CELI 2 is B1 — you need vocabulary for opinions, work, health, and civic topics, not tourist phrasebook lists. Below: themes that recur in reading and listening, grouped so you can study by situation rather than alphabetically.
You do not need the whole dictionary. CELI 2 tests practical words you would use in daily life in Italy. Here is what actually shows up on the paper.
Essential Everyday Topics
These are the core themes you'll encounter in your CELI 2 exam:
- Personal information and family (famiglia, lavoro, hobby)
- Daily routines and activities (colazione, pranzo, cena)
- Home and living environment (casa, appartamento, città)
- Work and education (università, ufficio, scuola)
- Shopping and services (negozio, banca, posta)
- Health and well-being (ospedale, farmacia, medico)
Numbers and Time Expressions
Make sure you're comfortable with:
- Numbers up to 1000
- Days of the week and months
- Time expressions (oggi, domani, ieri)
- Frequency words (sempre, spesso, qualche volta)
- Basic math terms for shopping situations
Action Verbs for B1 Level
Focus on these essential verb categories:
- Movement verbs (andare, venire, partire)
- Daily routine verbs (mangiare, dormire, lavorare)
- Communication verbs (parlare, scrivere, telefonare)
- Common irregular verbs in present tense
- Basic past tense (passato prossimo) of common verbs
Descriptive Language
You should know basic adjectives for:
- Physical descriptions (alto, basso, giovane)
- Emotions (felice, triste, stanco)
- Basic qualities (buono, cattivo, bello)
- Quantities (molto, poco, abbastanza)
Study Timeline
8 weeks before exam:
- Week 1-2: Personal and daily routine vocabulary
- Week 3-4: Shopping and services vocabulary
- Week 5-6: Work and education terms
- Week 7-8: Review and practice in context
Tips for Vocabulary Learning
1. Create flashcards with real-life situations
2. Practice with Italian labels around your house
3. Use vocabulary in simple sentences daily
4. Focus on high-frequency words first
5. Learn words in context, not in isolation
Remember, the CELI 2 exam tests your ability to communicate in everyday situations, not your knowledge of complex or literary Italian. Focus on practical vocabulary that you can actually use in conversations and written tasks.
For spaced repetition by theme, use the Prep2go CELI B1 Anki deck and section practice on /celi-a2 →
Source: CVCL - Centro per la Valutazione e le Certificazioni Linguistiche