This guide helps you prepare for the language level. It is not legal advice. Information checked 21 October 2026. Rules change, so check the current rules with Romania's National Citizenship Authority (ANC) at cetatenie.just.ro (opens in a new tab) or on eConsulat (opens in a new tab) before you rely on anything here.
Why B1 matters
According to Law 14/2025 (opens in a new tab) (published in Monitorul Oficial no. 218 on 12 March 2025, in force since 15 March 2025), people applying under articles 10 and 11 of the Romanian citizenship law, Law 21/1991 (opens in a new tab), now show that they know Romanian. These are the routes used by former Romanian citizens and their descendants. The law accepts either a language certificate at CEFR level B1 or higher, or a notarised transcript showing at least three years of study in Romanian.
The law also exempts some applicants, for example people who were themselves Romanian citizens and applicants who are 65 or older when they file. Naturalisation (article 8) works differently: according to the published procedure (opens in a new tab), there is an interview at ANC instead; the procedure lists a dictation, reading an unseen text and 12 questions. The B1 skills in this guide help with that too.
On timing, an emergency ordinance, OUG 16/2026 (opens in a new tab), extended the transition period to two years, and the official eConsulat pages say the proof must be sent by 14 March 2027. Check this before relying on it: dates and conditions can change, and your own case may differ.
Who issues the certificates
According to the rules checked for this guide, Romanian language certificates come from universities accredited to run the preparatory year for foreign students (anul pregătitor), the Romanian Language Institute (ILR), the Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR) and Romanian cultural institutes abroad. Check with ANC which certificate fits your application before you book an exam.
Exam formats and fees differ between institutions. Two examples, as published at the time of checking; both may change:
| Exam | Parts | Fee listed |
|---|---|---|
| ILR (opens in a new tab) | reading and grammar 45 min · writing 60 min · speaking 30 min | 250 RON |
| Babeș-Bolyai University with ICR (RoExam) | listening 20 min · reading 45 min · language structures 45 min · writing 50 min · speaking 20 min | €100 |
Whichever exam you take, look at a sample paper from that institution first, so the format is no surprise on the day.
What B1 means in practice
B1 is the third of the six levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), after A1 and A2. The Council of Europe's global scale (opens in a new tab) opens its B1 description with: "Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc." In plain words, at B1 you can:
- handle most everyday situations on your own: at an office counter, at the doctor, with a landlord or a colleague
- follow the main points of clear speech on familiar topics, such as work, family, home and the news
- talk about your experiences, your plans and your opinions, and give short reasons for them
- write a simple connected text: a letter, an email, a short description or a few paragraphs on a familiar topic
You do not need perfect grammar at B1. You need to get your meaning across, keep a conversation going, and be understood without the other person working hard.
The four skills
B1 exams usually test four skills: reading, listening, writing and speaking, as the two examples above show. Whatever the format, these are the things worth practising.
Speaking: introduce yourself and talk about your life
Speaking tests often start with a short introduction: who you are, where you live, what you do, and what you plan. Prepare it, say it out loud many times, and be ready for follow-up questions.
Aș dori să mă prezint.
I would like to introduce myself.
Locuiesc în Cluj de doi ani.
I have lived in Cluj for two years.
Am lucrat ca inginer.
I worked as an engineer.
Pe viitor, aș vrea să locuiesc în România.
In the future, I would like to live in Romania.
Puteți repeta întrebarea, vă rog?
Could you repeat the question, please?
Notice the Romanian present in Locuiesc în Cluj de doi ani: where English says I have lived … for two years, Romanian uses the present tense with de + the length of time: literally I live in Cluj for two years. Asking for a repetition is normal in a speaking test; it is much better than guessing.
Speaking and writing: give an opinion
At B1 you are expected to say what you think and why, and to agree or disagree politely. A handful of phrases carry most of the work.
Din punctul meu de vedere
From my point of view
După părerea mea
In my opinion
Cred că e o idee bună.
I think it's a good idea.
sunt de acord
I agree
Nu sunt de acord.
I don't agree.
depinde
it depends
Add a reason with pentru că (because): Nu sunt de acord, pentru că e prea scump (I don't agree, because it's too expensive). One opinion with one clear reason is a good B1 answer.
Writing: connect your ideas
A B1 text does not need long sentences. It needs a beginning, a middle and an end, joined by small linking words.
în primul rând
first of all
pe de o parte
on the one hand
pe de altă parte
on the other hand
de exemplu
for example
totuși
however, still
în concluzie
in conclusion
Practise short formal emails too: open with Stimate domnule or Stimată doamnă (Dear Sir, Dear Madam), use the polite dumneavoastră forms, and close with Cu stimă (Yours sincerely). Write with the diacritics (ă, â, î, ș, ț): they are part of the spelling.
Reading and listening: get the main point
For reading, practise short real texts: notices, emails, simple news items. Read once for the main idea, then again for the details. For listening, play the same dialogue several times: first for the gist, then for names, numbers and times. Exercise instructions often look like this:
Citiți textul.
Read the text.
Răspundeți la întrebări.
Answer the questions.
Alegeți varianta corectă.
Choose the correct option.
Adevărat sau fals?
True or false?
A study path from A1 to B1
The levels build on each other, so B1 comes after A1 and A2. Here is how the platform can help on the way.
- Find your level. The free placement test covers A1 to C2 and tells you where to start. If you already speak some Romanian, you may not need to begin at A1.
- Follow the course. The lessons run from A1 through A2 to B1, each in five steps: listen, read, practise, speak, review. The six B1 units cover expressing yourself (opinions, the subjunctive, the conditional), work and money, everyday life in Romania, family and relationships, culture and current affairs, and managing on your own. The last B1 lesson is a final review of the level.
- Review every day. Spaced repetition brings back the words you have learned just before you would forget them. It takes a few minutes a day and is free.
- Speak. Practise conversations with the AI tutor, including B1 situations such as a job interview or politely disagreeing with a friend. With the pronunciation lab you record yourself and get word-by-word scoring.
- Write. With AI writing correction you pick a task for your level, write in Romanian, and get your text back with each correction explained.
- Practise with Mădălina. The higher plans add live group conversation classes with Mădălina, our teacher, and, at the top level, a private one-to-one session with her each month and a personalised study plan.
The placement test, the first lessons of each level, a few AI tutor conversations and the daily review are free. The full course, the pronunciation lab and writing correction come with the paid plans.
How long it can take
It depends on your starting point and how much you study each week. For many learners it is a matter of months of regular study, and longer if they start from zero. As an indicative figure only, Cambridge English estimates about 350 to 400 hours of guided learning to reach B1 in English; it is a rough guide for Romanian, not a promise. If you already speak Italian, Spanish, French or Portuguese, you may find some of the vocabulary and grammar familiar. A little every day works better than a long session once a week.
An example week
| Day | What to do |
|---|---|
| Monday | One lesson, then your daily review |
| Tuesday | Daily review, then a conversation with the AI tutor |
| Wednesday | One lesson, then your daily review |
| Thursday | Daily review, then one short writing task |
| Friday | One lesson, then your daily review |
| Saturday | Pronunciation practice, or a group class if you have one |
| Sunday | Read or listen to something real: a news item, a song, a podcast |
Adjust it to your week; what matters is that all four skills get some time.
Further reading
- Romania's National Citizenship Authority (ANC) (opens in a new tab), the official source for the current citizenship rules.
- eConsulat: documents for regaining citizenship (article 11) (opens in a new tab), the official consular pages, including the deadline for the language proof.
- Law 14/2025 (opens in a new tab), which added the language requirement, and Law 21/1991 (opens in a new tab), the Romanian citizenship law, on the official legislation portal.
- OUG 16/2026 (opens in a new tab), the emergency ordinance that extended the transition period (Senate PDF).
- The naturalisation interview procedure (opens in a new tab), on the official legislation portal.
- ILR B1–C2 certification sessions (opens in a new tab), the Romanian Language Institute's exam page.
- The CEFR global scale (opens in a new tab) and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (opens in a new tab) (Council of Europe), which describe the levels from A1 to C2.
- Institutul Limbii Române (opens in a new tab), the Romanian Language Institute, which supports learning Romanian.