How to Prepare for the Goethe A1 Exam: A 4-Week Study Plan
A week-by-week plan for the Goethe-Zertifikat A1 (Start Deutsch 1): what each module tests, how many marks you need, and what to practise on each day.
The Goethe-Zertifikat A1 (Start Deutsch 1) has four modules: Lesen, Hören, Schreiben and Sprechen. The written parts take roughly 65 minutes in total, the speaking test takes about 15 minutes in a small group, and you need about 60 out of 100 points to pass. Four focused weeks are usually enough if you already know the basics of German.
What the A1 exam actually tests
- Lesen (about 25 minutes): short notices, adverts, emails and signs. Most questions are richtig/falsch or a choice between two options.
- Hören (about 20 minutes): short announcements, phone messages and everyday conversations. Each recording is played once or twice depending on the part.
- Schreiben (about 20 minutes): filling in a simple form, then writing a short message of a few sentences.
- Sprechen (about 15 minutes): introducing yourself, asking and answering simple questions from keyword cards, and making a simple request.
The full breakdown per part is on our A1 exam format page, including the sample tasks with answers.
Week 1 — vocabulary and the form-filling task
Start with the everyday topics A1 keeps coming back to: personal details, family, work, shopping, food, time and dates, travel, and housing. Aim for 15 to 20 new words a day, always with the article (der, die, das) and the plural.
- Write your own personal-details form every day: Familienname, Vorname, Geburtsdatum, Straße, Postleitzahl, Telefonnummer.
- Learn numbers, dates and times until you can say them without pausing. Hören loses more marks to numbers than to grammar.
Week 2 — reading and listening under time
Do not read A1 texts slowly. The exam rewards scanning: find the one detail the question asks about and move on.
- Read the question first, then the text.
- For richtig/falsch items, underline the exact words in the text that decide your answer.
- Listen to short German announcements every day: station announcements, voicemail-style clips, opening hours.
Week 3 — writing and speaking
Schreiben at A1 is short but strict about the basics: greeting, reason, one or two details, closing. Practise three message types — cancelling an appointment, inviting a friend, and asking for information.
For Sprechen, record yourself. Introduce yourself in 8 to 10 sentences, then answer keyword questions such as "Wohnort?", "Beruf?", "Hobby?". Most A1 candidates lose points from silence, not from grammar mistakes.
Week 4 — full mock tests
In the last week, stop studying new material and take complete timed papers instead. Use the same order as the exam day: Lesen, Hören, Schreiben, then Sprechen.
- Take at least two full timed mocks.
- After each one, list every wrong answer and the reason: vocabulary, misread question, or time.
- Repeat only the tasks you got wrong, not the whole paper.
You can take a full A1 mock with automatic scoring on Lesen and Hören inside GermanArena, or start with the sample A1 tasks.
How many marks do you need?
You need roughly 60 out of 100 points to pass A1. Because the modules are weighted, a strong Lesen and Hören result gives you room for a weaker Schreiben score — but you still have to attempt every part. Always confirm current rules and dates with your local Goethe-Institut before you book.