# Faust Academy ## German A1 exam papers: 48 Goethe A1 practice papers, PDF and online URL: https://www.faustacademy.com/german-a1-exam-papers Language: en Updated: 2026-10-21 All 48 Faust practice papers for Goethe A1 (Start Deutsch 1), twelve per skill. Each has a PDF with an answer key or assessment notes, and one scored paper per part is free online, with no account. ### All Goethe A1 practice papers - [Reading (Lesen)](https://www.faustacademy.com/goethe-a1-lesen) - [Listening (Hören)](https://www.faustacademy.com/goethe-a1-hoeren) - [Writing (Schreiben)](https://www.faustacademy.com/goethe-a1-schreiben) - [Speaking (Sprechen)](https://www.faustacademy.com/goethe-a1-sprechen) ### German A1 question paper pattern Goethe A1 has four parts. Reading, listening and writing are the written exam, which takes 65 minutes in one sitting. Speaking is a separate exam in a small group. | Part | What you do | Time and points | | --- | --- | --- | | Reading (Lesen) | 3 parts, 15 questions: true or false, and choose a or b | 25 minutes, 25 of 100 points | | Listening (Hören) | 3 parts, 15 questions. You hear parts 1 and 3 twice and part 2 once | 20 minutes, 25 of 100 points | | Writing (Schreiben) | Fill in a form, then write a short message of 30 words | 20 minutes, 25 of 100 points | | Speaking (Sprechen) | 3 parts in a group of up to four: introduce yourself, ask and answer questions, make and answer requests | 15 minutes, no preparation time, 25 of 100 points | ### A1 Prüfung model test online Each set above is one full exam part. Start it online and you get the same tasks and the same time limit as in the exam. Reading and listening are scored against the answer key when you hand in. Writing and speaking are marked on the exam criteria, and you see your result out of 25 for each part. If you prefer paper, open the PDF of the same set, print it and set a timer. The answer key for reading and listening and the assessment notes for writing and speaking are on the paper page of each set. ### Worked example: Lesen Teil 1, question 2 In Lesen Teil 1 you read two short messages and decide whether five statements are right or wrong. Set 01 starts with an email from Nina to her friend Mara: "Hallo Mara, am Montag war ich zum ersten Mal beim Cheerleading-Training. Es hat viel Spaß gemacht, aber heute tun mir die Arme weh! Zuerst wollte ich am Freitag wieder hingehen. Da musst du aber arbeiten. Deshalb treffen wir uns jetzt am Mittwoch nächste Woche um 18 Uhr vor der Sporthalle." The statement: "2. Nina kommt am Freitag wieder zum Training." (Nina comes to training again on Friday.) Richtig or Falsch? ### The right answer: Falsch Friday is in the email, so many learners tick Richtig. But read the whole sentence: "Zuerst wollte ich am Freitag wieder hingehen" means "At first I wanted to go again on Friday". Mara has to work on Friday, so the plan changed: "Deshalb treffen wir uns jetzt am Mittwoch" (so now we meet on Wednesday). The answer key of set 01 gives Falsch. The trap in this example: the text names the same day, place or time as the statement, but a word such as "zuerst", "aber" or "jetzt" shows that the plan changed. Question 1 of the same email is the opposite case. "Nina war am Montag zum ersten Mal bei diesem Training" repeats the email in other words ("zum ersten Mal beim Cheerleading-Training"), so it is Richtig. ### How to work through Lesen Teil 1 - Read the statement first and underline the fact it checks: a day, a time, a place or a person. - Find that fact in the text, then read the whole sentence around it and the next sentence. - Watch for words that change a plan: zuerst (at first), aber (but), jetzt (now), leider (unfortunately), nicht mehr (no longer). - Mark Richtig only when the text says the same thing, even in other words. A word that appears in both is not enough. ### How to use the papers before your exam - Start with one reading and one listening set online. Your score per part shows which part needs the most work. - Keep the exam order for a full mock: listening (20 minutes), reading (25 minutes), then writing (20 minutes), with no break between them. - Write the short message by hand and count your words. The task asks for 30 words and three content points. - Practise speaking out loud with a partner: spell your name, say a number, then ask and answer questions with the word cards. - Work through a new set every few days and compare your score with the pass mark of 60 of 100. ### Who needs the Goethe A1 certificate Many people take Goethe A1 for a spouse visa to Germany. A spouse who joins a partner in Germany must be able to communicate in simple German, and German law sets simple German at level A1. The law lists exceptions, for example for spouses of EU Blue Card holders. You take the exam at a Goethe-Institut test centre. Book a date at a centre in your city, then use the papers above to prepare. ### Questions **Do these German A1 exam papers have answers?** Yes. Every reading and listening set has an answer key, and every writing and speaking set has assessment notes with a model text or model answers. You find both on the paper page of each set, next to the PDF. **How many points do I need to pass Goethe A1?** The exam has 100 points, 75 written and 25 speaking. You pass with 60 points in total, and you must take every part. **How long is the Goethe A1 exam?** The written exam takes 65 minutes: 20 minutes listening, 25 minutes reading and 20 minutes writing. Speaking takes 15 minutes in a small group, with no preparation time. **Can I take a German A1 test online?** Yes. One scored online paper per part is free, with no account, and every PDF is free. Pick any set above and press Start online. **Is Goethe A1 the same as Start Deutsch 1?** Yes. The Goethe-Institut calls its A1 exam for adults Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1. The same exam rules, the Durchführungsbestimmungen A1, apply to both names. **Are these the official Goethe-Institut papers?** No. Faust Academy is an independent practice platform. The papers follow the format, the timing and the scoring of the Goethe A1 exam. ### Sources - [Goethe-Institut: Durchführungsbestimmungen A1, Stand 1. September 2025](https://www.goethe.de/pro/relaunch/prf/de/Durchfuehrungsbestimmungen_A1_Start_Deutsch_1.pdf) - [§ 30 AufenthG, Ehegattennachzug](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__30.html)