AIMA Language Requirements: Passing the A2 CIPLE Exam

If you are planning to apply for permanent residency or citizenship in Portugal, you will likely encounter the CIPLE exam. It stands for Certificado Inicial de Português Língua Estrangeira.

This is the official A2-level exam recognized by AIMA (Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum, formerly SEF).

What does "A2 Level" mean?

According to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), A2 is the "Elementary" level. It doesn't mean you need to be fluent or discuss philosophy. It means you can:

• Understand sentences regarding immediate relevance (family, shopping, employment).
• Communicate in simple, routine tasks.
• Describe your background and immediate environment.

The Structure of the Exam

The exam takes about 2 hours and consists of three components:

1. Reading and Writing (45%)

You will read simple signs, notices, or short emails and answer multiple-choice questions. You will also need to write a very short message (like a postcard or note to a friend).

2. Oral Understanding / Listening (30%)

You will listen to recorded announcements (like at a train station) or simple dialogues and answer questions. Note: The audio uses European Portuguese accents, which are much faster than Brazilian ones.

3. Oral Expression / Speaking (25%)

You will speak with an examiner and another candidate. You usually have to introduce yourself and role-play a simple situation, like buying a ticket or ordering food.

How to Prepare

You cannot "wing" this exam if you only know "Obrigado." You need structured grammar.

• Focus on the Present and Past Perfect (Pretérito Perfeito) tenses.
• Master the "regular" verbs: Ser, Estar, Ter, Ir.
• Practice Listening: Since the Portuguese "swallow" their vowels, listening is usually the hardest part for foreigners.

PortuTalk's "Life in the City" module is specifically designed to cover the vocabulary often found in the CIPLE role-play section.