Goethe Zertifikat A2 SPRECHEN | How to pass this exam
You do not speak alone in the Goethe A2 speaking exam: there are two examiners and two candidates, and you have to start talking right away. Johannes walks you through the three parts of the SPRECHEN section of the Goethe-Zertifikat A2 with full example questions and answers, so you know what the cards look like and what a good answer sounds like. At the end he gives you three tips that can decide how many points you get.
How the A2 Speaking Exam Is Structured
- Teil 1, Fragen zur Person: you ask your partner four questions and answer four questions from your partner.
- Teil 2, Von sich erzÀhlen: a short monologue about yourself.
- Teil 3, Etwas zusammen planen: a dialogue in which you and your partner plan something together.
Goethe says the whole speaking part takes about 15 minutes. Johannes thinks that is hard to say, because it depends on how fast you and your partner speak and how long you think before you answer. There are two examiners and two exam participants, so you are not alone. Before Teil 1 starts, the examiners introduce themselves and expect you to do the same: your name, where you come from, where you live and maybe how old you are.
Example: Hallo, ich heiĂe Johannes MĂŒller. Ich komme aus Frankreich. Ich wohne seit zwei Monaten in Deutschland.
Teil 1: Fragen zur Person
You get four cards and your partner gets four different cards. The examiners first show how it works by asking and answering one question themselves. Then you start right away. There is no real preparation time, only a moment to look at the cards and decide which one to start with. In the video the exam takes place in Munich, and the four cards are Wohnort, Studium, Familie and Sport.
Johannes addresses his partner with Sie. Even if you think the other person is younger than you, this is the safe choice, because you do not offend anyone.
| Card | Question | Answer | Second question (bonus) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wohnort | Wohnen Sie hier in MĂŒnchen? (Do you live here in Munich?) | Ja, ich wohne in MĂŒnchen, in Sendling. (Yes, I live in Munich, in Sendling.) | Wohnen Sie dort allein? (Do you live there alone?) Answer: Nein, ich wohne in einer WG. |
| Familie | Haben Sie Geschwister? (Do you have siblings?) | Ja, ich habe einen Bruder. (Yes, I have a brother.) | Wohnt er auch in MĂŒnchen? (Does he also live in Munich?) Answer: Nein, er wohnt in Stuttgart. |
| Studium | Darf ich fragen, was Sie studiert haben? (May I ask what you studied?) | Ich studiere momentan Medizin. Ich bin jetzt im vierten Semester. (I am currently studying medicine. I am in my fourth semester now.) | Wow, Medizin! Das ist sehr schwierig, oder? (Wow, medicine! That is very difficult, isn't it?) Answer: Ja, ich muss sehr viel lernen. |
| Sport | Machen Sie gerne Sport? (Do you like doing sports?) | Ja, ich spiele sehr gern FuĂball. Ich trainiere dreimal pro Woche. (Yes, I like playing football a lot. I train three times a week.) | Und wie lange trainieren Sie? (And how long do you train?) Answer: Das Training dauert zwei Stunden. |
Why the second question matters
You only have to ask one question per card, but Johannes recommends a second one that reacts to the answer. It shows the examiners that you can really have a conversation. For the studies card he deliberately uses an indirect question (Darf ich fragen, was Sie studiert haben?) to show that he learned this A2 grammar. When you answer, add a second sentence too. All these extra sentences are not necessary, but they help you get a better result.
Teil 2: Von sich erzÀhlen
Now you speak alone. Your card has a question in the middle and four keywords around it, and your partner's card is different. The example question is Was machen Sie mit Ihren Freunden? and the keywords are Sport, Essen, Club, Party and AusflĂŒge. You have to talk about all of these keywords. Johannes starts with the easiest ones:
- Sport: Ich habe einen Freund, mit dem ich einmal pro Woche ins Fitnessstudio gehe. Wir trainieren circa 2 Stunden. (I have a friend with whom I go to the gym once a week. We train for about 2 hours.)
- Essen: Am Wochenende koche ich auch oft mit Freunden. Am liebsten vegetarische Gerichte. (On the weekend I often cook with friends too. Preferably vegetarian dishes.)
- AusflĂŒge: Manchmal machen wir auch AusflĂŒge zusammen. Wir fahren zum Beispiel in die Berge, hier in der NĂ€he. (Sometimes we also go on trips together. For example, we go to the mountains nearby.)
- Party: NatĂŒrlich feiern wir auch gerne Partys, meistens bei Freunden zu Hause. Wir hören Musik, tanzen und trinken Bier. (Of course we also like to party, mostly at friends' homes. We listen to music, dance and drink beer.)
Adding a second sentence to every keyword earns more points. After your monologue the examiners ask one or two questions about what you just said. In the video they ask whether he also goes to clubs, because he said he parties at home. His answer: Nein, in Clubs gehe ich nicht so gern. Ich finde, das ist zu teuer. Und die Musik ist zu laut. The second question is how he gets to the mountains: Meine Eltern haben ein Auto. Wenn sie es nicht brauchen, darf ich es benutzen.
Teil 3: Etwas zusammen planen
Both of you get a paper with the same task but different diagrams. In the example the task is Sie möchten am Samstag einen Ausflug zusammen machen. Diskutieren Sie, was Sie genau machen wollen. In the middle of both diagrams is Ausflug. Around it are different keywords, for example in die Berge on one paper and an einen See on the other. You have 20 to 30 seconds to read the task, then the examiners pick one of you to start. Johannes uses du here, because it is a role play and you would not plan a trip with someone you do not know. You can use Sie as well.
The example dialogue shows how to use the keywords on your paper and how to pass the ball back to your partner:
- Hallo Tim, hast du am Samstag Zeit? Ich wĂŒrde gerne einen Ausflug machen.
- Ja, am Samstag habe ich Zeit. Was möchtest du machen?
- Wir könnten in die Berge fahren und ein paar Stunden wandern.
- In die Berge? Wandern? Hm, ich wĂŒrde lieber an einen See fahren.
- Hm, ja, das ist auch eine gute Idee. Und was machen wir dort?
- Wir können ein bisschen spazieren gehen und im See schwimmen.
- Klingt gut. Aber wie kommen wir an den See? Mit dem Auto?
- Nein, nein, der See ist hier in der NĂ€he. Ich schlage vor, dass wir mit dem Rad fahren. Was denkst du?
- Das finde ich super. Und fĂŒr den Weg nehmen wir Brötchen und Cola mit.
- Super Idee! Und wollen wir am Abend noch in ein Restaurant gehen?
- Perfekt. So machen wir es. Dann bis Samstag. / Alles klar, bis Samstag.
Look at what happens in this dialogue: every sentence uses a keyword from the paper or reacts to the last sentence, and the answers contain A2 grammar such as a dass clause (Ich schlage vor, dass wir mit dem Rad fahren). Klingt gut is a short and useful way to say that you agree. Johannes also points out that you cannot pass this part by luck: you need A2 grammar and A2 words.
Three Tips to Pass with Ease
- Answer in complete sentences. Short answers like Ja or Nein are not enough at A2. Instead of Super say Super, die Idee gefÀllt mir, Die Idee ist wirklich toll or Klingt gut. So machen wir es.
- Make mistakes. Nobody expects you to speak like a native speaker at A2. If you do not answer at all, or only say âumâ or âich weiĂ nichtâ, you get zero points. If you speak and make mistakes, you still get points.
- Never say âkeine Ahnungâ or âich weiĂ nichtâ. If you did not understand, say Wie bitte? or, even better, Ich habe Sie nicht richtig verstanden. Könnten Sie das bitte noch einmal sagen? or Oh, das Wort kenne ich nicht. Was bedeutet das? You get points for these sentences and you hear the question once more.
What to Learn Next
The speaking part is only one half of the written and oral A2 exam, so also read how to pass the SCHREIBEN (writing) part. The indirect questions from Teil 1 are explained in How to ask the perfect question in German. If you want to compare with the easier A1 exam, see the A1 SPRECHEN lesson.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many parts does the Goethe A2 speaking exam have?
Three: Teil 1 (Fragen zur Person, you ask and answer four questions), Teil 2 (Von sich erzÀhlen, a short monologue) and Teil 3 (Etwas zusammen planen, a dialogue with your partner).
How long does the Goethe A2 speaking exam take?
Goethe says about 15 minutes. In practice it depends on how fast you and your partner speak and how long you think before you answer.
Do I take the A2 speaking exam alone?
No. There are two examiners and two candidates, so you have a partner. In Teil 1 and Teil 3 you speak with your partner, and in Teil 2 you give a monologue.
Should I use Sie or du in the A2 speaking exam?
In Teil 1 it is safest to use Sie with your partner. In Teil 3 the planning dialogue is a role play, so du makes it more real, but Sie is possible too.
What can I say if I do not understand the question?
Do not say âkeine Ahnungâ. Say Wie bitte? or Ich habe Sie nicht richtig verstanden. Könnten Sie das bitte noch einmal sagen? or Das Wort kenne ich nicht. Was bedeutet das?
Do you want the A2 grammar and vocabulary you need for all three parts? Our A2 German online course follows a book and gives you video lessons, worksheets, listening and reading practice in one place.
