A1

Who are you kidding?! You can’t speak French! A1 level is the equivalent to getting points for writing down your name correctly on an exam paper. You can just about manage to write your name in your native language and French! Well done!

A2

You can “manage” simple responses and entertain people with great stories about your age and favourite color. An A2 level person will quickly discover the impatience of the French, but let’s face it, who wants to talk with someone who struggles to communicate beyond, “J’ai 24 ans, je suis américaine et j’aime la couleur rouge”.

B1

Ok, you’ve reached the B level, but remember B doesn’t mean ‘bilingual’ it means ‘becoming better’, so DON’T write bilingual on your resume just yet!!! You’re now able to understand the main points of a familiar subject and describe a desire or goal – which should be to reach B2!

B2

You can now communicate with a degree of spontaneity and fluency. Flirting in French requires a B2 level and you’re there! Your language skills coupled with a sexy foreign accent gives you a head start. Bon Courage.

C1

You can speak a wide range of long and complex sentences, including any subtextual or stylistic nuances. You’re now annoyingly able to correct Facebook posts when someone mistakes ces, c’est and ses or est and et. Please refrain from doing it, although you should be proud of reaching C1 no one else really cares.

C2

You can now speak in a clear and organised way about complex subjects and can even argue and outsmart the locals in their own language. You are now your teacher’s case study for years to come, the reason they entered the profession, their ‘raison d’être’. You were born for this! You’re so damn good you’ll become a French teacher yourself one day. Class dismissed.