The beginning of learning German was very exciting for me. Progress was visible day by day and it motivated me tremendously. Unfortunately, at a slightly later stage, I felt that something had changed. I was still learning regularly, but I had the feeling that I was “stuck.” I was already able to understand a lot and carry on simple conversations, but I was still a long way from achieving language fluency.
Does this sound familiar to you?
It turned out that I wasn’t the only one who had this “problem.” This is simply a general characteristic of the levels of language learning. It is natural that the higher the stage we want to reach, the slower the progress comes. Now I have managed to get to the highest level of German, and my job is to help others achieve the same goal.
In this article I will share my story with you. You’ll learn how I got to the next levels of German, how long it took me, and what they are anyway. I’ll also talk about why it’s a good idea to get language certificates. I invite you to read on!
- Council of Europe CEFR scale and individual levels of language proficiency
- Characteristics of German language proficiency levels
- How long does it take to reach each level?
- IRL scale
- TTypes of language certificates – check your level of language skills
- Prepare to pass your language certificate with a Taalhammer course
Council of Europe CEFR scale and individual levels of language proficiency
What is the CEFR scale?
When tutoring, I rarely get students who want to learn the language from scratch. More often than not, these are people who have studied German in the past and already have some knowledge, but need help systematizing it and want to find out what else they need to improve and work on.
This is where knowing the levels of German comes to the rescue. It’s a good idea to determine your level, because in order to jump into the next one, you need to know exactly what your goal is and how far you are short of it. When you attend a language course, the person in charge will prepare the study plan for you. Most courses, schools and textbooks are based on the same standard definition of language skills developed by the Common European Framework of Reference, or CEFR for short.
The CEFR scale enjoys wide international acceptance and is widely used in Europe, but also outside Europe. It is used in schools and universities to uniformly assess and describe language proficiency levels.
It consists of 6 levels on a scale from A1 to C2, which determine the development of language eloquence.
- Level A is the beginning of learning. That’s when you’re just learning how to put any sentences together. It’s hard to say anything by yourself. You can say that at this stage you are just crawling, or in linguistic slang “duking it out.”
- As you enter level B, you are beginning to put together sentences into coherent statements, and by the end of it you are already able to speak on various topics relatively fluently.
- At level C, you already know how to speak freely on complex topics. This stage consists of an indefinite refinement of details, especially on specific topics that interest you. Anyway, just like in your native language, you will be learning all your life.
Characteristics of German language proficiency levels
Now let’s look at each level in detail. If you start learning German, this is how you can monitor your progress:
A1 Level
Even at the A1 level, you already feel the satisfaction of learning when you suddenly start understanding simple communications in German from scratch. You are also already able to formulate your own statements, using simple expressions and sentences about everyday situations, such as being able to say something about yourself, and to describe where you live and people you know. You know basic grammatical structures, such as forming questions and answers.
A2 Level
At A2 level, you communicate with more variety and confidence than at A1 level. With a larger vocabulary and expanded grammar skills, you can have initial conversations about uncomplicated topics such as shopping, asking for directions or ordering food. Using a consistent series of phrases and sentences, you are able to say more and more about yourself, such as your living conditions, interests, education and work.
B1 Level
As you enter B1 level, you feel the difference in the fluency of your speech. With a good knowledge of the basics, you can handle most communication situations. Your vocabulary is rich enough that you are able to describe your dreams, hopes, ambitions, experiences and events in your daily life or personal life. You are able to briefly justify and explain your opinions and plans, and to tell a story or recount the plot of a book or movie. Although at this level you still convey information in a simple manner, your statements are clear and coherent.
B2 Level
At the B2 level, you can describe in detail a wide range of topics related to your area of interest. You can explain your point of view on current topics and justify your position by giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options. You can understand statements that are more complex and complicated, both topics from everyday life and those related to abstract ideas.
The different levels require a different approach to learning. You are now at the stage where you need less textbooks and more books, series, and social media. To add a bit of humor to your learning, you can, like me, follow German meme accounts on Instagram. This will give you a glimpse of German slang (remember, the language used by native speakers on a daily basis is slightly different from that in textbooks or literature) and help you learn more about German culture. I wrote more about the best ways to learn German in this article.
C1 Level
At C1 level, you boast not only a more extensive vocabulary and excellent grammar, but also increased precision and depth of communication. You avoid linguistic errors. You are able to express your thoughts fluently and spontaneously, using precise language and complex arguments ending with a conclusion. You are able to adapt your language to a variety of both social and professional situations. You have no problem understanding almost all the words in complex statements.
C2 Level
Level C2 is the highest level of language competence, at which you speak German like a native speaker! You understand almost everything from read texts and from listening. The exceptions are specialized terms. You use a wide range of words and idioms. You speak with ease and precision. You can present a clear and fluent description or argument in a style appropriate to the context and with an effective logical structure that helps the audience notice and remember the important points.
You can improve your C2 level indefinitely. Just as in your native language, you can constantly learn specific, specialized vocabulary, on topics that interest you, e.g. photography, automobiles, art, etc. It is completely normal that you will be able to speak better on some topics and worse on others. I, for example, could speak for hours on literature, using scientific terminology, but on other topics, e.g. renewable energy, I don’t have as much to say.
At this level, it is especially important to personalize your learning. You are the one who knows best what you want to learn and what vocabulary you need most to achieve your own goals. For example, a person who wants to work in a BMW factory in the future needs to use a different vocabulary from that of a person who wants to explore German fiction in the original. Therefore, when learning in the Taalhammer app, you have the opportunity to create your own content. What’s more, it’s simple and easy. All you have to do is add fiches with the words you want to memorize and learn them with the help of our algorithm based on the Spaced Repetition method (i.e. interval repetition), which makes learning faster and more efficient. See for yourself!
Remember that languages are constantly evolving. The meanings of words change, new words are created, and others become obsolete. That’s why even the best never stop learning. For example, a professor who taught me German at one of Poland’s top universities revealed during one of her classes that she constantly keeps a notebook in which she writes down new words from German youth slang.
How long does it take to reach each level?
It is impossible to say exactly how long it will take you to reach a particular level of German. It all depends on personal predispositions, learning methods, the ability to use the language in practice and many other factors.
However, many studies have been conducted on the subject, from which it has been possible to deduce how long it takes on average for learners to master a language at a particular level. For example, according to the Cambridge English Language Assessment (CELA) exam board, it takes between 80 and 120 hours to master a foreign language at the A1 level; at the A2 level, 180–200 hours; B1, 350–400 hours; B2, 500–600 hours; C1, 700–800 hours; and C2, 1000–1200 hours.
Note that the higher the level, the more time it takes to reach it. For example, it takes roughly 180 to 200 hours of study to get to level A2 from level A1, while to reach level C1 from level B2, you need to spend 700 to 800 hours of study. These are figures that agree with what we ourselves have observed from our Taalhammer team, as well as from our learners and app users.
It may also be the case that your level varies depending on your skills, e.g. you already know how to read and write at B2 level, but you speak and understand listening at B1 level – and this too is perfectly normal! In that case, you can identify your level as B1+. The “+” symbol means that you are already beyond the B1 level, but you are not yet completely at the B2 level.
In conclusion, learning looks a little different for everyone and the results depend on many factors. The most important thing is to be patient and study regularly! Remember that time will pass anyway. Try to find pleasure in the learning process and the results will come in their own time!
IRL scale
There is also a second language proficiency scale – the Interagency Language Roundtable (IRL) scale. The IRL scale was developed by US government agencies and is mainly used to assess the language skills of US federal service employees.
Due to its specific use, the IRL scale is mainly used in professional environments. You may come across it on the LinkedIn platform, for example.
The ILR scale measures language ability in all four communication skills: listening, reading, speaking and writing.
It has six basic levels, ranging from 0, which indicates no practical proficiency, to 5, which indicates proficiency in a language, like a mother tongue, or bilingualism. The levels of the IRL scale are:
| 0 – no fluency |
| 1 – basic knowledge |
| 2 – limited proficiency at work |
| 3 – professional proficiency at work |
| 4 – full working proficiency |
| 5 – native or bilingual level |
TTypes of language certificates – check your level of language skills
There are 5 types of German language certificates:
- Goethe-Zertifikat
- TestDaF (Test Deutsch als Fremdsprache)
- TELC (European Language Certificates)
- DTZ (Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer)
- DSD (Deutsches Sprachdiplom)
Each certificate addresses different groups and serves different purposes. Read details about German language certificates.
Prepare to pass your language certificate with a Taalhammer course
At Taalhammer, we have spent many years finding the best ways to learn languages. Using the knowledge and experience of our team of polyglots and teachers, we have created an online course that is based on our proven methods. Remember, it’s not about learning more, it’s about learning more effectively! Try out new ways of learning and jump to a higher level of German. Viel Glück!
