Level 5 of 6
German C1 — Advanced
Academic and professional German: implicit meaning, register, and long complex texts.
Free, no account. Not sure C1 is your level?
How to use this level
Do these three, in order
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Learn the C1 words
2,987 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 a C1 text
50 short texts, easiest first. In the first one you already know almost every word, and the English is one tap away.
Read “Opposition” · 1 min -
Test what you remember
424 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 C2 — Mastery → Near-native command: nuance, idiom, and effortless reading of anything written in German.
Or jump to another level
Common questions
What is German C1?
C1 is the advanced level of the CEFR, formally "Effective Operational Proficiency". Express ideas fluently and use German flexibly for social, academic and professional purposes.
How many words do you need for C1 German?
C1 itself adds 2,987 words to what you already have; cumulatively from A1 that is about 6,636. 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 C1 German take?
The Goethe-Institut's own rule of thumb is roughly 800–1000 hours of guided study to reach C1 from zero, assuming you also work outside class. Someone who already speaks another Germanic language will be at the low end.
Which exam matches C1?
Goethe-Zertifikat C1 and telc Deutsch C1 both map directly onto this level. TestDaF and DSH sit around B2–C1 and are the usual route for university admission.