Hamburg Abitur Arabic exam-day guide
Hamburg Abitur Arabic · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Admission document (Einladung / Prüfungsanmeldung)
Bring the written invitation or registration confirmation your school issued for the Abiturprüfung. Confirm with the provider which document is accepted if you only received it electronically.
Photo ID
A valid passport or national ID card. Confirm with the provider whether a Schülerausweis alone is accepted, and whether the ID must be the same one used at registration.
Permitted dictionaries
In Hamburg Arabic courses, a monolingual Arabic dictionary and/or a bilingual Arabic–German dictionary may be allowed depending on the task and course level (grundlegendes vs. erhöhtes Anforderungsniveau). Confirm with the provider exactly which dictionaries are admitted and whether they must be unmarked.
Approved writing tools
Bring several blue or black ballpoint pens plus a pencil, eraser and sharpener for planning. Confirm with the provider whether pencil drafts are permitted on the answer sheets.
Watch (non-smart)
A simple analogue or digital watch without communication functions, since wall clocks may not be clearly visible from every seat. Smartwatches and phones must stay switched off and stored away.
Clear water bottle and small snack
Hydration and a quiet snack for the break between task blocks, if the provider allows food and drink at the desk. Confirm with the provider.
Printed task timing plan
A one-page sheet with your minute-by-minute plan for reading time, drafting, writing and checking, based on the total writing time stated in the exam instructions.
Review your written summaries of the set topics
Condensed notes on the themes, texts and films covered in your course, with key vocabulary and useful connectors, not full essays to memorise.
Arrive early at the correct room
Locate the building and room the day before if possible, and plan to arrive well before the start time so you are seated and calm. Confirm with the provider how late arrival is handled.
Know the structure of the tasks
Be clear in advance on how many tasks or parts you must complete, whether there is a choice (Aufgabenauswahl) and how the points are distributed. Confirm with the provider for your specific course.
Leave phone and smart devices at home or stored
Any device with communication or storage capability must be handed in or switched off and put away as instructed before the exam begins.
Check permitted auxiliary materials for your course
Some courses allow an annotated text or a list of works studied. Confirm with the provider which materials, if any, may be brought into the room and in what form.
Plan the day
Switch from learning new content to consolidating. Reread your own summaries of the set topics, practise one full timed task under exam conditions, and check that you can produce a structured analysis (Einleitung, Hauptteil, Schluss) and a written discussion in Arabic within the time limit. Fix the vocabulary gaps you notice, then stop adding new material.
Rehearse the mechanics: how you will open a task, how long you spend on comprehension and notes, how you structure the main body, and how many minutes you reserve for checking grammar, case endings, spelling and connectors. Write this plan on one sheet and keep it with your exam documents.
Do a light review only: key vocabulary, a few model sentence structures, and the names and themes of the works you studied. Prepare your bag with ID, admission document, pens, dictionary if permitted, watch, water and snack. Check the room, start time and travel route. Sleep at your normal time rather than studying late.
Eat a proper breakfast, arrive early, and avoid last-minute cramming of new material. Once seated, read the instructions carefully, note the total time and the number of tasks, and write your time plan at the top of your planning sheet before you start.
Read all instructions and any choice of tasks before committing. Choose the task you can handle most confidently, not the one that merely looks familiar. Note the points available per part so you allocate effort proportionally.
Read the source text or prompt actively, mark key statements and the author's position, and jot a short outline with the points you will make in each paragraph. Do not start writing the full answer before the outline exists.
Follow your outline, keep paragraphs focused, and use clear connectors and appropriate register. Watch the specific grammar points that cost you marks, such as verb agreement, case endings and correct use of the structures you have practised. Keep an eye on the clock at each stage.
Reserve the last part of the time for checking: task coverage, structure, grammar, spelling and legibility. Make sure every required part has been answered and that your name and candidate details are on all sheets as instructed. Hand in all materials as directed.
Rules to check
Bring the admission document and valid photo ID and place them on the desk for inspection. Confirm with the provider which forms of identification are accepted.
Follow the supervisor's instructions on phones, smartwatches and any other electronic devices; they must be switched off and stored away for the whole exam.
Only the auxiliary materials explicitly permitted for your course may be used, such as approved dictionaries or annotated texts. Confirm with the provider what is allowed for your specific task.
Breaks and leaving the room are normally only possible with permission and under supervision. Confirm with the provider how toilet visits and the break between parts are handled.
Work independently and do not communicate with other candidates during the exam. Any attempt to use unauthorised aids or to exchange information is treated as an examination offence.
Write legibly and answer every required part of the task; marks are awarded for content, structure and language, so incomplete coverage costs points even when the language is good.
Note the total writing time and any reading time stated on the paper, and manage your own time within it. Confirm with the provider whether extra time applies to you and how it is granted.
If you feel unwell or something goes wrong, tell the supervisor immediately rather than continuing silently; the provider decides how such cases are handled.