Goethe B1 Sprechen: overview of all 3 parts

How the Sprechen module works

The Sprechen module is usually a paired exam (two candidates) lasting about 15 minutes, with a short preparation time beforehand to make notes. You may not write full texts and read them out — short keywords only. There are three Teile. To pass the exam overall you need 60%.

Teil	Task	What you must do	Rough time
1	Plan something together	Make suggestions, react, agree, reach a decision with your partner	~3 min
2	Give a presentation	Present a given topic in a clear structure	~3–4 min each
3	Talk about the presentation	Give feedback, ask a question, answer questions	~2 min each

Teil 1 — Plan something together

You and your partner organise something together: a party, a trip, a visit, a class outing. It is a dialogue and negotiation, not a monologue. Make suggestions, react to your partner, and reach a joint decision.

Useful phrases:

• Ich schlage vor, dass wir … (I suggest that we …)
• Wie wäre es mit …? (How about …?)
• Das ist eine gute Idee. (That's a good idea.)
• Das finde ich nicht so gut, weil … (I don't think that's so good, because …)
• Sollen wir lieber …? (Should we rather …?)
• Gut, dann machen wir das so. (OK, then let's do it like that.)

Tip: ask your partner questions and let them speak too — interaction is graded.

Teil 2 — Give a presentation

You hold a short, structured Präsentation on a given topic. Use this clear five-step structure:

1. Introduce the topic — say what your presentation is about.
2. Situation in your home country — describe how it is where you come from.
3. Your own experience — give a personal example.
4. Advantages and disadvantages — weigh both sides.
5. Your opinion + thanks — state your view and thank the audience.

Useful phrases:

• In meiner Präsentation geht es um … (My presentation is about …)
• In meinem Heimatland ist es so, dass … (In my home country it is the case that …)
• Ich habe selbst die Erfahrung gemacht, dass … (I myself have experienced that …)
• Ein Vorteil ist … / Ein Nachteil ist … (An advantage is … / A disadvantage is …)
• Meiner Meinung nach … (In my opinion …)
• Vielen Dank für Ihre Aufmerksamkeit. (Thank you for your attention.)

Teil 3 — Talk about the presentation

You react to your partner's presentation: give feedback and ask one question, and you answer questions about your own.

Useful phrases:

• Deine Präsentation hat mir gut gefallen. (I liked your presentation.)
• Ich habe eine Frage: … (I have a question: …)
• Wie ist das bei euch / in deinem Land? (How is that with you / in your country?)
• Das ist eine gute Frage. Also … (That's a good question. Well …)
• Danke für die Frage. (Thanks for the question.)

General tips

• Speak in full sentences, not single words.
• Use connectors — weil, deshalb, aber, trotzdem, außerdem — to sound coherent.
• Don't memorise a script; it sounds unnatural and breaks down if you forget a word.
• Keep talking after a mistake — self-correct briefly and move on.
• Listen and react to your partner; the exam rewards real interaction.

Common mistakes and traps

• Treating Teil 1 as a monologue instead of negotiating with your partner.
• Skipping a step of the Teil 2 structure (often the home-country part or the opinion).
• Reading notes word for word instead of speaking freely.
• Going silent after an error.
• In Teil 3, giving feedback but forgetting to ask a question.
• Speaking too quietly or too fast — the examiners must understand you.

You can do this — speak clearly, stay in the conversation, and trust your structure. Try it now in a mock exam.