The difference between A1 and A2 Dutch is this: at A1 you understand isolated words and short sentences when someone speaks slowly. At A2 you can hold a simple conversation about your everyday life — work, family, shopping, making a doctor’s appointment. At B1 you can follow a normal conversation at normal speed and explain why you think something.
A1, A2, B1 and B2 are levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Below you will find what each level means per skill, and which level you need for your integration.
In this article
What is the CEFR?
The Common European Framework of Reference is a European standard for describing language ability. There are six levels in three groups:
- A — basic user: A1 and A2
- B — independent user: B1 and B2
- C — proficient user: C1 and C2
The key idea: a level describes what you can do, not how many words you know. "I can make an appointment at the dentist" is a level description. "I know 1,200 words" is not.
And each level is described per skill: reading, listening, writing and speaking. Which is exactly why the integration exam has four separate parts.
A1 versus A2: the real difference
On paper A1 and A2 look close together. In practice there is one big difference: at A2 you can manage.
At A1 you can do isolated things. Say your name, count to ten, ask where the station is. But holding a conversation does not work yet, and you need someone who speaks very slowly.
At A2 you can hold a simple conversation about things close to you. Make an appointment. Say what hurts at the doctor. Explain what work you do. Write a short email to a colleague. You still need help with difficult subjects, but everyday life works.
In short: A1 is isolated sentences. A2 is everyday life. That is the jump.
All levels, per skill
This table gives you a feel per skill. These are plain-language descriptions, not official CEFR wording.
| A1 | A2 | B1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | isolated words, names, very short notes | short everyday texts: adverts, letters, forms | longer texts on familiar subjects; you get the gist |
| Listening | isolated words when spoken very slowly | simple conversations about familiar things, clearly spoken | conversations at normal speed; you follow news or an explanation |
| Writing | a form with your name and address | a short letter or email; filling in a form | a coherent text about something you experienced or think |
| Speaking | isolated sentences about yourself, with many pauses | a simple conversation about work, family, shopping, health | giving an opinion and explaining it; keeping a conversation going |
A2 versus B1: a bigger step than you think
Many people assume B1 is "a bit better than A2". It is not. The step from A2 to B1 is larger than the step from A1 to A2.
The difference is mostly about help. At A2 the other person may speak slowly, repeat themselves and choose easier words. At B1 you are expected to follow a normal conversation — without anyone adjusting for you.
On top of that, B1 asks you not just to give information but to give an opinion with a reason. "I think this is a good idea, because…" That is a different kind of language from "I work in healthcare".
And B2, C1 and C2?
You do not need these for your integration, but it helps to know where they sit.
- B2: you can also discuss abstract subjects and follow a debate. Often required for higher education.
- C1: you use Dutch fluently and flexibly, including at work.
- C2: close to a native speaker.
The language exams at B1 and B2 are called the staatsexamen Nederlands als tweede taal (NT2). That is a different exam from the integration exam, with its own rules and dates.
Which level do you need?
Under the Wet inburgering 2021 your level depends on your learning route, set out in your PIP. The municipality decides it with you.
| Learning route | Level | For whom |
|---|---|---|
| B1 route | B1 | the standard route: language and (voluntary) work, maximum 3 years |
| Education route | B1 or higher | mainly young people heading for further education |
| Self-reliance route | A1 | when B1 is not achievable: language and participation |
All routes also include KNM (Knowledge of Dutch Society).
Did you fall under the older Wet inburgering 2013? Then all language exams had to be at "A2 or higher". Note a detail many websites get wrong: the Wet inburgering 2021 took effect on 1 January 2022. The law is named 2021 but applies from 2022.
"De nieuwe Wet Inburgering is in werking getreden op 1 januari 2022." Under the Wet 2013 the language exams had to be at level A2 or higher.
Source: rijksoverheid.nl — the new integration act — consulted 28-07-2026 (Dutch)
If you do not know which law or route applies to you, it is in Mijn Inburgering. Do not guess — it determines which exams you must sit.
Why your level differs per skill
Almost nobody sits at exactly the same level across all four skills. That is normal, and worth knowing.
- Reading runs ahead. You can take your time with a text, so it improves fastest.
- Listening lags behind. You do not control the pace and you cannot go back.
- Speaking feels hardest. Not because you cannot, but because it takes nerve.
- Writing responds best to training. Targeted practice helps quickest here.
That is why the integration exam tests each part separately, and why a fail means retaking only that one part — see failing and retaking.
What A2 means in the exam
Reading 65 minutes, Listening 45 minutes, Writing 40 minutes (pen and paper, 4 assignments), Speaking 35 minutes.
Source: inburgeren.nl — content of the language exams — consulted 28-07-2026 (Dutch)
The texts and conversations are about ordinary things: a letter from school, a conversation at the doctor, an announcement at the station. No politics, no literature, no jargon.
Which is the main thing to remember: A2 is not a high level, but it is a real one. You have to be able to manage in everyday life. And that is precisely what you can practise.
Want to know where you stand? Take a free practice exam at A2 level, or read the explanation of the four parts.