Learn · How to learn
From A1 to C2.
The six levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) are how most of the world describes what you can do in a language. Every unit here is tagged with the levels it serves, so you can rise one step at a time.
What each level means
In our words. Hours are Cambridge’s guide for English learners, counted from zero; they are a rough guide, and your own languages, time and exposure change them.
| Level | You can… | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-A1 | A handful of words and phrases: hello, your name, thank you, numbers. Understood with effort by patient listeners. | — |
| A1 Breakthrough | Introduce yourself and others; ask and answer simple questions about where you live and who you know; follow slow, clear speech. | — |
| A2 Waystage | Handle everyday exchanges, like shopping, directions, family and work; describe your background in simple terms. | 180–200 |
| B1 Threshold | Get through most situations while travelling; talk about experiences, hopes and plans; follow the main points of clear speech on familiar topics. | 350–400 |
| B2 Vantage | Follow complex discussion in your field; talk with fluent speakers easily on both sides; argue a point of view. | 500–600 |
| C1 Effective operational proficiency | Understand long, demanding texts and what is implied; speak fluently without searching for words; use the language for social, academic and professional life. | 700–800 |
| C2 Mastery | Understand virtually everything heard or read; express yourself precisely, with the finer shades of meaning. | 1,000–1,200 |
Sound at every level
In 2020 the Council of Europe rewrote how the CEFR treats pronunciation. It dropped the native speaker as the goal and put being understood at the center, judged in three strands: sounds, rhythm and melody, and overall control. An accent from your other languages can stay, as long as it does not get in the way. That is our starting point, and we add one thing: at the top, the range to move between accents on purpose.
| Pre-A1 – A1 | Make the sounds that change meaning: the tones of Yoruba, Igbo and Chinese, Arabic’s throat sounds. Learned phrases come across with some effort from the listener. |
| A2 – B1 | Stress and rhythm mostly land. Your own accent shows, and that is fine as long as you are understood. |
| B2 – C1 | Melody starts carrying meaning: a real question, a joke, an emphasis, a doubt. |
| C2 | Nearly every sound clear and precise; rhythm and intonation used for fine shades of meaning; and, our addition, the range to move between accents and registers on purpose. |
How long it takes
The US Foreign Service Institute times how long English speakers need, in full-time classes, to reach professional working proficiency, roughly between B2 and C1. A closer language is faster; a new script and grammar take longer.
| Language | Full-time weeks | Class hours |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish, Italian, Portuguese | 24–30 weeks | 600–750 |
| French | about 30 weeks | 750 |
| German | about 36 weeks | 900 |
| Greek | about 44 weeks | 1,100 |
| Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean | 88 weeks | 2,200 |
| Igbo, Yoruba, Wolof | not on FSI’s published list | — |
Exams that certify a level
You do not need one to learn. They matter for school, work, residency and citizenship.
| Language | Exam | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| English | Cambridge English (A2 Key to C2 Proficiency), IELTS | A2–C2 |
| French | DELF (A1–B2), DALF (C1–C2), TCF | A1–C2 |
| Spanish | DELE (Instituto Cervantes), SIELE | A1–C2 |
| Italian | CILS, CELI, PLIDA | A1–C2 |
| German | Goethe-Zertifikat | A1–C2 |
| Portuguese | CAPLE (Portugal); Celpe-Bras (Brazil, intermediate and up) | A1–C2 |
| Greek | Certificate of Attainment in Greek (Centre for the Greek Language) | A1–C2 |
| Arabic | No single standard exam; ACTFL’s oral interview and university tests | — |
| Chinese | HSK, moving to nine levels; no official CEFR link, so comparisons vary | — |
| Japanese | JLPT N5–N1; since December 2025 passing score reports show a CEFR reference, from A1 (N5) up to C1 (top N1 scores) | A1–C1 |
| Korean | TOPIK levels 1–6; no official CEFR link, so comparisons vary | — |
| Igbo, Yoruba, Wolof | No CEFR exam; ACTFL’s Oral Proficiency Interview is offered in all three | — |
Sources: Council of Europe, CEFR Companion Volume (2020) and its phonological control scale; Cambridge English, guided learning hours; US Department of State, FSI language learning timelines; JLPT, CEFR reference; ACTFL, Oral Proficiency Interview languages.