TALKING ABOUT LANGUAGE SKILLS

Here are the expressions you can use to talk about language skills:
1. BASIC LEVEL

 I’m just starting to learn English.

 I have a basic knowledge of English.
 I can understand basic English.
 I have a working knowledge of English.

2. INTERMEDIATE LEVEL
Next, if we move beyond this basic level, would we say “I’m intermediate”? The idea of “intermediate” seems like
an academic concept that doesn’t necessarily have a lot of relevance to your everyday life or the type of language
skills you need. Here are the expressions you can use to talk about conversational language skills:
 I speak English conversationally.
 I speak conversational English.
 I understand more English than I speak.

3. FLUENT
Next, let’s talk about everybody’s favorite topic: speaking fluently. In general, we all understand what speaking
fluently means, that is, not translating from your native language, speaking automatically and being able to talk
about a wide variety of topics and not feeling like your language skills are very limited. We say:
 I am fluent in English (both spoken and written)

4. PROFICIENT
When you are really proficient in the language you can say:

 I have an excellent command of spoken and written English.

 I am highly proficient in spoken and written English.

5. NEAR NATIVE
Near-native proficiency is a step above speaking a language fluently, and suggests you are able to read, write,
understand, speak the language just as well as a native speaker.
 I have a near native command of spoken and written German.
 I am near native in German.

6. NATIVE LANGUAGE / NATIVE SPEAKER 

The language that is your primary language. This is usually learned during childhood and is considered your
“mother-tongue”.

 I am a native Spanish speaker/ a native speaker of Spanish.