German syllabus: the CEFR levels are the syllabus
German certificates test whether you can do things in German, not whether you have covered a syllabus. The CEFR level descriptors are the specification, and the grammar that separates one level from the next is a surprisingly short list.
What each level means you can do
| Level | You can | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | Introduce yourself, fill a form, handle a simple transaction | Visa documents in some cases |
| A2 | Handle routine situations and write a short message | Daily life, residence purposes |
| B1 | Describe experiences, give reasons, follow a clear discussion | Pathway programmes, part-time work |
| B2 | Follow a lecture, argue a position, read your field | German-taught study, most jobs |
| C1 | Handle implied meaning and complex structured writing | Demanding programmes, clinical work |
| C2 | Operate as an educated native user | Rarely required for study |
The grammar that decides your level
- Noun gender, learnt *with* the noun — not *der Tisch* looked up later but der Tisch memorised together. It governs articles, adjectives and pronouns, so getting it wrong is visible in every sentence.
- Cases — nominative and accusative at A1–A2, dative at A2–B1, genitive at B1–B2. Cases are what German uses instead of word order, so they carry meaning rather than decorating it.
- Verb position — second in a main clause, final in a subordinate clause. This is the clearest single marker of level in writing, and it is a rule rather than a feel.
- The past tenses — Perfekt for speech, Präteritum for writing and for the common auxiliaries. B1 turns on using both correctly.
- Adjective endings, which look chaotic and are systematic. They are a B2 marker and worth the evening it takes to see the pattern.
- Konjunktiv II for politeness and hypotheticals — *ich hätte*, *ich würde*, *könnten Sie* — which is B1–B2 and instantly raises how you sound.
What to practise per module
- Lesen — skim for gist first, then scan. German compound nouns look terrifying and usually split into two words you know.
- Hören — exposure, daily, to natural speed. Deutsche Welle publishes free graded news audio, which is the single best free resource for this.
- Schreiben — learn the shape of the letter or message the level asks for, and count the tasks in the prompt. Most lost marks are unaddressed tasks, not grammar.
- Sprechen — prepare content, not scripts. At several levels you speak with a partner, so practise reacting rather than delivering.
TestDaF is different in one way
TestDaF is not level-certification; it places you across B2 to C1. That means you cannot "study for TestDaF" the way you study for a level — you build genuine B2-to-C1 German and then learn the exam's task formats, which are academic in register: summarising a graph, following a lecture, taking a position in a seminar-style response.
German syllabus — FAQs
4 questions
There is no topic syllabus. The CEFR level descriptors are the specification — what you can do at A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2 — and the exams test those abilities.
All four cases, verb position in main and subordinate clauses, both past tenses used correctly, adjective endings, and Konjunktiv II for politeness and hypotheticals.
Daily exposure to natural speed. Deutsche Welle publishes free graded news audio, which is the most useful free resource for this and needs ten minutes a day rather than an hour a week.
Only partly. TestDaF places you across B2 to C1, so you build the German first and then learn its academic task formats — summarising a graph, following a lecture, taking a position.
Sources
Checked on 25 September 2026 against the official pages below. Fees and formats change — the official page is always the final word.
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