Polish levels A2, B1 and B2: what the exam's rules expect you to do
Published 17 October 2026
The Polish state exam describes each level in an annex to the regulation: what the candidate understands, how they converse, which texts they write, what grammar they know and which mistakes are allowed. Below are A2, B1 and B2 for adults side by side — from what the rules list, not from general descriptions of the scale.
In short
- A2: simple texts about daily life, family and free time; conversation if the other person helps. B1 adds school, travel and work, B2 abstract topics.
- The rules list 10 kinds of written text at A2, 16 at B1 and 23 at B2. B1 adds among others the story, the essay and the formal letter; B2 the argumentative essay, the application and the cover letter.
- Mistakes at A2 "should not disrupt communication", at B1 do not disrupt it "significantly", at B2 "do not affect its effectiveness".
How do A2, B1 and B2 differ?
Each level widens the topics, lengthens the texts and takes away the other speaker's help. The table puts the annex's general descriptions in our own words; the full wording is in the source at the foot of the page.
| A2 | B1 | B2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topics | daily life, family, free time | plus school, travel and work | general, concrete and abstract topics |
| Conversation | simple, if the other person repeats and helps | you start, keep up and end a conversation; you join others' conversations | fluent and spontaneous with Poles; discussion, in formal settings too |
| Speaking alone | a prepared talk about yourself, a description, a short opinion | an opinion with reasons, an account, summarising a book or film with a comment | a short prepared talk and answers to questions on it; argument |
| Writing | very simple texts about yourself and people close to you; forms and questionnaires | a notice, an invitation, a text on a general topic, on your own | longer texts on varied topics, official ones included |
| Mistakes | should not disrupt communication | do not disrupt it significantly | do not affect how well you communicate |
These are the state exam's standards. telc uses the same level names — both scales follow the Council of Europe — but its own description of requirements and its own tasks.
Which texts do you write at each level?
The list of written forms grows with the level, and earlier forms mostly stay. So does spelling: the rules list separately the spelling points a candidate is expected to know. The forms keep their Polish names, as in the regulation.
How many kinds of written text the standards list
- A2written forms: 10 · spelling points: 3
- B1written forms: 16 · spelling points: 5
- B2written forms: 23 · spelling points: 11
- A2: życzenia, pozdrowienia, sms, list prywatny nieformalny, opis osoby, opis przedmiotu, opis miejsca, opis sytuacji, charakterystyka osoby, wypracowanie.
- B1 adds: zaproszenie, zawiadomienie, ogłoszenie, list prywatny formalny, opowiadanie, sprawozdanie, recenzja, esej. The text message and the school composition are no longer on the list.
- B2 adds: opis krajobrazu, charakterystyka (no longer only of a person), podanie, (auto)biografia, list motywacyjny, list urzędowy, reklama, rozprawka. Spelling adds among others ó/u, rz/ż, h/ch and writing words together or apart.
Which of these forms actually reach the papers is on writing in the state exam; the commonest long B1 form in the B1 story.
What do you say at each level?
- A2: talking about your interests and plans, an account, a description, an opinion with a short reason; a simple phone call and dialogues in typical situations.
- B1: plus summarising a book, film or article with a short comment, and a short, simple discussion. The rules no longer make it a condition that the other person helps.
- B2: a talk on a set topic, a comment on a film or article, discussion; after preparing, a short talk and answers to questions on it.
How the oral part runs in the exam is on speaking B1 and speaking B2.
What does grammar add?
For adults the A2 list already has every tense, the imperative, the conditional and aspect. B1 adds forming perfectives and when to use which aspect, plus full declension of numerals. B2 adds irregular verbs like wieźć, piec or biec, the passive within limits, and adjectival participles (słuchający, zmęczony).
Tables and exercises to the B1 range: cases, verbs and numerals.
How do you find out your level?
The closest thing to the exam is a real paper: the Commission publishes papers from its sittings with their answers (where to find them). To pass B1 you need at least 50% of every part, at B2 60%; the full rules are on state exam rules.
Which level is enough for what is on citizenship, residence card and studies; telc and the state exam are compared on this page.
The papers in this library are B1 and B2. There are no A2 papers here.