What does “adequate knowledge” of English or French mean when applying for citizenship?
The Citizenship Act requires that citizenship applicants have “an adequate knowledge of one of the official languages of Canada.” Canada’s two official languages are English and French.
We define “adequate knowledge” as having a Level 4 speaking and listening ability. To measure your ability, we use the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) or Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC). This level means you can, in English or French:
- understand simple:
- questions
- directions
- instructions
- use basic grammar, including:
- tenses
- simple structures
- show that you know enough common words and phrases to:
- express yourself
- answer questions
- take part in short, everyday conversations about common topics
For more information
Was this answer useful?
Thank you for your feedback.
Contact us about your application
Use this Web form to:
- ask about an application that has passed the normal processing times
- provide additional information about your application
- report a technical issue
Tool
Forms and Guides
Glossary term
- Date modified: