Before you book the Romanian B1 test, it helps to know where you stand. This free A2 to B1 level check tells you whether you are ready to start preparing for the B1 exam. I am a native Romanian tutor, and over the past six years I have taught more than 260 students from 44 countries. I wrote this test around the same skills as the official exams: reading, grammar, vocabulary, writing and speaking. Most tasks are at A2 level, and the grammar section is at B1. The answers are at the end of each section.
This is an unofficial level check written by me. It is not a copy of any official exam, and your score here does not replace a certificate. For the rules on who needs the B1 certificate, read my guide to the Romanian citizenship language test.
How to Use This Level Check
- Time yourself: give yourself about 30 minutes for parts 1 to 3, and 45 minutes for the writing tasks.
- No dictionary, no translator: the real exam does not allow them, so this is the only way to see your true level.
- Write your answers down first, then open the answer key.
- Type with diacritics (ă, â, î, ș, ț) when you write, especially if you plan to take the exam online.
Part 1: Reading Comprehension
Read the text, then decide if each sentence is Adevărat (true) or Fals (false).
Mă numesc Ana și locuiesc în Cluj-Napoca de trei ani. M-am mutat aici din Chișinău pentru că am găsit un loc de muncă la o firmă de software. La început, mi-a fost greu: nu cunoșteam pe nimeni, iar chiria era destul de mare. Acum stau împreună cu o prietenă într-un apartament aproape de centru, așa că plătim mai puțin și mergem pe jos la serviciu.
În weekend, îmi place să merg la piață, să cumpăr legume proaspete și să gătesc pentru prietenii mei. Duminica, dacă vremea este frumoasă, mergem în Parcul Central sau facem o excursie la munte. Orașul este plin de studenți, de aceea există mereu concerte, festivaluri și expoziții.
Singurul lucru care nu îmi place este traficul. Dimineața, autobuzele sunt aglomerate și durează mult până ajungi undeva. Cred că o să îmi cumpăr o bicicletă în primăvară.
- Ana locuiește în Cluj-Napoca de trei ani.
- Ana s-a mutat în Cluj-Napoca pentru studii.
- Ana locuiește singură.
- În weekend, Ana gătește pentru prietenii ei.
- Ana vrea să își cumpere o mașină.
Show the answers
- Adevărat. “Locuiesc în Cluj-Napoca de trei ani.”
- Fals. She moved for a job: “am găsit un loc de muncă”.
- Fals. She lives with a friend: “stau împreună cu o prietenă”.
- Adevărat. “Îmi place (…) să gătesc pentru prietenii mei.”
- Fals. She wants a bike: “o să îmi cumpăr o bicicletă”.
Part 2: Grammar
Complete each sentence with the correct form of the word in brackets. This is the B1 part of the test: these grammar points come up again and again in the official B1 exams.
- Aceasta este casa ________ (prietenul meu).
- Vreau ________ (a merge) la mare vara aceasta.
- Dacă aș avea timp, ________ (a citi) mai mult.
- Ieri ________ (eu, a vorbi) cu mama la telefon.
- Când eram mic, ________ (eu, a locui) la țară.
- Le-am dat cadourile ________ (copiii).
- Cartea ________ am citit-o este foarte interesantă. (care, with the right preposition)
- ________ (dumneavoastră, a lua) loc, vă rog!
- Mâine ________ (noi, a pleca) la Brașov.
- Am cumpărat două ________ (pâine).
Show the answers
- prietenului meu: genitive case (“my friend’s house”).
- să merg: subjunctive after “vreau”.
- aș citi: conditional (“if I had time, I would read more”).
- am vorbit: compound past (perfect compus).
- locuiam: imperfect, for a past habit or situation.
- copiilor: dative case (“I gave the presents to the children”).
- pe care: relative pronoun used as a direct object.
- Luați: polite imperative.
- vom pleca or o să plecăm: both future forms are correct.
- pâini: feminine plural (o pâine, două pâini).
If the genitive and dative gave you trouble, start with my Romanian grammar guide for beginners.
Part 3: Vocabulary
Find the opposite of each word.
| Word | Choose the opposite |
|---|---|
| 1. ieftin | a) urât |
| 2. devreme | b) a închide |
| 3. frumos | c) scump |
| 4. a deschide | d) a termina |
| 5. a începe | e) târziu |
Show the answers
1 c (cheap / expensive), 2 e (early / late), 3 a (beautiful / ugly), 4 b (to open / to close), 5 d (to start / to finish).
Part 4: Writing
The B1 exam always includes a writing task. Practise both types below, and count your words.
Task 1: a semi-formal email (about 100 words)
You want to take a Romanian course. Write an email to a language school. Ask when the next B1 course starts, how much it costs, and whether you can attend online.
Show a model answer
Bună ziua,
Mă numesc Mark Jones și sunt interesat de cursul de limba română de nivel B1. Aș dori să știu când începe următorul curs și câte ore pe săptămână are. De asemenea, vă rog să-mi spuneți cât costă cursul și dacă este posibil să particip online, pentru că locuiesc în afara României.
Vă mulțumesc anticipat pentru răspuns.
Cu stimă,
Mark Jones
Notice the polite forms: “Bună ziua”, “aș dori”, “vă rog”, “Cu stimă”. In a semi-formal email, never use the informal “tu”.
Task 2: a personal story (about 150 words)
Write about a trip you will never forget: where you went, who you were with, what you liked most and what went wrong. Use the past tenses. These phrases will help you:
- Anul trecut am fost în… (Last year I went to…)
- Am plecat împreună cu… (I left together with…)
- Cel mai mult mi-a plăcut… (What I liked most was…)
- Din păcate… (Unfortunately…)
- N-o să uit niciodată… (I will never forget…)
Part 5: Speaking
The oral exam is short, so you need to answer simple questions with confidence. Answer each question out loud for about one minute, and record yourself if you can.
- Spuneți-ne câte ceva despre dumneavoastră. (Tell us a little about yourself.)
- Cu ce vă ocupați? (What do you do for a living?)
- Cum arată o zi obișnuită pentru dumneavoastră? (What does a typical day look like for you?)
- De ce vreți să învățați limba română? (Why do you want to learn Romanian?)
- Ce vă place cel mai mult în orașul în care locuiți? (What do you like most about the city you live in?)
Useful phrases to give your opinion:
- Din punctul meu de vedere… (In my opinion…)
- Sunt de acord / Nu sunt de acord. (I agree / I disagree.)
- Pe de o parte…, pe de altă parte… (On the one hand…, on the other hand…)
- Puteți repeta, vă rog? (Could you repeat, please?)
How Did You Do?
Add up your points for parts 1 to 3: one point per correct answer, 20 points in total. This is only a rough guide, not an official score:
- 17 to 20 points: you have a solid A2 and your grammar is already close to B1. You are ready to train with the official B1 model tests below.
- 12 to 16 points: you are around A2. Review the grammar points you missed, especially cases and verb tenses, before you move on to B1 material.
- Below 12 points: you are probably still between A1 and A2. Plan several months of regular study before you book the B1 exam.
Remember that the real B1 exam is harder than this level check, and it also grades your writing and speaking, which are often the hardest parts to judge alone.
Where to Find Official Model Exams
Once you score well here, move on to the official B1 samples published by the exam centres. The Romanian Language Institute (ILR) publishes B1 model tests, and RoExam has a full B1 model exam with audio. Doing them in real exam conditions is the best rehearsal you can get.
How to Keep Practising
- Grammar with an answer key: my Essential Romanian Grammar Workbook has exercises from A2 to B2 with all the answers, so you can practise alone like in this test.
- Listening: the free I Learn Romanian podcast has episodes with transcripts, a good way to prepare for the listening part.
- Books and apps: see my selection of the best books to learn Romanian and the best apps for learning Romanian.
- Timeline: if you are wondering how many months you need, read how long it takes to learn Romanian.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a real Romanian B1 exam?
No. It is a level check I wrote to help you see if you are ready to start B1 preparation. Most tasks are at A2 level and the grammar is at B1, while the official B1 exams are harder and have their own texts, timing and scoring.
How many points do I need to pass the real B1 exam?
Each exam centre sets its own scoring. RoExam, for example, grades five parts worth 20 points each. Check the official page of the centre where you register.
Can I prepare for the B1 exam on my own?
Yes, especially for reading, grammar and vocabulary. Writing and speaking are harder to judge alone, so it helps to have someone correct your texts and practise conversation with you.
Get Feedback From a Native Tutor
The writing and speaking parts are where a second pair of ears makes the biggest difference. If you want to know where you stand before your exam, book a free 30-minute trial lesson with me and we can look at your level together. You can also browse all my Romanian courses or book a lesson directly.
