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French Vocabulary Quiz (By Level: A1-C2)

How much French do you actually know? This quiz tests your vocabulary across all six CEFR levels — from absolute beginner to near-native mastery. Use it to find your starting point, track your progress, and identify gaps in your knowledge.

Key Takeaways

• The CEFR framework (A1–C2) is the European standard for measuring language proficiency.
• Vocabulary is one of the strongest indicators of overall language level.
• Most travelers need A2–B1 vocabulary. Expats should aim for B2+.
• This quiz covers practical, everyday vocabulary — not academic obscurities.
• Use your result to choose the right learning resources from French Language Learning: Best Resources Ranked for 2026.

How to Use This Quiz

Each level section contains 10 vocabulary challenges. Answer honestly — no looking things up. Count your correct answers per section to estimate your level.

• 8–10 correct: You are comfortable at this level. Move to the next.
• 5–7 correct: You are at this level but have gaps to fill.
• 0–4 correct: This is where your focused study should begin.

Level A1: Beginner

Test yourself: do you know the French for these everyday words?

1. Hello → ?
2. Thank you → ?
3. Water → ?
4. Bread → ?
5. The train station → ?
6. How much? → ?
7. Red → ?
8. Monday → ?
9. The bathroom → ?
10. I don’t understand → ?

Answers:

1. Bonjour 2. Merci 3. L’eau 4. Le pain 5. La gare 6. Combien? 7. Rouge 8. Lundi 9. La salle de bain 10. Je ne comprends pas

A1 vocabulary goal: ~500 words. Greetings, numbers, colors, family, food basics, directions.

Level A2: Elementary

1. I would like a coffee → ?
2. The appointment → ?
3. To share → ?
4. The weather → ?
5. Busy (describing a person) → ?
6. The neighbor → ?
7. To arrive → ?
8. A receipt → ?
9. Late → ?
10. Perhaps / Maybe → ?

Answers:

1. Je voudrais un café 2. Le rendez-vous 3. Partager 4. Le temps / La météo 5. Occupé(e) 6. Le/La voisin(e) 7. Arriver 8. Un reçu / Un ticket 9. En retard 10. Peut-être

A2 vocabulary goal: ~1,000–1,500 words. Daily routines, shopping, travel situations, simple opinions.

Level B1: Intermediate

1. To complain → ?
2. A deadline → ?
3. To postpone → ?
4. An advantage → ?
5. Reliable (describing a person) → ?
6. To improve → ?
7. The environment → ?
8. To belong to → ?
9. A skill / ability → ?
10. Nevertheless / However → ?

Answers:

1. Se plaindre 2. Une date limite / Un délai 3. Reporter / Repousser 4. Un avantage 5. Fiable 6. Améliorer 7. L’environnement 8. Appartenir à 9. Une compétence 10. Néanmoins / Cependant

B1 vocabulary goal: ~2,500–3,000 words. Work, opinions, news, abstract concepts, problem-solving.

Level B2: Upper Intermediate

1. To negotiate → ?
2. A trend → ?
3. Overwhelming → ?
4. To acknowledge / To recognize → ?
5. A drawback / disadvantage → ?
6. To implement (a plan) → ?
7. Sustainable → ?
8. To spread (information) → ?
9. A stakeholder → ?
10. Whereas / While (contrast) → ?

Answers:

1. Négocier 2. Une tendance 3. Accablant(e) / Écrasant(e) 4. Reconnaître 5. Un inconvénient 6. Mettre en œuvre 7. Durable 8. Diffuser / Répandre 9. Une partie prenante 10. Tandis que / Alors que

B2 vocabulary goal: ~4,000–5,000 words. Professional contexts, nuanced opinions, debate, media comprehension.

Level C1: Advanced

1. To undermine → ?
2. A loophole → ?
3. To foster / nurture → ?
4. A thorough investigation → ?
5. Ambiguous → ?
6. To jeopardize → ?
7. An upheaval → ?
8. To advocate for → ?
9. Tacit / Implicit → ?
10. To dwindle / decrease gradually → ?

Answers:

1. Saper / Miner 2. Une faille / Une lacune 3. Favoriser / Cultiver 4. Une enquête approfondie 5. Ambigu(ë) 6. Compromettre / Mettre en péril 7. Un bouleversement 8. Plaider en faveur de / Prôner 9. Tacite / Implicite 10. Diminuer progressivement / S’amenuiser

C1 vocabulary goal: ~6,000–8,000 words. Academic, professional, literary, and idiomatic language.

Level C2: Mastery

1. To elicit (a response) → ?
2. A misnomer → ?
3. Unwieldy → ?
4. To corroborate → ?
5. A contingency → ?
6. To disparage → ?
7. A watershed moment → ?
8. Fortuitous → ?
9. To preempt → ?
10. An undercurrent → ?

Answers:

1. Susciter / Provoquer 2. Un terme impropre / Un abus de langage 3. Peu maniable / Encombrant 4. Corroborer 5. Une éventualité / Un imprévu 6. Dénigrer 7. Un moment charnière / Un tournant 8. Fortuit(e) 9. Devancer / Prévenir 10. Un courant sous-jacent

C2 vocabulary goal: ~10,000+ active words. Near-native precision, idiomatic fluency, register awareness.

Interpreting Your Results

Your Highest Comfortable Level	What It Means	Recommended Next Step
A1	You know the basics	Start a structured course (Babbel, Alliance Française)
A2	You can handle simple travel situations	Add listening practice (Coffee Break French) and a tutor
B1	You can manage daily life in French	Immerse: podcasts (InnerFrench), reading, conversation exchanges
B2	You are fluent in familiar contexts	Read French media, watch French TV, join professional discussions
C1	You communicate with nuance and precision	Write, debate, read literature, prepare for DALF C1
C2	You are near-native	Maintain through daily immersion, writing, and intellectual engagement

How to Build Vocabulary Effectively

1. Learn in context: Words learned in sentences stick better than isolated flashcards.
2. Use spaced repetition: Apps like Anki, Lingvist, or the review features in Babbel and Busuu.
3. Read at your level: Graded readers for A1–B1, news (Le Journal en Français Facile) for B1–B2, full newspapers and books for B2+.
4. Listen daily: Podcasts matched to your level Best French Podcasts and YouTube Channels for Learners.
5. Use new words immediately: Write sentences, say them aloud, use them in conversation.
6. Focus on high-frequency words: The 2,000 most common French words cover approximately 80% of everyday language.

Next Steps

1. Identify your level: Use your quiz results as a starting point.
2. Choose resources matched to your level: French Language Learning: Best Resources Ranked for 2026.
3. Compare apps: Best French Language Apps: Duolingo vs Babbel vs Pimsleur vs Busuu.
4. Book a tutor: For personalized feedback and conversation practice Find a French Tutor.
5. Set a goal: Target the next CEFR level within 6 months and retake this quiz to measure progress.

Vocabulary is the foundation of fluency. Every word you learn opens a new conversation, a new menu, a new street sign, a new friendship. Keep building.

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