2025.11.10 – From Vocabulary Apps to Certification: How Drops Fits Beside NT2 and CNaVT

Key Takeaways

Vocabulary-only scope — Drops teaches words through short, visual sessions and does not teach grammar or full sentences.
What the exams assess — Staatsexamen NT2 (Programmes I/B1 and II/B2) and CNaVT (profiles A2–C1) test integrated skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
Preparation reality — Drops can support vocabulary growth, but exam readiness requires grammar study, guided writing and speaking practice, and task-based training.
Time on task — Institutional guides often cite roughly 350–400 hours to consolidate B1 and about 500–600 hours to reach B2, with wide individual variation.

Story & Details

What Drops Delivers

Drops is designed for fast, game-like drills that strengthen word recognition and recall. Its help materials state openly that the app focuses on vocabulary rather than grammar or sentence construction. That clarity is useful: vocabulary tools are strong companions, not complete courses.

The NT2 Benchmark

The Dutch State Exam, Staatsexamen NT2, offers two programmes—Programme I at B1 level and Programme II at B2 level. Each examines four skills: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Candidates receive certificates per skill and a diploma when all parts are passed. The framework reflects real-world language use, and the official site provides practice guidance and logistics.

The CNaVT Pathway

CNaVT, commissioned by the Dutch Language Union, certifies Dutch as a foreign language worldwide. It offers profile exams aligned to CEFR levels—from A2 (INFO) and B1 (FORM) to B2 (PROF/STRT) and C1 (EDUP). The emphasis is functional performance across tasks and registers, making it a suitable route for learners outside the Netherlands and Flanders.

Why Vocabulary Alone Falls Short

Both NT2 and CNaVT demand integrated production and comprehension. Test prompts expect candidates to write connected texts, maintain register, speak coherently, and handle authentic tasks where grammar and structure matter. Drops can keep vocabulary expanding daily, but exam preparation also needs a structured syllabus, feedback on writing and speech, and familiarity with official task types.

Study Hours, Realistically

Progress speed depends on starting point, exposure, and instruction quality. Widely referenced institutional guides estimate approximately 350–400 guided hours to consolidate B1 and around 500–600 for B2. These ranges are orientation, not guarantees, but they help plan a balanced path that builds all four skills—not just word lists.

Conclusions

The Blend That Works

Keep Drops for what it does best: daily, engaging vocabulary practice. Pair it with a course that teaches grammar, structured writing, and speaking. Add official-style practice tasks. That mix aligns with how NT2 and CNaVT assess language—and turns steady study time into credible, certifiable proficiency.

Sources

• Drops Help Center — “Can I learn grammar and full sentences with Drops?”: https://support.languagedrops.com/hc/en-us/articles/19173432071443-Can-I-learn-grammar-and-full-sentences-with-Drops
• Staatsexamen NT2 (official, English overview): https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/English
• Staatsexamen NT2 (official homepage): https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/
• Dutch Language Union — CNaVT information: https://taalunie.org/informatie/181/certificaat-nederlands-als-vreemde-taal
• Council of Europe — CEFR level descriptions: https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/level-descriptions
• British Council — Guided learning hours (CEFR levels): https://www.britishcouncil.pt/en/our-levels-and-cefr
• Cambridge English — Guided learning hours: https://support.cambridgeenglish.org/hc/en-gb/articles/202838506-Guided-learning-hours
• YouTube (official exam explainer) — “Instructievideo staatsexamen Nt2: Luisteren” — Staatsexamens Nt2 / College voor Toetsen en Examens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=borPTm_-Oyo

Appendix

Drops — A commercial language app that teaches vocabulary through visual, timed activities; it does not include grammar or sentence-building modules.
Staatsexamen NT2 — The Dutch national proficiency exam for adult non-native speakers, with Programme I (B1) and Programme II (B2), each assessing reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
CNaVT — “Certificaat Nederlands als Vreemde Taal,” a suite of internationally recognised profile exams (A2–C1) commissioned by the Dutch Language Union for learners worldwide.
CEFR — The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, the widely used scale from A1 to C2 that standardises descriptions of language ability and informs exam design.
Guided learning hours — Orientation bands used by institutions to estimate cumulative study time between CEFR levels; commonly ~350–400 hours for B1 and ~500–600 for B2, varying by learner.