Galicia PAU German - First Foreign Language

It is a written exam built around a German text, combining comprehension tasks (main idea, specific details, true/false or matching, short answers) with language-in-context items and a written production task. Some sections may use multiple choice or matching. The CIUG publishes the current official model, so download it and work through it rather than relying on second-hand descriptions.

The paper is designed for school-leavers who have studied German for several years, so the text and tasks sit around an intermediate level, with the writing task rewarding clear structure more than ambitious vocabulary. If you can read a one-page article and write a coherent short text, you are in range. Difficulty feels higher under time pressure, so practise timed.

Retake and resit rules are set by the Galician university access authorities and can change between calls, so confirm the current rules on the CIUG website or with your school's orientation department. Do not assume a fixed number of attempts or a fixed waiting period - the official documentation is the only reliable source for this.

The number of items and the time allowed are fixed in the official exam model published by the CIUG, and they are not something to guess from forums. Check the current model on the CIUG site before exam day and rehearse under those exact conditions, including the writing task, so your timing is realistic.

Start with reading volume: short authentic German texts daily, noting connectors and prepositions in context. Then drill the grammar that keeps appearing - tenses, subordinate clause word order, case after prepositions. Only then move to timed writing, and finish by doing full past-style papers under exam conditions, correcting your own errors against a checklist.

Two places. First, comprehension answers that copy long chunks of the text instead of answering the question precisely. Second, the writing task, where candidates ignore the required points, forget a greeting or closing in an email, or mix formal and informal register. Plan two minutes before writing and two minutes to check verb position and endings.

Yes, but lightly. Cultural and sociolinguistic awareness is woven into the paper: recognising formal versus informal address, typical text conventions such as letters and emails, and everyday references to German-speaking countries. You do not need deep historical knowledge; you need to read naturally and notice how German texts are organised and addressed.

Write one short text every few days on a familiar topic, always following the instructions exactly and covering every required point. Use a fixed skeleton - greeting, reason for writing, two developed ideas, closing - and keep a personal list of connectors. Then rewrite the same text correcting your own errors; rewriting teaches more than writing something new each time.

It can. The foreign language paper is one of the subjects that may be used in the admission phase, and its weighting depends on the degree you apply for. The specific weightings and the current scoring rules are published by the Galician university access authorities, so check the CIUG documentation for the year you apply.

No. This is independent study material for candidates searching for information about the exam. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the CIUG, the Galician universities or any official examination body. Always verify format, dates and rules against the official documentation published by the CIUG.