Goethe-Zertifikat B1 · Sprechen · Practice topics

Goethe B1 speaking topics: 25 practice topics for Teil 1–⁠3

These Goethe B1 speaking topics are our own practice material: 25 German B1 speaking topics in five life areas, plus planning situations for Teil 1 and follow-up questions for Teil 3. They are not the exam's tasks or topics from real exams – on the day you choose one of two presentation topics on your task sheet. Use them to practise the routine: pick a topic, outline five slides, speak for three to four minutes and answer a question about it.

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

25: original practice topics
5: life areas
5 slides: per presentation (Teil 2)
15 min: preparation in the exam

01Teil 1 · Teil 2 · Teil 3

Practice topics by exam part

Each part of the Goethe B1 speaking exam needs a different kind of topic practice: a situation to plan, a question to present, and questions to answer about it. Timings follow the Durchführungsbestimmungen Goethe-Zertifikat B1 (as of 1 September 2025). All situations, topics and questions on this page are written by us.

approx. 2–⁠3 min
Teil 1 · Gemeinsam etwas planen
Planning situations
You and your partner plan something together: suggest, react, disagree politely and agree on a plan. Practise with small everyday situations like the ones below and in each topic area.
- Practice situation: a friend from your German course has just passed an exam. Plan a small celebration together – day, place, food and who organises what.
- Practice situation: friends visit your town for a weekend. Plan what to show them, where they sleep and what it may cost.
- For every situation, note two suggestions and one alternative: „Wie wäre es mit …? – Oder wir könnten auch …⁠“
- Close with who does what: „Gut, dann besorge ich …, und du fragst …⁠“
approx. 3–⁠4 min per candidate
Teil 2 · Ein Thema präsentieren
Presentation topics
In the exam you choose one of two topics and present it along five slides (Folien) on your task sheet. Every topic in the lists below is written as a question you can present the same way.
- Our practice outline for five slides: 1 the topic and your plan, 2 your own experience, 3 the situation in your home country, 4 pros and cons with your opinion, 5 conclusion and thanks. In the exam, follow the slides on your sheet.
- Practise choosing: take two topics at random and decide within a minute which one you can say more about.
- Write two or three keywords per slide, not full sentences.
- Time yourself and aim for three to four minutes.
approx. 1–⁠2 min per candidate
Teil 3 · Über ein Thema sprechen
Feedback and questions
After each presentation, the other candidate and the second examiner give feedback and ask questions, and the presenter answers. For every topic, practise both sides: answering questions about your own presentation and reacting to someone else's.
- For each topic, write two questions a listener might ask, e.g. „Wie ist das bei dir persönlich?⁠“ or „Was würdest du ändern?⁠“
- Feedback to practise: „Danke für deine Präsentation. Den Punkt über … fand ich besonders interessant.⁠“
- Answer in two or three sentences: answer, reason, short example.
- If a question is unclear: „Können Sie die Frage bitte noch einmal sagen?⁠“

Everyday life & housing (Alltag & Wohnen)

Topics about where and how you live are easy to fill with your own experience – a good place to start.

Teil 1 idea: a new family has moved into your building. Plan a small welcome together – when, what to bring and which neighbours to ask along.

„Eine Wohnung mieten oder kaufen?⁠“ – monthly costs, saving, staying flexible; what is usual in your country.
„Allein wohnen oder in einer WG?⁠“ – costs, privacy, sharing the housework.
„Braucht man in der Stadt ein eigenes Auto?⁠“ – buses and trains, car sharing, what a car really costs.
„Einkaufen: online oder im Geschäft?⁠“ – convenience, advice in the shop, returns, local shops.
„Sollte man seine Nachbarn kennen?⁠“ – help when you need it, noise, life in your building.

Work & training (Arbeit & Ausbildung)

Work topics let you talk about your own job, your plans or what is usual in your country.

Teil 1 idea: your team wants to thank a trainee who finishes this month. Plan a small surprise – when, what, and who pays.

„Homeoffice: Vorteile und Nachteile⁠“ – no commute, concentration, contact with colleagues.
„Teilzeit arbeiten: mehr Zeit, weniger Geld?⁠“ – family, hobbies, pension, who works part-time where you live.
„Nach der Schule: Ausbildung oder Studium?⁠“ – earning early, practical skills, career chances.
„Neben der Schule oder dem Studium jobben: sinnvoll?⁠“ – money and experience versus time to learn.
„Wie oft sollte man den Job wechseln?⁠“ – security, salary, learning something new.

Free time & media (Freizeit & Medien)

Free-time topics feel light, but they still need a clear opinion on slide 4.

Teil 1 idea: your German course wants to spend a day out together. Plan where to go, how to get there and how much it may cost.

„Urlaub: zu Hause oder im Ausland?⁠“ – costs, travel stress, discovering your own region.
„Wie viel Zeit am Smartphone ist zu viel?⁠“ – work, free time, rules you set for yourself.
„Mitglied in einem Verein: Lohnt sich das?⁠“ – meeting people, commitment, membership fees.
„Nachrichten aus sozialen Medien: Kann man ihnen trauen?⁠“ – speed, fake news, where you get your news.
„Ehrenamtlich arbeiten: Hat man dafür Zeit?⁠“ – helping others, what you gain, what is common in your country.

Health & environment (Gesundheit & Umwelt)

These topics invite pros and cons – practise giving your opinion with a reason, not only a list.

Teil 1 idea: your street wants to clean up the local park on a Sunday. Plan the time, what to bring and how to invite the neighbours.

„Sport: im Fitnessstudio oder draußen?⁠“ – costs, weather, motivation, doing sport with others.
„Weniger Fleisch essen: gut für Gesundheit und Umwelt?⁠“ – habits, prices, food in your country.
„Plastik im Alltag: Was kann man selbst tun?⁠“ – shopping, packaging, what really changes.
„Mit dem Fahrrad zur Arbeit fahren?⁠“ – health, distance, weather, safety on the road.
„Stress im Alltag: Wie kann man sich erholen?⁠“ – work, family, what helps you personally.

Learning & family (Lernen & Familie)

Many candidates are learning German themselves – use that experience in these topics.

Teil 1 idea: two weeks before an exam, you and a classmate want to study together. Plan when, where and what you practise each time.

„Deutsch lernen: im Kurs oder online?⁠“ – structure, flexibility, speaking practice, costs.
„Sollten Kinder früh eine Fremdsprache lernen?⁠“ – school, playing with language, pressure on children.
„Sollen Großeltern regelmäßig auf die Enkel aufpassen?⁠“ – help for parents, time for grandparents, family in your country.
„Hausaufgaben: sinnvoll oder unnötig?⁠“ – practice at home, free time, help from parents.
„Mit 50 noch etwas Neues lernen?⁠“ – further training at work, courses, motivation later in life.

How to use this list

Do not try to prepare all 25. In the exam you choose between two topics you only see on your task sheet, so what carries over is a structure you can fill quickly and the habit of speaking for three to four minutes. Five topics done properly are worth more than 25 read through.

Pick five topics, one from each area – include one you have no strong opinion on.
Outline each on five slides with two or three keywords per slide.
Speak for three to four minutes with a timer, without reading full sentences.
Record yourself and listen once: did you cover all five slides, and where did you stop?
Answer one follow-up question out loud, as in Teil 3.

A 7-day practice plan with these topics

Twenty to thirty minutes a day is enough for this plan. It works best in the last week or two before your exam date.

Day 1: choose your five topics and outline the first one on five slides.
Day 2: present topic 1 with a timer and record it; outline topic 2.
Day 3: present topics 2 and 3; after each, answer two questions you wrote in advance.
Day 4: Teil 1 – play two planning situations out loud, taking both roles.
Day 5: present topics 4 and 5; then give feedback on one of your recordings as if it were your partner's.
Day 6: take two topics at random, choose one within a minute, outline it and present it.
Day 7: a full run in exam order – 15 minutes of preparation, then Teil 1, then each presentation (Teil 2) followed by feedback and questions (Teil 3), with a study partner if you can find one.

This plan is our suggestion, not an official schedule.

Why an outline is not enough on its own

Topic lists and outlines only help once you say them out loud, in time, with someone reacting. In Teil 1 your partner may not like your idea, and after your presentation you get questions you did not prepare. That is the part a list cannot rehearse for you.

The B1 Sprechen simulation runs the Goethe B1 speaking exam in order with an AI examiner and an AI partner. Its tasks are our own too, and you see them in the preparation time, as in the exam – so you practise filling your structure on a topic you did not pick in advance. Afterwards you get feedback on the sentences you actually said, together with your recording.

B1 Sprechen gives no scores, no pass prediction and no pronunciation assessment.

Questions about Goethe B1 speaking topics

01Are these the real Goethe B1 speaking topics?

No. All topics, situations and questions on this page are our own practice material. The Goethe exam sets its own tasks, and we do not use or publish tasks from real exams. For official examples, see the Modellsatz and Übungssatz linked below.

02Which topics will come up in my Goethe B1 speaking exam?

Nobody can tell you in advance. In Teil 2 you choose one of two topics on your task sheet. Practising a clear structure on many everyday subjects prepares you better than trying to guess the exact topic.

03Is there a German B1 speaking topics PDF?

We do not offer a PDF of this list. The official practice material from the Goethe-Institut – the Modellsatz and Übungssatz – is available as PDFs on goethe.de; the links are below.

04Are there model answers for these topics?

We give an outline and angles for each topic, not scripts to memorise. You may use your preparation notes in the exam, but you are expected to speak freely, and a memorised text rarely fits a question you did not expect.

05How many topics should I prepare?

Five topics from different areas, practised out loud and recorded, are a good base. After that, choosing and outlining an unknown topic quickly is more useful than adding more lists.

06Can I use these topics for telc Deutsch B1?

The subject areas overlap, but telc Deutsch B1 has no presentation and its parts are different. See our telc page before you practise for that exam.

More practice material

Taking telc Deutsch B1 instead?

telc Deutsch B1 has no presentation: in Teil 2 you each get a different task sheet with opinions on one topic and discuss them, and planning together is Teil 3. The page linked below explains all three parts. Our telc Deutsch B1 simulation is in preparation.

telc Deutsch B1 speaking exam

Official material from the Goethe-Institut

From topic list to a full speaking exam

The Goethe B1 simulation is coming soon. You can create your account now; simulations will be sold in packs of 1, 3 or 5, from €4.90 per simulation, as a one-off payment with no subscription.

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