BW Abitur Portuguese exam-day guide
BW Abitur Portuguese · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Personalausweis or passport
Bring valid photo ID. Whether a school ID alone is accepted must be confirmed with your school/provider (needs_review).
Admission letter / invitation from the school
Confirm the exact room, start time, and any registration confirmation with your school in advance (needs_review for specific format).
Black or blue ballpoint pens (spare)
Bring at least two working pens; written tasks are usually handwritten. Confirm whether erasable pens are permitted with the provider (needs_review).
Pencil, eraser, sharpener
Useful for planning and corrections; keep them in a clear pencil case if the school requires it.
Approved dictionary
For Portuguese, a monolingual or bilingual dictionary may be allowed. Confirm exactly which dictionaries are permitted and whether they may contain annotations (needs_review).
Wristwatch (non-smart)
Many rooms lack a visible clock. Smartwatches and phones must normally be switched off and stored away.
Water and a small snack
Bring a clear bottle without a label if your school requires it; confirm eating/drinking rules in the exam room (needs_review).
Printed summary of task types and timing
A one-page reminder of the structure (e.g., reading/listening/writing parts and recommended minutes per task) helps you allocate time.
Confirm permitted aids in advance
Ask the provider which aids are allowed for the Portuguese exam (dictionary, grammar reference, monolingual glossary). Do not assume (needs_review).
Plan your route and arrival time
Arrive early; confirm how many minutes before the start you must be present with the provider (needs_review).
Leave phone and smart devices at home or stored
Devices must be switched off and out of reach during the exam; confirm the school's storage policy.
Read the exam regulations sent by the school
Check rules on lateness, leaving the room, and what happens in case of illness; these vary by school (needs_review).
Plan the day
Confirm logistics: room, start time, permitted aids, and ID requirements with your school. Re-read the task types and scoring criteria so you know what each part rewards.
Do one timed practice run under exam conditions (no dictionary unless permitted), then review errors. Focus on time allocation, not on new material.
Prepare your materials: pens, ID, admission letter, approved dictionary, watch, water. Pack them in one bag. Check transport and set two alarms.
Light review only: skim your own summary of structures and useful phrases. Avoid cramming new vocabulary. Sleep early; rest matters more than one more hour of study.
Eat a normal breakfast, arrive early, switch off your phone and store it as instructed. Read the cover page carefully: number of tasks, points, and time.
Skim all tasks and note point values. Allocate minutes per task and leave 10–15 minutes at the end for checking. Start with the task you can do most confidently if the order is free; otherwise follow the order.
Read questions before the text/audio where allowed. Underline key words in the question, then locate the matching passage. Answer in the required language and format (full sentence vs. key word).
Plan for 3–5 minutes: outline the required text type, audience, register, and structure. Write, then check for task completion, connectors, verb forms, and spelling. Respect the word limit.
Check that every task is answered, no answer is left blank, and your name/ID fields are filled in. Do not change answers without a clear reason.
Note which task types felt weak while memory is fresh; this helps if you have further oral or written components. Do not discuss answers in a way that disturbs others still working.
Rules to check
Bring valid photo ID and the invitation/admission document; confirm with the provider what counts as acceptable ID (needs_review).
Switch off phones, smartwatches, and other devices and store them as instructed; using them during the exam is normally treated as a breach of regulations.
Use only aids explicitly permitted for this exam (e.g., dictionary type). If unsure, ask the provider before the exam day (needs_review).
Follow the invigilator's instructions on lateness, leaving the room, and breaks; these procedures are set by the school and should be confirmed in advance (needs_review).
Write legibly in the required language and format; answers that do not address the task or are off-topic typically earn few or no points.
Respect word limits and time limits; exceeding them can cost points depending on the task and the provider's marking scheme (confirm specifics with the provider).
Do not communicate with other candidates during the exam or attempt to access unauthorized material; consequences are set by the school and exam regulations (needs_review).
If you feel unwell, inform the invigilator immediately; rules for illness during the exam vary and must be confirmed with the provider (needs_review).