CEFR + your vocabulary path
The CEFR does not set an official word count, but research offers useful orientation ranges for A1-C2. MovaReader shows those ranges and, after you sign in, tracks learned words against the catalogue.
Map orientation
5,000+
frequent lemmas as a C2 orientation
Below are research-informed CEFR ranges. After you sign in, the map compares your learned words with the MovaReader catalogue at each level.
A1
Research orientation
up to 1,500 words
Beginner survival: greetings, personal details, and basic needs.
Research orientation: up to 1,500 words
This is not the MovaReader catalogue size - see Evidence and method below.
Next map dimensions
In developmentA2
Research orientation
1,500-2,500 words
Everyday topics, short exchanges, and simple texts about familiar matters.
Research orientation: 1,500-2,500 words
This is not the MovaReader catalogue size - see Evidence and method below.
Next map dimensions
In developmentB1
Research orientation
2,500-3,250 words
Independent use for travel, work, and study; main ideas in clear texts.
Research orientation: 2,500-3,250 words
This is not the MovaReader catalogue size - see Evidence and method below.
Next map dimensions
In developmentB2
Research orientation
3,250-3,750 words
More fluent interaction; complex texts and reasoned argument.
Research orientation: 3,250-3,750 words
This is not the MovaReader catalogue size - see Evidence and method below.
Next map dimensions
In developmentC1
Research orientation
3,750-4,500 words
Flexible language use in academic and professional settings.
Research orientation: 3,750-4,500 words
This is not the MovaReader catalogue size - see Evidence and method below.
Next map dimensions
In developmentC2
Research orientation
4,500-5,000+ words
Near-native precision, nuance, idioms, and subtle shades of meaning.
Research orientation: 4,500-5,000+ words
This is not the MovaReader catalogue size - see Evidence and method below.
Next map dimensions
In developmentEach level shows a research-informed frequent-vocabulary range and a short CEFR can-do summary.
Without a learning language, progress cannot load. After setup, the map fetches the catalogue and your word statuses.
Vocabulary from articles and level lists accumulates in the catalogue. Level progress = learned / catalogue size.
The vocabulary map is one dimension. The grammar tree and trainers help lock words into context.
Evidence and method
The CEFR does not set an official word count for A1-C2. The map ranges are research-informed orientation for frequent English vocabulary, not a guarantee of proficiency. For Spanish, the Plan Curricular defines content, not a single mandatory word total.
Personal progress compares words marked as learned with the level catalogue size when available, otherwise with the upper orientation target. Word forms, multiword expressions, and depth of knowledge may be counted differently in research, so these figures should be read as approximate.
Council of Europe, 2020
The official Companion Volume describes vocabulary range qualitatively, from a basic repertoire of words and phrases to a very broad repertoire that includes idioms and colloquial expressions.
Open source ↗Instituto Cervantes
The Plan Curricular distributes Spanish language material and thematic vocabulary across A1-C2, but it does not set one mandatory word count. The map figures are therefore orientation, not level certification.
Open source ↗Milton & Alexiou, 2009
The X-Lex study connects CEFR levels with knowledge among the 5,000 most frequent English lemmas. Its ranges provide the orientation used in these cards.
Open source ↗Nation, 2006
For about 98% coverage of authentic English, the study estimates 8,000-9,000 word families for reading and 6,000-7,000 for speech. This is why 5,000 is not a C2 ceiling.
Open source ↗There is no official number. The orientation ranges on this map (about 1,500 / 2,500 / 3,250 / 3,750 / 4,500 / 5,000+ frequent lemmas) draw on studies such as X-Lex (Milton and Alexiou) and are navigation aids, not level certificates.
The CEFR describes communicative abilities: what a person can understand and do. Vocabulary range in the Companion Volume is qualitative because languages, tests, and knowledge types (receptive vs productive) do not collapse into one counter.
Research often counts lemmas or word families (go, goes, went as one unit). Catalogues and apps may count separate forms. Comparing "my 2,000 words" across sources is almost always approximate.
No. 5,000 frequent lemmas is an orientation near the top of X-Lex-style scales, not a C2 ceiling. For high coverage of authentic texts, Nation estimates much larger word-family totals, and grammar, fluency, and skills still matter.
For each CEFR level, words with status "learned" (mastered) are divided by that level's catalogue size. If the catalogue is still empty, the upper research orientation bound is used as a fallback denominator.
No. The map ranges are mainly inspired by English frequent-vocabulary research. For Spanish, the Instituto Cervantes Plan Curricular defines themes and content by level, not one mandatory word count.
Progress appears only after sign-in, choosing a learning language, and marking words in the MovaReader catalogue. Knowledge "in your head" without app statuses does not appear on the map.
No. It is a learning compass and catalogue tracker. Official level is confirmed by exams and real language use, not only by a percentage of learned cards.
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