CEFR levels explained

What is the CEFR for languages?

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages—most people just call it the CEFR—is a handy guide used to show how well an individual can speak a foreign language. While it started in Europe, it’s now used all over the world to help schools and employers easily understand a candidate's language skills.

The idea began in the late 80s to create a fair way to teach and test any European language. By 2001, it became the go-to standard. You can seen it's six levels in this image—A1 to C2—which are now the most popular way to measure an individual's language skills.

The CEFR levels

The six CEFR levels can be regrouped into three broader levels:

  • Basic User levels A1 - A2. Ranging from understanding basic, daily expressions to managing simple, routine exchanges.

  • Independent User B1 - B2. Covering the ability to manage travel situations, create simple texts, and interact with fluency, spontaneity, and ease with native speakers.

  • Proficient User C1 - C2. Ranging from advanced, flexible language use for professional/academic purposes to a near-native mastery and comprehension of all content.

These six levels use "can-do" descriptions show below. They indicate exactly what an individual is capable of in a new language. And while they became the official standard in 2001, they didn't just appear overnight—they were actually carefully developed over many years.

CEFR level "can-do" descriptions

A1

  • Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type.

  • Can introduce themselves to others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where they live, people they know and things they have.

  • Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

A2

  • Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment).

  • Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.

  • Can describe in simple terms aspects of their background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

B1

  • Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc.

  • Can deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling in an area where the language is spoken.

  • Can produce simple connected text on topics that are familiar or of personal interest.

  • Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.

B2

  • Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in their field of specialisation.

  • Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party.

  • Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

C1

  • Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer clauses and recognise implicit meaning.

  • Can express ideas fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions.

  • Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes.

  • Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.

C2

  • Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read.

  • Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation.

  • Can express themselves spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations.

Credit: Council of Europe: Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) - Global Scale - Table 1 (CEFR 3.3) : Common Reference Levels https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/table-1-cefr-3.3-common-reference-levels-global-scale