CEFR — the Common European Framework of Reference — is the ruler used to measure language ability across German and French. It runs A1 and A2 (basic), B1 and B2 (independent), then C1 and C2 (mastery). Goethe, telc, DELF and most visa rules all quote a CEFR level rather than a vague label like 'fluent'.
Honestly: most goals need a specific level, not just 'some German'. A1 is enough for a family-reunion visa; B1 is the floor for Ausbildung; B2 is what most German employers and hospitals actually want. Knowing the exact level your goal needs is the difference between passing once and paying for the same exam twice.
A1 = survival · A2 = everyday basics · B1 = independence (Ausbildung, PR) · B2 = work-ready · C1–C2 = academic / professional mastery.
Six: A1 and A2 (basic), B1 and B2 (independent user), then C1 and C2 (mastery). German and French courses, and exams like Goethe, telc and DELF, are all built around this scale.
It depends on the goal, not a vague sense of fluency: A1 is enough for a family-reunion visa, B1 is the floor for Ausbildung, and B2 is what most German employers and hospitals want. We help you pin down the exact level first.
Yes — it is the common European scale, so French exams like DELF and DALF use it too. Japanese is measured separately on the JLPT (N5–N1) rather than on CEFR.
We'll be straight with you about the level and timeline your goal actually needs — then get you there.