If you already have basic European Portuguese, you can prepare for the CIPLE A2 in four to six weeks at about 20 minutes a day. With bigger gaps it takes longer, and from zero it takes months. I needed to pass the CIPLE myself, prepared on the platform I was building at the time and passed with a Bom, so the plan below is the one I would follow again.
How long it takes from your starting level
"It depends on your level" is true, but the range is narrower than people fear:
| Your starting point | Realistic time |
|---|---|
| Basic European Portuguese, comfortable with simple sentences | 4–6 weeks at ~20 min a day |
| Gaps in grammar or listening | 6–8 weeks, with extra time on the weak section, or the 60-day plan with longer sessions |
| Complete beginner | Several months. The state's free PLA course covers A1 and A2 in 150 hours of classes (more on PLA) |
These are planning figures from my own preparation, not a guarantee. Twenty minutes a day is exam preparation on top of Portuguese you already have, not a way to learn the language from scratch. If you are not sure which row you are in, the free 5-minute baseline quiz will tell you.
What the exam asks: components, timing and the 55% pass mark
| Component | Weight | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Reading & Writing | 45% | 1h 15 |
| Listening | 30% | 30 min |
| Speaking (in pairs) | 25% | about 15 min |
The pass mark is 55% of the weighted total, with no minimum per component. Results are classified as Suficiente (55–69%), Bom (70–84%) and Muito Bom (85–100%). The fee is €95 and non-refundable, and results arrive about seven weeks after the exam. Listening and speaking together are 55% of the score, so skipping them is a real risk.
The exam is run by CAPLE at the University of Lisbon (official CIPLE page); CIPLE Ready is not affiliated with CAPLE. For the full format, see what CIPLE is.
A 6-week plan at about 20 minutes a day
Weeks 1–2: find the gaps and fix grammar. Start with the grammar modules: 2000 exercises in 20 modules, and modules 1–3 are free. Add vocabulary in short daily sets from the 876-word trainer, every word with European Portuguese audio.
Weeks 3–4: all four skills. Read short texts in the real exam formats, such as SMS matching and notices. Do a listening exercise most days. Write one short answer and read the corrected version. Say one speaking prompt out loud.
Weeks 5–6: timed work. Move to full timed mock exams (more below) and spend the other days on whichever component scored lowest.
A full mock takes about two hours, so it will not fit in 20 minutes. Put it on a weekend day. The daily study plan works the same way: about 20 minutes on weekdays, built from your exam date and weak spots, and a full mock on Saturdays.
What if your exam is only weeks away?
Two weeks or less. New material will not stick now. Spend the time rehearsing:
- One full timed mock, all components in one sitting, to find out where you run out of time.
- Listening with two plays only, then the transcript.
- The paired speaking task out loud, not just reading model answers.
- The exam-day checklist: it is in the free guide, and Full Access has a 9-item version in Exam Tips.
Three to five weeks. Compress the 6-week plan: one day of diagnostic, one week of grammar and vocabulary on your weakest modules, then mocks from week two. Twenty minutes a day still works; on days off, add a second block.
Not booked yet? Check the exam calendar first. International sessions run in May, July and November; in Portugal, CIPLE-P runs most months except August and December, and popular centres fill early.
How to split your 20 minutes across the components
Study time should follow your weak spots, not the exam weights. A starting split:
- Reading and writing (about 8 minutes): one reading text or one writing task. Writing tasks come with AI feedback.
- Listening (about 6 minutes): one exercise in European Portuguese, played twice, then the transcript. Turn on the exam-room noise mode once the clean audio feels easy.
- Speaking (about 4 minutes): one prompt out loud. There are 20 speaking prompts and 10 paired scenarios to practise with a friend.
- Vocabulary (about 2 minutes): one flashcard set.
If listening is what worries you, move minutes there. It was my weakest component too: 72, against 90 in reading.
When to start full timed mocks
With six weeks, take one mock at the end of week 4 as a baseline, then one a week.
A mock only prepares you if it behaves like the exam. The 10 full timed mocks (the first one is free) each have their own texts, follow the real structure and timing, and play listening exactly twice.
Don't redo a mock straight away. Read the corrections, work on the weakest component for a few days, then take the next one. With ten mocks you can sit the exam several times before the real day without memorising answers.
How do you know you're ready?
The official rule is 55% overall, but give yourself a margin: you are ready when your timed mock scores sit comfortably above 55% in every component, not just overall. A mock that lands at 56% leaves no room for a bad listening day.
The readiness score on your dashboard shows, section by section, how close you are, so "I feel unsure" becomes a number. Check it weekly. If one section lags, give it your 20 minutes for a week and take another mock.
What the last week should look like
Don't start new topics. Take one full timed mock early in the week, review it, and use the following days on the component that scored lowest. The day before, do a light 20-minute session and read the exam-day checklist. Sleep matters more than a last cram.
Frequently asked questions
How many weeks do you need if you already have basic Portuguese?
Four to six weeks at about 20 minutes a day covers every section. If your grammar is solid and listening is your only gap, four can be enough.
Can I prepare for CIPLE in 6 weeks?
Yes, if you start with basic European Portuguese: two weeks of grammar and vocabulary, two weeks across all four skills and two weeks of timed mocks. From zero, six weeks is not enough.
Is 20 minutes a day really enough?
Only on top of Portuguese you already have, and only if you study every day. Full mocks are the exception: about two hours each, on a weekend day.
How difficult is the CIPLE?
It is A2, the second level of the CEFR scale, and the pass mark is 55% of the weighted total. Listening is where most people lose points, so train it with two plays only and some background noise.
What if I fail?
The €95 fee is non-refundable, so a re-sit means paying again. Your result arrives about seven weeks after the exam; check which component lost you points and target it.
Do I need European Portuguese audio?
Yes. Practise with European Portuguese, not Brazilian, so the accent and speed on the day match what you trained with.
Ready to start?
Begin with the free 11-page guide and a free account: grammar modules 1–3, the first lessons of every section and one full mock cost nothing and need no card. When you want all 10 mocks, all 18 writing tasks with AI feedback and the exam tips, Full Access is a one-time payment with a 7-day money-back guarantee; the current price is on the home page.
