Does the prospect of sitting your first official German exam make your stomach do flips? While the Goethe-Zertifikat A1 or telc A1 test is a high-stakes gatekeeper for visas and residence permits, it is actually a highly predictable, standardized test. With a focused 4-week strategy, passing is not just possible—it is guaranteed. Here is your complete playbook.
A1 Exam Structure (Goethe / telc)
| Section | Duration | Points | What It Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hören (Listening) | 20 min | 25 | Understand simple announcements, phone messages |
| Lesen (Reading) | 25 min | 25 | Read short texts, signs, emails, advertisements |
| Schreiben (Writing) | 20 min | 25 | Fill in forms, write a short email/message |
| Sprechen (Speaking) | 15 min | 25 | Introduce yourself, ask/answer simple questions |
Required A1 Vocabulary: ~600 Words
The A1 exam requires about 600 words covering these topics:
- Personal information (Name, Adresse, Telefonnummer, Alter)
- Family and relationships (Familie, Freunde, Kinder)
- Shopping (Supermarkt, Preis, kaufen, bezahlen)
- Food and drink (Essen, Trinken, Frühstück, Mittagessen)
- Housing (Wohnung, Zimmer, Miete, Küche)
- Daily routine (aufstehen, arbeiten, schlafen)
- Time and dates (Uhrzeit, Wochentage, Monate)
- Directions and transport (links, rechts, Bus, U-Bahn)
Grammar Checklist for A1
- ✅ Present tense (regular + sein, haben, werden)
- ✅ Nominativ and Akkusativ cases
- ✅ Personal pronouns (ich, du, er, sie, es, wir, ihr, sie)
- ✅ Possessive pronouns (mein, dein, sein, ihr)
- ✅ Basic word order (SVO, yes/no questions, W-questions)
- ✅ Modal verbs: können, müssen, wollen, möchten
- ✅ Negation: nicht and kein
- ✅ Separable verbs: aufstehen, anrufen, einkaufen
The Sprechen Part 2 Formula: In the speaking section, you must ask a question based on a card with a word and theme. Use simple formulas like: "Wo ist..." (Where is...), "Haben Sie..." (Do you have...), or "Wie viel kostet..." (How much is...). Keeping it simple prevents grammatical mistakes and scores maximum points!
4-Week Preparation Plan
- Week 1: Learn 200 core words (TheLernen flashcards) + present tense verbs
- Week 2: Expand to 400 words + Akkusativ case + modal verbs
- Week 3: Reach 600 words + practice writing short emails + listening exercises
- Week 4: Full practice exams + speaking practice + review weak areas
TheLernen covers the entire A1 vocabulary with spaced repetition. Combined with the conjugation trainer and grammar cheat sheet, it's a complete A1 prep tool — for free.
To pass the German A1 exam, familiarize yourself with the 4 exam sections, master the core ~600 words of vocabulary, study basic SVO word order, and practice writing simple emails.
What is tested in the German A1 exam?
The A1 exam (Goethe, telc or OeSD) has four parts: listening, reading, writing and speaking. It checks that you can handle simple everyday situations — introducing yourself, filling in a form, and understanding short, slow, clearly spoken messages.
How many words do I need for the A1 exam?
Around 600 words is enough for A1. Focus on high-frequency vocabulary for everyday topics — family, food, shopping, time and daily routine — plus set phrases for greetings and introductions. Depth in common situations beats memorising rare words.
How long does it take to prepare for A1?
With focused daily study, most learners are ready for A1 in six to eight weeks. Practise all four skills, do at least one full timed mock exam, and rehearse the speaking part out loud — that is where beginners lose the most points.
For German A1: master about 600 everyday words, practise all four exam parts, and do a timed mock — especially the speaking section — before the real thing.
Try it yourself — free
1000 most important words. AI explanations. Spaced repetition. Fast start.