French civic exam questions, explained in English
The Ministry of the Interior publishes the knowledge questions of each procedure, without the answers. Here are questions from the free part of this course: in French, as on exam day, with the answer explained in English.
Principles and values of the Republic (30)
- What is the motto of the French Republic?
- What is the name of the national anthem?
- Which animal is a symbol of France?
- What is one of the symbols of the French Republic?
- Which of these symbols officially represents the French Republic?
- What does liberty mean?
- What is the date of the French national day?
- Which statement is correct? Freedom of expression:
- “France is an indivisible, ..., democratic and social Republic”. Complete this sentence from Article 1 of the Constitution:
- As a parent, can you refuse to let your child take part in sports lessons at school because the lessons are mixed?
- Is it allowed to burn a French flag in public?
- What does Marianne represent?
- What is freedom?
- On which document can you see Marianne?
- In a state school, who can wear very visible religious symbols?
- What can a user of the public service do in a town hall?
- Do you have the right to change your religion?
- Freedom of association is:
- In France, the State can fund:
- Which term means precisely hatred of or prejudice against Jews?
- Who must respect and ensure religious neutrality in public services?
- João is a pupil at a state high school. He wants to come to class with a big cross on his jumper, so that it is clearly seen. Is he allowed to?
- Mamadou wears a turban for his religion. He comes to the town hall to register his son for the school canteen. The receptionist asks him to take off his turban. Is she right?
- At the town hall counter, Linh refuses to be seen by a male officer. In the name of her religion, she wants to speak only to a woman. What must the town hall do?
- Karim draws a cartoon that mocks a religion. He publishes it in his neighbourhood newspaper. A neighbour is shocked and wants him to be punished. What does the law say?
- Moussa is a cook in a private restaurant. He wears a cross around his neck, for his religion. For hygiene reasons, his employer asks him to take it off in the kitchen. Does the employer have the right to do this?
- Fatou does not agree with a decision of the mayor of her town. She writes on the internet that this decision is bad. What does the law say?
- Andriy lives in a neighbourhood of his town. He applies for a job as a sales assistant in a shop. The manager rejects his application because of this neighbourhood. Is she allowed to?
- Arjun is deaf. He wants to have dinner with his sister in a restaurant. The manager refuses to serve them because of Arjun's disability. What does the law say?
- Iryna has Ukrainian nationality and lives in France. With a friend, she wants to create a homework help association in her neighbourhood. Is she allowed to?
Institutions and political system (18)
- The separation of powers is a fundamental principle. What are the three powers concerned?
- When is Europe Day celebrated?
- Who must respect the law?
- When are senators elected?
- Who punishes a person who commits a theft?
- Who votes on laws?
- Which State is not a member of the European Union?
- Which country is a founding country of the European Union?
- Who elects the Members of the European Parliament?
- The President of the Republic has committed a crime. Which statement is correct?
- How long is the term of office of the municipal council and the mayor?
- At the end of their term of office, can the President of the Republic decide to stay in power?
- What is legislative power? The power:
- What is the role of the Prime Minister?
- Where is the seat of the European Parliament?
- How is the Prime Minister chosen?
- Which condition is compulsory to stand in the presidential election?
- In France, is voting compulsory?
Rights and duties (27)
- What is the founding text that sets out the rights and duties of every citizen in France?
- Is it always possible to get divorced?
- Throwing a bottle in the street is:
- What must a person do in case of an accident?
- What is the role of the gendarmerie?
- What is an offence?
- What must a victim of violence do?
- Which of these quotations is written in the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen?
- What does freedom of the press guarantee?
- What does the Charter for the Environment say?
- What must you do when police officers or gendarmes give you orders?
- About waste, which statement is correct?
- Which of these quotations is written in the 1789 Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen?
- What does it mean to be a citizen of a State?
- What is the age of digital majority in France?
- What does the duty of solidarity involve?
- Is it compulsory to go to the aid of a person in danger?
- What is one of the main duties of a French citizen?
- Laila is married. One evening, she does not want to have sex with her husband. She says nothing, but she pushes him away. Her husband says that marriage obliges Laila to accept. Is he right?
- On a small country road, Youssef sees a car in a ditch. The driver is injured and is not moving. What must Youssef do?
- Agathe is 16. She is pregnant and does not want to continue her pregnancy. She wants to keep it secret and not tell her parents. Can Agathe ask for an abortion without her parents' consent?
- Reza buys an electric scooter. He wants to ride it in the street to go to work. Must he insure it?
- Svitlana is Ukrainian. She lives in France with a residence card. Her card will soon no longer be valid. What must she do?
- Martine has a car in good condition. She does not use it in winter and leaves it in her garage. She wants to stop all insurance during these months. Is she allowed to?
- Minh is an employee in a shop. His employer has not paid him all his salary, and they do not agree. Minh wants the justice system to decide who is right. Who can he turn to?
- Binta, 45, had an operation in hospital. She wants to see her medical file. A hospital employee tells her that only doctors can read it. Is the employee right?
- Chloé has just moved to a new municipality. In her building, there are several bins for sorting waste. What must she do?
History, geography and culture (30)
- What is the Shoah?
- When did the First World War take place?
- Who was the King of France at the time of the French Revolution?
- Which river flows in France?
- What is the capital of France?
- How many regions are there in metropolitan France?
- Which city is on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea?
- Where is Corsica?
- Who was George Sand?
- Who was Paul Cézanne?
- Who was a famous French singer?
- Which writer is French?
- Why is the Shoah studied at school?
- During which president's term of office was the death penalty abolished?
- Who was a figure of the French Resistance during the Second World War?
- Which penalty was abolished in 1981?
- Which French city is a seaport?
- What is overseas France?
- What is the approximate population of France in 2025?
- Which river flows through Paris?
- Which famous cathedral was partly destroyed by a fire in 2019?
- Who was a famous French woman writer?
- Who was a famous French musician?
- Which celebration is French?
- In what year was the European Union founded?
- Which dish is a speciality of French cuisine?
- What is the highest mountain in France?
- What is the administrative capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region?
- Since which year have state schools been free?
- Where did the landing take place in 1944?
Living in French society (14)
- After getting your driving licence, what must you do to be able to drive your car?
- What is the legal working time per week?
- Who does France Travail help?
- A foreign person with legal residence status can set up their own business:
- Which organisation must you contact to get your healthcare costs reimbursed?
- What is mutual health insurance for?
- Which schools do pupils go to after primary school?
- With which institution can parents enrol their child in a state school?
- Which type of help allows people who have financial difficulties to have a lawyer?
- A rental lease is valid if it is:
- In a company, the right to strike allows:
- What are the conditions for receiving unemployment benefit?
- At what age does compulsory education for children begin?
- Which marriage is legally recognised?
Sources (in French)
- Listes officielles des questions de connaissance (carte pluriannuelle, carte de résident) et questions de connaissance pour la naturalisation (édition du 12 décembre 2025) — Ministère de l'Intérieur (DIAN, DGEF), relevées le 20 octobre 2026
Independent course, not affiliated with the French Ministry of the Interior.The exam itself is only in French. The English explanations are AI translations, checked by an independent chain (translation, review, blind check against the French sources); no human translator has reviewed them yet.
Page updated on 22 octobre 2026 (date in French format). All questions explained in English