Goethe-Zertifikat B1
Format, scoring and sample tasks for every module of the Goethe B1 exam.
Why B1 matters
B1 is the language requirement for German citizenship (Einbürgerung). It is also the level employers commonly require for entry-level jobs that involve customer contact, and the threshold above which most learners can read newspapers and hold real conversations.
Preparation time: 4–8 months from A2 with consistent daily study (30–60 min/day). Allow 350–650 guided teaching units (45 min each, about 260–490 clock hours) from complete beginner.
Exam structure
Four modules, each passed on its own: a strong module cannot make up for a weak one.
Lesen (reading)
| Teil | Title | Format | Tasks | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Blogtext — Richtig oder Falsch true or false | true or false | 6 | 20 |
| Teil 2 | Zwei Pressetexte multiple choice | multiple choice | 6 | 20 |
| Teil 3 | Situationen und Anzeigen matching | matching | 7 | 23 |
| Teil 4 | Leserkommentare — Ja oder Nein true or false | true or false | 7 | 23 |
| Teil 5 | Informationstext multiple choice | multiple choice | 4 | 14 |
Teil 1: Blogtext — Richtig oder Falsch
6 tasks, 20 points
One personal blog or forum text (~250 words), then 6 statements. Mark each Richtig or Falsch — there is no third option in this Teil.
Teil 2: Zwei Pressetexte
6 tasks, 20 points
Two short press articles, each shown once with 3 multiple-choice questions (a/b/c) below it. The first question per text asks what the text is mainly about.
Teil 3: Situationen und Anzeigen
7 tasks, 23 points
7 everyday situations and 10 small ads (a–j). Match each situation to the one ad that fits; each ad can be used only once, and for exactly one situation there is no matching ad — that answer is 0.
Teil 4: Leserkommentare — Ja oder Nein
7 tasks, 23 points
7 signed opinion comments from an online newspaper, all on one question. Decide for each person: Ja or Nein.
Teil 5: Informationstext
4 tasks, 14 points
One information or house-rules text (museum information, Hausordnung, terms and conditions) with 4 multiple-choice questions (a/b/c) about details in it.
Tips
- For Teil 1: read the 6 statements first, then read the text once from start to finish
- For Teil 3: answer the easy situations first and cross off each ad you use — the last ones then almost solve themselves
- Pace yourself with the official split: 10 / 20 / 10 / 15 / 10 minutes across the five Teile
Common mistakes
- Reading word-by-word instead of scanning for gist
- Marking Falsch in Teil 1 for anything the text simply does not mention — only the text can decide, and there is no "not stated" option
- Forgetting that one Teil-3 situation has NO matching ad — forcing a leftover ad onto it costs two points, not one
Hören (listening)
| Teil | Title | Format | Tasks | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Kurze Texte multiple choice | multiple choice | 10 | 34 |
| Teil 2 | Vortrag / Information multiple choice | multiple choice | 5 | 17 |
| Teil 3 | Gespräch true or false | true or false | 7 | 23 |
| Teil 4 | Diskussion matching | matching | 8 | 26 |
Teil 1 and Teil 4 are played twice; Teil 2 and Teil 3 are played once.
Teil 1: Kurze Texte
10 tasks, 34 points
5 short announcements, messages, or adverts. Two questions per text: one True/False and one multiple-choice. Played twice.
Teil 1 — Audio played twice
Listen to five short texts, then answer two questions for each.
0:00Teil 2: Vortrag / Information
5 tasks, 17 points
One informational talk or announcement. 5 multiple-choice questions (a/b/c). Played once.
Teil 2 — Audio played once
Listen to one informational talk, then answer five multiple-choice questions.
0:00In the real exam this Teil is played once — try listening only once before answering.
Teil 3: Gespräch
7 tasks, 23 points
One overheard conversation between native speakers. 7 True/False statements. Played once.
Teil 3 — Audio played once
Listen to a streetcar conversation about the weekend, then mark seven statements True or False.
0:00In the real exam this Teil is played once — try listening only once before answering.
Teil 4: Diskussion
8 tasks, 26 points
One radio discussion. Match 8 statements to the speaker who says them. Played twice.
Teil 4 — Audio played twice
Listen to one radio discussion, then match each statement to the speaker.
0:00
Tips
- Read each block of questions before its audio starts
- Teil 3 plays twice — use the first pass for rough notes, the second to confirm
- Wrong answers do NOT deduct points — always guess if unsure
Common mistakes
- Panicking when an audio is played only once — momentary blanks rarely cost more than a single point
- Not using the answer time between plays to read upcoming questions
- Mistaking similar-sounding numbers (13 / 30, 17 / 70) — listen for the stress
Schreiben (writing)
| Teil | Title | Format | Tasks | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Private Nachricht (informell) short writing (~30–80 words) | short writing (~30–80 words) | 1 | 40 |
| Teil 2 | Forumsbeitrag (Meinung) short writing (~30–80 words) | short writing (~30–80 words) | 1 | 40 |
| Teil 3 | Kurze formelle Nachricht short writing (~30–80 words) | short writing (~30–80 words) | 1 | 20 |
Marking covers task completion, coherence, vocabulary range, and grammatical accuracy.
Teil 1: Private Nachricht (informell)
1 task, 40 points
An informal email or message to a friend (~80 words), reacting to their news and covering the given points.
Teil 2: Forumsbeitrag (Meinung)
1 task, 40 points
An opinion post in an online forum (~80 words): state your view on a topic and give at least two reasons.
Teil 3: Kurze formelle Nachricht
1 task, 20 points
A short, polite formal message to an institution (~40 words) — e.g. apologising and making a request.
Tips
- Aufgabe 1 (informal email): use du-forms and a casual greeting like „Hallo …" — it is a message to a friend
- Aufgabe 2 (forum post): state your opinion clearly and back it with at least two reasons
- Aufgabe 3 (formal note): keep it short and polite — „Sehr geehrte …", state your request, thank them
- Timing: about 20 min for Aufgabe 1, 25 for Aufgabe 2, 15 for Aufgabe 3, leaving a few minutes to check articles and cases
Common mistakes
- Mixing registers — writing the formal note in du-form, or the friendly email too stiffly
- Skipping one of the required bullet points — examiners scan for each one
- Going far over or under the suggested word count
Sprechen (speaking)
| Teil | Title | Format | Tasks | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Gemeinsam etwas planen plan together | plan together | 1 | 28 |
| Teil 2 | Präsentation presentation | presentation | 1 | 40 |
| Teil 3 | Feedback geben feedback / react | feedback / react | 1 | 16 |
| All Teile | Aussprache und Intonation — assessed across all three parts | — | — | 16 |
The exam is taken in pairs, but you are scored on your individual performance.
Teil 1: Gemeinsam etwas planen
1 task, 28 points
Plan something together with your partner (e.g. a class party). About 3 minutes of dialogue.
Teil 2: Präsentation
1 task, 40 points
A 3-minute prepared presentation of an assigned everyday topic, structured by five fixed slides (introduction, personal experience, home country, pros/cons + opinion, closing).
Teil 3: Feedback geben
1 task, 16 points
Answer questions about your own presentation, then give feedback on your partner's and ask one follow-up question.
Tips
- Teil 1: lean on "Ich finde, wir sollten…", "Was meinst du?", "Einverstanden, aber…"
- Teil 2 structure: Einleitung → 2–3 Punkte → Fazit
- Practice fillers: "Gute Idee, aber…", "Das stimmt, und außerdem…"
Common mistakes
- Doing all the talking in Teil 1 and not involving your partner
- Presenting for less than 90 seconds in Teil 2
- Giving only one-word reactions in Teil 3
Practice for the B1 exam
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