How the level test works

How the Estonian level test works

The test has 30 questions: 10 at A1, 10 at A2 and 10 at B1. They go from easy to hard, and each comes from a different topic: 49 topics at A1, 52 at A2 and 36 at B1. Topics and questions are drawn afresh every time, so you can take the test again and again.

The questions cover grammar — verb endings, cases, the past tense, the conditional, impersonal forms — and the vocabulary of everyday topics: family, work, shopping, health, travel, society. If you don’t know an answer, press “I don’t know”: a lucky guess inflates the result and the test then suggests the wrong topics.

The test is free, needs no sign-up and takes about 10–15 minutes.

How your level is scored

A level counts as passed when you get at least 7 of its 10 questions right (70%). Levels count in order: A2 counts only if A1 is passed, and B1 only if A1 and A2 are. That way lucky answers on hard questions don’t push your result above your real level.

What A1, A2 and B1 mean

The levels come from the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), the scale Estonia’s state language exams use.

• A1 — beginner: you can introduce yourself, talk about yourself and your family, understand simple questions, numbers, times and prices, and get by in a shop or café.
• A2 — elementary: you can handle familiar situations — at work, at the doctor’s, at the bank, on public transport — talk about the past and your plans, and write short notes and letters. A2 is required for long-term resident status and for some jobs.
• B1 — intermediate: you understand the main points of conversations and texts on familiar topics, can give and justify an opinion, and write connected text. B1 is required for Estonian citizenship and for many jobs in services and the public sector.

The level test and the Harno exam

The result is a guide, not an official certificate. The state exams at A2, B1, B2 and C1 are run by Harno, and each has four parts: writing, listening, reading and speaking. This test checks the grammar and vocabulary all the parts rest on, but writing and speaking need practice of their own.

If the test puts you at A2 or B1, see how that exam works: the points you need, what happens in each part and how to register.

• How the A2 exam works: parts, points, registration
• How the B1 exam works: parts, points, registration

What to do after the test

At the end you will see your score at each level and a list of the topics where you made mistakes. Open those topics: each has exercises with explanations and a written-out rule. Once you have gone over them, take the full test for your level — it asks one question from every topic — and take the level test again in a couple of weeks.

• Estonian A1 test
• Estonian A2 test
• Estonian B1 test
• All A1, A2 and B1 topics