF A1 doesn’t test perfection — it checks if you can understand basic messages. With regular reading practice, you’ll breeze through it!