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.

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.