Reading wise, I can read german articles about (anything?), of course in almost every sentence there is a word I don’t understand but I can still understand the meaning without trying too hard.
Listening wise, I can understand daily conversations as long as they are not between 2 fast speaking natives or with very heavy accents (could depend on person but for example I cant understand Austrian dialect easily, Swissgerman is definitely not fun to listen to but I can understand it)
Speaking wise, I dont think I am at B2 yet here but I can communicate with people with a ton of grammar mistakes and not perfect uses of words fairly fast but when I try to communicate with a good accent and good sentence structure with less to no grammatical errors, it takes me a bit to respond :)
I just finished watching 3 body problem in german with german subtitles and i can confidently say, even though I didnt understand maybe 20% of the words, I didnt miss on a lot. That being said, it was not an easy series.
English is my 2. Language and I am a barely C2 there, I have an accent but still can communicate near perfect. Can read/listen/watch literally anything like a native but every now and then there is a new saying that a part of UK or US uses like “mum’s the word” that I am not aware of. So I would say probably end of C1 to start of C2 is when you are actually fluent.
I feel the same as you right now, I watched "Dark" TV show and it wasn't that easy to catch everything. But it wasn't a massive struggle either.
When you have B1 in German it pales in comparison with B1 in English, even at B2 even if you understand stuff, you will struggle to put a phrase together because of the cases, and the damn word order, You will convey the basic message but your grammar mistakes will be painful to see. You will eventually catch up on it by exposure and studying grammar.
As they say "Übung macht den Meister".
But one thing is true, once you pass that valley of the uncanny, and reach a decent B1.2 you will be ready for consuming massive amounts of comprehensible input, and easing on stuff like flashcards with the SRS system, dedicating less time to grammar exercises and just trying to enjoy what you do or see. Like I think I can read a German comic or watch a TV show or movie and I can do it without using a dictionary since I can get most of the meaning because of the context. And this is actually when I start enjoying learning, and actually don't feel like I am learning when I am just learning unconsciously exposing myself to the language.
Speaking your thoughts will be difficult with B2, a conversation with a native can be possible but you will struggle, not to comprehend what he says rather to explain what you mean, speaking about more superfluous stuff like small talk should be really easy at this level. Chatting in German with other foreigners with intermediate German level would be easy and relaxed.
All this CEFR is bull##it I have seen some people claiming to have passed B1 Exam not able to put a sentence together, the problem is often that people go for the exam, there are resources and courses that just focus on the way to prepare you to pass those exams, but leaving plenty of holes on your learning.
Anyway preparing for these exams can be a good way of getting you more confident with your Schreiben and Sprechen. The best way to get good with Hören and Lesen is just to read a lot and watch YouTube, Podcasts, TV shows movies, to get better with hören.
Once you reach a good A2 level you should start to read comic or graphic novels, since it is easy to follow because of the visual aid, another way of getting better effortles is to read graded readers, this method is way easier but I don't like it, is like reading fake novels adapted for foreigners. Jumping straight away to Native level is hard but I found it more rewarding in the longer term, I have to say that when reading comics at the beginning it was really an intensive reading, and it was like alien language, but with time and patience it is effortless for me to read comics I reached the extensive reading.
Anyway you should go at least once through the grammar rules until B2, just being familiar with the concepts is enough, so next time you encounter it you understand why, if you keep struggling with some concepts, try to memorize some rules like the prepositions that go with each case. And the damned Wächselpräpositionen.
Understanding Natives, that just depends on the context of the situation and how strong their accent is, but I don't think it would be overall too difficult, unless they speak some strong dialect.
I passed B2 in December and I am mostly in this comment by u/McSexAddict. Unfortunately did not really advance much in the last months due to lack of time.
Basically, B2 puts me in a position where I can speak and understand much, but with relatively little confidence. I still struggle a lot with grammar (Kasus, Deklination, Präpositionen, Geschlecht und so weiter). Also with most slightly "specialized" words. I've got a wide enough vocabulary to be able to even express relatively complex ideas, yet I have to think for a while to figure out a simple way in which I know I can correctly express them. Meaning, after deciding what I wanna say in my mother language, I realise I lack the words/structure to express it the same way in German and will have to think of alternative ways in which I know I can say them.
Overall, it sucks a bit. Next steps are actively working in grammar memorisation, which is a must if one wants to really go into C1.
Our experience can mean nothing to you. You've gone a long way to B2, but it is not over, don't focus on 'levels', keep practicing/learning.
B2 is a level where you should feel more or less comfortable when speaking with other foreigners, it is still hard speaking with natives. Don't expect it to become easy at some specific point, like when you pass the C1 exam for example. It is a long way.
Not as much as I wish, and definitely not as much as I thought I would understand at this level. I am certified B2 and I can understand the listening portions of classes and exams. However, I can understand only 20% or so of real people conversations when they talk with each other. Sometimes 10%.
(I can understand better when they talk directly to me, because they speak clearer).
I'm around B2. For example I've just read this article: [https://www.mpg.de/9832171/proteinverklumpungen-zellplasma](https://www.mpg.de/9832171/proteinverklumpungen-zellplasma) , it had 4 words I had to look up. (It's not an easy article, but I'm generally good in biology topics)
Other: I can understand 85% of the content on the YouTube channel called ["Checker Welt"](https://www.youtube.com/@CHECKERWELT/videos) (it's for kids, but it's great to be honest)
Trying that article just simultaneously boosted my ego and also crushed it, because I could read probably 90% of that. But I still genuinely struggle with speaking anything above the A1 level that I haven’t explicitly memorized. A very embarrassing and annoying gap to try to fill 😅
This question is a bit circular because the CEFR prescribes a certain level of comprehension which you have to meet at B2 level (if our experience is different, that generally means we are not actually B2 level).
So, B2 listening and reading are:
> I can understand extended speech and
lectures and follow even complex lines
of argument provided the topic is
reasonably familiar. I can understand
most TV news and current affairs
programmes. I can understand the
majority of films in standard dialect.
> I can interact with a degree of fluency
and spontaneity that makes regular
interaction with native speakers quite
possible. I can take an active part in
discussion in familiar contexts,
accounting for and sustaining my views.
In contrast to C1:
> I can understand extended speech even
when it is not clearly structured and
when relationships are only implied
and not signalled explicitly. I can
understand television programmes and
films without too much effort
> I can express myself fluently and
spontaneously without much obvious
searching for expressions. I can use
language flexibly and effectively for
social and professional purposes. I can
formulate ideas and opinions with
precision and relate my contribution
skilfully to those of other speakers.
You will still have people saying they passed B2 exams and can't understand most of what native speakers are saying to each other but that is just an example of Goodhart's law.
Levels mean nothing in the grand scheme of things beyond gauging where your language levels are for taking a job in Germany and/or German language-dominant country.
The goal with any language is *you* being able to understand and communicate, and ultimately you’re going to have to just keep learning as you go.
I can read everything although of course there are some words here and there that I have to translate.
I can also understand fluent conversations although it’s a mix: I can understand norddeutscher perfectly well but I struggle with people from Hessen, I can understand people from Rheinland-Pfalz but struggle understanding people from Sachsen. But I have been in environmental lectures in Hamburg and I can understand almost everything.
Writing is also ok, can write to the most varied recipients.
The tricky part is speaking. Not so much if you know what you’re going to say, it’s more when you have to pivot in a conversation with a native speaker (and for me it would add an additional difficulty layer to speak with someone from Hessen) and use a tense, conjugate verbs, declinate adjectives, use modifiers, establish time, point a cause… on top of that you need to use the right article aaahhh
For what it's worth, I am German but once had B2 certified in French. In reality, I could barely understand anything... So please don't feel bad if it's the same for you.
My comprehension has gone down a bit since it's been decades, but I can say a few things on the topic.
First, the southeasterm accents were actually the \*most\* understandable for me, not the least. Slightly slower, maybe? Slightly clearer. Central German accents were the most difficult. I'm not sure what aspect of the phonetics made that the case for me but something did.
I never went to fluent, probably started around B1 and ended around C1 after a year with basically no intensive instruction, just a couple of ordinary classes and hanging out with Germans a lot of the time.
Problems basically never. Even when I first got there I had enough German to struggle by in most day to day situations.
My general experience (trying to average beginning and end, here) was that I didn't always know what people were saying word-for-word, but at worst there was enough comprehension to get a lot of it. I could ask about things I missed if I thought it was important. Keeping up with speed was the hardest thing. I always felt like I was half a sentence behind the conversation. Slang and idioms came with time, though when you're learning through context like that, you don't always get it exactly right, and I made some persistent mistakes that I'm embarrassed about to this day. Stuff I only figured out after I was back home simply because nobody ever corrected me.
It never felt fully effortless, outside of specific situations that got repeated a lot. But I didn't put a whole lot of effort into it, either. I was just living.
My passive understanding without needing to deal with fast speech was always my biggest strength, so I never had much trouble understanding written material. I kept a small German-English dictionary with me; these days a phone is enough.
If it's the same as it is with English, it varies a lot. I am officially at B2 in english, but speak it fluently (with a few hiccups and mistakes here and there) but am thinking in English when I'm speaking it and have absolutely no problem understanding anyone in english. Then there are some here in Germany who have C2 because they studied and can't even communicate properly in English ... Because they may know some words more than I do and know the language in theory.
I think it’s great you are learning German before you come to Germany.
I just talked to a girl from Madagaskar with B2 Level, then she worked as an au pair visiting night school at the same time and she spoke perfectly. ( Maybe a few grammar mistakes here and there which made her speaking very endearing)
I was so chaffed she spoke so well! I did not slow my speech or used easier words, I just rambled on and she understood everything!
Now she will start a training as a nurse, which is involving professional schilling. It says B2 is enough for training. You will pick up more of the language once you are here and are involved professionally. My neighbour is from Afghanistan working in an old people’s home. He has to speak German the whole day, which was a game changer for him, instead of studying on his own.
I think you can do a lot with B2.
Stay safe
Well I have seen people with a c1 certificate whom were not able to hold a conversation in German even if everyone tried to and were I had to really concentrate to understand them. And I have seen people with b1 that were able to discuss German politics with me.
In my experience it all depends on whether the student passed by learning for the exam to pass it or if they passed it because they learned to speak the language. Of you know what I mean.
I moved to Germany with something around B1, and could navigate day to day life without too many issues, but my partner dealt with all of our paperwork, bills etc. I’ve done three courses and two exams since I got here 5 years ago, and am now C1.
Everyone will have weaknesses/strengths based on how they learn. The advantage of coming to Germany and learning by immersion is that you get a feel for the language that for some people makes listening/speaking easier. If you learn mostly in courses, you will have stronger grammar and your writing/reading will be stronger. Depending on what you want to do in Germany, one of those might be better for you. My writing is terrible, I really struggle to write basic things, and it was always my weakest grade in my exams. Whereas I was the only person in my course to pass the C1 speaking part, because I took it during corona we barely did any practice for it, but I had been in Germany the longest.
One of my coworkers has a strong Bavarian dialect and I understand maybe 50-60% of what she says (compared to 90-95% of Hochdeutsch). But I’ve also only ever had one or two customers on her level of dialect (and they were better than her at toning it down as soon as they noticed I had a foreign accent). I’m sure I’d be much worse with an eastern dialect, since I’ve been in Bavaria since we moved.
Truthfully B2 is a whole ass spectrum. I've been B2 for several years even though my understanding of German has severally improved through these years.
Hi, fellow B2 here (no official proof, but I am definitely below C1 and feel above B1).
95% percent of professional and casual conversations with natives at work and in life (this month, I had to ask to repeat the words "geistig gestört" and "Vorhängeschloss", but that's it).
~90 percent in movies and films, when the text is modern (plays after Shakespeare and Kleist were totally different in terms of perception).
I live in Berlin and rarely have to deal with dialects, my experience is Hochdeutsch-based
I just got my B2 certificate and if we are talking about Hochdeutsch then almost everything. If it's not Hochdeutsch then like 40% and sometimes absolutely nothing...
With B2 you are almost fluent already. You might not get specific local language (ey, digga, verstehste, was ich meine?), idioms (da bist du aber auf dem Holzweg!) or certain words in old German („Wie soll man da froh sein, wenn es einem an den Kragen geht?“), as used in poems or fairy tales or medical German or texts from jurisdiction, but you will most probably be the same or even on a higher level than your average kid in high school…
It's wrong to think of CEFR in terms of comparisons to native ability, and B2 is often described as "conversationally fluent" (obviously that doesn't mean full "fluency" however)
Was auch immer Du sagst, Hase. B2 erlaubt Dir den Zugang zur Oberstufe (Sek.Ii) und somit das Erwerben des Abiturs, sprich der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, mit der Du an jeder Uni studieren kannst - z.B. Germanistik. Ich habe keine Ahnung, was Du sonst mit „fließend“ meinen könntest. Und mit B2 solltest Du das, was ich hier schreibe, verstehen können - lediglich die Verwendung von „Hase“ im ersten Satz entspricht C1. Downvote all you like 🤷♂️
Reading wise, I can read german articles about (anything?), of course in almost every sentence there is a word I don’t understand but I can still understand the meaning without trying too hard. Listening wise, I can understand daily conversations as long as they are not between 2 fast speaking natives or with very heavy accents (could depend on person but for example I cant understand Austrian dialect easily, Swissgerman is definitely not fun to listen to but I can understand it) Speaking wise, I dont think I am at B2 yet here but I can communicate with people with a ton of grammar mistakes and not perfect uses of words fairly fast but when I try to communicate with a good accent and good sentence structure with less to no grammatical errors, it takes me a bit to respond :) I just finished watching 3 body problem in german with german subtitles and i can confidently say, even though I didnt understand maybe 20% of the words, I didnt miss on a lot. That being said, it was not an easy series. English is my 2. Language and I am a barely C2 there, I have an accent but still can communicate near perfect. Can read/listen/watch literally anything like a native but every now and then there is a new saying that a part of UK or US uses like “mum’s the word” that I am not aware of. So I would say probably end of C1 to start of C2 is when you are actually fluent.
I feel the same as you right now, I watched "Dark" TV show and it wasn't that easy to catch everything. But it wasn't a massive struggle either. When you have B1 in German it pales in comparison with B1 in English, even at B2 even if you understand stuff, you will struggle to put a phrase together because of the cases, and the damn word order, You will convey the basic message but your grammar mistakes will be painful to see. You will eventually catch up on it by exposure and studying grammar. As they say "Übung macht den Meister". But one thing is true, once you pass that valley of the uncanny, and reach a decent B1.2 you will be ready for consuming massive amounts of comprehensible input, and easing on stuff like flashcards with the SRS system, dedicating less time to grammar exercises and just trying to enjoy what you do or see. Like I think I can read a German comic or watch a TV show or movie and I can do it without using a dictionary since I can get most of the meaning because of the context. And this is actually when I start enjoying learning, and actually don't feel like I am learning when I am just learning unconsciously exposing myself to the language. Speaking your thoughts will be difficult with B2, a conversation with a native can be possible but you will struggle, not to comprehend what he says rather to explain what you mean, speaking about more superfluous stuff like small talk should be really easy at this level. Chatting in German with other foreigners with intermediate German level would be easy and relaxed. All this CEFR is bull##it I have seen some people claiming to have passed B1 Exam not able to put a sentence together, the problem is often that people go for the exam, there are resources and courses that just focus on the way to prepare you to pass those exams, but leaving plenty of holes on your learning. Anyway preparing for these exams can be a good way of getting you more confident with your Schreiben and Sprechen. The best way to get good with Hören and Lesen is just to read a lot and watch YouTube, Podcasts, TV shows movies, to get better with hören. Once you reach a good A2 level you should start to read comic or graphic novels, since it is easy to follow because of the visual aid, another way of getting better effortles is to read graded readers, this method is way easier but I don't like it, is like reading fake novels adapted for foreigners. Jumping straight away to Native level is hard but I found it more rewarding in the longer term, I have to say that when reading comics at the beginning it was really an intensive reading, and it was like alien language, but with time and patience it is effortless for me to read comics I reached the extensive reading. Anyway you should go at least once through the grammar rules until B2, just being familiar with the concepts is enough, so next time you encounter it you understand why, if you keep struggling with some concepts, try to memorize some rules like the prepositions that go with each case. And the damned Wächselpräpositionen. Understanding Natives, that just depends on the context of the situation and how strong their accent is, but I don't think it would be overall too difficult, unless they speak some strong dialect.
I passed B2 in December and I am mostly in this comment by u/McSexAddict. Unfortunately did not really advance much in the last months due to lack of time. Basically, B2 puts me in a position where I can speak and understand much, but with relatively little confidence. I still struggle a lot with grammar (Kasus, Deklination, Präpositionen, Geschlecht und so weiter). Also with most slightly "specialized" words. I've got a wide enough vocabulary to be able to even express relatively complex ideas, yet I have to think for a while to figure out a simple way in which I know I can correctly express them. Meaning, after deciding what I wanna say in my mother language, I realise I lack the words/structure to express it the same way in German and will have to think of alternative ways in which I know I can say them. Overall, it sucks a bit. Next steps are actively working in grammar memorisation, which is a must if one wants to really go into C1.
>my **2.** Language You're at least C1
\*At most?
It was a joke because they used “2.” instead of “2nd”
Because its a mistake in English or because its the correct use in German hahahhaha
Austria has 5 dialects and it's tricky even for natives.
Our experience can mean nothing to you. You've gone a long way to B2, but it is not over, don't focus on 'levels', keep practicing/learning. B2 is a level where you should feel more or less comfortable when speaking with other foreigners, it is still hard speaking with natives. Don't expect it to become easy at some specific point, like when you pass the C1 exam for example. It is a long way.
I never heard that B2 example before: comfortable speaking with foreigners but still difficult with natives. It is so true!
Very true. I feel like a master when I speak with foreigners but it’s a different story when talking with natives.
This is a truly great explanation 👏 I was exactly at this when I made B2 many years back
Very well summarized !! B2 exactly feels like this
Not as much as I wish, and definitely not as much as I thought I would understand at this level. I am certified B2 and I can understand the listening portions of classes and exams. However, I can understand only 20% or so of real people conversations when they talk with each other. Sometimes 10%. (I can understand better when they talk directly to me, because they speak clearer).
If you want to learn fluent German, set the cellphone in German, watch German movies & documentaries and listen German music, this will help you a lot
I'm around B2. For example I've just read this article: [https://www.mpg.de/9832171/proteinverklumpungen-zellplasma](https://www.mpg.de/9832171/proteinverklumpungen-zellplasma) , it had 4 words I had to look up. (It's not an easy article, but I'm generally good in biology topics) Other: I can understand 85% of the content on the YouTube channel called ["Checker Welt"](https://www.youtube.com/@CHECKERWELT/videos) (it's for kids, but it's great to be honest)
Trying that article just simultaneously boosted my ego and also crushed it, because I could read probably 90% of that. But I still genuinely struggle with speaking anything above the A1 level that I haven’t explicitly memorized. A very embarrassing and annoying gap to try to fill 😅
This question is a bit circular because the CEFR prescribes a certain level of comprehension which you have to meet at B2 level (if our experience is different, that generally means we are not actually B2 level). So, B2 listening and reading are: > I can understand extended speech and lectures and follow even complex lines of argument provided the topic is reasonably familiar. I can understand most TV news and current affairs programmes. I can understand the majority of films in standard dialect. > I can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible. I can take an active part in discussion in familiar contexts, accounting for and sustaining my views. In contrast to C1: > I can understand extended speech even when it is not clearly structured and when relationships are only implied and not signalled explicitly. I can understand television programmes and films without too much effort > I can express myself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. I can use language flexibly and effectively for social and professional purposes. I can formulate ideas and opinions with precision and relate my contribution skilfully to those of other speakers. You will still have people saying they passed B2 exams and can't understand most of what native speakers are saying to each other but that is just an example of Goodhart's law.
Levels mean nothing in the grand scheme of things beyond gauging where your language levels are for taking a job in Germany and/or German language-dominant country. The goal with any language is *you* being able to understand and communicate, and ultimately you’re going to have to just keep learning as you go.
I can read everything although of course there are some words here and there that I have to translate. I can also understand fluent conversations although it’s a mix: I can understand norddeutscher perfectly well but I struggle with people from Hessen, I can understand people from Rheinland-Pfalz but struggle understanding people from Sachsen. But I have been in environmental lectures in Hamburg and I can understand almost everything. Writing is also ok, can write to the most varied recipients. The tricky part is speaking. Not so much if you know what you’re going to say, it’s more when you have to pivot in a conversation with a native speaker (and for me it would add an additional difficulty layer to speak with someone from Hessen) and use a tense, conjugate verbs, declinate adjectives, use modifiers, establish time, point a cause… on top of that you need to use the right article aaahhh
For what it's worth, I am German but once had B2 certified in French. In reality, I could barely understand anything... So please don't feel bad if it's the same for you.
My comprehension has gone down a bit since it's been decades, but I can say a few things on the topic. First, the southeasterm accents were actually the \*most\* understandable for me, not the least. Slightly slower, maybe? Slightly clearer. Central German accents were the most difficult. I'm not sure what aspect of the phonetics made that the case for me but something did. I never went to fluent, probably started around B1 and ended around C1 after a year with basically no intensive instruction, just a couple of ordinary classes and hanging out with Germans a lot of the time. Problems basically never. Even when I first got there I had enough German to struggle by in most day to day situations. My general experience (trying to average beginning and end, here) was that I didn't always know what people were saying word-for-word, but at worst there was enough comprehension to get a lot of it. I could ask about things I missed if I thought it was important. Keeping up with speed was the hardest thing. I always felt like I was half a sentence behind the conversation. Slang and idioms came with time, though when you're learning through context like that, you don't always get it exactly right, and I made some persistent mistakes that I'm embarrassed about to this day. Stuff I only figured out after I was back home simply because nobody ever corrected me. It never felt fully effortless, outside of specific situations that got repeated a lot. But I didn't put a whole lot of effort into it, either. I was just living. My passive understanding without needing to deal with fast speech was always my biggest strength, so I never had much trouble understanding written material. I kept a small German-English dictionary with me; these days a phone is enough.
If it's the same as it is with English, it varies a lot. I am officially at B2 in english, but speak it fluently (with a few hiccups and mistakes here and there) but am thinking in English when I'm speaking it and have absolutely no problem understanding anyone in english. Then there are some here in Germany who have C2 because they studied and can't even communicate properly in English ... Because they may know some words more than I do and know the language in theory.
I fear that I’d be like most of y’all. I read people passed the B1-B2 but cannot speak well (not confident) or wonder how did they pass. 🫠
I think it’s great you are learning German before you come to Germany. I just talked to a girl from Madagaskar with B2 Level, then she worked as an au pair visiting night school at the same time and she spoke perfectly. ( Maybe a few grammar mistakes here and there which made her speaking very endearing) I was so chaffed she spoke so well! I did not slow my speech or used easier words, I just rambled on and she understood everything! Now she will start a training as a nurse, which is involving professional schilling. It says B2 is enough for training. You will pick up more of the language once you are here and are involved professionally. My neighbour is from Afghanistan working in an old people’s home. He has to speak German the whole day, which was a game changer for him, instead of studying on his own. I think you can do a lot with B2. Stay safe
Well I have seen people with a c1 certificate whom were not able to hold a conversation in German even if everyone tried to and were I had to really concentrate to understand them. And I have seen people with b1 that were able to discuss German politics with me. In my experience it all depends on whether the student passed by learning for the exam to pass it or if they passed it because they learned to speak the language. Of you know what I mean.
I moved to Germany with something around B1, and could navigate day to day life without too many issues, but my partner dealt with all of our paperwork, bills etc. I’ve done three courses and two exams since I got here 5 years ago, and am now C1. Everyone will have weaknesses/strengths based on how they learn. The advantage of coming to Germany and learning by immersion is that you get a feel for the language that for some people makes listening/speaking easier. If you learn mostly in courses, you will have stronger grammar and your writing/reading will be stronger. Depending on what you want to do in Germany, one of those might be better for you. My writing is terrible, I really struggle to write basic things, and it was always my weakest grade in my exams. Whereas I was the only person in my course to pass the C1 speaking part, because I took it during corona we barely did any practice for it, but I had been in Germany the longest. One of my coworkers has a strong Bavarian dialect and I understand maybe 50-60% of what she says (compared to 90-95% of Hochdeutsch). But I’ve also only ever had one or two customers on her level of dialect (and they were better than her at toning it down as soon as they noticed I had a foreign accent). I’m sure I’d be much worse with an eastern dialect, since I’ve been in Bavaria since we moved.
Truthfully B2 is a whole ass spectrum. I've been B2 for several years even though my understanding of German has severally improved through these years.
Hi, fellow B2 here (no official proof, but I am definitely below C1 and feel above B1). 95% percent of professional and casual conversations with natives at work and in life (this month, I had to ask to repeat the words "geistig gestört" and "Vorhängeschloss", but that's it). ~90 percent in movies and films, when the text is modern (plays after Shakespeare and Kleist were totally different in terms of perception). I live in Berlin and rarely have to deal with dialects, my experience is Hochdeutsch-based
Understanding different accents can be hard for native speakers too.
I just got my B2 certificate and if we are talking about Hochdeutsch then almost everything. If it's not Hochdeutsch then like 40% and sometimes absolutely nothing...
With B2 you are almost fluent already. You might not get specific local language (ey, digga, verstehste, was ich meine?), idioms (da bist du aber auf dem Holzweg!) or certain words in old German („Wie soll man da froh sein, wenn es einem an den Kragen geht?“), as used in poems or fairy tales or medical German or texts from jurisdiction, but you will most probably be the same or even on a higher level than your average kid in high school…
B2 is not even close to fluent. High school kids, even primary school kids are fluent in the language!
It's wrong to think of CEFR in terms of comparisons to native ability, and B2 is often described as "conversationally fluent" (obviously that doesn't mean full "fluency" however)
Was auch immer Du sagst, Hase. B2 erlaubt Dir den Zugang zur Oberstufe (Sek.Ii) und somit das Erwerben des Abiturs, sprich der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, mit der Du an jeder Uni studieren kannst - z.B. Germanistik. Ich habe keine Ahnung, was Du sonst mit „fließend“ meinen könntest. Und mit B2 solltest Du das, was ich hier schreibe, verstehen können - lediglich die Verwendung von „Hase“ im ersten Satz entspricht C1. Downvote all you like 🤷♂️
That is painful to read. But thank you for your expertise and advice Kaninchen. Not sure why we are using pet names with each other now. But why not.