Comment se préparer au TEF ?

by TEF Training · Published 6 October 2025 · Updated 11 November 2025

Contents :

1) How does the TEF work?

2) What is your level of French?

3) How to prepare?

4) How long does it take to improve your French4)

5) Prepare effectively with TEF Training

1) How does the TEF work?

Knowing how the TEF takes place is essential for preparing for the exam. Here’s a video and an article to help you find out:

Article :

TEF : informations pratiques

2) What’s your level of French?

It’s important to know your level, because your TEF score will depend on your current level of French and the time you devote to improving it.

To find out your level, I recommend you take the RFI Savoir level test, click on this link:

https://francaisfacile.rfi.fr/fr/tester-son-niveau

Here’s a list of free resources for improving your French and practising for the TEF:

TEF Training: on the TEF Training YouTube channel, you’ll find videos to help you prepare for the exam. (https://www.youtube.com/@TEFtraining)

TV5 Monde: offers videos and interactive exercises to improve oral and written comprehension, as well as grammar. (https://apprendre.tv5monde.com/fr)

Français Facile: offers grammar and vocabulary exercises, level tests and listening comprehension exercises. (https://www.francaisfacile.com/)

Français facile avec RFI : offers listening exercises and also training tests for the TCF, DALF exams (Le français facile avec RFI : Apprendre le français avec l’actualité internationale)

3) How to prepare?

It is recommended that you read and listen to French content in newspapers, on the radio, on television, or on YouTube. During the test, the content will be authentic: you will likely hear radio programs or interviews.

You should also take practice tests to get used to the test format and learn how to manage your time.

4) How long does it take to improve your French?

It is difficult to give a precise estimate of the time needed to reach each level, as this depends on many individual factors such as effort, motivation, learning environment, and frequency of study.

However, the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) proposes a general scale of progression for adult learners. Here is a rough estimate in terms of the number of hours of learning required to reach the following levels:

CEFR Level	Main skills	Estimated course hours	Average duration (regular courses)	Average duration (intensive courses)
A1 Beginner	Understand and use simple expressions	40-80 hours	1-3 months	3-5 weeks
A2 Elementary	Communicate in everyday situations	80-160 hours	3-6 months	6-8 weeks
B1 Intermediate	Understand and discuss familiar topics	160-320 hours	6-12 months	3-4 months
B2 Upper Intermediate	Communicate fluently on a wide range of topics	320-480 hours	1-2 years	6-8 months
C1 Advanced	Understand and produce complex texts	480-640 hours	2-3 years	9-12 months
C2 Proficiency	Communicate with near-native fluency	640 hours or more	3 years or more	1-2 years

These estimates are indicative and may vary from one person to another. It is important to note that these figures are not fixed and may be influenced by the individual factors mentioned above.

It is also important to stress that simply achieving a certain number of hours of study does not automatically guarantee attainment of a specific level. Quality of learning, regular practice, immersion in the language and active use of language skills are key to effective progress.

In short, although the CEFR offers a rough estimate in terms of learning hours, it is essential to consider these figures as general references and to focus on regular practice and quality learning to progress in mastering French.