Language skills on your CV: levels and examples

Name the language, give a level you can support and add a short example of how you use it when that helps the employer. Make clear whether the level is self-assessed or certified. A course you are taking belongs beside your current ability; it does not establish that you have already reached its target level.

What should I write beside each language?

Use a compact entry the reader can understand without decoding a graphic. For example:

Languages
French — native
English — C1, self-assessed; daily project meetings and written reports
German — [actual certificate name], B1, 2025; attending a B2 course

This is an illustrative format, not a description to copy into your own CV. Replace every level, date and task with something true of you. If a language is not relevant to the vacancy, it can still be listed briefly without a long explanation.

The University of Zurich recommends stating written and spoken ability and, where relevant, the certificate and when it was earned. See its language-skills guidance.

Do I need a certificate to use a CEFR level?

CEFR describes language ability from A1 to C2. The Council of Europe provides a self-assessment grid covering listening, reading, spoken interaction, spoken production and writing. You can use it to assess your skills, but describing a level yourself is different from passing an exam. Label the distinction plainly. Use the Council of Europe’s self-assessment grid.

If the application asks for a particular certificate, check that requirement separately. A self-assessed level is not the requested certificate. Equally, a certificate from several years ago may not describe how comfortable you are with today’s work. Give the actual award and date, and be ready to discuss your current use of the language.

You do not need to turn every language into a single confident number. If you have not assessed your level, describe what you can do and use the grid before assigning a grade.

What if my speaking is weaker than my reading?

Say so when the difference matters to the role. A single “B2” label can hide the fact that you read technical material comfortably but find telephone conversations difficult. A short distinction is clearer:

German — reading B2, spoken interaction B1, self-assessed.
Read supplier documentation regularly; still building confidence on calls.

The exact wording depends on the job. Someone applying for telephone support should check spoken interaction closely. Someone preparing written reports should consider writing as well as speaking. Do not use a strong result in one area to imply equal strength in every other area.

Is “fluent” better than B2 or C1?

Use the wording that best describes your ability, rather than the one that sounds strongest. “Fluent,” “good” and “business proficient” are not precise translations of a single CEFR grade. If an advert uses one of those terms, look at the tasks and ask about anything important that remains unclear.

In a CV, a supported level plus a concrete example is often easier to assess than an adjective alone. “English — C1, self-assessed; lead weekly client calls” tells the reader both your assessment and where you use the language. It does not promise that you can handle every specialist or legal task in English.

Hard to assess

German: fluent. English: excellent.

Specific, if accurate

German: [actual certificate name], B2, 2024; daily coordination with warehouse colleagues. English: C1, self-assessed; weekly supplier calls and written updates.

Fictional example. The levels, certificate and tasks must all match the applicant's actual experience.

How do I show a language course in progress?

Give your current level first, then the course. If you are preparing for an examination, say that the exam is planned rather than awarded.

Situation	Clear wording	Avoid
You have A2 and attend a B1 course	“German — A2, self-assessed; attending a B1 course”	Listing B1 as already achieved
You have booked a C1 examination	“C1 examination planned for [month/year]”	Listing a C1 certificate before the result
You used English in a previous job	State the tasks and how recently you used it	Claiming an exam you never took
Your certificate is old	Give its actual name and year; explain current use if useful	Replacing the award date with the current year

Learning a language is worth mentioning when it helps explain your direction. It should not blur the difference between what you can do now and what you hope to do later.

Should I translate my CV into a language I cannot work in?

Follow the employer’s instructions about the application language, and keep your stated language skills accurate. A translated CV does not change your ability to take part in an interview or do the work. If you use a translation tool, have the final wording checked and make sure you understand every claim.

If the advert is in German but accepts an English application, that permission still does not settle the daily working language. Use the language-requirements guide to check the distinction before preparing the documents.

Check the wording against one real job

Put the advert beside your language section. Which language is required? Does the employer specify a level or a certificate? Which tasks will use it? Compare each point with what you can support, and write one specific clarification question if needed.

Do not raise a level just to pass a search filter. It is better to address a known gap than to make a claim you will have to explain during a call.

Language section ready to use

• ✓Every level reflects my current ability
• ✓Certificates have their actual names and dates
• ✓Self-assessed levels are labelled as such
• ✓Courses and planned exams are separate from achieved qualifications
• ✓Task examples are relevant and true
• ✓I checked the vacancy's requirements rather than only the language of the advert

Use the editable Swiss CV template to put the section into a complete document. If language is one part of a wider change of direction, the career-change CV guide helps you choose the rest of the evidence.