Goethe-Zertifikat A1
Goethe-Zertifikat A1 — Complete Guide
Who needs A1
A1 is the entry point. Required for some family-reunification visas to Germany; useful for travellers who want a baseline of survival German. It certifies that you can introduce yourself, ask basic questions, and understand simple texts about everyday life.
Realistic prep time: 2–4 months from zero with consistent daily study (30 min/day). The Goethe-Institut estimates 80–200 total learning hours for A1.
Exam structure — all four modules
A1 has 4 short modules. The whole exam fits in about 80 minutes including breaks.
Lesen
Lesen — 4 task formats · 20 items · 25 min
| Teil | Title | Format | Items / Pts | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Kurze Texte T/F | T/F | 5 · 5 pts | ~6 min |
| Teil 2 | Stellenanzeigen matching | matching | 5 · 5 pts | ~6 min |
| Teil 3 | E-Mail / Brief multiple choice | multiple choice | 5 · 5 pts | ~6 min |
| Teil 4 | Formulare form-fill | form-fill | 5 · 5 pts | ~6 min |
All A1 reading texts are short and concrete — under 100 words each.
Teil 1: Kurze Texte
5 short texts (signs, notices, very short messages). Mark 5 statements as True or False.
Teil 2: Stellenanzeigen
Match 5 people with specific needs to 8 short classified ads or notices.
Teil 3: E-Mail / Brief
Read one short personal email or letter. Answer 5 multiple-choice questions about its content.
Teil 4: Formulare
Extract specific information from a short text and write it into the matching fields of a form.
Tips
- All A1 texts are short — do not expect complexity
- Teil 4: copy exact words from the text into the form
Common mistakes
- Overthinking short notices — they test literal comprehension
- Spending too long on the Teil 2 matching exercise (budget ~5 minutes)
Hören
Hören — 3 task formats · 15 items · 20 min
| Teil | Title | Format | Items / Pts | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Kurze Gespräche und Ansagen multiple choice | multiple choice | 6 · 6 pts | ~7 min |
| Teil 2 | Durchsagen T/F | T/F | 4 · 4 pts | ~7 min |
| Teil 3 | Telefonische Informationen multiple choice | multiple choice | 5 · 5 pts | ~7 min |
A1 Hören has three Teile. Teil 1 and Teil 3 are played twice; Teil 2 is played once.
Teil 1: Kurze Gespräche und Ansagen
6 short conversations or announcements. One multiple-choice question per text (a/b/c). Played twice.
Teil 1 — Audio played twice
Listen to six short A1 texts, then choose a/b/c for each question.
0:00 / 0:00Teil 2: Durchsagen
4 short announcements. Mark each statement True or False. Played once.
Teil 2 — Audio played once
Listen to four short announcements, then mark each statement True or False.
0:00 / 0:00In the real exam this Teil is played once — try listening only once before answering.
Teil 3: Telefonische Informationen
5 short messages or information texts. One multiple-choice question per text (a/b/c). Played twice.
Teil 3 — Audio played twice
Listen to five short messages, then choose a/b/c for each question.
0:00 / 0:00
Tips
- Know cardinal and ordinal numbers 1–100 cold before the exam
- Notes in your native language during playback are allowed — no penalty
Common mistakes
- Numbers and times — A1 audio heavily tests these
- Missing key location or time words because of unfamiliar surrounding vocabulary
Schreiben
Schreiben — 2 task formats · 2 items · 20 min
| Teil | Title | Format | Items / Pts | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Formular ausfüllen form-fill | form-fill | 1 · 5 pts | ~10 min |
| Teil 2 | Kurze Mitteilung short writing (~30–80 words) | short writing (~30–80 words) | 1 · 10 pts | ~10 min |
Markers look for completion of all required fields and use of basic personal vocabulary.
Teil 1: Formular ausfüllen
Fill in a short personal-information form (name, age, hobby, address).
Teil 2: Kurze Mitteilung
Write a 30-word message to a friend (e.g. confirming a meeting, asking a small favour).
Tips
- Teil 2: draft first, count words, then copy neatly
- Always include a greeting + the requested information + a sign-off
Common mistakes
- Writing too long in Teil 2 — 30 words is intentionally short
- Missing required fields in the Teil 1 form
Sprechen
Sprechen — 3 task formats · 3 items · 15 min
| Teil | Title | Format | Items / Pts | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Sich vorstellen self-introduction | self-introduction | 1 · 5 pts | ~5 min |
| Teil 2 | Um etwas bitten / reagieren feedback / react | feedback / react | 1 · 5 pts | ~5 min |
| Teil 3 | Aufgabe plan together | plan together | 1 · 5 pts | ~5 min |
Taken in pairs or small groups. Pronunciation matters more than perfect grammar at A1.
Teil 1: Sich vorstellen
Introduce yourself: name, age, country, languages, hobby. ~1 minute.
Teil 2: Um etwas bitten / reagieren
Respond to simple everyday requests using prompt cards.
Teil 3: Aufgabe
Complete a simple interactive task with your partner — e.g. suggest a meeting time.
Tips
- Memorise a 5-sentence self-introduction — Teil 1 is highly predictable
- Pronunciation matters more than grammar perfection at A1
Common mistakes
- Freezing after a small grammar mistake — keep going
- Going completely silent instead of using "Moment bitte" or "Können Sie das wiederholen?"