The Listening module is part of the written Goethe-Zertifikat A1 exam (Start Deutsch 1). Here you’ll find the structure, tasks, exercises and a clear strategy for each of the three parts.
As of 2026 · Built to the official exam format
Practice the same format you’ll see on exam day, get your score against official criteria, and see where you still need work.
Free to try · No account needed
Key takeaways
Listening is one of the four modules of the Goethe-Zertifikat A1 exam. You hear short, simple everyday texts – small conversations, announcements and answering-machine messages – and solve tasks about them. In total that’s 15 tasks in three parts. You have around 20 minutes for it.
At its core it’s about understanding simple information: who is speaking, where the person is, what time it is, how much something costs. You don’t have to understand every word, just recognize the important information. You hear most texts twice, so you can check on the second listen.
The three parts have different tasks: in Part 1 you hear short conversations and choose from three pictures or answers (a/b/c), in Part 2 you decide for announcements whether a statement is true or false, in Part 3 you hear short messages and again choose from three answers. Always read the tasks before the audio starts.
The texts are short and simple, and you hear most of them twice. The biggest hurdle for beginners is the speaking pace – very doable with some listening practice.
| Part | Task type | Focus | Tasks | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part 1 – Short conversations (MC) | Multiple choice | Understanding simple conversations | 6 | 6 |
| Part 2 – Announcements (T/F) | True/False | Understanding announcements | 4 | 4 |
| Part 3 – Short messages (MC) | Multiple choice | Understanding messages | 5 | 5 |
Before each part you have time to look at the tasks and pictures. Use it: think about what to listen for (time, place, price).
You don’t have to understand everything. Focus on the one piece of information the task asks for – such as a time or a number.
You hear most texts twice. Mark your answer the first time and check it the second time.
At A1 it’s often about times, prices, house numbers or phone numbers. Practice understanding numbers especially.
There is no penalty for wrong answers. Guess rather than leave a task open.
Only the answer sheet is graded. Transfer your answers in good time, ideally right after each part.
Try this section in the real exam format and find out how confident you are before exam day.
Free to try · No account needed
In the listening part you’ll meet typical A1 everyday situations:
The audio texts revolve around simple everyday topics. Prepare vocabulary for these areas:
Read this guide and do a first listening practice test with the official Modellsatz – no pressure, just to understand the structure.
Practice short dialogues and choosing from three answers (a/b/c). Focus on the one important piece of information.
Practice understanding numbers, prices and times specifically – they come up often at A1.
Practice announcements and deciding true/false. Read the statements first.
Practice short answering-machine messages and choosing from three answers.
Work through all three parts with audio in one go and transfer your answers to an answer sheet.
Listen again to the spots where you went wrong: what did you miss? Review your weakest part specifically.
Three parts with 15 tasks in total: Part 1 (short conversations, multiple choice, 6), Part 2 (announcements, true/false, 4) and Part 3 (short messages, multiple choice, 5).
You hear most texts twice. That way you can check your answer on the second listen.
The Listening module lasts around 20 minutes. In the Goethe-Zertifikat A1, each module is timed separately.
Whether you understand simple everyday information – for example times, prices, places or short messages. You don’t have to understand every word.
The audio files belong to the official Goethe-Institut Modellsatz. We don’t host any audio – use the official Modellsatz or practice listening with a Prepliq mock.
Listen to short, simple German audio daily and practice numbers and times especially. At Prepliq you practice listening with realistic mock exams and get instant scoring.
Yes, you may take notes on the task sheet. But only the answer sheet is graded – transfer your answers in good time.
Practice this exam section in the official format and see what needs more attention before the real test.
Free to try · No account needed