The Iceberg of German Fluency, Part 2: Conquering A2

Welcome to the second lesson in my series, “The Iceberg of German Fluency.” In this series, we’re uncovering the six levels of German learning, from A1 to C2, and exploring what you need to know at each stage to master the language.

As a quick reminder, German fluency is like an iceberg. The A1 and A2 levels represent the surface that most learners can reach. At these levels, you’re still building your foundation with more grammar and vocabulary, allowing you to navigate simple conversations and situations. But as you progress below the surface—from B1 to C2—you enter the true depths of the language, where complexity and nuance become the norm.

In today’s lesson, I’ll show you the A2 level—the second and final layer at the surface of the iceberg. If A1 was about learning how to introduce yourself and communicate in simple, immediate contexts, A2 is where you expand your abilities, hold slightly longer conversations, and handle more practical situations.

What's in this post?

Just like in the first lesson, I’ll break this down into four parts:

1. A general overview of the A2 level and what you can expect to achieve.
2. The official CEFR description of A2, so you understand how your skills are measured.
3. A list of grammar topics you’ll need to master to succeed at this level.
4. The conversational and communicative topics you should focus on to reach A2 proficiency.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll have a road map for mastering A2 German and feel ready to take on this level. Don’t forget to check the video description for links to additional lessons and resources. Let’s dive into the A2 level!

All Posts in the Iceberg of German Fluency Series

A1 German Iceberg 

A2 German Iceberg

B1 German Iceberg (Coming Soon)

B2 German Iceberg (Coming Soon)

C1 German Iceberg (Coming Soon)

C2 German Iceberg (Coming Soon)

How many hours does it take to learn A2 German?

At the A2 level, learners can communicate in simple and routine tasks that require direct information exchange. You’ll start handling slightly more complex situations, such as shopping for specific items, making travel arrangements, or describing your daily life and past experiences. Your vocabulary expands to about 1,000 words, and most learners reach this level after approximately 150-200 hours of study—roughly 6 months of consistent effort.

A2 is about growing your confidence and becoming more independent in basic communication. It’s still simple, but you’ll start to notice a shift in your ability to understand and express more than just the basics.

CEFR Explanation

The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is a set of standards that describes language proficiency and can be used to measure any language. While this is obviously meant for European language learners based on the name, it is so incredibly well done that many people around the world (including myself) use this as a way to measure what learners need to know and how they measure up on the road to fluency.

Each level is broken into 5 parts: listening, reading, spoken interaction, spoken production and writing. For this part of the video I’ll read the official description from the CEFR and then add more info, if I think it will help you better understand.

Listening

I can understand phrases and the highest frequency vocabulary related to areas of most immediate personal relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local area, employment). I can catch the main point in short, clear, simple messages and announcements.

At A2, you’ll still need people to speak slowly and clearly, but you can handle more practical topics. For example, you might understand a train announcement like:
Der Zug nach München fährt um 14 Uhr von Gleis 3 ab. -
The train to Munich is departing at 2 pm from track 3.

Reading

I can read very short, simple texts. I can find specific, predictable information in simple everyday material such as advertisements, prospectuses, menus and timetables and I can understand short simple personal letters.

At this level, you’ll begin to recognize simple written German in everyday contexts. You might read a train schedule or a menu and understand most of the important details, like the times or prices.

Spoken Interaction

I can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar topics and activities. I can handle very short social exchanges, even though I can't usually understand enough to keep the conversation going myself.

You’ll start handling more practical exchanges, like asking for directions:
Entschuldigung, wo ist die nächste Apotheke? -
Excuse me. Where is the nearest pharmacy?

And understanding simple answers, like:
Gehen Sie geradeaus und dann links. -
Go straight ahead and then left.

Spoken Production

I can use a series of phrases and sentences to describe in simple terms my family and other people, living conditions, my educational background and my present or most recent job.

You’ll go beyond single sentences to short, simple descriptions. For example:
Ich wohne in einer kleinen Wohnung in Berlin. Es gibt ein Schlafzimmer, eine Küche und ein Wohnzimmer. -
I live in a small apartment in Berlin. There is a bedroom, a kitchen and a living room.

Writing

I can write short, simple notes and messages relating to matters in areas of immediate needs. I can write a very simple personal letter, for example thanking someone for something.

You can write short texts like an email to a friend:
Hallo Anna, vielen Dank für deine Einladung. Ich komme am Samstag um 15 Uhr. Bis bald! -
Hello, Anna. Thank you for the invitation I am coming on Saturday at 3 pm. See you soon.

Necessary Grammar

1. Nouns and Articles
   
   1. Dative case for indirect objects:
      Ich gebe dem Mann das Buch. -
      I am giving the man the book.
   2. Genitive case for possession:
      Das ist das Buch des Lehrers. -
      This is the book of the teacher. (This is the teacher’s book.)
   3. Declension of articles across all four cases (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive).
   4. Weak nouns (n-nouns):
      der Junge, den Jungen -
      the boy
   5. Compound nouns:
      Hausaufgabenheft -
      homework notebook
2. Verbs
   
   1. Imperative: Command form in all forms.
   2. Past tense (Präteritum) of common verbs: war, hatte, ging, kam - was, had, went, came
   3. Present perfect tense (Perfekt) for regular and irregular verbs:
      Ich habe gespielt, Ich bin gegangen. -
      I played. I went.
   4. Separable verbs in Perfekt:
      Ich habe eingekauft. -
      I shopped.
   5. Reflexive verbs in accusative and dative:
      Ich freue mich. / Ich wasche mir die Hände. -
      I am happy. I am washing my hands.
   6. Verbs with fixed prepositions:
      warten auf, sprechen mit - 
      to wait for, to speak with
   7. Future tense with werden:
      Ich werde morgen lernen. -
      I will learn/study tomorrow.
3. Sentence Structure
   
   1. Subordinate clauses: word order with dass, weil, wenn, ob (that, because, if, whether)
   2. Relative clauses:
      Das ist der Mann, der im Park läuft. -
      This is the man that is running in the park.
   3. Indirect questions:
      Kannst du mir sagen, wo der Bahnhof ist? -
      Can you tell me where the train station is?
   4. Word order with time, manner, and place:
      Ich gehe morgen mit Freunden ins Kino. -
      I am going to the movie theater tomorrow with friends.
   5. Conjunctions that change word order: deshalb, trotzdem, dann (therefore, inspite of that, then)
4. Pronouns
   
   1. Reflexive pronouns in dative:
      Ich kaufe mir ein Buch. -
      I am buying myself a book.
   2. Demonstrative pronouns in accusative and dative: denen, diesem, jenen (those, this, one)
   3. Relative pronouns in nominative, accusative, and dative: der, die, das; dem, denen (that)
   4. Interrogative pronouns:
      wessen -
      whose
5. Adjectives
   
   1. Adjective endings with indefinite articles in all cases:
      ein großer Hund, eines großen Hundes -
      a large dog
   2. Adjectives with dative prepositions:
      zufrieden mit, interessiert an -
      satisfied with, interested in
   3. Comparatives with als and so...wie:
      Er ist größer als ich. -
      He is taller than I (am).
      Sie ist so nett wie er. -
      She is as nice as he (is).
   4. Adjectives as nouns:
      der Alte, die Junge -
      the old (one), the young (one)
6. Prepositions
   
   1. Prepositions with genitive:
      trotz, während, wegen, (an)statt -
      in spite of, during, because of, instead of
   2. Two-way prepositions with accusative (motion) and dative (location):
      Ich stelle das Buch auf den Tisch. -
      I am putting the book on the table.
      Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. -
      The book is lying on the table.
   3. Fixed prepositional phrases:
      im Gegensatz zu, auf jeden Fall -
      in comparison to, absolutely
7. Modal Verbs
   
   1. Modal verbs in the past tense:
      Ich musste, du konntest, er wollte. -
      I had to, you could, he wanted to.
   2. Modal verbs with multiple verbs in the sentence:
      Ich hätte gehen müssen. -
      I would have had to go.
8. Conjunctions
   
   1. Subordinating conjunctions:
      bevor, nachdem, obwohl, damit -
      before, after that, although, so that
   2. Compound conjunctions:
      sowohl...als auch, weder...noch, entweder...oder -
      both...and, neither...nor, either...or
9. Passive Voice (Basic Introduction)
   
   1. Present tense passive:
      Der Brief wird geschrieben. -
      The letter is being written.
   2. Simple past passive:
      Der Brief wurde geschrieben. -
      The letter was written.
10. Conditional Sentences
    
    1. Basic conditional with wenn:
       Wenn ich Zeit habe, helfe ich dir. -
       If I have time, I’ll help you.
    2. Konjunktiv II for polite requests:
       Könnten Sie mir helfen? -
       Could you help me?

Conversational & Communicative Topics

What does this all mean in practical terms? What can you actually talk about at this level? This list should cover it.

1. Expressing Time and Quantity
   
   1. More complex time expressions:
      vor zwei Jahren, in drei Wochen -
      two years ago, in three weeks
   2. Approximation with circa, etwa, ungefähr (all mean approximately)
   3. Expressing frequency:
      manchmal, selten, oft, meistens -
      sometimes, seldom, often, mostly
   4. Using mehr als and weniger als for comparisons:
      Ich habe mehr Zeit als du. -
      I have more time than you.
2. Expressing emotions and opinions:
   Ich bin enttäuscht, dass… / Ich denke, dass…. -
   I am frustrated that… / I think that…
3. Describing events and activities:
   Es war ein schöner Tag, weil… -
   It was a beautiful day, because…
   (Includes past events)
4. Describing your daily routine in more detail:
   Morgens stehe ich auf, frühstücke, und fahre zur Arbeit. -
   In the morning I get up, eat breakfast and drive to work.
5. Making plans for the future:
   Am Samstag werde ich mich mit Freunden treffen. -
   On Saturday I will meet up with friends.
6. Shopping for specific items:
   Ich suche ein Paar Schuhe in Größe 42. -
   I am looking for a pair of shoes in size 42.
7. Asking for and giving directions:
   Gehen Sie gerade aus und dann rechts. -
   Go straight ahead and then right.
8. Talking about your job or studies:
   Ich bin Lehrer. Ich arbeite in einer Schule. -
   I am a teacher. I work in a school.
9. Giving advice and making suggestions:
   Du solltest mehr Deutsch sprechen. -
   You should speak more German.

What's next? 

That’s what you need at the A2 level. At this stage, you’re expanding your skills and becoming more independent in everyday German. If you’re ready to take the next step, check out the resources linked in the description. And if you want to dive deeper into the iceberg, stay tuned for the next video where we’ll explore the B1 level. Bis später und viel Erfolg!