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Free Brazilian Portuguese Level Test: Find Your CEFR and Celpe-Bras Level

25 questions in Brazilian Portuguese, from easy to hard, with instructions in English. In about 10 minutes you get your estimated level, A1 to C2, the Celpe-Bras band it is near and where to start learning.

I’m a total beginner, start me at lesson 1

Free. A practice test, not an official Celpe-Bras result.

  • 25 questions
  • 3 Celpe-Bras sections
  • A1–C2 estimate
  • 8 minutes

How does the Portuguese level test work?

25 short questions, a little harder every five, from A1 up to C1. No timer, no sign-up to start, and one tap answers each question.

  1. Start at A1

    Everyday words, simple sentences and short notes from daily life in Brazil.

  2. Step up to C1

    Vocabulary, grammar, word order and short texts, one level up every five questions. Several misses in a row and the next questions come from an easier level.

  3. See your level

    Your estimated CEFR level, A1 to C2, the Celpe-Bras band it is near, a score for vocabulary, grammar and reading, and the lesson to start at in Slova.

How we estimate your level

Every question is written at one level: a word gap, the closest meaning or the right reply, a grammar gap, Portuguese word order with the ★ piece, and a short text like the notices, e-mails and articles of Brazilian textbooks. A level counts as passed when you get three of its questions right, and your result is the highest level you passed, counting up from A1. A short test cannot tell C1 from C2, so C2 shows as your next goal. The Celpe-Bras itself has no multiple-choice questions: it asks you to watch, listen and read, then write, and has an interview. So we give the band your level is near, as an estimate, not an official Celpe-Bras result. For the real exam, see Celpe-Bras on INEP’s site.

What your Portuguese test result shows

All of it on one screen, free. Leave your email at the end to see it, and we send you a copy.

  • Your Portuguese levelA1 to C2 (or below A1), with your next goal and, from B1 up, the Celpe-Bras band it is near.
  • A score for each sectionVocabulary, grammar and reading, counted apart.
  • Every answer explainedThe right answer and a short reason in English, for every question you saw.
  • Where to start in SlovaThe lesson of our Brazilian Portuguese course that matches your level.
Example result
Your Portuguese level: aboutB1You’d likely reach A1 to B1 · 15 of 25 right
  • Vocabulary8 of 11
  • Grammar5 of 10
  • Reading2 of 4

Where to start

NextLesson 201: what you would do.

Portuguese levels explained: A1 to C2

Portuguese levels follow the Common European Framework (CEFR). The Celpe-Bras certifies from about B1 up, in four bands.

  1. A1

    Beginner

    • Introduce yourself and ask simple questions.
    • Understand short notes and signs.
    • Use ser, estar, ter and the present.
  2. A2

    Elementary

    • Talk about your day, work and family.
    • Read short e-mails, ads and notices.
    • Below the Celpe-Bras certificate level.
  3. B1

    Intermediate · near Celpe-Bras Intermediário

    • Handle most everyday situations.
    • Give opinions, plans and reasons.
    • The first Celpe-Bras band.
  4. B2

    Upper-intermediate · near Intermediário Superior

    • Follow articles and debates.
    • Argue a point of view clearly.
    • Asked by many Brazilian universities.
  5. C1

    Advanced · near Avançado

    • Read long, demanding texts.
    • Use Portuguese flexibly at work and in study.
    • Shows near-professional command.
  6. C2

    Proficient · near Avançado Superior

    • Understand practically everything.
    • Express fine shades of meaning.
    • The highest Celpe-Bras band.

Brazilian Portuguese quiz: sample questions

Five questions from this test, from A1 to C1, like the vocabulary, grammar and reading items it asks. Tap to see the answer and why.

Example 1 · A1 · Which word best fills the blank?

Está muito calor hoje; vou colocar uma garrafa de água na ＿＿＿.

  • cama
  • geladeira
  • mochila
  • parede
Show the answer

geladeira. A bottle of water is kept cold in the geladeira (refrigerator).

Example 2 · A2 · Which best fills the blank?

Antigamente, quando morava no interior, seu Antônio sempre ＿＿＿ a pé para o trabalho.

  • foi
  • ia
  • irá
  • vai
Show the answer

ia. A habitual action in the past (sempre, antigamente) requires the pretérito imperfeito: ia.

Example 3 · B1 · Read the text, then answer the question.

Olá, Carolina!

Seja bem-vinda ao programa de intercâmbio da universidade. Na próxima segunda-feira, às 10h, teremos uma reunião de orientação para apresentar as instalações do campus e tirar dúvidas sobre a matrícula nas disciplinas. O encontro será no auditório do bloco B. Por favor, traga seu documento de identidade e o comprovante de inscrição impresso.

Atenciosamente,
Coordenação de Relações Internacionais

Qual é o objetivo principal da reunião de segunda-feira?

  • Aplicar uma prova de nivelamento de português para os alunos.
  • Apresentar o campus e esclarecer dúvidas sobre as matrículas.
  • Distribuir bolsas de estudo aos melhores intercambistas.
  • Organizar uma festa de encerramento do semestre letivo.
Show the answer

Apresentar o campus e esclarecer dúvidas sobre as matrículas.. The email clearly states that the meeting is to introduce the campus and answer questions about course enrollment.

Example 4 · B2 · Which is closest in meaning to the underlined part?

Para realizar o sonho de abrir o próprio restaurante, dona Márcia teve que abrir mão de suas viagens de férias.

  • desfrutar de
  • financiar
  • renunciar a
  • reorganizar
Show the answer

renunciar a. The expression abrir mão de means to give up or relinquish: renunciar a.

Example 5 · C1 · Which word best fills the blank?

A procuradoria-geral emitiu um parecer detalhado com o propósito de ＿＿＿ as controvérsias suscitadas pela nova legislação tributária.

  • agravar
  • dirimir
  • fomentar
  • suscitar
Show the answer

dirimir. Dirimir controvérsias is the cultivated legal collocation for settling, dispelling, or resolving disputes.

Celpe-Bras levels: Intermediário to Avançado Superior

One exam, one score from 0 to 5, and four certificate bands. Below 2.00 there is no certificate.

Celpe-Bras bandScoreAbout
Intermediário2.00–2.75B1
Intermediário Superior2.76–3.50B2
Avançado3.51–4.25C1
Avançado Superior4.26–5.00C2

The CEFR column is an approximation: the Celpe-Bras is Brazil’s own exam and does not use the CEFR. If our test puts you at A1 or A2, your result says you are below the Celpe-Bras certificate level, and B1 is the goal for a first certificate.

Portuguese grammar test: what each level checks

One in five questions you see is a grammar gap, and one more puts words in order.

  • A1: ser, estar and ter, the present, articles and contractions (no, na, do, da), ir + infinitive, possessives.
  • A2: the pretérito perfeito and imperfeito, object pronouns, comparatives (melhor, mais … do que), estar + gerúndio.
  • B1: the presente and futuro do subjuntivo (é importante que, quando você chegar), the condicional, the mais-que-perfeito composto, relative onde and que.
  • B2: the imperfeito do subjuntivo (se eu tivesse), the infinitivo pessoal, the passive with se, connectors such as embora, caso and contanto que.
  • C1: formal connectors (porquanto, conquanto, haja vista), verb government (preferir a, implicar), expressões idiomáticas.

Three grammar examples from this test, at A2, B1 and B2:

Example 1 · A2 · Which best fills the blank?

Ontem nós fomos ao cinema, mas Lucas não ＿＿＿ sentiu bem e voltou para casa.

  • lhe
  • se
  • si
  • te
Show the answer

se. The reflexive verb sentir-se takes the third-person reflexive pronoun se: não se sentiu bem.

Example 2 · B1 · Which best fills the blank?

Assim que o Pedro ＿＿＿ o resultado do processo seletivo, ele vai nos mandar uma mensagem.

  • sabe
  • sabia
  • soube
  • souber
Show the answer

souber. The temporal conjunction assim que referring to a future event takes the futuro do subjuntivo: souber.

Example 3 · B2 · Which best fills the blank?

Se nós ＿＿＿ mais recursos financeiros neste semestre, contrataríamos mais dois pesquisadores para a equipe.

  • temos
  • tínhamos
  • tivermos
  • tivéssemos
Show the answer

tivéssemos. A counterfactual hypothetical condition paired with the conditional contrataríamos requires the imperfeito do subjuntivo: tivéssemos.

Celpe-Bras exam: format and scoring

The Celpe-Bras is the Brazilian state certificate of Portuguese for foreigners, run by INEP for Brazil’s Ministry of Education.

The exam has two parts. The Parte Escrita has four integrated tasks: you watch a video, listen to an audio and read texts, and write a text for a given reader and purpose. The Parte Oral is a 20-minute interview about you and about short texts and images. Both parts are scored from 0 to 5, and your certificate band comes from the two together. The certificate does not expire.

Our test covers the vocabulary, grammar and reading the Celpe-Bras builds on, not its video, listening, writing or speaking. Dates, fees and exam centres are set by INEP; see Celpe-Bras on gov.br. Past exams, with their videos and audios, are in the public Acervo Celpe-Bras.

Portuguese placement test: where to start in Slova

Your result also places you in Slova’s spoken Brazilian Portuguese course of 400 lessons, so you skip what you already know.

Slova is a speaking course: you learn by talking, with an AI tutor, from the first lesson. A written test tends to overrate speaking, so from B1 up we start you one step lower than your reading level.

Your resultStart at
Below A1Lesson 1 · First greetings and polite basics
A1Lesson 61 · Immediate future plans and invitations
A2Lesson 101 · Setting the scene when something happened
B1Lesson 201 · What you would do
B2Lesson 251 · Organizing a group meal or outing
C1 and upLesson 301 · What would have happened

New to Portuguese? Skip the test and start at lesson 1.

Portuguese level test FAQ

Taking English too? Try the English level test. For the official exam, see Celpe-Bras.

What is Celpe-Bras?

The Celpe-Bras (Certificado de Proficiência em Língua Portuguesa para Estrangeiros) is Brazil’s official certificate of Portuguese for foreigners, run by INEP for the Ministry of Education. It is one exam for everyone, and your score places you in one of four bands, from Intermediário to Avançado Superior.

What are the Celpe-Bras levels?

Four bands: Intermediário (score 2.00–2.75), Intermediário Superior (2.76–3.50), Avançado (3.51–4.25) and Avançado Superior (4.26–5.00). They are roughly B1, B2, C1 and C2 on the CEFR. Below 2.00 there is no certificate.

How is Celpe-Bras scored?

The written part and the oral interview are each scored from 0 to 5, and the two give your band. There is no pass or fail beyond reaching the first band, Intermediário.

Is this test for Brazilian or European Portuguese?

Brazilian Portuguese: the words, grammar and texts are those used in Brazil (você, ônibus, celular, café da manhã), and so is our course. Most of it carries over to European Portuguese, but some words, pronoun placement and spelling differ, so a European Portuguese learner may score a little lower here.

What is CIPLE?

CIPLE is the A2 exam of CAPLE, the University of Lisbon’s European Portuguese exams, and the one most often used for Portuguese citizenship. It is a different exam from the Brazilian Celpe-Bras; see CAPLE. This test is in Brazilian Portuguese.

Do I need Celpe-Bras for Brazilian naturalization?

Brazilian naturalization asks you to show you can communicate in Portuguese, and the Celpe-Bras certificate is one accepted proof; the rules list others and can change. Check the current requirements with Brazil’s Federal Police or a Brazilian consulate. This level test is not accepted as proof.

Does the Celpe-Bras have a listening part?

Yes. Its written tasks start from a video and an audio, and it has an oral interview. This free test has no listening, writing or speaking part, so it estimates your level from vocabulary, grammar and reading only.

How do I know my Portuguese level?

Take a level test like this one: 25 questions from A1 to C1 give you an estimated CEFR level and the Celpe-Bras band it is near. For an official result, sit the Celpe-Bras.

Is the Portuguese level test free?

Yes. All 25 questions, your level, the section scores and the explanations are free. We ask for your email at the end to show the result and send you a copy.

Is the result an official Portuguese certificate?

No. This is a practice and level test made by Slova, and its result is an estimate. Only the Celpe-Bras (or, for European Portuguese, CAPLE) gives an official certificate.

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