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Goethe-Zertifikat B1 · Speaking module (Sprechen)

Goethe B1 speaking exam: how to practise Teil 1 to Teil 3

You have registered for the Goethe B1 speaking exam (Goethe-Zertifikat B1 for adults, Modul Sprechen), or you are about to: 15 minutes of preparation, then about 15 minutes in pairs. This page explains how the exam runs, how it is marked and what to practise in each part, gives a two-week plan and links to our practice tasks, topics and Redemittel (useful phrases). All of it is our own practice material, not original exam tasks; the clips further down come from an AI simulation recorded in B1 Sprechen.

Hear an example ↓

Simulate the whole speaking exam: AI examiners and an AI partner, all three parts, then feedback in German on your own sentences – pay once, no subscription.

B1 Sprechen is an independent practice tool. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Goethe-Institut or telc gGmbH. All tasks, topics and examples on this site and in our simulation are our own practice material, not official exam tasks; for official material, please use the links at the end of this page.

Last updated: · Published by

15 min
preparation
approx. 15 min
exam in pairs (approx. 10 alone)
3 parts
Teil 1–⁠3
60 / 100
points to pass (Goethe-Institut rule)
01

How the Goethe B1 speaking exam works: format, parts and marking

The Goethe B1 speaking exam (Sprechen) is the oral module of the Goethe-Zertifikat B1. You can take it on its own or together with reading, listening and writing. After 15 minutes of preparation you usually sit it with a second candidate in front of two examiners, for about 15 minutes; in exceptional cases you are tested alone (about 10 minutes). The exam has three parts: planning something together, presenting a topic and talking about the topic. You need at least 60 out of 100 points to pass.

Two examiners conduct the exam: one of them leads it, and each task is briefly explained before it starts. Both take notes and mark you independently; your result is the average of the two. Your partner is assigned at random.

Marking follows the criteria in the Goethe-Institut's Modellsatz. In Teil 1 you are marked on task fulfilment, interaction, vocabulary and structures (up to 28 points), in Teil 2 on task fulfilment, coherence, vocabulary and structures (up to 40) and in Teil 3 on task fulfilment only (up to 16); pronunciation is marked once across all three parts (up to 16).

Here is how it runs, according to the Goethe-Institut's Durchführungsbestimmungen:

  • Preparation (15 minutes): you prepare on your own, choose one of two topics for Teil 2 and make notes – on the task sheets or on stamped scratch paper. You may take the notes in with you; dictionaries and phones are not allowed.
  • Warm-up (about 1 minute): the examiners greet you and introduce themselves, then the examiner leading the exam asks a few questions to get to know you. This part is not marked.
  • Teil 1 · Gemeinsam etwas planen (planning something together, about 2–⁠3 minutes): you and your partner plan something and decide together.
  • Teil 2 · Ein Thema präsentieren (presenting a topic, about 3–⁠4 minutes per candidate): you present your topic using five slides.
  • Teil 3 · Über ein Thema sprechen (talking about the topic, about 1–⁠2 minutes per candidate): after each presentation, the candidate who listened and the second examiner each give feedback and ask a question; the presenter answers. Teil 2 and Teil 3 alternate: first one candidate presents and answers, then the other.

Practice material and tips for each part follow below. To hear how it all sounds, listen to a complete AI simulation by B1 Sprechen.

Hear the full Goethe B1 speaking exam example (approx. 10 min)

Sources: Durchführungsbestimmungen Goethe-Zertifikat B1 (as of 1 September 2025) and Modellsatz Erwachsene (2nd ed. 2015) from the Goethe-Institut, linked at the end of this page.

02

Goethe B1 Sprechen practice material

Planning tasks and a sample dialogue for Teil 1, the five-slide structure and a sample presentation for Teil 2, a sample dialogue with feedback, a question and answers for Teil 3, practice topics (Themen) and Redemittel (useful phrases) – all written by us, not taken from real exams. Use them with a timer and say every answer out loud.

03Teil 1 · Teil 2 · Teil 3

What to practise in Teil 1, Teil 2 and Teil 3

Timings follow the Durchführungsbestimmungen Goethe-Zertifikat B1 (as of 1 September 2025); the task sheets in the Modellsatz give approx. 3, 3 and 2 minutes instead. The Goethe-Institut's online Modellsatz calls the parts „Aufgabe 1–⁠3⁠“; candidates usually say Teil. All example sentences below are our own, not original exam tasks.

  1. approx. 2–⁠3 min

    Teil 1 · Gemeinsam etwas planen

    Planning something together

    Practise reacting, not reciting: make suggestions, answer your partner's ideas with a reason and agree on a plan together. In a single exam, an examiner takes the role of your partner.

    • Say a suggestion and a counter-suggestion with a reason out loud: „Wie wäre es, wenn wir am Samstag zusammen einen Ausflug machen?⁠“ – „Gute Idee, aber am Samstag habe ich leider keine Zeit. Geht es auch am Sonntag?⁠“
    • Practise bringing your partner in, because a plan needs two people: „Was meinst du?⁠“ – „Was ist dir wichtig?⁠“
    • End every practice round with a short summary: „Also, dann machen wir das so: Ich kümmere mich um …, und du …⁠“

    Try this part for free · approx. 5 min

  2. approx. 3–⁠4 min per candidate

    Teil 2 · Ein Thema präsentieren

    Presentation

    Practise presenting one of two topics along the five slides (Folien) on your task sheet, from keywords and in time. The order is: candidate 1 presents, then feedback and questions (Teil 3); then candidate 2 presents, followed by feedback and questions again. In a single exam you give a short presentation alone.

    • Prepare with keywords only – two or three per slide plus an opening and a closing sentence – then speak from them. The examiner's script in the Modellsatz (2nd ed. 2015) reminds candidates not to read everything from their notes.
    • Rehearse the transitions between slides aloud: „Ich spreche heute über das Thema …⁠“ – „Damit komme ich zum nächsten Punkt.⁠“ – „Zum Schluss möchte ich sagen …⁠“
    • Time every run and record it; check afterwards that you covered all five slides.

    The free trial is Part 1 · approx. 5 min

  3. approx. 1–⁠2 min per candidate

    Teil 3 · Über ein Thema sprechen

    Rückmeldung geben, Fragen stellen (feedback and questions)

    Practise both roles: after your partner's presentation you give feedback and ask a question; after yours, your partner and the second examiner do the same and you answer. In a single exam only the examiner asks.

    • While listening, remember one point you found interesting and think of one question.
    • Start feedback with something specific, then ask an open question: „Danke für deine Präsentation. Besonders interessant fand ich … Wie ist das bei dir?⁠“
    • Answer with a reason or an example, and ask again rather than guess: „Entschuldigung, können Sie die Frage bitte wiederholen?⁠“

    The free trial is Part 1 · approx. 5 min

recorded in B1 Sprechen · all voices AI

Goethe B1 speaking exam: clips from an AI simulation

From one complete simulation: one moment each from Teil 1, 2 and 3. The lines below show what each part asks of you; the whole conversation with transcript is in the complete example.

The key point from the feedback – and the moment it refers to

Vor- und Nachteile mit einem konkreten Einzelfall aus Ihrer Erfahrung erklären

Excerpt 04:03–04:33AI simulation
Frau Weber (AI)Examiner
Herr Braun (AI)Examiner
Alex (AI)Candidate
Emilio (AI)Fellow candidate

Alex (AI) Ich finde, die Leute benutzen dort viel das Handy für Gesundheit, aber sie möchten auch schnell eine echte Person sehen, weil sie Angst haben, etwas zu verpassen.

04:03 / 04:33Part 2 · Presentation Alex

In the full conversation from 04:03

Part 1 · Planning something together

Excerpt 00:54–01:56AI simulation
Frau Weber (AI)Examiner
Herr Braun (AI)Examiner
Alex (AI)Candidate
Emilio (AI)Fellow candidate

Emilio (AI) Alex, ich schlage vor, dass wir am Anfang nur einfache Werkzeuge verleihen, zum Beispiel einen Hammer und eine Leiter.

00:54 / 01:56Part 1 · Planning something together

From the feedback on this part

Said01:29Say it more accurately

„Für die Ausleihe, wir machen eine Liste an die Kellertür“

Better

„Für die Ausleihe machen wir eine Liste an die Kellertür.“

Why: So steht das Verb bei Ihrem Vorschlag zur Ausleihe an der richtigen Stelle.

In the full conversation from 00:54Feedback page for this simulation (Part 1)

One moment per part

  1. Part 1 · Planning something together01:37Emilio (AI)liveOkay, die Liste finde ich gut. Und weil ich nur am Wochenende Zeit habe, kannst du unter der Woche schauen, ob alles zurückkommt.
  2. Part 2 · Presenting a topicapprox. 02:57Alex (AI)live[…] Letzten Winter hatte ich eine starke Erkältung und ich war sehr müde. Ich habe einen Videotermin bei meinem Hausarzt gemacht. […]
  3. Part 3 · Feedback and questions05:58Alex (AI)liveUnd sie vertrauen mehr, wenn der Arzt sie direkt sieht. Manche finden, ein Video ist zu unpersönlich

Redemittel (useful phrases) in these moments

  • „… finde ich gut. Und weil …, kannst du …“Part 1: agree and hand out a task in the same breath
  • „Letzten Winter hatte ich …“Part 2: start your experience with a time phrase; the verb then comes second
  • „Manche finden, …“Part 3: answer a question with what other people think

Hear the full Goethe B1 speaking exam example (approx. 10 min)See the Goethe B1 speaking feedback

Each excerpt jumps to its place in the full conversation. The feedback page shows the feedback in German you get on your own sentences – here on those of Alex (AI).

All voices are AI · Candidate Alex (AI) plays a typical B1 learner – the feedback picks up his mistakes.

How this sample is made
  1. Real-time voice: the AI partner listens and responds live to what is said.
  2. An orchestrator steers candidate Alex (AI) part by part – with the same task sheets you get.
  3. B1 Sprechen records the conversation, transcribes it and builds the feedback page – about a minute later, just like yours.
  4. For the excerpts we only cut – each one jumps to its place in the full recording.

Where the lines come from

script pre-recorded live

Examiners: fixed texts, recorded in advance; only Herr Braun's questions to Alex in Part 3 are live. Partner: partly recorded in advance (introduction, first suggestion in Part 1, presentation, answer to Herr Braun's question), otherwise live.

04

A 2-week practice plan for Goethe B1 Sprechen

About 20–⁠30 minutes a day, always speaking out loud. Adjust the days to your exam date and to the part you find hardest.

  • Days 1–⁠2: work through the official Modellsatz once with a timer and note which part felt hardest.
  • Days 3–⁠5: Teil 1 – one planning task a day. Play both roles: say a suggestion, then answer it as your partner would, and end with a summary.
  • Days 6–⁠9: Teil 2 – one topic a day. Prepare keywords for the five slides, then present with a timer and record it.
  • Days 10–⁠11: Teil 3 – for each recorded presentation, write two questions a partner might ask, answer them aloud and practise one feedback sentence.
  • Days 12–⁠13: full run in exam order – preparation, Teil 1, then presentation with feedback and questions (Teil 2 and Teil 3) – without stopping.
  • Day 14: keep it light: read your Redemittel once more and do one short run.

This plan is our suggestion, not an official rule. Its limit: when you practise alone, no one reacts to what you say. The B1 Sprechen simulation adds the examiner and the partner and runs all three parts in exam order.

05

If your partner goes silent – or you go blank

You cannot rehearse with your partner beforehand. Have a few phrases ready that keep the conversation going, whoever sits next to you. A short, honest phrase also gives you time to think after a blackout.

  • Partner says nothing in Teil 1: ask a direct question – „Was möchtest du lieber machen, … oder …?⁠“
  • Partner talks a lot: join in politely – „Darf ich kurz etwas dazu sagen?⁠“
  • You need a moment: „Moment, da muss ich kurz überlegen.⁠“
  • You lost the thread: look at your keywords and go on – „Ich komme jetzt zum nächsten Punkt.⁠“
  • You did not understand: „Können Sie das bitte noch einmal sagen?⁠“
06

How the Goethe B1 speaking exam is marked (Goethe-Institut rules)

Your result is the average of the two examiners' marks, rounded to whole points (0.49 and below down, 0.5 and above up). If the task fulfilment (Erfüllung) of a part is rated E, that task gets 0 points.

The points per part in the overview above follow the Modellsatz Erwachsene (2nd rev. ed. 2015, © Goethe-Institut · ÖSD · Universität Freiburg/Schweiz) and the Übungssatz Erwachsene (© Goethe-Institut · ÖSD 2016); the pass mark of 60 follows the Durchführungsbestimmungen.

What this means for your practice: the presentation carries the most points, and a task you leave out gets none – so practise all three parts, not only the one you like.

B1 Sprechen does not give scores, does not predict whether you will pass and does not assess pronunciation. After a simulation you get feedback on your own sentences and your recording.

07

Mistakes to avoid in the Goethe B1 speaking exam

We have drawn these three points from the task sheets and marking criteria in the Goethe-Institut's Modellsatz:

  • Teil 1: only agreeing. The task asks you to make suggestions yourself and respond to your partner's; besides task fulfilment, interaction is marked here too.
  • Teil 2: leaving out a slide. To get full marks for task fulfilment, you need to cover all five slides properly – including slide 5, where you end the presentation and thank your listeners.
  • Teil 3: only answering. Teil 3 is marked on task fulfilment, which covers feedback, a question and your answers: after your partner's presentation, you give feedback and ask a question.

How to practise each point: see the tips for Teil 1, 2 and 3 above and our practice page for each part.

Practise the Goethe B1 speaking exam out loud, in exam order

  • Preparation and all three parts, in the order of your exam
  • An AI partner who responds live to what you say
  • Shortly after: feedback in German on your own sentences, with quotes and timestamps

With an account you practise all three parts in exam order with an AI examiner and an AI partner, then get feedback on your own sentences. Packs of 1, 3 or 5 simulations, from €5.98 per simulation, one-off payment, no subscription.

Try one part for freeapprox. 5 minStart with 1 simulation · €7.90See prices

full simulation, all three parts · computer + microphone · no subscription · valid 90 days

Within 14 days of purchase, we refund unused simulations pro rata to the pack price – no reason needed. If you have not used any simulation yet, you get the full amount back. Refund policy

08

Questions about practising for the Goethe B1 speaking exam

01Are there real past papers for the Goethe B1 speaking exam?

B1 Sprechen does not offer past papers and does not use tasks from real exams. The official practice material from the Goethe-Institut is the Modellsatz (PDF and online version, linked below) and the Übungssatz, also on goethe.de. All tasks, topics and examples on our pages and in our simulation are written by us.

02Which topics will come up in my exam?

We do not know and do not predict it. The Modellsatz shows what kind of tasks to expect. Our Themen page offers our own practice topics so you can practise the format on many different subjects.

03How long is the Goethe B1 speaking exam?

About 15 minutes in pairs, or about 10 minutes if you take it alone, plus 15 minutes of preparation in both cases (Durchführungsbestimmungen, as of 1 September 2025).

04How many points do I need to pass Goethe B1 Sprechen?

60 out of 100 points. Teil 1 is worth 28, Teil 2 40, Teil 3 16 and pronunciation 16. B1 Sprechen does not calculate points or predict whether you will pass.

05Can I take my notes into the exam room?

Yes. Notes you make during preparation on the stamped scratch paper may be used in the exam. Try not to read everything from them – you are expected to speak freely. Dictionaries and phones are not allowed.

06Who will my partner be – and what if there is no partner?

Partners are assigned at random. If you take the exam alone, it lasts about 10 minutes and an examiner plays your partner in Teil 1. For the online exam (Online-Deutschprüfung) the exam centre decides whether you speak alone or in pairs.

07Can I take only the speaking module – and retake it?

Yes. The modules of the Goethe-Zertifikat B1 can be taken separately, and there is no limit on retakes as long as the exam centre can offer you a place.

08Will B1 Sprechen tell me whether I will pass?

No. There are no scores, no pass prediction and no pronunciation diagnosis. After a simulation you see feedback on the sentences you actually said, together with your recording.

Taking telc Deutsch B1 instead?

telc Deutsch B1 (Zertifikat Deutsch) is a different exam from telc gGmbH: 20 minutes of preparation, no presentation, and „Gemeinsam etwas planen⁠“ is Teil 3, not Teil 1. The oral exam is marked out of 75 points, and you need at least 45 of them. Our telc page explains its three parts. We also offer a telc Deutsch B1 simulation.

telc Deutsch B1 speaking exam

Official material from the Goethe-Institut