The levels from 1 to 5
1 to 5 are the names of a scale in common use. What stands on this page is this project’s own reading of it — not an official assessment and not a certificate.
1
First steps
Pinyin and the tones, the first characters, introducing yourself, simple sentences with 是 and 有.
What you can do at this level
- read pinyin and tell the four tones apart
- introduce yourself and others
- understand numbers, the time, dates and prices
- say what you have, want and do
- ask simple questions with 吗 and question words
Grammar at this level
Sounds and characters, The basic sentence, Nouns, numbers and measure words, The particle de and modification, Time and place, Modal verbs, Comparison …
2
Foundations
Talk about your day, use 了 and 过 for what has happened, compare things.
What you can do at this level
- talk about the past and about experiences
- compare things and people
- give reasons and simple conditions
- ask for things and make suggestions
- read short texts with common characters
Grammar at this level
Sounds and characters, The basic sentence, Nouns, numbers and measure words, The particle de and modification, Time and place, Aspect: le, guo, zhe and zai, Modal verbs …
3
Intermediate
Tell a connected story, say how an action turned out and where it went, give reasons for an opinion.
What you can do at this level
- say how an action turned out, where it went and whether it can be done
- understand and build sentences with 把 and 被
- give and weigh reasons for an opinion
- tell a connected story about something that happened
- read shorter everyday texts on your own
Grammar at this level
Nouns, numbers and measure words, The particle de and modification, Time and place, Aspect: le, guo, zhe and zai, Modal verbs, Complements after the verb, Comparison …
4
Upper intermediate
Talk about society, work and culture, read longer texts.
What you can do at this level
- talk about work, education and society
- express concession, condition and consequence
- read longer texts with a dictionary
- weigh advantages and disadvantages
- frame a thought with introductory phrases
Grammar at this level
Nouns, numbers and measure words, Complements after the verb, Comparison, Sentence patterns, Adverbs that carry the grammar, Linking clauses, Sentence-final particles …
5
Advanced
Follow newspaper articles and conversations at work, say exactly what you mean in the right tone.
What you can do at this level
- understand the gist of newspaper articles and reports
- tell spoken style from written style
- express stance, reservation and emphasis
- understand and use common four-character expressions
- give a longer argument a clear structure
Grammar at this level
Adverbs that carry the grammar, Linking clauses, Sentence-final particles, Politeness and social language, Expressions (level 4), Expressions (level 5), Written Chinese