Free Russian Level Test: Find Your TORFL (ТРКИ) Level
25 questions in the style of TORFL, from easy to hard, with instructions in English and a Latin transliteration at the first levels. In about 10 minutes you get your estimated level, A1 to C2, and where to start learning.
I’m a total beginner, start me at lesson 1
Free. A practice test, not an official TORFL result.
- 25 questions
- 3 TORFL sections
- A1–C2 estimate
- 8 minutes
How does the Russian 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.
Start at A1
Everyday words, simple sentences and short notices, like TORFL Elementary. A Latin transliteration under each line helps you read Cyrillic; switch it off if you don’t need it.
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.
See your level
Your estimated level, A1 to C2, with its TORFL name, 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 like the TORFL subtest Лексика. Грамматика, Russian word order with the ★ piece, and a short text like the subtest Чтение. 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 TORFL-3 from TORFL-4, so C2 shows as your next goal. The questions are original and not calibrated on large groups of learners, so the result is an estimate, not an official TORFL result. For the real exam, see the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute.
What your Russian 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 Russian levelA1 to C2 (or below A1) with its TORFL name, the TORFL levels you would likely pass and your next goal.
- 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 Russian course that matches your level.
- Vocabulary8 of 11
- Grammar5 of 10
- Reading2 of 4
Where to start
NextLesson 221: running daily life more independently.
TORFL levels explained: Elementary to TORFL-4
TORFL (ТРКИ) has six levels, each matched to a CEFR level. The Russian names are ТЭУ, ТБУ and ТРКИ-1 to ТРКИ-4.
- A1
Elementary · ТЭУ
- Introduce yourself and ask simple questions.
- Understand signs, short notices and forms.
- Use the present tense and the first cases.
- A2
Basic · ТБУ
- Talk about your day, work and family.
- Read short messages and ads.
- Covers simple social and travel needs.
- B1
TORFL-1 · ТРКИ-1
- Handle most everyday situations.
- Give opinions, plans and reasons.
- The usual level for study in Russian.
- B2
TORFL-2 · ТРКИ-2
- Follow articles, lectures and debates.
- Argue a point of view clearly.
- Asked for degrees in the humanities.
- C1
TORFL-3 · ТРКИ-3
- Read long, demanding texts.
- Use Russian at work and in study.
- Asked of philologists and translators.
- C2
TORFL-4 · ТРКИ-4
- Understand practically everything.
- Express fine shades of meaning.
- The highest TORFL level.
Russian quiz: TORFL-style 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?
На улице идёт сильный дождь, возьми с собой ＿＿＿.
- зонт
- ключ
- паспорт
- телефон
Show the answer
зонт. When it rains heavily outside, one takes an umbrella: зонт.
Example 2 · A2 · Which best fills the blank?
По вечерам после работы мой брат активно занимается ＿＿＿.
- спорт
- спорта
- спорте
- спортом
Show the answer
спортом. The reflexive verb заниматься governs the instrumental case without a preposition: спортом.
Example 3 · B1 · Read the text, then answer the question.
Уважаемые читатели!
В связи с инвентаризацией библиотека гуманитарного факультета закрыта с 25 по 28 ноября. Студентам, которым необходимо сдать книги до начала сессии, следует обратиться на абонемент центрального корпуса. Выдача новых учебников возобновится в понедельник, 1 декабря, в обычном режиме.
Где студенты могут сдать книги во время закрытия библиотеки факультета?
- В деканате гуманитарного факультета.
- В читальном зале общежития.
- Книги сдать нельзя до 1 декабря.
- На абонементе центрального корпуса.
Show the answer
На абонементе центрального корпуса.. The announcement explicitly directs students returning books to the central building desk (абонемент центрального корпуса).
Example 4 · B2 · Which word best fills the blank?
Недобросовестная реклама нового лекарства намеренно ввела покупателей в ＿＿＿, пообещав мгновенное исцеление.
- заблуждение
- затруднение
- ошибку
- сомнение
Show the answer
заблуждение. The established Russian collocation meaning to mislead someone is ввести в заблуждение.
Example 5 · C1 · Which is closest in meaning to the underlined part?
Михаил понимал, что проект потребует колоссальных усилий, но всё же скрепя сердце согласился возглавить рабочую группу.
- неохотно, вопреки внутреннему желанию
- посоветовавшись с близкими друзьями
- рассчитывая на скорое повышение в должности
- с искренним энтузиазмом и радостью
Show the answer
неохотно, вопреки внутреннему желанию. The idiom скрепя сердце means reluctantly, doing something against one’s true inclinations.
Russian A1 test: what TORFL Elementary checks
The first five questions of this test are at A1. Get three of them right and you have the first level.
At A1 (TORFL Elementary, ТЭУ) you read Cyrillic, know the words of daily life (family, food, the city, work, time) and build simple sentences. In grammar, that means the present tense, gender and the plural, the first uses of the cases (в Москве, у меня нет, я люблю музыку), possessives like мой and моя, and numbers with nouns (два студента).
Three A1 examples from this test:
Example 1 · A1 · Which word best fills the blank?
В магазине Ахмед купил новую тетрадь и синюю ＿＿＿.
- вилку
- ручку
- тарелку
- шапку
Show the answer
ручку. At a stationery shop alongside a notebook (тетрадь), one buys a pen: ручка (ручку).
Example 2 · A1 · Which best fills the blank?
Я не могу написать сообщение, потому что у меня нет ＿＿＿.
- телефон
- телефона
- телефоне
- телефону
Show the answer
телефона. Negation of possession with нет requires the genitive case: нет телефона.
Example 3 · A1 · Which reply fits best?
— Извините, скажите, пожалуйста, где здесь аптека? — ＿＿＿
- Мне двадцать лет.
- Она прямо за углом.
- Она стоит сто рублей.
- Я врач по профессии.
Show the answer
Она прямо за углом.. A question asking where a pharmacy is located (где...?) is answered with a location: прямо за углом.
Russian B1 test: TORFL-1, the level for citizenship and study
Questions 11 to 15 of this test are at B1. TORFL-1 is the level most often asked of foreigners.
TORFL-1 (ТРКИ-1) has long been the level asked for Russian citizenship (check the current rules) and is the usual entry level for degree study in Russian. It means you get by on your own: follow the main points of clear texts, talk about experiences and plans and give reasons. In grammar it means all six cases in the singular and plural, aspect in the past and future, verbs of motion with prefixes, relative clauses with который, and the conditional with бы.
The real TORFL-1 includes listening, writing and speaking; this test does not. Two B1 examples from this test:
Example 1 · B1 · Which best fills the blank?
— Я звонил тебе вчера около девяти вечера, но ты не брал трубку. — В это время я как раз ＿＿＿ ужин.
- буду готовить
- готовил
- приготовил
- приготовлю
Show the answer
готовил. An ongoing process at a specific past moment (в это время как раз) requires the imperfective past: готовил.
Example 2 · B1 · Which word best fills the blank?
Чтобы добраться до исторического музея, вам нужно доехать до станции «Театральная» и ＿＿＿ на синюю линию метро.
- засесть
- пересесть
- подсесть
- присесть
Show the answer
пересесть. To change from one metro line to another, Russian uses the prefixed verb пересесть.
Russian grammar test: cases, aspect and verbs of motion
One in five questions you see is a grammar gap, and one more puts words in order.
- A1: the present tense, gender, the plural, the prepositional (в, на) and the accusative of things, у меня есть and нет, numbers with nouns.
- A2: the dative and instrumental, the past tense, perfective and imperfective in simple pairs, который, the imperative, идти and ехать with prefixes.
- B1: aspect in context, verbs of motion with prefixes (перейти, обойти), чтобы, the conditional with бы, comparatives.
- B2: participles and verbal adverbs (изучив, показавшими), government of verbs and nouns, complex conjunctions.
- C1: bookish conjunctions (коль скоро, по мере того как), fixed government (пренебрегать чем), formal word order.
Three grammar examples from this test, at A2 and B2:
Example 1 · A2 · Which best fills the blank?
Моей младшей ＿＿＿ очень нравится учиться в музыкальной школе.
- сестра
- сестре
- сестрой
- сестру
Show the answer
сестре. The verb нравиться requires the logical subject in the dative case: сестре.
Example 2 · A2 · Which best fills the blank?
Максим опоздал на лекцию, потому что его автобус ＿＿＿ на остановку позже обычного.
- доехал
- поехал
- приехал
- уехал
Show the answer
приехал. The verb describing arrival at a stopping place/destination is приехать: приехал.
Example 3 · B2 · Which best fills the blank?
Тщательно ＿＿＿ все условия предложенного контракта, юрист посоветовал директору внести несколько правок.
- изучающий
- изучен
- изучив
- изучить
Show the answer
изучив. A prior completed action performed by the subject requires a perfective gerund: изучив.
Test of Russian as a Foreign Language: TORFL format and pass mark
TORFL (ТРКИ) is the Russian state exam for foreigners, held by Russian universities and their partner centres abroad.
Every TORFL level has five subtests: Лексика. Грамматика (vocabulary and grammar), Чтение (reading), Аудирование (listening), Письмо (writing) and Говорение (speaking). The usual pass mark is 66% in each subtest; some centres accept a lower score in one of them, and a failed subtest can often be retaken on its own. The certificate does not expire.
Our test covers the first two subtests, vocabulary and grammar and reading, not listening, writing or speaking. Rules, dates and fees are set by each test centre; see the Pushkin Institute or a centre such as HSE University.
TORFL sample tests and past papers
Official papers are not published as a set, but test centres share demo versions.
The TORFL is run by several Russian universities, so there is no single bank of past papers. Demo tests (демонстрационный вариант) for each level are published by the test centres and in the official ТРКИ preparation books; ask your centre which version it uses. Use those for the timed, full format with listening, and this free test to find which level to sit first.
Russian placement test: where to start in Slova
Your result also places you in Slova’s spoken Russian 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 result | Start at |
|---|---|
| Below A1 | Lesson 1 · Speaking from day one |
| A1 | Lesson 61 · Small talk and city life |
| A2 | Lesson 101 · Talking about the past and near plans |
| B1 | Lesson 221 · Running daily life more independently |
| B2 | Lesson 261 · Sharing experiences and finding solutions |
| C1 and up | Lesson 301 · More relaxed, personal conversations |
New to Russian? Skip the test and start at lesson 1.
Russian level test FAQ
Taking English too? Try the English level test. For the official exam, see the Pushkin Institute.
What is TORFL?
TORFL (Test of Russian as a Foreign Language) is the Russian state exam for non-native speakers. It has six levels, from Elementary (A1) to TORFL-4 (C2), and is held by authorised Russian universities and their partner centres in Russia and abroad.
What is ТРКИ?
ТРКИ (Тест по русскому языку как иностранному) is the Russian name of TORFL. ТРКИ-1, ТРКИ-2, ТРКИ-3 and ТРКИ-4 are the levels B1 to C2; the two lower levels are ТЭУ (Elementary, A1) and ТБУ (Basic, A2).
How many TORFL levels are there?
Six: Elementary (ТЭУ, A1), Basic (ТБУ, A2), TORFL-1 (B1), TORFL-2 (B2), TORFL-3 (C1) and TORFL-4 (C2).
What is TORFL-1 (B1)?
TORFL-1 is the intermediate level. It has long been the level asked for Russian citizenship (rules change, so check them) and is the usual level for starting a degree taught in Russian. You can handle everyday life on your own and talk about experiences, plans and opinions.
What is a Russian A1 test?
A test of the first CEFR level, TORFL Elementary: reading Cyrillic, everyday words and simple sentences. The first five questions of this free test are at A1, so it tells you whether you have reached it.
Is this a Russian proficiency test?
It is a short level test that estimates your proficiency from vocabulary, grammar and reading, A1 to C2. A full proficiency exam such as TORFL also tests listening, writing and speaking.
Does the TORFL have a listening test?
Yes. Every TORFL level has a listening subtest (Аудирование), along with vocabulary and grammar, reading, writing and speaking. This free test has no listening, writing or speaking part.
Can I take TORFL online?
The official exam is taken at an authorised test centre. Some centres run parts of it with remote proctoring; check with the centre. This free level test is online and helps you choose a level first.
Is this the Russian exam for foreign workers?
No. Foreign workers and applicants for a residence permit in Russia sit a separate exam in Russian, history and law, with its own rules. This test only estimates your general level of Russian.
Is the result an official Russian language certificate?
No. This is a practice and level test made by Slova, and its result is an estimate. Only a TORFL exam at an authorised centre gives an official certificate. Use our result to choose which level to sit.
Is the Russian 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.
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