CEFR Levels Explained: What A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2 Mean

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is the six-level scale behind almost every language course, exam and job ad that says “B2 required”. It was published by the Council of Europe in 2001 and updated with a Companion Volume in 2020. It describes what you can do with a language, not how many words or grammar rules you know, and it works the same way for any language.

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The six levels at a glance

“English” is Cambridge English's guided learning hours, which start at A2. “French” is the DELF/DALF figures listed by Campus France. Both are classroom estimates for a typical learner and leave out homework. The CEFR itself sets no hour counts.

A1 and A2 are “basic user”, B1 and B2 “independent user”, C1 and C2 “proficient user”. The 2020 Companion Volume also added a Pre-A1 band and describes “plus” levels such as A2+, B1+ and B2+ for learners between two levels.

What each level means

The quotes below are from the Council of Europe's global scale, the official one-paragraph summary of each level.

A1: Breakthrough

You can use “familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases”, introduce yourself, and ask and answer simple questions about where people live and what they have. Conversation works “provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help”. Details: hours to reach A1.

A2: Waystage

You can handle “simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information”: shopping, directions, basic family and work talk. You can describe your background in simple terms. Details: hours to reach A2.

B1: Threshold

You can “deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling”, follow the main points of clear speech on familiar topics, and describe experiences, hopes and plans with brief reasons. This is where most people feel they can finally use the language. Details: hours to reach B1.

B2: Vantage

You can follow complex texts in your field and interact “with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party”. Many universities set B2 as the entry level for degrees taught in the language. Details: hours to reach B2.

C1: Effective Operational Proficiency

You can understand “a wide range of demanding, longer texts”, pick up implicit meaning, and express yourself “fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions” for social, academic and professional purposes. Details: hours to reach C1, and B2 vs C1 for what changes.

C2: Mastery

You can “understand with ease virtually everything heard or read” and express yourself precisely, “differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations”. The CEFR is clear this is not the same as native-speaker competence. Details: hours to reach C2.

Why the gaps get bigger

Look at the hour column again. A1 to A2 is roughly 100 hours; B2 to C1 is 200 or more; C1 to C2 is several hundred. The levels are not evenly spaced in time. Higher levels need a much larger vocabulary and many more hours of exposure to real material, and progress feels slower even when you're putting in the same work. That's normal, and it's the main reason people feel stuck at B1 or B2.

Your language changes the numbers

The hours above are for languages fairly close to the learner's own. For an English speaker, the U.S. Foreign Service Institute estimates that reaching professional working proficiency (roughly upper B2 to low C1) takes about 690 class hours in Spanish or French and about 2,200 in Japanese, Arabic, Korean or Mandarin. See the FSI language list for every language and a calculator.

To turn those ranges into a date for your own language, you can set a level goal like B2 in LangTrack. It starts from FSI-based hour figures, counts the sessions you log against them, and projects when you'd arrive if you keep your recent pace.

How to find your level

The only way to be sure is an exam aligned to the CEFR: DELF/DALF for French, DELE for Spanish, Goethe for German, Cambridge or IELTS for English. For a free first guess, the CEFR's own self-assessment grid is a good start, and our comparison of A2 vs B1 includes a quick checklist. Then pick a target, log your hours, and see how your pace compares with the table above.

FAQ

What are the six CEFR levels?

A1 and A2 (basic user), B1 and B2 (independent user), C1 and C2 (proficient user). The Council of Europe's names for them are Breakthrough, Waystage, Threshold, Vantage, Effective Operational Proficiency and Mastery.

Which CEFR level counts as fluent?

There is no official “fluent” level. Most people mean B2, where you can talk with native speakers without strain for either side, or C1, where you can use the language flexibly for work and study.

How many hours does each CEFR level take?

Cambridge English estimates about 180–200 guided hours for A2, 350–400 for B1, 500–600 for B2, 700–800 for C1 and 1,000–1,200 for C2, counted from beginner. Harder languages for your background take longer.