Goethe A2 exam: pattern, marks and how to prepare
The Goethe-Zertifikat A2 shows you can handle everyday life in German: short conversations, messages, announcements and simple forms. It is often the step between a first A1 certificate and the B1 that work and training in Germany usually require. Here is the exam exactly as the Goethe-Institut runs it, and how to prepare.
In 30 seconds
- Written exam, 90 minutes: Lesen 30 minutes, Hören about 30 minutes, Schreiben 30 minutes, with no breaks.
- Speaking, 15 minutes in pairs, with no preparation time.
- 100 points: 75 written (25 each for reading, listening and writing) and 25 for speaking.
- To pass you need 60 points overall, including at least 45 in the written exam and at least 15 in speaking.
- A2 is not modular. Listed fee at Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan in India: ₹10,600 (checked November 2026). Fees and booking →
Exam pattern and marks
| Part | Time | Tasks | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lesen | 30 min | 4 parts, 20 tasks | 25 |
| Hören | ≈ 30 min | 4 parts, 20 tasks | 25 |
| Schreiben | 30 min | 2 short texts | 25 |
| Sprechen | 15 min | 3 parts, in pairs | 25 |
The pass rule has two layers. You need 60 of 100 points in total, and at least 45 of the 75 written points and at least 15 of the 25 speaking points. A brilliant written score cannot carry a weak speaking test, so practise speaking from the first week. Grades run from sehr gut (100–90) to ausreichend (69–60).
Lesen: reading (30 minutes)
- Part 1: a short newspaper or magazine text; five questions, a, b or c.
- Part 2: an information board or directory, for example at a fair or in a department store; decide where to go for each of five needs.
- Part 3: an email; five questions, a, b or c.
- Part 4: six short ads and five people; match each person to an ad. One person has no matching ad.
Thirty minutes for 20 tasks is tight. Read the questions first, then scan the text for the answer. In part 4, the "no matching ad" option is real: if nothing fits exactly, choose it rather than forcing a match.
Hören: listening (about 30 minutes)
- Part 1: five short texts, such as radio messages or announcements, each played twice.
- Part 2: one conversation, played once; match five things to pictures.
- Part 3: five short everyday conversations, each played once.
- Part 4: an interview, played twice; decide Ja or Nein for five statements.
Parts 2 and 3 are heard only once. Practise with audio you cannot pause, and use the reading time to look at every picture and option before the recording starts.
Schreiben: writing (30 minutes)
Two short texts. Each comes with three points you must cover. Missing a point costs marks, however good your German is.
| Part | Text | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | An informal SMS or short message to a friend | 20–30 words |
| 2 | A more formal email, for example to a hotel, a teacher or an office | 30–40 words |
You have started a new job. Write an SMS to your friend Tobias: say where you work, say what you like about it, and invite him to celebrate with you.
Hallo Tobias,
ich arbeite seit Montag in einem Hotel in Pune. Die Kollegen sind sehr nett und die Arbeit macht Spaß. Wollen wir am Samstag zusammen feiern?
Liebe Grüße
Neha
Hi Tobias, I've been working in a hotel in Pune since Monday. My colleagues are very nice and the work is fun. Shall we celebrate together on Saturday? Best wishes, Neha
You cannot attend your German course next week. Write to your teacher, Herr Kaiser: explain why, ask what the class will cover, and ask whether you can make up the lesson.
Lieber Herr Kaiser,
leider kann ich nächste Woche nicht zum Kurs kommen, weil ich eine Dienstreise nach Chennai habe. Was machen wir im Unterricht? Kann ich die Stunde später nachholen?
Viele Grüße
Rahul Verma
Dear Mr Kaiser, unfortunately I can't come to class next week because I have a business trip to Chennai. What will we do in class? Can I make up the lesson later? Best regards, Rahul Verma
Check three things before you finish: the verb goes last after weil; nouns are capitalised; and the greeting matches the reader (Hallo/Liebe for a friend, Lieber Herr …/Sehr geehrte Frau … for someone you call Sie).
Sprechen: speaking (15 minutes, in pairs)
There is no preparation time, so these patterns need to be automatic.
Part 1: ask and answer questions
You draw four cards, each with a theme and a keyword, and turn each into a question for your partner. Then your partner asks you four questions.
Wochenende → Was machst du am Wochenende? — Am Samstag treffe ich meistens Freunde, und am Sonntag koche ich mit meiner Familie.
Answer in a full sentence and add one detail. One-word answers score poorly.
Part 2: talk about your life
A card gives you a question and keywords, for example about your free time, your home or your plans. Talk about yourself using the keywords, then answer one or two questions from the examiner; the whole part takes about three minutes per candidate. Use the keywords as a structure, and use the past tense at least once: Letztes Jahr habe ich …
Part 3: plan something together
With your partner, you plan something, for example a party at the end of your course: when, where, what to eat, who brings what. Make suggestions, react, and agree.
Wollen wir die Party am Freitag machen? — Freitag passt mir leider nicht. Wie wäre es mit Samstag? — Gute Idee!
What A2 adds to A1
A2 is where German starts to connect. These carry the most weight in the exam:
- The Perfekt for talking about the past: Ich habe … gemacht / Ich bin … gefahren (Perfekt guide).
- Subordinate clauses with weil, dass, wenn, with the verb at the end (word order guide).
- The Dativ after mit, bei, zu, von and two-way prepositions (prepositions guide).
- Comparisons: größer als, so groß wie, am größten.
- Polite forms: Könnten Sie …? Ich hätte gern … (Konjunktiv II guide); adjective endings (adjective endings guide).
Klarweg's A2 grammar list shows every topic in teaching order.
Mistakes Hindi speakers make at A2
- Not Ich bin gestern nach Delhi gefahren mit dem Zug.But Ich bin gestern mit dem Zug nach Delhi gefahren. The participle goes to the very end; time, manner, place come before it, in the same order as Hindi (कल ट्रेन से दिल्ली).
- Not Ich habe nach Mumbai gefahren.But Ich bin nach Mumbai gefahren. Verbs of movement from A to B take sein in the Perfekt.
- Not Ich komme von Indien.But Ich komme aus Indien. Hindi से becomes different German prepositions (the से trap).
- Writing only two of the three points in a Schreiben task. Tick each point off before you finish.
- Giving one-word answers in speaking part 1. Examiners need language to mark.
Official practice material
- Goethe-Zertifikat A2, practice set for adults (PDF), with answer keys and audio transcripts.
- Goethe-Zertifikat A2, model test for adults (PDF).
- Goethe-Institut India: A2 exam page, with dates, centres and fees.
An eight-week plan (after you finish A2 grammar)
The Goethe-Institut's rough guideline is about 200–350 teaching units of 45 minutes to complete A2, counted from the beginning.
| Weeks | Focus | Daily routine |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Diagnosis | One untimed practice set. Mark it with the key. Note which part loses the most points. |
| 3–4 | Reading and listening speed | One reading part to the clock, one listening part with no replay. Learn 15 words a day with their articles. |
| 5–6 | Writing and speaking | One message a day covering three points. Speaking parts 1–3 aloud, ideally with a partner. |
| 7 | Full rehearsal | The model test under exam conditions, including a recorded speaking practice. |
| 8 | Consolidate | Rework your mistake list. Confirm exam time, centre and ID. |
Questions
Do I need A2 before B1?
No exam requires you to hold an A2 certificate before you take B1. But you need A2-level German to prepare for B1. Many learners skip the A2 exam to save the fee and go straight to the B1 exam, which is the level usually asked for by employers and for an Ausbildung.
Is "Start Deutsch 2" the same exam?
The current Goethe exam is called Goethe-Zertifikat A2. "Start Deutsch 2" is the name of an earlier A2 exam that some older material still uses.
What if I fail?
A2 is not modular, so normally you register for the whole exam again. The Goethe-Institut's rules do allow one exception: if the exam centre can organise it, you may resit either the speaking part or the whole written part, within one year and at the same centre. This is not guaranteed, and the centre may charge a processing fee, so ask your centre directly. (For A1, the exam can only be retaken as a whole.)
Prepare with the Klarweg A2 course
Klarweg's A2 course covers the grammar above in 35 chapters, from the Perfekt and weil/dass to comparisons, Konjunktiv II and relative clauses, with clickable words, audio and colour-coded sentence roles. Four Goethe-style mini tests along the way check your readiness. Chapter 1 is free, with no signup.
- 35 chapters
- ₹2,999 one-time
- 2 years of access
- 7-day refund
Sources
- Goethe-Institut, Goethe-Zertifikat A2, Terms and Conditions for Exam Administration (last updated 1 September 2025): durations, parts, points, pass rule.
- Goethe-Institut, A2 practice set for adults: task types and writing lengths.
- Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan India, A2 exam dates and fees (checked 5 November 2026).