You did it. You crossed the A1 finish line and you are ready for the next challenge. Now able to understand everyday expressions & questions, and comfortable sharing / inquiring about personal details, you are ready to start learning expressions associated with direct circumstances and information exchange on familiar topics in routine scenarios.

As with our blog post on mastering the A1 level, let’s reference the CEFR’s infographic on the 6 levels of German proficiency: A1-C2

• A1 = Beginner
• A2 = Elementary
• B1 = Intermediate
• B2 = Upper Intermediate
• C1 = Advanced
• C2 = Proficient

Now we’re in the smallest circle, “Beginner,” and advancing towards the “Elementary Level” – in other words, a 3rd-4th grade comprehension and speaking proficiency.

As a refresher, this 6-step diagram was established by the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) for the following reasons:

• “To establish learning and teaching objectives”
• “To review curricula”
• “To design teaching materials”
• “To provide a basis for recognizing language qualifications thus facilitating educational and occupational mobility”

This post will focus specifically on reaching the A2 level, while the next one will cover the B1 proficiency level

• The A2 Level

• • Able to understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment).
  • Able to communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.
  • Able to describe in simple terms aspects of your background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

• The A2 Test

  • Listening Portion: “Hören” (30 minutes)

    • 4 total sections of the “Hören” portion
    • Listen to radio shows, conversations, voicemails, and announcements
    • You will hear each sound clip twice
    • Fill in your answers on the provided answer sheet
    • Insights and Tips:
      • Read through the questions before the 1st listen, but during the 1st listen do not focus on the answers; simply focus on comprehending the message
      • On the 2nd listen through is when you should focus on the answer choices
      • Skip the instructions page, start reading the questions for each clip instead

  • Speaking Portion: “Gespräch” (10 minutes)

    • 3 total sections of the “Gespräch” portion
    • Teil 1:
      • You will hold a conversation with a designated speaking partner
      • You will both receive 4 cards, each with a speaking prompt / question
      • You will take turns asking and answering each others’ questions
    • Teil 2:
      • You will receive a card with speaking prompts / questions that the test administrator will ask you
      • You have to answer these questions out loud
    • Teil 3:
      • You will have to plan something together with your speaking partner
      • You will each receive a speaking card with a script you have to read out loud to one another
    • Insights and Tips:
      • Prepare at home by creating your own “conversation queue” cards on topics such as personal information, hobbies / interests, shopping, where you work / go to school
      • Practice speaking about these topics with a partner or in front of the mirror to build your confidence and clarity

  • Reading Portion: “Lesen” (30 minutes)

    • 4 total sections of the “Lesen” portion
    • Read emails and informational blurbs / articles from the newspaper and Internet
    • Fill in your answers on the provided answer sheet
    • Insights and Tips:
      • All the questions are multiple choice format
      • Skip the instructions page, no need to waste any time on it

  • Writing Portion: “Schreiben” (15 minutes)

    • 2 sections of the “Schreiben” portion
    • Write an SMS text and write an email
    • Insights and Tips:
      • For the SMS, you will have 3 mandatory guidelines to follow – you MUST address all 3 in the 20-30 word SMS
      • For the email, you will also have 3 mandatory guidelines – and once again, you MUST address all 3 in the 30-40 word Email
      • The SMS and emails can both use simple language; there is no need to use subordinating / 2-part conjunctions (i.e. weil, dass, sobald, etc.), complex prepositional phrases (wegen des schlimmen Staus) and so on. As long as you are getting your message across clearly, you will score well

• Preparing for The A2 Test

• Route 1 = Self-study

  • Routine: 45-60 minutes daily for 2 months or more, depending on your pace of learning
  • Hours of study: 150-200 hours
  • Resources: here are some helpful tools for practicing your speaking, reading, listening, and writing skills:
    • Speaking:
      • HelloTalk – improving your speaking proficiency can only happen one way → by challenging yourself to speak German multiple times a week, if not at least once a day. HelloTalk is the perfect place to start, as you can become familiar with your language partner via chat before jumping on a call with them. Tell your partner that you are preparing for the A2 exam and would like to speak about topics such as: personal information, hobbies / interests, shopping, where you work / go to school
      • Meetup – if you haven’t found a local German-speaking group, this is the perfect opportunity to do so; with your A1 proficiency, you are now able to have beginner conversations on topics like personal introductions, possessions, and common expressions tied to meeting your basic needs. Transitioning from virtual to in-person engagement, a group like this provides the perfect opportunity to expand your conversation ability in topics such as hobbies / interests, shopping, where you work and what you study
    • Reading & Listening:
      • Goethe Institut – as the administrators of the A1-C2 proficiency exams, the Goethe Institut graciously provides you with online listening and reading materials and exercises; at the above link, you will get a sneak peak at the exact exam format; go through each tab of the practice exam thoroughly. If you can comprehend the majority of the texts and clips at this link, you will do just fine on the A2 language exam!
      • Deutsch Drang: this is a great place to begin reading simple German texts and listening to audio clips covering a variety of themes and topics; select “Reading Comprehension” tab at the top and click on “Beginner-Level Reading” OR select the tab “Audio Activities” to practice listening; TIP: as you read through these texts and listen to these clips, document the words you do not know in a personal “vocabulary bank” and translate them only once you are finished reading or listening
      • Memrise – continue building your vocabulary using this highly-effective website, which only teaches you words, phrases, and expressions that you will actually use in everyday conversations and interactions; in short, they teach you the vocab that matters
      • @German_mastery Instagram – another fun way to build your vocabulary and grammar knowledge is your very own Road to German Mastery’s instagram page! It is filled with grammar videos, funny videos, and songs, so you can learn German the fun way! As most of my videos are transcribed, you can follow along with the word-by-word German to English translations
    • Writing:
      • HelloTalk – in addition to improving your speaking skills, HelloTalk is the best tool for perfecting your German writing skills. The incredible chat tools allow you to translate, correct, and play audio version of any message between you and your partner. All these corrections and translations are saved in the chat history, so you can reference them at any time!
      • Interpals – the quickest and easiest way to find a penpal who you can trade longer, email-type messages with rather than short, SMS-type messages. You can become comfortable writing short paragraphs on this app, to prepare for the email you will have to write on the A2 exam!
  • Benefits of Self-Study:
    • Cost-effective: there are many free (or cheap) practice materials you can leverage online – whether it be the above-mentioned websites or applications
    • At your own pace: you can progress at your pace, rather than being forced to advance at the pace of an organized class or tutor’s curriculum
    • Versatility of resources: educating yourself affords the luxury of versatile resources; rather than sticking to the study materials provided by a teacher or tutor, you can pick your favorite elements from many different websites and applications

• Route 2 = Tutor

• • Routine: 2-3 sessions per week (30 minutes each) OR 1-2 sessions (60 minutes each)
  • Hours of study: 75-100 hours
  • Resources: in addition to taking about ½ the time that self-study would take, learning with a tutor removes the need to find your own materials. Tutors will (almost) always provide you with custom learning materials. However, it is your responsibility to complete the assignments thoroughly and to maximize your learnings.
  • Benefits of a Tutor:
    • Targeted education: having mastered the language already, tutors have a clear path to fluency in mind; they know what to prioritize and in what order, to help you advance cleanly along your language learning path
    • Materials provided: the work is done for you; rather than having to dig for solid learning materials and resources and lay them along a timeline, you tutor will provide you with ample lesson and practice materials
    • Quicker advancement: one disadvantage of teaching yourself is excessive time spent sifting through resources and learning in a random order; tutors add method to the madness and structure lesson plans to help you reach your language goals as quickly as possible

Wishing you the best of luck as you embark on your journey to the “A2 finish line!” Whether you choose to go Route 1 (Self-Study) or Route 2 (Tutor), following these guidelines and using these resources will push you towards your next goal in no time: advancing on to the B1 exam.