--- title: "Goethe B1 Listening: Exercises with Answers & Tips" description: "Listening (Hören) in the Goethe-Zertifikat B1: all 4 parts explained – announcements, a report, a conversation and a radio discussion. Format, points, strategy and exercises." canonical: "https://prepliq.com/en/practice-test/goethe-zertifikat-german-b1/listening" url: "https://prepliq.com/en/practice-test/goethe-zertifikat-german-b1/listening.md" locale: "en" provider: "Goethe" level: "B1" alternates: de: "https://prepliq.com/de/modelltest/goethe-zertifikat-deutsch-b1/hoeren.md" en: "https://prepliq.com/en/practice-test/goethe-zertifikat-german-b1/listening.md" fr: "https://prepliq.com/fr/examen-blanc/goethe-zertifikat-allemand-b1/comprehension-orale.md" it: "https://prepliq.com/it/simulazione-esame/goethe-zertifikat-tedesco-b1/ascolto.md" es: "https://prepliq.com/es/modelo-de-examen/goethe-zertifikat-aleman-b1/comprension-oral.md" --- # Goethe-Zertifikat B1 – Listening (Hören) > Listening (Hören) in the Goethe-Zertifikat B1: all 4 parts explained – announcements, a report, a conversation and a radio discussion. Format, points, strategy and exercises. ## Key takeaways - Listening has 4 parts with 30 tasks in total. - You hear announcements (Part 1), a report (Part 2), a conversation (Part 3) and a radio discussion (Part 4). - You hear some texts twice – plan around 40 minutes. Listening is one of the four modules of the Goethe-Zertifikat B1 exam. You hear different everyday texts – short announcements, a report, a private conversation and a radio discussion – and solve tasks about them. In total that’s 30 tasks in four parts. You have around 40 minutes for it. At its core it’s about understanding information, main points and opinions. You don’t have to understand every word, just recognize what it’s about and what is meant. You hear some texts twice, others only once. The four parts call for different listening styles: in Part 1 you hear five short texts (true/false and multiple choice), in Part 2 a report (multiple choice), in Part 3 a conversation (true/false), in Part 4 a radio discussion (multiple choice). Always read the tasks beforehand. - Parts: 4 - Tasks: 30 - Points: 30 - Time: 40 min - to pass: ~60 % - Difficulty: medium (3/5) ## The parts at a glance - [Part 1 – Announcements](https://prepliq.com/en/practice-test/goethe-zertifikat-german-b1/listening/part-1) — True/False + Multiple choice · Understanding announcements · 10 Tasks · 10 Points. In Part 1 you hear five short texts and solve ten tasks – partly true/false, partly with three answers. Here’s how to find the right solution. - [Part 2 – Report (MC)](https://prepliq.com/en/practice-test/goethe-zertifikat-german-b1/listening/part-2) — Multiple choice · Understanding a report · 5 Tasks · 5 Points. In Part 2 you hear a report and answer multiple-choice questions. You hear the text only once. Here’s how to find the right option. - [Part 3 – Conversation (T/F)](https://prepliq.com/en/practice-test/goethe-zertifikat-german-b1/listening/part-3) — True/False · Understanding conversations · 7 Tasks · 7 Points. In Part 3 you hear a private conversation and decide for each statement between true and false. You hear it only once. Here’s how to follow the conversation reliably. - [Part 4 – Discussion (MC)](https://prepliq.com/en/practice-test/goethe-zertifikat-german-b1/listening/part-4) — Multiple choice · Understanding a discussion · 8 Tasks · 8 Points. In Part 4 you hear a radio discussion with several people and answer multiple-choice questions. Here’s how to recognize the opinions reliably. ## Tips & strategy - **Read the tasks before you listen:** Before each part you have time to read the tasks. Use it: mark key words so you can listen out for them purposefully. - **Listen for the meaning, not the words:** The correct answer depends on the meaning. The audio often says the same thing in different words from the task. - **Adapt your listening style per part:** Parts 1 and 3 are partly true/false, Parts 2 and 4 multiple choice. Prepare for the task type in each part. - **Decide on the first listening:** You hear Parts 2 and 3 only once. Concentrate from the start and mark your answer right away. - **Use the second listening:** You hear Parts 1 and 4 twice. Use the second time to check your answers and fill in any gaps. - **Never leave a box blank:** There is no penalty for wrong answers. When unsure, decide on an answer. ## Common listening situations In the listening part you’ll meet typical B1 audio texts: - **Announcements & messages** — public announcements, weather, voicemail messages (Part 1). - **Report & talk** — one person reports on a topic (Part 2). - **Private conversation** — two people talk to each other (Part 3). - **Radio discussion** — host and guests discuss a topic (Part 4). ## Common topics The audio texts revolve around everyday and social topics. Prepare vocabulary for them: - **Work & everyday life** — job, appointments, transport - **Leisure & travel** — hobbies, holiday, events - **Media & technology** — internet, phone, apps - **Society & environment** — living, sustainability, community ## Free practice exercises - [Deutsche Welle – Learn German](https://learngerman.dw.com/de/overview) — Free listening texts and slowly spoken news at B1 level. - [Nachrichtenleicht](https://www.nachrichtenleicht.de/) — Current news in simple German with audio – good for listening practice. ## 1-week study plan - Day 1 – **Learn the format:** Read this guide and do a first listening practice test with the official Modellsatz – without pressure, just to understand the structure. - Day 2 – **Part 1 – announcements:** Practice short announcements and messages: true/false and choosing from three answers. - Day 3 – **Part 2 – report:** Practice listening to a report and solving multiple choice – you hear it only once. - Day 4 – **Part 3 – conversation:** Practice listening to a private conversation and deciding true/false – only once. - Day 5 – **Part 4 – radio discussion:** Practice listening to a discussion with several people and solving multiple choice. - Day 6 – **Full listening part under time:** Work through all four parts with audio in one go and transfer your answers to an answer sheet. - Day 7 – **Analyze your mistakes:** Listen again to the spots where you went wrong: what did you miss? Review your weakest part specifically. ## Are you ready? - I understand short announcements and messages. - I follow a report and solve multiple choice on it. - I understand a private conversation and decide true/false. - I follow a discussion with several people. - I recognize paraphrases – the same statement in different words. - I can manage all 30 tasks at listening pace, even when I only hear once. ## Frequently asked questions ### How many parts does Goethe B1 listening have? Four parts with 30 tasks in total: Part 1 (announcements, 10), Part 2 (report, multiple choice, 5), Part 3 (conversation, true/false, 7) and Part 4 (radio discussion, multiple choice, 8). ### How often do I hear the texts? You hear Parts 1 and 4 twice, Parts 2 and 3 only once. Concentrate from the start on the parts played only once. ### How much time do I have for listening? The Listening module lasts around 40 minutes. In the Goethe-Zertifikat B1 each module is timed separately. ### Where do I find the audio texts (audio/MP3)? 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 exam. ### How many points do I need to pass? Each module is scored out of 100 points. To pass the Listening module you need at least 60 of 100 points (60 %). ### What’s the best way to practice listening? Listen to German audio every day and practice the different task types. At Prepliq you practice listening with realistic mock exams and get instant scoring. ## Ready for the exam? [Practice this part on Prepliq](https://prepliq.com/en/practice-test/goethe-zertifikat-german-b1?action=start§ionId=Listening%20Comprehension) ## Other exam parts - [Lesen](https://prepliq.com/en/practice-test/goethe-zertifikat-german-b1/reading) - [Schreiben](https://prepliq.com/en/practice-test/goethe-zertifikat-german-b1/writing) - [Sprechen](https://prepliq.com/en/practice-test/goethe-zertifikat-german-b1/speaking) [Goethe-Zertifikat B1 – Listening (Hören)](https://prepliq.com/en/practice-test/goethe-zertifikat-german-b1/listening)