French Level Test: A1 to C2 in 20 Minutes

This is an edited transcript of the lesson, with the French models restored from the original video graphics and the English corrected for readability. It retains the explanations, learning advice, encouragement and humor. Bracketed checked notes are editorial accuracy corrections, not words spoken in the recording. Original quiz choices—including deliberately wrong options—and source keys stay identifiable.

00:00 — How the challenge works

You’re learning French, but do you really know your level? Take this quick quiz to see whether you’re closer to beginner, intermediate or advanced. Even if you’re just starting, the advanced questions will push your skills.

Quick rules before we jump in: thirty questions, grouped by level from A1 to C2. You’ll have three or four answer choices for each and five seconds to think. Then I’ll reveal the answer and explain it. Track your score as you go, and drop your level in the comments. Let’s see who hits C2! Let’s start with A1, the beginner section.

00:50 — A1 — question 1

Question 1: Bonjour, je ___ Camille.

Choices: A: suis; B: es; C: ai; D: vais.

The answer is A, suis. Suis is the first-person singular of être, “to be.” Basic but essential!

[Checked answer note: Suis agrees with je. Es belongs with tu; ai means “have” and vais means “am going.”]

Checked model: Bonjour, je suis Camille.

English: Hello, I’m Camille.

01:25 — A1 — question 2

Question 2: ___ tu t’appelles ?

Choices: A: Quel; B: Quoi; C: Comment; D: Quand.

Answer C: Comment. Comment is the standard question word for asking someone’s name. Great!

[Checked answer note: Comment tu t’appelles ? is a natural conversational question. Comment means “how”; the natural English equivalent here is “What’s your name?” Quel means “which/what,” quoi “what,” and quand “when.”]

Checked model: Comment tu t’appelles ?

English: What’s your name?

02:00 — A1 — question 3

Question 3: Pendant mon temps libre, j’aime ___ de la musique.

Choices: A: écouter; B: regarder; C: lire.

The answer is A: écouter. Pendant mon temps libre, j’aime écouter de la musique.

[Checked answer note: Écouter means “listen to,” regarder means “watch/look at” and lire means “read.” After j’aime, the second verb stays in the infinitive.]

Checked model: Pendant mon temps libre, j’aime écouter de la musique.

English: In my free time, I like listening to music.

02:40 — A1 — question 4

Question 4: Au centre de Paris, il y a ___ grands parcs.

Choices: A: un; B: une; C: le; D: des.

The video chooses D, des: Au centre de Paris, il y a des grands parcs. The explanation says des is used with plural nouns.

[Checked answer note: The video’s key is D, des. In standard written French and careful speech, des generally becomes de before an adjective placed before a plural noun: de grands parcs. Des grands parcs is heard in informal speech. The standard written answer de is absent from the original choices; do not treat this item as having a unique standard written answer.]

Checked model: Au centre de Paris, il y a de grands parcs.

English: In central Paris, there are large parks.

03:20 — A1 — question 5

Question 5: Je n’ai ___ stylo.

Choices: A: un; B: pas de; C: mon.

Answer B: pas de. Je n’ai pas de stylo. The video explains that negative sentences with avoir use pas de. Nice work! You’ve reached the end of the A1 section. Let’s see if you can push on to A2.

[Checked answer note: Here un stylo becomes pas de stylo in a negative sentence. This applies to this indefinite object, not to every sentence containing negative avoir: definite or possessive determiners have other patterns.]

Checked model: Je n’ai pas de stylo.

English: I don’t have a pen.

04:00 — A2 — question 6

Question 6: Demain, je ne vais pas en cours. Moi ___.

Choices: A: aussi; B: non; C: non plus.

The answer is C: Moi non plus. Non plus is used to agree with a negative statement.

[Checked answer note: Moi non plus agrees with the negative statement. Moi aussi means “me too” and normally agrees with a positive statement.]

Checked model: Demain, je ne vais pas en cours. Moi non plus.

English: Tomorrow, I’m not going to class. Me neither.

04:30 — A2 — question 7

Question 7: Je vais au centre commercial, tu viens ___ ?

Choices: A: de moi; B: avec moi; C: pour moi.

The correct answer is B: avec moi. Je vais au centre commercial, tu viens avec moi ?

[Checked answer note: Avec moi means “with me.” Pour moi means “for me” and would convey a different purpose, rather than accompaniment.]

Checked model: Je vais au centre commercial, tu viens avec moi ?

English: I’m going to the mall. Are you coming with me?

05:05 — A2 — question 8

Question 8: Ma sœur ___ très nerveuse parce qu’elle se marie demain.

Choices: A: es; B: est; C: était; D: ai.

The answer is B: est. Est is the third-person singular of être, like “she is” in English.

[Checked answer note: Est gives the intended present description; était would shift the description into the past. Es and ai do not agree with ma sœur.]

Checked model: Ma sœur est très nerveuse parce qu’elle se marie demain.

English: My sister is very nervous because she’s getting married tomorrow.

05:50 — A2 — question 9

Question 9: J’ai mal dormi cette nuit, j’ai ___ un cauchemar.

Choices: A: vu; B: rêvé; C: fait.

Answer C: fait. In French, faire un cauchemar literally uses faire, “to make/do,” for having a nightmare.

[Checked answer note: Faire un cauchemar is the usual expression, so j’ai fait un cauchemar means “I had a nightmare.” Vu is “seen”; rêvé is “dreamed.”]

Checked model: J’ai mal dormi cette nuit, j’ai fait un cauchemar.

English: I slept badly last night; I had a nightmare.

06:30 — A2 — question 10

Question 10: A : Tu préfères le restaurant Chez Léon ou le bar Le Coin ? B : Le bar Le Coin est ___.

Choices: A: bon; B: mieux; C: supérieur; D: meilleur.

Answer D: meilleur. The video distinguishes the adjective meilleur from the adverb mieux and says mieux cannot be used with est in this context. Congrats on finishing A2! Now you can handle basic everyday situations. If you struggle to learn French, we put together a free guide to help you learn faster. The link is in the description; you can download it anytime. Now we hit B1: it’s getting more expressive.

[Checked answer note: Meilleur is the intended comparative adjective here. Mieux can also follow être: c’est mieux is grammatical, and Le bar Le Coin est mieux can mean the bar is better or more suitable. The distinction is not a blanket ban on mieux after est. Bon means “good,” supérieur “superior.”]

Checked model: A : Tu préfères le restaurant Chez Léon ou le bar Le Coin ? B : Le bar Le Coin est meilleur.

English: A: Do you prefer the restaurant Chez Léon or the bar Le Coin? B: Le Coin is better.

07:40 — B1 — question 11

Question 11: Mes ___ se plaignent toujours du bruit.

Choices: A: pompiers; B: copains; C: cousins; D: voisins.

The answer is D: voisins. Mes voisins se plaignent toujours du bruit.

[Checked answer note: Voisins, “neighbors,” is the expected word in the noise context. Pompiers means “firefighters,” copains “friends” and cousins “cousins.” All four plural nouns can be grammatical subjects; the intended vocabulary context points to voisins.]

Checked model: Mes voisins se plaignent toujours du bruit.

English: My neighbors always complain about the noise.

08:15 — B1 — question 12

Question 12: On va essayer, ___ c’est difficile.

Choices: A: alors; B: mais; C: même si; D: donc.

The answer is C: même si. Même si introduces contrast, like “even if” or “even though” in English.

[Checked answer note: Même si gives the intended concession. Mais also creates a grammatical sentence with a different emphasis: “We’re going to try, but it’s difficult.” Alors and donc express “so/then” and “therefore,” rather than this concession.]

Checked model: On va essayer, même si c’est difficile.

English: We’re going to try, even if it’s difficult.

09:00 — B1 — question 13

Question 13: Je pars avant qu’il ___.

Choices: A: pleuve; B: pluie; C: pleut; D: pleuvera.

The answer is A: pleuve. Je pars avant qu’il pleuve.

[Checked answer note: Avant que takes the subjunctive, here pleuve. Pluie is the noun “rain”; pleut is indicative. The source distractor pleuvera is retained exactly, but the actual future spelling is pleuvra.]

Checked model: Je pars avant qu’il pleuve.

English: I’m leaving before it rains.

09:35 — B1 — question 14

Question 14: Demain, nous ___ à la plage.

Choices: A: allons; B: iront; C: irons.

The intended answer is C: irons. The futur simple of aller in the first-person plural is nous irons. All right, one more before you finish this section.

[Checked answer note: Irons is the expected futur simple form. Allons is also grammatical: French can use the present for a planned future action, especially with demain. Give yourself credit for either suitable reading. Iront belongs with ils/elles, not nous.]

Checked model: Demain, nous irons à la plage.

English: Tomorrow, we’ll go to the beach.

10:10 — B1 — question 15

Question 15: Quand nous sommes arrivés à la gare, le bus ___. On l’a vu s’en aller.

Choices: A: parti; B: était parti; C: sorti; D: était sorti.

Answer B: était parti. We use the plus-que-parfait to describe an action that happened before another past action. Great job: you’ve finished B1. Can you break into B2? Let’s find out. If you’re enjoying the challenge, like the video and subscribe for more.

[Checked answer note: Était parti expresses departure before the arrival. On l’a vu s’en aller adds that we saw it leaving; the wider story determines when that sighting happened. Parti and sorti alone lack a conjugated auxiliary. Était sorti means “had gone out,” which is not the intended departure wording.]

Checked model: Quand nous sommes arrivés à la gare, le bus était parti. On l’a vu s’en aller.

English: When we arrived at the station, the bus had left. We saw it driving away.

11:10 — B2 — question 16

Question 16: Il n’est pas méchant, ___ timide.

Choices: A: mais; B: bien que; C: sinon.

Answer A: mais. Mais contrasts two characteristics.

[Checked answer note: Mais contrasts the denied characteristic with the actual one. Bien que means “although” and would normally introduce a clause; sinon means “otherwise/if not.”]

Checked model: Il n’est pas méchant, mais timide.

English: He isn’t mean, but shy.

11:45 — B2 — question 17

Question 17: On se verra à 15 h, vu que tu ne ___ pas à 14 h.

Choices: A: pourrais; B: peux; C: puisses.

Answer B: peux. The video says vu que expresses a cause and requires the present.

[Checked answer note: Vu que introduces a cause. Peux is the intended indicative form for current availability. The construction does not require the present tense in every sentence; other indicative tenses, and a conditional with its own meaning, are possible in other contexts.]

Checked model: On se verra à 15 h, vu que tu ne peux pas à 14 h.

English: We’ll meet at 3 p.m., since you can’t at 2 p.m.

12:25 — B2 — question 18

Question 18: Pourvu que nous ___ l’examen.

Choices: A: réussirons; B: réussissions; C: réussissons.

Answer B: réussissions. Pourvu que requires the subjunctive in this wish. Only two questions stand between you and the next section. Let’s go!

[Checked answer note: The wish pourvu que uses the subjunctive. Nous réussissions is subjunctive; nous réussissons is present indicative and nous réussirons is future indicative.]

Checked model: Pourvu que nous réussissions l’examen.

English: Let’s hope we pass the exam.

13:00 — B2 — question 19

Question 19: Si j’avais de l’argent, je ___ une maison.

Choices: A: m’achète; B: m’achèterais; C: me suis acheté; D: m’achetais.

The answer is B: m’achèterais. The video describes the si-clause form as “past continuous” and pairs it with the present conditional in the result.

[Checked answer note: J’avais is the French imparfait; “past continuous” is not its general English equivalent. Here it expresses a hypothetical present condition. Si + imparfait pairs with the conditionnel présent: je m’achèterais.]

Checked model: Si j’avais de l’argent, je m’achèterais une maison.

English: If I had money, I would buy myself a house.

13:45 — B2 — question 20

Question 20: Le garçon ___ je t’ai parlé s’appelle Nicolas.

Choices: A: à qui; B: duquel; C: avec qui; D: dont.

Answer D: dont. Le garçon dont je t’ai parlé s’appelle Nicolas. Wow, you’ve finished B2! Can you push all the way to C2? Let’s see.

[Checked answer note: The usual relative pronoun for parler de quelqu’un is dont. À qui would go with parler à, “speak to”; avec qui with parler avec, “speak with.” Duquel is a de + lequel form, but dont is the natural answer for this straightforward parler de construction.]

Checked model: Le garçon dont je t’ai parlé s’appelle Nicolas.

English: The boy I told you about is called Nicolas.

14:25 — C1 — question 21

Question 21: ___ être de ton âge, il paraît bien plus vieux.

Choices: A: Pour; B: D’; C: À.

The answer is A: Pour. The video describes pour être de as a natural way to compare.

[Checked answer note: Pour être de ton âge expresses a concessive comparison here: considering that he is your age, he looks older. This is the meaning of this complete construction, not a universal formula for all comparisons.]

Checked model: Pour être de ton âge, il paraît bien plus vieux.

English: For someone your age, he looks much older.

14:55 — C1 — question 22

Question 22: Je me bats ___ notre relation fonctionne.

Choices: A: pourquoi; B: pour quoi; C: pour que; D: parce que.

The correct answer is C: pour que. Je me bats pour que notre relation fonctionne. All right, next one!

[Checked answer note: Pour que introduces the intended purpose and takes the subjunctive. Fonctionne has the same written form in the present indicative and subjunctive. Pourquoi means “why”; pour quoi means “for what”; parce que means “because” and would introduce a cause rather than this purpose.]

Checked model: Je me bats pour que notre relation fonctionne.

English: I’m fighting to make our relationship work.

15:30 — C1 — question 23

Question 23: Mange autant que tu ___.

Choices: A: voudrais; B: voulais; C: veux.

Answer C: veux. The recording then says “autant que requires the subjunctive.”

[Checked answer note: The answer veux is correct, but it is present indicative. This quantitative comparison uses the indicative here, not a mandatory subjunctive. The subjunctive of vouloir with tu would be veuilles. Other meanings and contexts of autant que can use other moods.]

Checked model: Mange autant que tu veux.

English: Eat as much as you want.

16:00 — C1 — question 24

Question 24: Il est prouvé que les accusés ___ le crime.

Choices: A: ont commis; B: commettent; C: commettaient; D: commettraient.

Answer A: ont commis. The video says that in formal French the passé composé is used for proven past actions. This is your final question before the most difficult section.

[Checked answer note: Ont commis gives the intended completed past action. The affirmative statement of a proven fact supports the indicative; “proven” does not itself force the passé composé in every sentence. Commettent is present, commettaient imperfect and commettraient conditional, giving other time or certainty perspectives.]

Checked model: Il est prouvé que les accusés ont commis le crime.

English: It is proven that the defendants committed the crime.

16:45 — C1 — question 25

Question 25: Cet élève dit toujours que le prof est génial. C’est un ___.

Choices: A: fayot; B: intello; C: boulet.

Answer A: fayot. Just one level left—the final step to French mastery. Even native speakers can miss some of these. Let’s go!

[Checked answer note: Fayot is informal and critical: someone trying too hard to please a superior. Intello means an intellectual or brainy person, sometimes dismissively; boulet means a burden or someone who holds others back. Fayot is the intended word for this flattering behavior.]

Checked model: Cet élève dit toujours que le prof est génial. C’est un fayot.

English: This student always says the teacher is brilliant. He’s a suck-up / teacher’s pet.

17:25 — C2 — question 26

Question 26: Laura m’a dit qu’elle ___ quand je rentrerai de vacances.

Choices: A: aura terminé; B: ait terminé; C: sera terminé; D: aurait terminé.

Answer D: aurait terminé. In French, reported speech often uses the conditionnel passé.

[Checked answer note: Aurait terminé is the expected form for a future completion viewed from the past report. Aura terminé can also fit if the speaker retains a future reference anchored to the current moment. The remaining quand je rentrerai likewise refers to the speaker’s future return. The choice depends on the reporting perspective, not simply a rule that every past report must always change every tense.]

Checked model: Laura m’a dit qu’elle aurait terminé quand je rentrerai de vacances.

English: Laura told me she would have finished by the time I get back from vacation.

18:05 — C2 — question 27

Question 27: Il a tant aimé Lyon qu’il s’est promis à ___ d’y revenir.

Choices: A: de même; B: lui-même; C: soi-même; D: également.

Answer B: lui-même. Lui-même is used here as an intensifier meaning “himself.” If you get the next three, you’re more than just learning French—you’re mastering it.

[Checked answer note: Lui-même emphasizes the specific subject il. Soi-même is associated especially with an indefinite or general subject; de même and également mean “likewise/also.”]

Checked model: Il a tant aimé Lyon qu’il s’est promis à lui-même d’y revenir.

English: He liked Lyon so much that he promised himself he would return there.

18:55 — C2 — question 28

Question 28: Le gouvernement doit ___ la loi si la mobilisation est suffisante.

Choices: A: supprimer; B: refuser; C: abroger; D: annuler.

The correct answer is C: abroger. Le gouvernement doit abroger la loi si la mobilisation est suffisante.

[Checked answer note: Abroger is the precise term for repealing a law already in force. Supprimer means “remove/abolish,” refuser “refuse/reject,” and annuler “cancel/annul.” Related broader words are not necessarily ungrammatical, but abroger is the intended technical vocabulary.]

Checked model: Le gouvernement doit abroger la loi si la mobilisation est suffisante.

English: The government must repeal the law if the public mobilization is strong enough.

19:35 — C2 — question 29

Question 29: Quand bien même il ___ présent, cela n’aurait rien changé.

Choices: A: fût; B: soit; C: sera; D: serait.

The video chooses A, fût, and gives the English meaning “Even if he had been present, nothing would have changed.” It says quand bien même is a very formal expression followed by the imperfect subjunctive.

[Checked answer note: The source key is A, fût, but the standard construction quand bien même takes the conditional. Of the original choices, D, serait, supplies that conditional form. To match the source’s past-counterfactual English precisely, use: Quand bien même il aurait été présent, cela n’aurait rien changé. — Even if he had been present, that would not have changed anything. Aurait été is not offered in the original quiz. This correction does not mean that fût is never valid in literary French; it is used in other concessive constructions, such as inverted fût-il.]

Checked model: Quand bien même il serait présent, cela n’aurait rien changé.

English: Even if he were present, that would not have changed anything.

20:30 — C2 — question 30

Question 30: Elle déclara : « J’aurais accepté, si ___. »

Choices: A: j’aurais su; B: je saurais; C: je savais; D: j’avais su.

Here we are—the final question! After this, drop your score in the comments so we can see how far you got. The answer is D: j’avais su. The video says si is never followed by the conditional. In this pattern, si + plus-que-parfait goes with the conditionnel passé in the result. It recalls the saying “Les si chassent les -rais,” meaning that this conditional si-clause does not use a conditional ending.

[Checked answer note: For this unfulfilled past condition, use si j’avais su with j’aurais accepté. The “no conditional after si” mnemonic applies when si introduces a condition of this kind. Si can be followed by a conditional in other uses, especially an indirect question: Je me demande s’il viendrait. The mnemonic is not a ban on every occurrence of si.]

Checked model: Elle déclara : « J’aurais accepté, si j’avais su. »

English: She declared: “I would have accepted if I had known.”

21:25 — Your score and next step

Congrats on completing the test! Remember, this quiz is more like a game. Your level can vary: you might be B2 in writing but still A2 in speaking. For a full evaluation and a real learning roadmap, you’ll need a program like ours at Talk in French.

The best way to keep improving now is listening practice. I’ve prepared an intermediate video where you’ll train your comprehension while discovering some surprising French habits. You can watch it next.