European Dutch proficiency scale

This European proficiency scale enables to compare your Dutch language skills with your proficiency in your mother tongue.

The basic idea is quite evident. The very basics of vocabulary, pronunciation and sentence structure allow you to have simple conversations on daily-life topics.

First things you did was learning to understand and speak. Only in grammar school you learned to write and that there exists something called grammar and syntax.

Your language skills grew as you grew: from one stage of live to the next :

First you wanted to communicate about observable things, about what you wanted. If you didn't know the word yet or forgot you could indicate or mimic.

Later you wanted to share about things at kindergarten and school, fairy worlds, friends, adventure and the lager environment you explored together, ...

About puberty and adolescence, free time, hobbies, friendship and love, ...

About your ideals, ideas, dreams, study, interests, career, community and society, ...

About commitment, founding a family, raising children, ...

About existential subjects as illness, suffering, getting older and death as you where confronted with in your life.

Simultaneously you first learned to use simple and gradually more complex sentences, express simple and later more complex experiences.

Gradually you learned to share more precisely and detailed what you observed, experienced, felt, thought, dreamed, wanted, wished or meant.

You are a complete beginner in Dutch : A0 level

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You don't  know Dutch at all.

Your language skills in Dutch are elementary : basic user A1 level

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You can understand an use elementary Dutch expressions and sentences about concrete things and needs.

You can introduce yourself and others in Dutch.

You can put and answer questions about personal matters and topics as where you live, people you know and things you have.

You need your conversation partner to speak slowly and clearly and he or she should be willing to help you.

Your language skills in Dutch are elementary : basic user A2 level

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You understand sentences and common Dutch expressions about daily life matters.

You can put and answer questions about self and family, grocery, shopping, work, hobbies etc.

In daily life you can talk about familiar and every-day subjects.

You can tell about your background, daily routines and needs in simple but correct Dutch.

You are an independent Dutch-speaker : independent user B1 level

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You understand most common every-day Dutch about familiar subjects and usual conversation topics at work, school and leisure activities.

You can cope with most situations occurring on a trip trough Flanders and the Netherlands.

You can write simple Dutch text about familiar subjects and topics you're interested in.

You can talk about events and share your experience, dreams, expectations and desires and briefly explain your reasons, opinions and plans.

You are an independent Dutch-speaker : independent user B2 level

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You understand basic ideas of complex Dutch texts about as well concrete as abstract subjects and technical discussions about your speciality.

Your Dutch is fluent and spontaneous. Your daily interaction with native Dutch-speakers is easy for both.

You can write clear and detailed texts about various subjects.

You can explain your views and indicate advantages, disadvantages and alternatives.

You are fluent in Dutch : proficient user C1 level

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You don't have problems to understand long articles from newspapers or magazines, you are aware of implicit meanings.

You can express yourself fluently and spontaneously without much looking for words.

You can use Dutch flexibly and efficiently in your private, social, academic or professional life.

You can write clear, well structured and detailed Dutch texts about complex subjects.

You are fluent in Dutch : proficient user C2 level

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You have no problem understanding anything you hear or read.

You can summarize verbal or written information.

You can coherently argue and reconstruct explanations and argumentations.

You can express yourself spontaneously and very fluently, precisely and subtly in Dutch even in more complex situations.