DALF C1 · Paper 1
Listening comprehension in the DALF C1
About forty minutes to understand a long recording in depth, then grasp the essentials of short recordings.
The paper at a glance
- Duration
- about 40 minutes
- Marks
- 25 points
- Documents
- 1 long recording (heard twice), then several short recordings (heard once each)
- What you do
- Multiple-choice questions and short answers, sometimes to be rephrased
What is expected of you
You listen to authentic recordings, at natural speed. Picking out the information is not enough: the examiners check that you also grasp the speakers' opinions, their nuances, their tone and what they imply.
How the paper runs
Exercise 1: the long recording
An interview, a lecture, a talk or a radio debate lasting several minutes. You hear it twice. The questions follow the order of the recording and test detailed understanding: arguments, examples, each speaker's position.
You are given time to read the questions before the first hearing, a pause between the two hearings and time to complete your answers at the end.
Exercise 2: the short recordings
Several short recordings, such as a news bulletin, a radio column or a survey with commentary. You hear them only once. The questions focus on the essentials: the topic, the main information, the opinion expressed.
Question types
- Multiple-choice questions: three options, only one is correct.
- Short answers: a few words or a sentence. When the instructions ask you to rephrase, do not copy the words you heard: express the same idea differently.
- Tables or lists to complete, to organise the information from a recording.
The method, hearing by hearing
Before listening. Read all the questions. Identify what each one is looking for: a figure, a cause, an opinion, a consequence. Underline the key words and start forming hypotheses: you will listen with a purpose.
First hearing. Identify the type of recording, the topic, the speakers and the overall structure. Note key words, never whole sentences. Spot changes of speaker and the words that organise the talk: « d'abord » (first), « en revanche » (on the other hand), « autrement dit » (in other words).
Between the two hearings. Answer everything you are sure of. Mark the questions still unanswered: these are the ones to listen out for during the second hearing.
Second hearing. Complete, check, and concentrate on the nuances: a concession, a reservation or a touch of irony can reverse the meaning of a sentence.
To finish. Reread your answers. Write legibly: an answer the marker cannot read earns nothing.
How to practise
- Every day, listen to a long programme in French: a debate, an interview, a current-affairs or science magazine. French public radio stations offer plenty, live or as podcasts.
- After listening, summarise aloud in one minute what you understood. This exercise also prepares you for the oral.
- Vary the voices, accents and speeds so you are not caught off guard on the day.
Updated on 26 October 2026