About the test

What the test measures

The test measures receptive vocabulary in German: how many words you understand when you hear them. It does not test grammar, writing or speaking. The format follows picture-based vocabulary tests of the kind used in language acquisition research.

How it works

You hear a German word and choose the matching picture out of four. The test is adaptive: correct answers lead to harder words, incorrect ones to easier words. That is why it needs only about 18 words and roughly five minutes instead of working through a long fixed list.

What the result means

You receive an approximate level between A1 and C2 on the Common European Framework of Reference. This is a first indication, not a certificate. The test is still being calibrated and is not standardised; it does not replace an official language examination.

What the test measures – and what it does not

The test measures receptive vocabulary, elicited through listening. In the Common European Framework of Reference this corresponds most closely to the Vocabulary range scale, one aspect of Linguistic competence.

That is an informative part of the picture. The Framework states explicitly that these aspects are always interrelated in language use and are not separate components that can be isolated from one another. A broad vocabulary, it notes, is generally acquired through extensive reading – so a strong result here usually goes together with a comparable level in reading and listening comprehension.

Linguistic competence also covers Grammatical accuracy, Vocabulary control, Phonological control and Orthographic control. The Framework distinguishes these from Sociolinguistic competence – appropriateness to the situation and the person you are speaking to – and Pragmatic competence, with aspects such as Flexibility, Coherence and cohesion and Fluency. Language use is further described through the communicative activities of reception, production, interaction and mediation; this test addresses reception.

The result is therefore a well-founded estimate of your level, but not an examination of every area – particularly in speaking and writing, your actual ability may differ.

The European Union’s Europass portal offers a further overview of the levels.

Data and privacy

No personal data is collected – no name, no email address, no IP address. Only the answers, the stated first language, the age group and a self-assessment are stored. This data is used to calibrate the test.

Background

The test is being developed as part of a research project on vocabulary acquisition in German as a foreign language. Once calibration is complete it will be freely available.