Guide
German CEFR Levels Explained — A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2
Six levels, three bands. A1 and A2 are the basic user, B1 and B2 the independent user, C1 and C2 the proficient user. Each one is defined by what you can do, not by how much grammar you have covered — which is why two learners at the same level can have very different gaps.
The six levels at a glance
| Level | Name | What you can do | Words this level adds | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Beginner | Understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases. | 378 | 378 |
| A2 | Elementary | Communicate in simple, routine tasks on familiar and everyday matters. | 568 | 946 |
| B1 | Intermediate | Deal with most situations while travelling and describe experiences, dreams and plans. | 842 | 1,788 |
| B2 | Upper Intermediate | Interact with a degree of fluency that makes conversation with native speakers effortless. | 1,861 | 3,649 |
| C1 | Advanced | Express ideas fluently and use German flexibly for social, academic and professional purposes. | 2,987 | 6,636 |
| C2 | Mastery | Understand with ease virtually everything heard or read, summarising and arguing precisely. | 528 | 7,164 |
Which German exam matches which level
Every major German exam is calibrated to the framework, so the level is portable between them.
| Level | Goethe-Institut | telc | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1 | telc Deutsch A1 | ÖSD A1 — required for spouse visas |
| A2 | Goethe-Zertifikat A2 | telc Deutsch A2 | ÖSD A2 |
| B1 | Goethe-Zertifikat B1 | telc Deutsch B1 / Zertifikat Deutsch | DTZ — the integration-course exam; the usual citizenship threshold |
| B2 | Goethe-Zertifikat B2 | telc Deutsch B2 | TestDaF TDN 3–4 |
| C1 | Goethe-Zertifikat C1 | telc Deutsch C1 Hochschule | TestDaF TDN 4–5, DSH-2 — university admission |
| C2 | Goethe-Zertifikat C2: GDS | — | DSH-3 |
How to work out your own level
Self-assessment questionnaires are unreliable in both directions. Two concrete tests work better:
- The word-list test. Open a level's vocabulary list and read down the first couple of dozen words. Know nearly all of them and that level is behind you; know about two-thirds and that is where to study; know under half and drop a level.
- The reading test. Open a text at that level and read it with the translation hidden. If you finish it and could summarise it without checking more than a couple of lines, you are reading at that level. If you stop every sentence, you are decoding, not reading.
Do both — vocabulary and reading come apart more often than people expect, especially for learners who have done a lot of grammar and little input.
Where each level tends to stall
- A1 → A2: the case system arrives properly. Accusative and dative articles have to become automatic before anything above them works.
- A2 → B1: subordinate clauses, and with them verb-final word order. This is where sentences stop being short.
- B1 → B2: the plateau. The grammar is mostly known and progress becomes almost entirely vocabulary and exposure — which is slower and less satisfying than a syllabus.
- B2 → C1: register and precision. Passive, Konjunktiv II, nominal style and the difference between two near-synonyms.
- C1 → C2: idiom and nuance, which only extensive reading gives you.
Common questions
What does CEFR stand for?
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, published by the Council of Europe in 2001. It describes what a learner can do at six levels, A1 to C2, and it is what almost every European language exam is calibrated against.
Is B1 fluent?
Not in the everyday sense. B1 means you can handle familiar situations, follow clear standard speech on familiar topics and write connected text. Most people mean B2 when they say fluent — that is where conversation with native speakers stops being effortful.
What level do I need to work in Germany?
B1 is the common threshold for citizenship and for many trades. B2 is normally the minimum for skilled office work, and C1 for university study, medicine and law. Check the specific requirement — they are set by employers and universities, not by the CEFR.
How long does each level take?
The Goethe-Institut's guidance is 80–200 hours for A1, then roughly 150–350 more per level after that, and the gaps get wider as you climb. Someone who already speaks English has a real head start with German vocabulary but not with its cases.
More guides