German is the most widely spoken language in the European Union – ahead of Spanish, French and even English. It is the official language in Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein and one of the official languages in Switzerland and Luxembourg. German ranks 11th in the list of the most widely spoken languages in the world.
At the A1 level, you should be able to understand simple German sentences and recognize basic words that describe yourself and the world around you. You can use familiar greetings and introduce yourself. You can also write simply, for example, filling out forms. You can understand fundamental German vocabulary in slow speech.
You can relate information about your job, your family, and your basic needs at the A2 level. You can understand practical materials like train schedules. You can also comprehend short written and spoken messages.
At the B1 level, you can start to enjoy more German media, grasping the main ideas of TV or radio programs that have slow and clear narration. Your written and spoken expressions also become more sophisticated.
Reaching the B2 level means that you can appreciate German media more fully, although you might still struggle with fast dialogue or idiomatic expressions. Your use of German is more nuanced at this level.
The right words, expressions, and grammar come more easily to you, with much less hesitation than at lower levels.
At the C1 level, your use and understanding of German becomes more intuitive. You can read deeper into the German you see and hear, engaging in more complex conversations and enjoying more native-level media.
Your mastery at the C2 level lets you produce and understand highly complex German. This is close to native-level German fluency. Even accents from different parts of the German-speaking world don’t throw you off.