Goethe-Zertifikat mock tests

Goethe-Zertifikat A1–C2

Free practice tests

Goethe-Zertifikat A1 practice test 1: A full A1 (Start Deutsch 1) practice test: Hören about 20 minutes, Lesen 25, Schreiben 20, Sprechen about 15, estimated out of 100 with the pass at 60.
Goethe-Zertifikat A1 practice pool 1: Extra A1 (Start Deutsch 1) items for each skill: listening, reading, the form and short message, and speaking.
Goethe-Zertifikat B1 practice test 1: A full B1 practice test: Lesen 65 minutes, Hören about 40, Schreiben 60, Sprechen about 15, each module estimated out of 100.
Goethe-Zertifikat B1 practice pool 1: Extra B1 items for each skill: reading, listening, writing and speaking.

About Goethe-Zertifikat

The Goethe-Institut offers German exams from A1 to C2 of the Common European Framework. A1 and A2 are whole exams. B1, B2, C1 and C2 are modular: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking can be taken together or separately, and a passed module is certified on its own.

This site has full practice tests for Goethe-Zertifikat A1 (Start Deutsch 1), the level often asked for a spouse visa, and B1, the level often used for permanent residence and citizenship in Germany. B1 has a version for young learners (recommended from 12) and one for adults (recommended from 16). The administration rules cover both. Each module is scored out of 100. A module is passed at 60. There is no single total that you must reach.

If all four B1 modules are passed within one year, one certificate showing all four results can be issued when the modules were taken at Goethe-Instituts in the European Union, at Goethe-Instituts in the same country, or at the same cooperation centre. Certificates do not expire, but an authority or a university may want a recent one.

A1: Start Deutsch 1 is the adult exam (recommended from 16). Fit in Deutsch 1 is the exam for children and young learners (recommended from 10). Both have Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Start Deutsch 1 is taken as a whole: the written parts last 65 minutes (Listening about 20, Reading 25, Writing 20) and Speaking is a group exam of about 15 minutes with no preparation time. Raw points in each part are multiplied by 1.66 and added; the maximum is 100, of which 75 are written and 25 are spoken. The exam is passed at 60 points if every part was taken. Fit in Deutsch 1 is passed at 30 points, half of its maximum.

A2 (adults, recommended from 16) and A2: Fit in Deutsch (young learners, recommended from 12) have the same four parts. On the Goethe-Institut's adult A2 page the times are Listening 30 minutes, Reading 30, Writing 30 and Speaking 15 (usually in pairs). The exam is passed at 60 points out of the maximum if every part was taken, with at least 45 points in the written exam and at least 15 in the oral exam. Parts of A2 may be retaken.

B2 (young learners recommended from 15, adults from 16) is modular, like B1. Reading 65 minutes, Listening about 40, Writing 75, and Speaking about 15 minutes in pairs (about 10 alone) after 15 minutes of preparation. Each module is out of 100 and passed at 60. The same ratings are used: 90–100 sehr gut, 80–89 gut, 70–79 befriedigend, 60–69 ausreichend, below 60 nicht bestanden.

C1 (adults, recommended from 16) is modular. Reading 65 minutes, Listening about 40, Writing 75, and Speaking about 20 minutes in pairs (about 15 alone) after 20 minutes of preparation. Each module is out of 100 and passed at 60, with the same ratings as B1 and B2.

C2: Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom (adults, recommended from 18) is modular. Reading 80 minutes (four parts), Listening about 35 (three parts), Writing 80 (two parts; in part 2 you may choose a literature topic prepared with Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München), and Speaking about 15 minutes as an individual exam after 15 minutes of preparation. Each module is out of 100 and passed at 60, with the same ratings.

Goethe-Zertifikat A1 (Start Deutsch 1) exam pattern

About 80 minutes plus no speaking preparation

Listening (Hören): About 20 minutes, Short everyday recordings
Reading (Lesen): 25 minutes, Short everyday texts
Writing (Schreiben): 20 minutes, Short messages
Speaking (Sprechen): 15 minutes, Three parts, in a group of up to four

Goethe-Zertifikat A2 exam pattern

About 1 hour 45 minutes

Listening (Hören): 30 minutes, Everyday recordings
Reading (Lesen): 30 minutes, Short everyday texts
Writing (Schreiben): 30 minutes, Short messages
Speaking (Sprechen): 15 minutes, Pair exam

Goethe-Zertifikat B1 exam pattern

About 3 hours 15 minutes of exam time, plus breaks and 15 minutes to prepare speaking

Reading (Lesen): 65 minutes, 30 items in five parts
Listening (Hören): About 40 minutes, 30 items in four parts
Writing (Schreiben): 60 minutes, Three tasks
Speaking (Sprechen): About 15 minutes (about 10 if you are examined alone), after 15 minutes to prepare, Three tasks

Goethe-Zertifikat B2 exam pattern

About 3 hours 15 minutes of exam time, plus breaks and 15 minutes to prepare speaking

Reading (Lesen): 65 minutes, Several texts
Listening (Hören): About 40 minutes, Interviews, talks, conversations and radio items
Writing (Schreiben): 75 minutes, Two tasks
Speaking (Sprechen): About 15 minutes in pairs (about 10 alone), after 15 minutes to prepare, Two parts

Goethe-Zertifikat C1 exam pattern

About 3 hours 20 minutes of exam time, plus breaks and 20 minutes to prepare speaking

Reading (Lesen): 65 minutes, Longer texts
Listening (Hören): About 40 minutes, Talks and discussions
Writing (Schreiben): 75 minutes, Writing tasks marked by examiners
Speaking (Sprechen): About 20 minutes in pairs (about 15 alone), after 20 minutes to prepare, Two parts

Goethe-Zertifikat C2 exam pattern

About 3 hours 30 minutes of exam time, plus breaks and 15 minutes to prepare speaking

Reading (Lesen): 80 minutes, Four parts
Listening (Hören): About 35 minutes, Three parts
Writing (Schreiben): 80 minutes, Two parts
Speaking (Sprechen): About 15 minutes, after 15 minutes to prepare both tasks, Two tasks, individual exam