CEFR + your vocabulary path
The CEFR does not set an official word count, but research offers useful orientation ranges for A1-C2. Browse those ranges free on this map. Personal catalogue progress and an approximate MovaReader stage become meaningful when you mark many words as learned while reading - practically on paid plans from €1/month (Reader).
A1-C2 research ranges are open without login. Personal progress on the map fills when you mark words as learned in MovaReader. Meaningful volume typically needs a paid plan from €1/month (Reader), because Free plan daily limits are tight. Sign in or register when you are ready - see pricing for plans.
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. The Free plan has tight daily limits; paid plans from €1/month (Reader) unlock the reading and translation volume to mark many learned words.
Vocabulary from articles and level lists accumulates in the catalogue. Level progress = learned / catalogue size. Marking many words is what feeds the map stage.
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 map progress is catalogue-based: words and phrases with status learned (mastered) divided by that level's catalogue size. Items marked as learning are shown separately, as a second bar segment and a "+N learning" label; they are excluded from the percentage but do count toward the level estimate. Word forms, multiword expressions, and depth of knowledge may be counted differently in research, so figures are approximate. Practically useful filling of the map needs marking many words - unlocked on paid plans from €1/month (Reader), not Free plan daily limits alone.
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, learned words and phrases are divided by the total size of that level's catalogue. If part of the catalogue is unavailable, the map clearly states which data is missing.
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 needs a learning language plus words marked as learned in the MovaReader catalogue. Knowledge "in your head" without app statuses does not appear. Meaningful filling of the map typically needs a paid plan from €1/month (Reader), not free daily limits alone.
Research ranges are free to browse. Personal percentages and the approximate MovaReader stage need words marked as learned. Practically, paid plans from €1/month (Reader) unlock the reading and translation volume to build that progress. This is not an official exam level.
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.
