Goethe A1 Exam Guide: Start Deutsch 1
Source note: Built from the Goethe-Institut A1 materials in the course folders (exam trainer and Wortliste) and checked against the current exam rules on goethe.de (October 2026). Where the trainer and the current rules differ, this guide follows goethe.de.
0. Overview
The Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1 has four modules. Each tests the everyday German from Parts 1 to 20. This guide shows what each module asks, how it is scored, and which parts to revise for it.
| Topic | Key point |
|---|---|
| Format | Hören, Lesen, Schreiben, Sprechen |
| Time | About 65 minutes written, about 15 minutes oral |
| Scoring | 100 points, pass with 60 |
| Strategy | Key words, not every word |
1. The Four Modules
| Module | Time | Parts | Task types |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hören | about 20 min | 3 | Short dialogues, announcements, phone messages |
| Lesen | 25 min | 3 | Short notes and e-mails, ads, signs and notices |
| Schreiben | 20 min | 2 | A form, a short message |
| Sprechen | about 15 min | 3 | Group exam: introduce yourself, ask and answer, make requests |
The written modules normally run in the order Hören, Lesen, Schreiben, and the oral exam follows on the same day or within 14 days.
2. Hören and Lesen
| Part | What you get | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Hören 1 | Short everyday dialogues (restaurant, colleagues, street), heard twice | Choose a, b or c |
| Hören 2 | Public announcements (station, airport, shop), heard once | Richtig or falsch |
| Hören 3 | Phone messages on an answering machine, heard twice | Choose a, b or c |
| Lesen 1 | Two short texts (note, e-mail) | Richtig or falsch |
| Lesen 2 | Pairs of small ads or web pages | Choose the right one, a or b |
| Lesen 3 | Signs and notices | Richtig or falsch |
Tips from the trainer:
- Read the questions first, then the text. On the second reading, look for the answer.
- Find the key words (Schlüsselwörter): times, prices, days, places, nicht and kein. You do not need every word.
- In Hören 2 you hear each text only once, so read the sentence before the audio starts.
- Revise: numbers and prices (Part 12), time and dates (Part 13), places and transport (Part 16), shopping (Part 17).
3. Schreiben
Teil 1: a form. You read a short text about a person and fill in five missing details in a form: name, birth date, address, number of people, payment and so on. Spell names and numbers exactly as in the text.
Teil 2: a short message. You write a note, e-mail or card to a friend or an office, covering three given points. Write one or two sentences per point, about 30 words in total.
| Element | Informal | Formal |
|---|---|---|
| Greeting | Liebe Anna, / Lieber Tom, | Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, |
| Reason | ich habe am Samstag Geburtstag. | ich möchte im Juni nach Berlin kommen. |
| Request | Kannst du mir helfen? | Können Sie mir Informationen schicken? |
| Closing | Viele Grüße / Liebe Grüße | Mit freundlichen Grüßen |
Cover all three points, even with simple sentences. A missing point costs more than a small grammar mistake. Revise: introductions (Part 2), word order (Part 3), polite requests (Part 6).
4. Sprechen
The oral exam is in a small group with two examiners.
| Part | Task | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Introduce yourself with the key words Name, Alter, Land, Wohnort, Sprachen, Beruf, Hobby. Then spell a word and say a number. | Ich heiße Elif. Ich bin 22 Jahre alt. Ich komme aus der Türkei … |
| Teil 2 | Take a word card on a topic (Wohnen, Essen, Urlaub …), ask your partner a question with the word, and answer theirs. | Thema Wohnen, Karte Garten: Haben Sie einen Garten? |
| Teil 3 | Take a picture card and make a request. Your partner reacts. | Picture of a window: Können Sie bitte das Fenster aufmachen? / Machen Sie bitte das Fenster zu! |
Tips:
- Teil 1 is a script you can learn by heart. Practise it until it is automatic.
- In Teil 2, use a W-question or a Ja/Nein-Frage with the card word: Was essen Sie gern zum Frühstück?
- In Teil 3, use Können Sie bitte …? or the Imperativ with bitte. Answer with Ja, gern. / Natürlich. / Tut mir leid, …
- Revise: Parts 1, 2, 3 and 6.
5. Scoring
| Module | Raw points |
|---|---|
| Hören | 15 |
| Lesen | 15 |
| Schreiben | 15 (Teil 1: 5, Teil 2: 10) |
| Sprechen | 15 (Teil 1: 3, Teil 2: 6, Teil 3: 6) |
The 60 raw points are scaled to 100. You pass with 60 points. All four modules must be taken. Written papers are marked by two assessors. The vocabulary in the tasks comes from the Goethe A1 Wortliste, so the words in these guides cover it.
6. Confusion Points
- “Hören texts are always played twice.” Hören 2 (announcements) is played only once. Teil 1 and Teil 3 are played twice.
- “I must understand every word in Lesen.” The tasks are built around key words. Mark them in the question first, then find them in the text.
- “A longer message gets more points.” Points come from covering the three tasks clearly. About 30 words is enough.
- “Sehr geehrte Frau Müller, Liebe Grüße.” Keep the register: formal greeting with Mit freundlichen Grüßen, informal greeting with Viele / Liebe Grüße.
- “In Teil 2 I only answer.” You ask one question with your card and answer your partner’s question.
- “Teil 3 needs a question.” A polite Imperativ is also fine: Geben Sie mir bitte das Buch!
- “Each module must be passed on its own.” The total counts: 60 of 100 points. With fewer than 35 points in the written part, 60 can no longer be reached.
7. Quick-Reference Summary
- Modules: Hören (about 20 min), Lesen (25 min), Schreiben (20 min), Sprechen (about 15 min).
- Hören: dialogues (twice), announcements (once), phone messages (twice).
- Lesen: notes, ads, signs. Key words first.
- Schreiben: a form with five details, a message of about 30 words covering three points.
- Sprechen: introduce yourself, ask with a word card, request with a picture card.
- Pass mark: 60 of 100 points.