Foreign Language German - Basic study guide
Foreign Language German - Basic · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Foreign Language German - Basic credential is an entry-level German proficiency examination for candidates who can already handle everyday situations and want independent evidence of that ability. It is typically taken by university students satisfying a language requirement, professionals adding a second language to a CV, or learners preparing for higher-level certificates. The Foreign Language German - Basic study guide has 6 sections and about 2,578 words.
01Listening Comprehension
Listening Comprehension tests whether you can extract practical information from short spoken German: announcements, voicemail, shop and travel dialogues, directions, times, prices and simple descriptions. At basic level the speech is usually clear and often repeated, but distractors are built from similar-sounding words, numbers and late corrections.
380 words, about 2 min02Reading Comprehension
Reading Comprehension tests understanding of short written German in everyday formats: signs, notices, emails, forms, advertisements, timetables, menus and simple articles. You need both the main point and specific details such as times, prices, conditions and names.
371 words, about 2 min03Grammar and Structure
Grammar and Structure tests control of basic German forms and sentence building: articles and cases, verb conjugation, tenses, word order, prepositions, negation and questions. Accuracy matters because a wrong ending or verb position can change the meaning or make the sentence unintelligible.
457 words, about 2 min04Vocabulary and Idiomatic Usage
Vocabulary and Idiomatic Usage tests everyday words and fixed expressions for family, work, shopping, health, travel, housing and appointments. It also checks word formation, collocations, register and the ability to avoid literal translations from English.
400 words, about 2 min05Cultural and Pragmatic Knowledge
Cultural and Pragmatic Knowledge tests whether your German fits the situation: how to address people, greet them, accept or decline an invitation, behave at work and in shops, and write in the right register. The grammar can be correct while the choice of du or Sie, or the timing of a greeting, still costs marks.
480 words, about 2 min06Writing and Text Production
Writing and Text Production tests short practical texts: an email or message, postcard, invitation, excuse, form, or simple description. Marks depend on covering every content point, choosing the right register, writing understandable sentences and controlling basic spelling and punctuation.
490 words, about 2 min