Level 2 of 6
German A2 — Elementary
Everyday German: shopping, travel, family and work, plus the past tense and modal verbs.
Free, no account. Not sure A2 is your level?
How to use this level
Do these three, in order
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Learn the A2 words
568 words, the commonest ones first. Each one shows what it means, how it changes, and a real sentence using it.
Open the word list -
Read an A2 text
30 short texts, easiest first. In the first one you already know almost every word, and the English is one tap away.
Read “Spiel des Jahres” · 1 min -
Test what you remember
304 questions. Tap an answer and you are told straight away whether it was right, and why.
Start practiceOr pick one typeGrammar Gap-FillVocabulary Gap-Fillder, die or dasReading ComprehensionTrue or False
Once these three are behind you: German B1 — Intermediate → The independent-user threshold: opinions, plans, experiences, and connected written German.
Or jump to another level
Common questions
What is German A2?
A2 is the elementary level of the CEFR, formally "Waystage". Communicate in simple, routine tasks on familiar and everyday matters.
How many words do you need for A2 German?
A2 itself adds 568 words to what you already have; cumulatively from A1 that is about 946. Syllabuses vary by a few hundred either way, but the order matters more than the total — the commonest words carry most of the meaning.
How long does A2 German take?
The Goethe-Institut's own rule of thumb is roughly 200–350 hours of guided study to reach A2 from zero, assuming you also work outside class. Someone who already speaks another Germanic language will be at the low end.
Which exam matches A2?
Goethe-Zertifikat A2 and telc Deutsch A2 both map directly onto this level.