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Resources · Levels explained

German CEFR levels,
A1 to C2.

What each level means for German: what you can do, how long it takes, how many words the exam lists hold, and a sample paragraph at every level.

The six levels, in teaching hours

  1. A160 to 150Beginner
  2. A2150 to 260Elementary
  3. B1260 to 490Intermediate
  4. B2450 to 600Upper intermediate
  5. C1600 to 750Advanced
  6. C2750 or moreProficient
Approximate teaching hours from zero, by Goethe-Institut guidance.13 Self-study and the languages you already know change the pace.

The Common European Framework

Where the levels come from.

A1 to C2 are the six levels of the CEFR, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, published by the Council of Europe in 2001 after a decade of work.12 It was written for every language, not for German; it has been translated into some forty languages and is the reference almost everywhere in Europe and in much of the world beyond.2 A Companion Volume in 2020 extended the descriptors and added mediation, online interaction and sign languages.5

The levels describe what you can do with a language. Their “can do” statements are grouped into Basic user (A1, A2), Independent user (B1, B2) and Proficient user (C1, C2).4 The CEFR sets no vocabulary total for a level. Exam boards write their own word lists; the Goethe-Institut publishes one each for its A1, A2 and B1 exams.8910

A1

Basic user · Breakthrough

A1, beginner.

Everyday expressions and very simple phrases. Introduce yourself, ask and answer questions about where you live and who you know, and manage a simple exchange if the other person speaks slowly and helps.

A paragraph in A1 words

. . , . . . . . . .

Select a word to see its course level.

Read it in English

My name is Anna and I come from Germany. Now I live in Berlin. The city is big, but my apartment is small. I have a brother and a sister. In the morning I drink coffee and eat some bread. Then I go to work. I work at a company. In the evening I cook or watch TV. On weekends I visit my friends.

A2

Basic user · Waystage

A2, elementary.

Sentences and common expressions about the things closest to you: family, shopping, the neighbourhood, work. Routine tasks that need a simple, direct exchange of information, and your background in simple terms.

A paragraph in A2 words

. : , . . . , . , . .

Select a word to see its course level.

Read it in English

On Saturday I went into town with my girlfriend. First we shopped at the market: fruit, vegetables and fresh bread. Then we were hungry and ate at a small restaurant. The waiter was very friendly. In the afternoon I had an appointment with the doctor, because I have been coughing for a week. He said I should sleep more and sit at the computer less. Now I feel better.

B1

Independent user · Threshold

B1, intermediate.

The main points of clear, standard speech on familiar matters at work, school and in free time. Getting by while travelling, simple connected text on familiar topics, and brief reasons for opinions and plans.

A paragraph in B1 words

, . , . , . , , . . , : , .

Select a word to see its course level.

Read it in English

For two years I have worked at a small company that makes furniture. I like the work, although the days are sometimes long. Next year I would like to do further training, because I want to take on more responsibility. My boss supports the plan, but she thinks I should first learn German better. So I go to a class in the evenings. I believe the effort will pay off: whoever speaks German well has better chances.

B2

Independent user · Vantage

B2, upper intermediate.

The main ideas of complex texts on concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussion in your own field. Conversation with native speakers without strain on either side, and a clear, detailed argument with its pros and cons.

A paragraph in B2 words

, . , . , . , . ; .

Select a word to see its course level.

Read it in English

Whether cities should reduce traffic in the center has been fiercely debated for years. Supporters of the idea point to cleaner air, less noise and more room for pedestrians and cyclists. Opponents fear economic harm to retailers and a burden on everyone who depends on a car. In my view the advantages are greater, provided public transport is improved at the same time. No single measure solves the problem; what matters is the combination.

C1

Proficient user · Effective operational proficiency

C1, advanced.

A wide range of demanding, longer texts, implicit meaning included. Fluent, spontaneous speech without much searching for words, and well-structured writing on complex subjects, for social, academic and professional use.

A paragraph in C1 words

, ; , . , , . , , . : , .

Select a word to see its course level.

Read it in English

That language shapes our thinking is by now taken for granted; what remains disputed is how far that influence reaches. Whoever learns a foreign language gains not merely a new vocabulary but a different way of structuring reality. Some distinctions that seem indispensable in German prove unnecessary elsewhere. And the learning rarely proceeds evenly: noticeable progress alternates with laborious phases of apparent standstill, in which what has been learned quietly settles.

C2

Proficient user · Mastery

C2, proficient.

Virtually everything you hear or read, with ease. Information from different sources summarised into one coherent account, and expression that is spontaneous, precise, and alive to the finer shades of meaning.

A paragraph in C2 words

, , , . , , , . , , : ; .

Select a word to see its course level.

Read it in English

Rummaging through a drawer the other day, I came across a letter I had written years ago and never sent. The tone was vain, the accusations careless, and yet something lurked between the lines that I could not name at the time. Reading it, I faltered, brooded, and caught myself regarding my younger self with benevolence: the resentment had long since gone; what remained was a delicate mixture of shame and forbearance.

Behind the word counts

Three ways of counting, and what they measure.

Exam lists describe a preparation syllabus. Goethe’s A1, A2 and B1 lists contain approximately 650, 1,300 and 2,400 entries respectively, covering relevant topics and situations.8910 A list entry may group related forms or meanings, so these totals are not interchangeable with flashcard counts. Goethe does not provide an equivalent fixed vocabulary list for B2.11

Vocabulary tests estimate recognition within a sample. Studies discussed by Milton and Alexiou relate vocabulary-test results to CEFR performance in English, French and Greek.2423 Those tests sample only the most frequent words, and none of the studies was on German.

Text coverage measures a different thing. Nation’s English study explores the word-family vocabulary needed to cover a high proportion of running words in particular texts.26 Laufer and Ravenhorst-Kalovski examine vocabulary coverage alongside reading comprehension.27 Both studied English and counted words as families of related forms, so their totals do not carry over to German as they stand.

For an exam, study that exam’s list. For reading, check the texts you want to read: the text level checker shows the level of every word in them.

The levels in Wortplay

How the course tags its vocabulary.

A word in the course carries a level tag where one can be given, and the Vocabulary page can filter by it.

  • 16,000+words across Level 0 and 200 course levels
  • 3,308tagged A1 to B1, from the Goethe exam lists
  • 2,776tagged B2, an estimate from frequency
  • 10,199tagged C1 or C2, also estimates
  • A1, A2 and B1 come from the Goethe exam lists. A word takes the earliest list it appears on, and related forms are matched by hand. The tags are Wortplay’s own; the Goethe-Institut has no part in them.8910
  • B2, C1 and C2 are estimates from word frequency. A word on no exam list is tagged by how common it is: roughly the first 6,000 as B2, the next 6,000 as C1 and the rarer ones as C2, with adjustments by hand.
  • Some entries remain untagged. Entries without a useful list match or frequency estimate, including some expressions and recent slang, have no tag.

The chart shows where the tags fall in the course. A level is more than its words: the CEFR also asks for listening, speaking, reading and writing, so finishing a vocabulary course does not by itself put you at a level.

  1. Level 0259 entries
  2. Levels 1–10878 entries
  3. Levels 11–251,263 entries
  4. Levels 26–502,023 entries
  5. Levels 51–1004,089 entries
  6. Levels 101–1504,096 entries
  7. Levels 151–2004,114 entries

Course comparison

What different German courses cover.

What each provider said about its own course on September 25, 2026. Where a count comes from learners instead, the row says so.

Counted in each provider’s own units.
Course or resourcePublished count and sourceDescribed scope
DuolingoNot published. A community count of the course lists about 6,400 distinct words.30B2, since April 2026.29
BabbelNot published.B2 in its course path, with extra content reaching the foundations of C1.31
BusuuNot published.B2.32
Rosetta StoneNot published.No CEFR level published for the consumer app. The enterprise product starts beginners in Foundations (A1 to A2) and offers B1 to C1 in Fluency Builder.3334
Pimsleur300 to 500 items per level, five levels: about 1,500 to 2,500 in all.3536No CEFR level claimed.
Assimil, German With EaseAbout 2,000 on average, by the publisher (a figure for the whole With Ease series).38B2.37
Nicos Weg (Deutsche Welle)Not published. A user who counted the lemmas in community Anki decks of the course found about 3,500 across A1, A2 and the main B1 lessons (the “Deutsch im Job” unit not included).40B1.39
Goethe-Institut exam word listsAbout 2,400 lexical units in the B1 list. Goethe does not publish an equivalent fixed B2 vocabulary list.1011Word lists for the A1, A2 and B1 exams.
WortplayMore than 16,000 vocabulary entries, including expressions, across Level 0 and 200 course levels. Counted from the catalog.Vocabulary only: words, articles, plurals and verb forms.

Several providers describe course paths through B2; Babbel also describes additional content reaching the foundations of C1.

Wortplay teaches vocabulary: words, articles, plurals and verb forms. The courses above also teach grammar, listening and speaking, so the two kinds go together. How Wortplay works.

Common questions

Short answers.

How many words do I need for A1 German?

Goethe’s Start Deutsch 1 preparation list contains about 650 entries and distinguishes active use from understanding.8 Wortplay tags 800 entries A1.

How many words do I need for B1 German?

The Goethe-Zertifikat B1 preparation list contains about 2,400 lexical units.10 Wortplay’s A1, A2 and B1 tags together cover 3,308 entries, counted in the course’s own cards.

How many words is B2 or C1 German?

There is no official number. The CEFR sets none, and the Goethe-Institut publishes no word list above B1.311 Published estimates differ with what was tested and how words were counted; the section on counting says why.

Where can I check language requirements for German citizenship?

The BAMF naturalisation guidance has the current rules, and the authority handling your application decides which evidence it accepts.

How long does it take to reach B2 in German?

The Goethe-Institut’s guidance is about 450 to 600 hours of teaching from zero to B2, and 600 to 750 to C1; A1 takes 60 to 150.13 How much you practice outside class changes the pace.

Will finishing Wortplay make me C1?

No. A level also takes listening, speaking, reading and writing; a vocabulary course covers the words. More in the FAQ.

Are the CEFR levels only for Europe?

They were written by the Council of Europe, but the framework is language-neutral and used by exam boards and courses worldwide; the Council of Europe reports translations into some forty languages.2 The Goethe-Institut alone reports about 1.1 million exams taken in 2025.6

Two free tools

See where you stand.

The vocabulary test estimates how many German words you know, in about three minutes. The text checker shows the level of every word in a text you paste.

Take the vocabulary test Check a text

Sources

References.

Collected on September 25, 2026. Rules and course offerings change, so follow a link for the current state. Wortplay’s own counts come from the course as it stood when this page was built.

  1. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), Council of Europe. https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages
  2. History of the CEFR, Council of Europe. https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/history
  3. Global scale: Table 1 (CEFR 3.3), Common Reference Levels, Council of Europe. https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/table-1-cefr-3.3-common-reference-levels-global-scale
  4. The CEFR: introduction and context, Council of Europe. https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/introduction-and-context
  5. CEFR Companion Volume (2020), Council of Europe. https://rm.coe.int/common-european-framework-of-reference-for-languages-learning-teaching/16809ea0d4
  6. Deutschprüfungen A1–C2, Goethe-Institut. https://www.goethe.de/de/spr/prf.html
  7. Anerkennung der Goethe-Zertifikate B2 bis C2 an Hochschulen (PDF, May 2026), Goethe-Institut. https://www.goethe.de/pro/relaunch/prf/de/anerkennung-goethe-zertifikat_B2-C2.pdf
  8. Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1, Wortliste (PDF), Goethe-Institut. https://www.goethe.de/pro/relaunch/prf/de/A1_SD1_Wortliste_02.pdf
  9. Goethe-Zertifikat A2, Wortliste (PDF), Goethe-Institut. https://www.goethe.de/pro/relaunch/prf/de/Goethe-Zertifikat_A2_Wortliste.pdf
  10. Goethe-Zertifikat B1, Wortliste (PDF), Goethe-Institut and ÖSD. https://www.goethe.de/pro/relaunch/prf/de/Goethe-Zertifikat_B1_Wortliste.pdf
  11. Goethe-Zertifikat B2: Prüfungsziele, Testbeschreibung (PDF), Goethe-Institut. https://www.goethe.de/pro/relaunch/prf/de/Pruefungsziele_Testbeschreibung_B2.pdf
  12. Profile deutsch A1–C2 (Glaboniat, Müller, Rusch, Schmitz, Wertenschlag, 2005), Klett. https://www.klett-sprachen.de/profile-deutsch/t-1/9783126065184
  13. Wie lange dauert es, Deutsch zu lernen? (course FAQ), Goethe-Institut Belgium. https://www.goethe.de/ins/be/de/spr/kur/ogf.html
  14. Das müssen Sie können: TestDaF-Niveaus, TestDaF-Institut. https://www.testdaf.de/de/teilnehmende/warum-testdaf/das-muessen-sie-koennen/
  15. Sprachnachweis Deutsch für internationale Studierende, Hochschulrektorenkonferenz. https://www.hrk.de/themen/internationales/internationale-studierende-und-forschende/hochschulzugang-fuer-internationale-studierende/sprachnachweis-deutsch/
  16. German language: studying in Germany, DAAD. https://www.daad.de/en/studying-in-germany/living-in-germany/german-language/
  17. Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz § 10 (naturalisation), Bundesministerium der Justiz. https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stag/__10.html
  18. Ausreichende Sprachkenntnisse bei der Einbürgerung (WD 3 - 3000 - 288/18 and WD 7 - 3000 - 187/18, PDF), Wissenschaftliche Dienste des Deutschen Bundestages. https://www.bundestag.de/resource/blob/573150/56a6f2117479a0c49ef5297e5a19129b/wd-3-288-18-pdf-data.pdf
  19. Einbürgerung: Voraussetzungen, Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge. https://www.bamf.de/DE/Themen/Integration/ZugewanderteTeilnehmende/Einbuergerung/einbuergerung-node.html
  20. Nachweis einfacher Deutschkenntnisse beim Ehegattennachzug (PDF), Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge. https://www.bamf.de/SharedDocs/Anlagen/DE/MigrationAufenthalt/Ehegattennachzug/ehegattennachzug.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=9
  21. Visum zur Berufsausbildung, Make it in Germany (Federal Government). https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/de/visum-aufenthalt/arten/berufsausbildung
  22. Eckpunkte zur Überprüfung der Deutschkenntnisse in den Gesundheitsfachberufen, 92. GMK 2019 (PDF copy), Gesundheitsministerkonferenz, via deutsch-am-arbeitsplatz.de. https://www.deutsch-am-arbeitsplatz.de/fileadmin/user_upload/PDF/02_News/8.6_B_P.pdf
  23. The development of vocabulary breadth across the CEFR levels (Milton, 2010, EUROSLA Monographs 1, pp. 211–232; PDF), EUROSLA. https://www.eurosla.org/monographs/EM01/211-232Milton.pdf
  24. Vocabulary size and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (Milton and Alexiou, 2009), Palgrave Macmillan. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9780230242258_12
  25. About the vocabulary tests (German bands), Institut für Testforschung und Testentwicklung, Leipzig. https://itt-leipzig.de/about-the-vocabulary-tests-2-2/?lang=en
  26. How large a vocabulary is needed for reading and listening? (Nation, 2006, Canadian Modern Language Review 63(1); PDF), Lextutor. https://www.lextutor.ca/cover/papers/nation_2006.pdf
  27. Lexical threshold revisited (Laufer and Ravenhorst-Kalovski, 2010, Reading in a Foreign Language 22(1); PDF), ERIC. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ887873.pdf
  28. A Frequency Dictionary of German, 2nd edition (Tschirner and Möhring, 2020), Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/A-Frequency-Dictionary-of-German-Core-Vocabulary-for-Learners/Tschirner-Mohring/p/book/9781138659780
  29. Go further with Duolingo: our top courses now teach advanced content (April 2026), Duolingo blog. https://blog.duolingo.com/courses-teach-advanced-content/
  30. Duolingo German vocabulary (community count), duome.eu. https://duome.eu/vocabulary/en/de
  31. German language levels, Babbel. https://www.babbel.com/german-language-levels
  32. Our courses, Busuu. https://www.busuu.com/en/it-works/courses
  33. Rosetta Stone Foundations (January 2024), Rosetta Stone enterprise blog. https://enterpriseblog.rosettastone.com/rosetta-stone-foundations/
  34. Rosetta Stone aligns with CEFR (July 2024), Rosetta Stone enterprise blog. https://enterpriseblog.rosettastone.com/rosetta-stone-aligns-with-cefr/
  35. Pimsleur FAQ, Pimsleur. https://www.pimsleur.com/pimsleur-faq/
  36. Learn German, Pimsleur. https://www.pimsleur.com/learn-german
  37. German With Ease, Assimil. https://www.assimil.com/en/with-ease/1925-german-book-only-9782700509724.html
  38. Sans Peine collection (the With Ease series, in French), Assimil. https://www.assimil.com/fr/3-sans-peine
  39. Nicos Weg, Deutsche Welle. https://learngerman.dw.com/en/nicos-weg/c-36519789
  40. DW Nicos Weg decks, lemma counts in a user review (3 Sep 2023), AnkiWeb. https://ankiweb.net/shared/info/52409495

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