CEFR A1 in Spanish: what you can do

A1 is the first step on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). At this level you can handle simple, familiar exchanges and short, predictable sentences. You are not expected to understand fast speech or write long texts yet.

What you can do

• Introduce yourself and other people: name, origin, job, where you live.
• Ask and answer simple questions about daily life, such as the time, the price or the way to a place.
• Order food and drink in a café or restaurant, and ask for the bill.
• Understand simple, slow instructions and very short announcements.
• Write a short postcard or message about yourself, using simple sentences.

Typical grammar at A1

• Present tense of regular verbs (hablo, hablas, habla) and the common irregulars ser, estar, tener, ir.
• Ser and estar for identity and location. See Ser vs estar.
• Noun gender and singular and plural forms: el libro, la mesa, los libros.
• Basic question words: qué, quién, dónde, cuándo, cómo, cuánto.
• Hay (there is or there are), me gusta / me gustan (I like), and simple negatives with no.

Vocabulary themes

Numbers, days, months, colours, family, food and drink, the home, shopping, and getting around. Most of the vocabulary comes from the phrase lists: ordering at a restaurant, asking for directions and introducing yourself.

Example sentences at A1

• Me llamo Lucía. Soy de Argentina y vivo en Madrid.
• ¿Cuánto cuesta el café?
• Tengo dos hermanos. Mi hermana es médica.
• Hoy hace calor. Me gusta la playa.

What comes next

At A2, you talk about the past and plans in more detail, and your vocabulary moves beyond the immediate. Read the A2 guide to see what changes.