Council of Europe
CEFR levels explained
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
Council of Europe
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
The CEFR is the international standard for describing language ability, published by the Council of Europe in 2001 and extended by a Companion Volume in 2020. It defines six levels, A1 to C2, through 'can-do' descriptors, and is used by schools, universities, employers and immigration authorities across Europe and beyond. The CEFR is deliberately descriptive rather than prescriptive: it does not mandate vocabulary sizes, word lists or study hours, so the counts below are commonly cited estimates rather than official requirements. The hours quoted are Cambridge English's guided-learning estimates, which assume a language reasonably close to your own; languages more distant take considerably longer.
CEFR has 6 levels, running from A1 at the bottom to C2 at the top. It is maintained by Council of Europe.
| Level | Name | Typical vocabulary | Study to reach it |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | Beginner | 500-700 words (commonly cited estimate) | 90-100 guided learning hours |
| A2 | Elementary | 1,000-1,500 words (commonly cited estimate) | 180-200 guided learning hours |
| B1 | Intermediate | 2,000-3,000 words (commonly cited estimate) | 350-400 guided learning hours |
| B2 | Upper Intermediate | 4,000-6,000 words (commonly cited estimate) | 500-600 guided learning hours |
| C1 | Advanced | 8,000-10,000 words (commonly cited estimate) | 700-800 guided learning hours |
| C2 | Mastery | 12,000-16,000 words (commonly cited estimate) | 1,000-1,200 guided learning hours |
Most languages, including Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese.
If you have never studied the language, start at A1. If you have some background, pick the highest level whose can-do statements you can already manage comfortably, then work from there — starting slightly too low is much less costly than starting too high.
NativePal lets you set your level directly and change it whenever you like, so you can move up as soon as the material stops feeling like a stretch.
Each level page covers what it means, what you can do at it, how long it takes to reach, and how to practise there.
CEFR
A1 is the first CEFR level, where you can introduce yourself, ask and answer simple questions about personal details, and handle basic everyday needs using short memorised phrases, provided the other person speaks slowly and helps you.
CEFR
A2 is the second CEFR level, where you can handle routine exchanges about familiar matters such as shopping, family, work and local geography, describing your background in simple terms and managing short social conversations.
CEFR
B1 is the CEFR threshold level, where you can cope independently with most situations that arise while travelling, follow clear standard speech on familiar topics, and produce connected text about your experiences, opinions and plans.
CEFR
B2 is the CEFR level at which you can interact with native speakers fluently and spontaneously without strain on either side, understand complex texts and detailed argument, and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue.
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C1 is the CEFR level of effective operational proficiency, where you use the language flexibly for social, academic and professional purposes, understand demanding long texts, and grasp implicit meaning without obviously searching for words.
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C2 is the highest CEFR level, where you understand virtually everything you read or hear, summarise information from different sources coherently, and express yourself precisely and spontaneously in complex situations. It does not mean native-speaker perfection.
NativePal generates reading, vocabulary and speaking practice at the level you choose, in 57 languages.
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