Last updated: November 10, 2025
Dioma is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Council of Europe or any official CEFR certification body. While our curriculum and progress tracking are informed by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), Dioma does not issue official CEFR certifications. Any references to CEFR levels are for instructional alignment and self-assessment purposes only and do not constitute formal qualification or proof of proficiency.
The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is the international standard Dioma uses to structure all courses and measure your progress. This article explains what the CEFR is, how the levels work, and why we organize learning around this framework.
What Is the CEFR?
The CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) is a guideline developed by the Council of Europe to describe language ability on a six-level scale, from complete beginner to advanced mastery.
Originally published in 2001, it's now the most widely recognized standard for language proficiency worldwide, used by:
Educational institutions and universities
Language certification exams (DELE, DELF, TEF, Goethe etc.)
Employers and professional organizations
Language schools and learning platforms
Key point: CEFR levels are language-agnostic. An A2 level in Spanish represents the same competency as A2 in Romanian, French, Hebrew or Mandarin.
The Six CEFR Levels
Important: The level descriptor describes someone who has achieved/finished this level.
A - Basic User
A1 - Beginner
Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions
Can introduce themselves and ask basic personal questions
Can interact simply if the other person speaks slowly and clearly
Example: Ordering food, giving your name and age, asking for directions
A2 - Elementary
Can understand frequently used expressions (shopping, family, work)
Can communicate in routine tasks requiring simple information exchange
Can describe aspects of their background and immediate environment
Example: Talking about your job, making appointments, describing your hometown
B - Independent User
B1 - Intermediate
Can understand the main points of clear speech on familiar matters
Can handle most travel situations in the target language
Can produce simple connected text on familiar topics
Can describe experiences, events, dreams, and ambitions with basic reasoning
Example: Explaining why you're learning the language, discussing a movie you watched, handling unexpected situations while traveling
B2 - Upper Intermediate
Can understand complex texts on concrete and abstract topics
Can interact with native speakers with fluency and spontaneity
Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects
Can explain viewpoints with advantages and disadvantages
Example: Participating in professional meetings, debating current events, writing formal emails or reports
C - Proficient User
C1 - Advanced
Can understand demanding, longer texts and implicit meaning
Can express themselves fluently without obvious searching for words
Can use language flexibly for social, academic, and professional purposes
Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects
Example: Delivering presentations, understanding nuanced literature, navigating complex bureaucratic processes
C2 - Mastery
Can understand virtually everything heard or read with ease
Can summarize information from different sources coherently
Can express themselves spontaneously with precise differentiation of meaning
Approaching native-level proficiency
Example: Reading academic texts in specialized fields, understanding rapid colloquial speech, writing with stylistic nuance
Four Skill Areas Within Each Level
The CEFR doesn't give you a single "level": it evaluates you across four competencies:
Reading - Understanding written texts
Listening - Understanding spoken language
Writing - Producing written communication
Speaking - Producing spoken communication
Important: You may be at different levels in different skills. For example, many learners reach B1 in reading before achieving B1 in speaking. This is normal.
Why Dioma Uses the CEFR
1. Globally Recognized Standard
Dioma’s CEFR-aligned structure can help you prepare for certifications, meet job requirements, or pursue academic goals, but we do not issue official CEFR qualifications.
2. Clear Learning Objectives
Each CEFR level defines specific "can-do" statements. Instead of vague goals like "get better at Spanish," you work toward concrete abilities: "Can understand the main ideas of complex text" (B2).
3. Proper Sequencing
The CEFR describes not just what you should know, but the order in which linguistic abilities naturally develop. Our curriculum follows this research-based progression.
4. Realistic Self-Assessment
The framework helps you understand what proficiency actually means. Many learners overestimate or underestimate their level, the CEFR provides objective benchmarks.
5. Long-Term Planning
Because the levels are standardized, you can map your learning journey: "I'm at A2 now, I need B1 for my job, and B2 is my long-term goal."
How Dioma Applies the CEFR
Course Structure
All lessons are tagged to specific CEFR levels
Grammar topics are introduced at the appropriate stage of development.
Important grammar topics may appear across multiple levels, for example basic personal pronouns may be covered at A1, but a B2 learner may be perfecting exceptions and complex usage.
Vocabulary and expressions match the complexity of each level
Exercises require the productive skills defined for that level
Progress Tracking
Your dashboard shows your estimated level in each skill area
Assessments are designed using CEFR descriptors to help you estimate your current level and skill development.
Milestones reflect our internal alignment with CEFR-level expectations to support your skill progression (e.g., from A2 to B1).
Content Difficulty
Reading and listening materials are graded by CEFR level
Speaking and writing prompts match the expectations of your current level
As you progress, you're exposed to increasingly complex authentic content
Common Questions
How long does it take to reach each level?
This depends on many factors, including:
Your native language and its relative distance from the language you're learning (for example, Spanish and Italian have a lot of similarity, so it's easier fora Speaker to learn Italian than it is for them to learn Mandarin.)
The activities you are doing to learn the language. Robust research shows that having a feedback loop helps learners move 2-3x faster.
One resource to estimate the time to learn a language is the Foreign Language Institute. These are formal estimates from the US government for English Speakers to learn different languages. When they say "learn" they mean to an advanced level, similar to C1 in CEFR. Also, keep in mind that the FLI estimates assume learners are spending 1 hour outside the classroom for every hour inside.
Can I skip levels?
Each level builds on the previous one. While some learners progress faster than others, skipping levels typically creates gaps in foundational knowledge that become problems later.
Is the CEFR the same as proficiency tests?
Tests like the DELE (Spanish), DELF/DALF (French), and others measure your level using the CEFR scale, but the CEFR itself is a descriptive framework, not a test.
What level do I need?
Common benchmarks:
A2: Tourist communication, basic social interaction
B1: Minimum for many university programs (as a foreign language)
B2: Often required for many jobs using the language professionally
C1: Often required for teaching or working in academic settings
C2: Near-native proficiency, required for advanced professional roles
Finding Your Starting Level
When you begin with Dioma, you'll self-assess across the four competencies. Dioma's engine uses this as a starting point and adjusts your level over your first hour of practice. By the time you finish your first hour using Dioma, you should be receiving level-appropriate content. Related Articles
Taking Your Placement Assessment
How Dioma Tracks Your Progress
Setting CEFR Goals for Your Learning Journey
Understanding Your Skill Dashboard
Still Have Questions?
Contact our support team at help@dioma.com or use the chat widget in the bottom-right corner.
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