CEFR Requirements for A1 Basic German knowledge
Table of content
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is an international standard for describing language proficiency. Developed by the Council of Europe, it provides a consistent framework for assessing and comparing language skills across different languages.
What are German language skills at A1 level?
According to the CEFR description, a person with A1 level knowledge is related to Basic User and:
- 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.
Also according to CEFR requirements for listening, reading, speaking and writing at A1 Niveau are the following:
| Listening | I can recognise familiar words and very basic phrases concerning myself, my family and immediate concrete surroundings when people speak slowly and clearly. |
|---|---|
| Reading | I can understand familiar names, words and very simple sentences, for example on notices and posters or in catalogues. |
| Spoken Interaction | I can interact in a simple way provided the other person is prepared to repeat or rephrase things at a slower rate of speech and help me formulate what I'm trying to say. I can ask and answer simple questions in areas of immediate need or on very familiar topics. |
| Spoken Production | I can use simple phrases and sentences to describe where I live and people I know. |
| Writing | I can write a short, simple postcard, for example sending holiday greetings. I can fill in forms with personal details, for example entering my name, nationality and address on a hotel registration form. |
Qualitative aspects of spoken language use
See also the assessed parameters for spoken language use at A1 German level according to CEFR:
| Range | Has a very basic repertoire of words and simple phrases related to personal details and particular concrete situations. |
|---|---|
| Accuracy | Shows only limited control of a few simple grammatical structures and sentence patterns in a memorised repertoire. |
| Fluency | Can manage very short, isolated, mainly pre-packaged utterances, with much pausing to search for expressions, to articulate less familiar words, and to repair communication. |
| Interaction | Can ask and answer questions about personal details. Can interact in a simple way but communication is totally dependent on repetition, rephrasing and repair. |
| Coherence | Can link words or groups of words with very basic linear connectors like "and" or "then". |