Goethe-Zertifikat A2
Goethe-Zertifikat A2 — Complete Guide
Who needs A2
A2 is the standard milestone after A1 — a strong indicator that you can handle most everyday situations in German: ordering food, navigating public services, holding short conversations on familiar topics. It is required for some long-term residence permits and is a useful checkpoint on the path to B1.
Realistic prep time: 3–6 months from A1 with consistent daily study (30 min/day). The Goethe-Institut estimates 200–400 total learning hours from zero to A2.
Exam structure — all four modules
A2 introduces longer texts and more nuanced listening. The total runtime is about 105 minutes including breaks.
Lesen
Lesen — 5 task formats · 25 items · 30 min
| Teil | Title | Format | Items / Pts | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Anzeigen matching | matching | 5 · 5 pts | ~6 min |
| Teil 2 | Informationstexte T/F | T/F | 7 · 7 pts | ~6 min |
| Teil 3 | E-Mails multiple choice | multiple choice | 5 · 5 pts | ~6 min |
| Teil 4 | Formulare form-fill | form-fill | 5 · 5 pts | ~6 min |
| Teil 5 | Zeitungsmeldungen matching | matching | 3 · 8 pts | ~6 min |
A2 reading is still concrete but introduces longer texts and more nuance — read every "nicht" or "kein" carefully.
Teil 1: Anzeigen
5 people with specific needs are matched to 8 classified ads.
Teil 2: Informationstexte
One longer informational text (~150 words). 7 True/False statements.
Teil 3: E-Mails
5 short emails. Answer 5 multiple-choice questions across them.
Teil 4: Formulare
Extract specific information from a text and write it into the matching fields of a form.
Teil 5: Zeitungsmeldungen
3 short news items. Match each to one of 5 candidate headlines.
Tips
- Teil 5: read all 5 headlines first, then skim each article for keywords
- Always check each True/False statement for negation words (nicht, kein, nie)
Common mistakes
- Confusing similar-named people in the Teil 1 matching
- Missing negations in True/False statements ("Sie geht NICHT ins Kino")
Hören
Hören — 4 task formats · 20 items · 30 min
| Teil | Title | Format | Items / Pts | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Kurze Texte multiple choice | multiple choice | 5 · 5 pts | ~8 min |
| Teil 2 | Zusammenhängendes Gespräch matching | matching | 5 · 5 pts | ~8 min |
| Teil 3 | Einzelgespräche multiple choice | multiple choice | 5 · 5 pts | ~8 min |
| Teil 4 | Radiointerview T/F | T/F | 5 · 5 pts | ~8 min |
A2 Hören has four Teile and 20 items: Teil 1 and Teil 4 are played twice; Teil 2 and Teil 3 are played once.
Teil 1: Kurze Texte
5 short radio, voicemail, or announcement texts. One multiple-choice question per text (a/b/c). Played twice.
Teil 1 — Audio played twice
Listen to five short texts, then choose a/b/c for each question.
0:00 / 0:00Teil 2: Zusammenhängendes Gespräch
One connected conversation. Match 5 days to activities from a picture/text list. Played once.
Teil 2 — Audio played once
Listen to one connected weekly-planning conversation, then match each day to the activity.
0:00 / 0:00In the real exam this Teil is played once — try listening only once before answering.
Teil 3: Einzelgespräche
5 short conversations. One multiple-choice question per conversation (a/b/c). Played once.
Teil 3 — Audio played once
Listen to five short conversations, then choose a/b/c for each question.
0:00 / 0:00In the real exam this Teil is played once — try listening only once before answering.
Teil 4: Radiointerview
One radio interview. 5 Ja/Nein statements. Played twice.
Teil 4 — Audio played twice
Listen to one radio interview, then mark five statements Ja/Nein.
0:00 / 0:00
Tips
- Pre-read every question set in the 30 seconds before each audio
- Teil 3: identify topic and speaker attitude on the first listen, details on the second
Common mistakes
- Getting distracted by unfamiliar vocabulary — focus on the main message
- Not reading the questions before the audio starts
Schreiben
Schreiben — 2 task formats · 2 items · 30 min
| Teil | Title | Format | Items / Pts | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Formular + Kurzmitteilung short writing (~30–80 words) | short writing (~30–80 words) | 1 · 15 pts | ~15 min |
| Teil 2 | E-Mail schreiben short writing (~30–80 words) | short writing (~30–80 words) | 1 · 15 pts | ~15 min |
A2 writing is still informal — both tasks are addressed to a friend or peer.
Teil 1: Formular + Kurzmitteilung
Fill in a form AND write a 30–40 word note about a change or problem (e.g. cancelling an appointment).
Teil 2: E-Mail schreiben
Write a 60–80 word email to a friend covering 3 given bullet points.
Tips
- Teil 2 tone: casual ("Du" form, contractions OK)
- Tick off all 3 bullet points in the prompt before submitting
Common mistakes
- Treating the email too formally (A2 is to a friend — use "Du")
- Missing one of the 3 bullet points in the email prompt
Sprechen
Sprechen — 3 task formats · 3 items · 15 min
| Teil | Title | Format | Items / Pts | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Über ein Bild sprechen photo description | photo description | 1 · 10 pts | ~5 min |
| Teil 2 | Gemeinsam planen plan together | plan together | 1 · 10 pts | ~5 min |
| Teil 3 | Bitten und reagieren feedback / react | feedback / react | 1 · 10 pts | ~5 min |
Taken in pairs. You are scored individually — initiate, react, and keep dialogue alive.
Teil 1: Über ein Bild sprechen
Describe a photo for ~1 minute using a structured frame.
Teil 2: Gemeinsam planen
Plan something simple with your partner (a weekend trip, a class outing).
Teil 3: Bitten und reagieren
Make and respond to everyday requests using prompt cards.
Tips
- Photo formula: "Im Vordergrund sehe ich… Im Hintergrund… Die Person wirkt…"
- Start Teil 2 with a concrete suggestion, not a question
Common mistakes
- Running out of things to say when describing a photo
- Waiting for your partner to start instead of leading in Teil 2