Duolingo German Is Good For … Students who are CEFR language learners at levels A–B1.
Duolingo isn't really intended to get you to B1. And even if it were, it would take more than six months to get there. A commonly cited statistic is that it takes 360 hours in a classroom to reach B1.
At the end of the Duolingo German tree, you will have learned approximately 2000 words, putting you somewhere around A2-B1 for listening and reading skills, using the CEFR levels (not quite intermediate).
At Duolingo, we're developing our courses to get you to a level called B2, at which you can get a job in the language you're studying. Reaching that kind of proficiency requires dedication, varied practice opportunities, and a lot of time.
According to CEFR, B1 level means:
Attaining b1 level German is something that you should be proud of. You can understand the main points of familiar matters that come across in families, schools, workplaces, etc. You can create text on simple topics of personal interest in language.
If you take intensive classes (around 20 hours per week), you can reach the B1 level of day-to-day fluency. Fluency takes more than 3 months, but you can still learn in less time if you adjust your strategy.
They say that you need to have completed at least 350 45-minute German lessons/practice sessions to reach B1, which would take roughly a year and a half since most people can't take a lesson every single day in a row.
Standard High German, Standarddeutsch: Over time, German writers tried various forms out until eventually it evolved into Standard High German, and you'll recognize it as the variety you're learning on Duolingo.
If you are preparing for the Goethe Institut's B1 exam, you must learn at least another thousand words. That's a total of 2,400 words. That's quite a jump, and it can get a bit complex because you have plurals and gender (among other things) to remember.
These levels are classified as A1 for beginners, A2 for elementary, B1 for intermediate, B2 for upper intermediate, C1 as advanced, and C2 as mastery.
If you are opting the course in German taught program then the universities will ask for B2 or C1 level. On the other hand if you are applying for the course in English taught program then the universities will only ask the German language proficiency up to B1 level.
Conclusion. Based on this instant analysis of vocabulary level of each word, we can see that it should be relatively easy for a reader with a B2 vocabulary should be able to understand this text without much effort but could be a slight challenge for a B1 level learner. And a great challenge for an A2 level learner.
Level B1 corresponds to independent users of the language, i.e. those who have the necessary fluency to communicate without effort with native speakers.
The B1 level on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is considered intermediate or upper-intermediate, and it is not considered fluent or proficient because there is still room for improvement in a number of areas.
Duolingo is brilliant for getting to grips with the listening and reading side of a language. You even get opportunities to practice your pronunciation. But when it comes to speaking in a real-life scenario, Duolingo's German course won't get you there by itself.
Germany is one of the popular countries that accept Duolingo scores alongside USA, Canada, Japan, Germany and Australia. The test is much easier than IELTS and TOEFL and acts as their alternative.
You will have learned about 2000 words by the time you reach the end of the Duolingo German tree, placing you somewhere between levels A2-B1 for listening and reading according to the CEFR (not quite intermediate).
As a rough guide, Cambridge exams estimate that each level is reached with the following guided learning hours: A2, 180–200; B1, 350–400; B2, 500–600; C1, 700–800, and C2, 1,000–1,200.
So, can Duolingo make you fluent? By itself, no. But when used in the right way, I would say it can — but this will depend entirely on your definition of fluency, the quality of your language course, and whether you actually use the language away from Duolingo.
Level B2 corresponds to independent users of the language, i.e. those who have the necessary fluency to communicate without effort with native speakers.
For the speaking section, get as much practice in beforehand, especially if you find speaking your weakest skill. Get together with a tandem partner or a native German friend and just talk. The test exams include the speaking section. Go over them to get a feel for the types of things you need to be able to talk about.
If you take intensive classes (around 20 hours per week), you can reach the B1 level of day-to-day fluency. ... It takes around 80 hours per week (up to 8 weeks) to learn the German B1 level, also known as the intermediate level.
At this level, students are well-versed with the basic concepts but are not advanced in work or study exclusively in English. Learning a new language is not an easy task. You need to invest at least 4 to 5 months of preparation before attempting the exam. Without preparation, clearing the B1 writing test can be tricky.