Di seguito, la descrizione dei livelli PLIDA definiti secondo il Quadro Comune Europeo di riferimento per le lingue:

LEVEL A1

Indicates skills in using simple, everyday expressions in order to perform a number of basic tasks, presenting personal information relating to oneself or other people.
At this level of skill, interaction with Italian speakers can be conducted only with direct cooperation from the other interlocutors.

LEVEL A2

Offers independence in basic communications contexts. The person at this level is capable of performing tasks regarding certain primary needs, namely the private sphere, local geography, work, purchases and so forth.

LEVEL B1

Indicates an ability to understand spoken and written texts linked to familiar subjects.
A person at this level can interact in an Italian-speaking context for purposes of tourism, and use the Italian language to express opinions and give explanations in a simple form.

LEVEL B2

Corresponds to a level of Italian language that can be used in educational contexts (enrolment in schools and universities) and other analogous situations (professional training courses, work experience courses), as well as in professional activities requiring interaction with the public (trade, crafts).
A person at this level can socialise freely in an Italian- speaking environment, and can use the Italian language for professional activities in his or her respective field.

LEVEL C1

Indicates an extensive knowledge of Italian language and society, that can be exploited in complex work activities (professional functions in trade, industry and public administration).
A person at this level can understand and compile complex texts, identifying their superior levels of meaning, such as those typical of literary texts.

LEVEL C2

Certifies a high level of linguistic skill, comparable to that of a mother-tongue person with a relatively high level of general culture. At this level, it is possible to operate in all professional environments.
This is the level required for teaching Italian as a foreign language, and for accepting high-level professional commissions.