020 8017 4433 LEVELS EXPLAINED
Each of our levels is a 20-hour course you can take over 10-weeks, 5-weeks, 2-weeks or 1-week
Our course syllabus follows the official Common European Framework Reference for levels A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2.
To see our levels explained please scroll down this page. Not sure about your level? Take our 10-minute online test.
At the end of Level 1 (A1)
I am able to introduce myself and I can ask and give personal information (nationality, profession, telephone number, address, etc) I can describe my family and its members (their physical appearance and their character) I can also describe my town. I can buy something in a shop. In grammar, I can conjugate regular verbs in Present Tense, use the verbs “ser” and “estar” in different contexts, differentiate between “tú” y “usted”, identify the gender of nouns and adjectives, know the numbers from 0 to 1000 and understand question words (cómo, dónde, cuándo, etc).
At the end of Level 2 (A1)
I can describe my house and my neighbourhood (location, characteristics and things they have) I can express my likes and dislikes. I can ask and answer about the weather, the time and seasons. I am able to talk about my daily routine. In grammar, I can conjugate all the Present Tense (regular, irregular, reflexive and stem-changing verbs), I know the conjugation of verb “gustar” and similar verbs, I understand quantifiers (muchos, pocos, bastantes, algunos, ningunos), and I can express frequency (siempre, nunca, a veces, etc).
At the end of Level 3 (A1)
I can talk about my habits, activities in my free time and my job. I can express opinions, and agreement and disagreement. I am able to describe what I did yesterday. In grammar, I am confident using the Present Tense, and I know the conjugation of verbs in the Past Tense (Pretérito Indefinido). I know the difference between the verbs “saber” and “conocer”, and I can use some important prepositions (de, desde, hasta, a, por, en).
At the end of Level 4 (A2)
I can express feelings and pain. I can have conversations in a supermarket and a restaurant, and I can explain health problems to the doctor. I am able to talk about personal experiences, what I have done recently and I know how to give excuses and apologise. In grammar, I understand the Past Tense of “Pretérito Perfecto”, and I know the difference between this Past Tense and the “Pretérito Indefinido”. I can use verbs to express obligation and wishes (querer/necesitar/tener que/hay que + Infinitivo).
At the end of Level 5 (A2)
I am able to express what I am doing right now, to buy clothes and describe what people are wearing and to talk about trips and biographies of famous people. In grammar, I am confident using the Pretérito Indefinido (regular and irregular verbs), I know the Present Progressive (estar + gerundio), I can make comparisons (más… que / menos… que / tan… como) and I can give permission using the “Imperativo Afirmativo”. I am also able to identify the Direct Objects Pronouns (lo, la, los, las).
At the end of Level 6 (A2)
I can have phone conversations and arrange a date. I can ask for information about transport (buying train, bus and plane tickets). I can express what I did last weekend and give opinions about those past events. I can describe objects talking about material, shape and colour. I am able to describe people and places in the past. In grammar, I can use “Imperativo Afirmativo” and “Pretérito Indefinido” (irregular verbs). I know the “Pretérito Imperfecto” to talk about habitual actions in the past. I understand the Pronouns such as Posesivos (mío, tuyo, suyo, etc), Objeto Directo (lo, la, los, las) and Objeto Indirecto (me, te, le, nos, os, les).
At the end of Level 7 (B1)
I can express the duration of actions that started in the past and continue in the present (desde hace, desde que, etc). I can describe the situation where an event happened. I can tell stories in the past. I can talk about the future making predictions and expressing probability. In grammar I understand the difference between the two past tenses “Imperfecto” and “Indefinido”, and I know the “Imperfecto estar + gerundio”. I can conjugate verbs in “Futuro Simple”. I can use Relativos “que” and “quien” to describe people and I know reciprocal verbs such as “conocerse”, “caerse”, “darse” and “hacerse”.
At the end of Level 8 (B1)
I can express wishes and plans. I can describe the character of a person. I can express different feelings such as fear, shame, happiness, affection, sadness, etc. I can talk about personal relationships (llevarse bien/mal/regular, caer bien/mal). In grammar, I know the “Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto” to describe a past action that occurred previous to another past action. I understand “Subjuntivo” to express wishes, hopes and plans in the future, and to express feelings (me da miedo que, me molesta que, me gusta que, etc) I also know verbs with prepositions such as “alegrarse de”, “estar harto de” or “tener ganas de”.
At the end of Level 9 (B1)
I can describe health problems and give suggestions and recommendations about them. I can talk about advantages and disadvantages of different topics such as living in a city or a village. I can take messages and pass the information to their recipients. I know vocabulary about technology and Internet. In grammar, I am able to use Subjunctive for giving recommendations and opinions. I know “Imperativo” (afirmattive and negative) I can conjugate verbs in Conditional to give advice (yo en tu lugar, comería/hablaría/iría…).
At the end of Level 10 (B1)
I can tell stories and anecdotes using the four past tenses (Indefinido, Pretérito Perfecto, Imperfecto and Pluscuamperfecto). I can formulate hypothesis about the future and express probability. I know some Hispanic culture to help communication such as gestures and social customs. In grammar, I am confident when using all the past tenses. I know Future Simple and I can use Subjunctive to express probability in future. I know the difference between Indicative and Subjunctive to express certainty or doubt.
At the end of Level 11 (B2)
I can talk about films (genres, plots, actors, film reviews, etc) I can discuss about the quality of life and change of habits in our society. I can try to convince someone and set conditions in order to do something. I can express wishes that are not very likely to happen. In grammar, I am confident using the Present Tense of Subjunctive. I can conjugate the “Pretérito Imperfecto de Subjuntivo” with Conditional (si tuviera vacaciones, viajaría a México) I can use some “perífrasis verbales” (ir/acabar + gerunido, dejar de + infinitivo, etc).
At the end of Level 12 (B2)
I can debate about problems such as pollution, economic crisis, unemployment or immigration. I can talk in depth about ecology (its problems and suggestions to solve them) I am able to formulate hypothesis about the past. I can describe important moments in a person’s life and I can express feelings and the reason why I have those feelings. In grammar, I can use some expressions in Subjunctive and Indicative to express feelings and emotions (¡Qué pena que + Subj., ¡Con lo que + Indic., etc). I know “Pretérito Perfecto de Subjuntivo” (yo haya aprobado).
At the end of Level 13 (B2)
I can write and comprehend advertisements and slogans in magazines and TV. I can understand news articles and debate about the importance of the media nowadays. I know some Spanish proverbs and colloquial expressions with the names of animals. I can transmit what someone has said. I can express my first impression about someone. In grammar, I know the Passive Voice. I can use the Imperative tense with Direct and Indirect Pronouns. I can use the Indirect Speech and I know how to form words with Prefixes (in-, des-, anti-) and Suffixes (-ez, -ción, -dad) I understand the prepositions “por” and “para”.
At the end of Level 14 (B2)
I can express requirements and preferences when I am looking for a place to go on holidays. I can describe a place using colloquial expressions. I am able to write a letter of complaint. I can talk about important decisions in my life and I can express regret. In grammar, I know complex expressions with “ser” and “estar”. I can use I know “Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo” (yo hubiera o hubiese cantado) and “Condicional compuesto” (yo habría cantado). I know linking words of contrast (aunque, a pesar de…), and of condition (siempre que, salvo que…) I know how to use the pronoun “se” to express that an incident was involuntary.
At the end of Level 15 (C1)
I can speak, give my opinion and write about theatre and cinema, about happiness and things which make people happy and about advertisements and their effects in the public. In grammar terms, I am able to use ser and estar and differentiate the uses of the two verbs in complex sentences. I master the uses of the four past tenses of the Indicative and feel comfortable using them in different contexts. I can use the different tenses of the Subjunctive in their different uses. I am able to notice different meanings of certain verbs when they are used in Indicative or Subjunctive mood. I can use the direct and indirect object pronouns and reflect about their incorrect uses. I can also write a formal application letter.
At the end of Level 16 (C1)
I can debate about different topics using different guidelines to help me get a convincing outcome. I am able to speak in a critical way about ecology and global warming. I can speak about different historical people or events in Spain and Hispanic America and give my opinion. In terms of grammar, I am able to use different linking words, and concessive and relative clauses. I can use indirect speech when describing content said by other people.
At the end of Level 17 (C1)
I am able to speak about my dreams and about things I would have liked to do in the past. I can hypothesize in the present, future and past. I can speak about money and the importance it has in our lives and also learn more about ethical banking. I am able to speak about different periods of life and about health. In terms of grammar, I will be practising the different uses of the subjunctive to express wishes and hypothesis. I can use all the conditional structures (if clauses) as well as the conditional connectors. I master the different uses of por and para. I will be learning different verbal periphrasis and the contexts to use them. I will also be able to write a covering letter and CV following specific guidelines.
At the end of Level 18 (C2)
I can describe a city, its architecture and monuments. I can talk about art and different artistic styles. I am able to talk about the meaning of success and give my opinion about what is a successful life. I can talk about different literary genders and styles. In terms of grammar, I can use different adverbs and expressions of manner. I am able to use the different prepositions and understand certain verbs which in Spanish can be followed by a preposition. I am able to use different complex connectors. I can differentiate the uses of the four past tenses in the Indicative and master the type of verbs which normally appear with the Past Simple or the Imperfect.
At the end of Level 19 (C2)
I can talk about personal relationships and I can analyse different types of conversations in different contexts. I can recognise different ways to communicate through social media and the language of chats and the internet. I can talk about the rights of citizens and about law and different types of laws. I can read and understand a court ruling. I can talk and give my opinion about general problems in our society. I can use the consecutive clauses and I am able to use different conversational resources when speaking Spanish including the characteristics and grammar used in internet chats and internet language.
At the end of Level 20 (C2)
I can speak about things which I consider fair and unfair and how different companies in the world defend different causes. I am able to speak about important, personal events in life and their consequences. I can talk about sleeping routines and dreams. I am able to read and express my opinion about plastic surgery. In grammar terms, I can be polite when speaking or writing Spanish and I know the rules of courtesy. I can use complex verbal periphrasis. I am able to use different connectors to express cause and consequence. I am able to work with different expressions of time.