The 3 Parts of A1 Sprechen
- Sich vorstellen (Introduce yourself) — You give a short, structured self-introduction: name, age, country, language(s), occupation, and a hobby. This part rewards a fluent, complete answer far more than perfect grammar.
- Informationen austauschen (Exchange information) — You ask and answer simple questions with a partner or examiner, using cue cards (e.g. "Wohnort," "Familie").
- Bitten formulieren (Make a request) — You use a cue card to politely ask for something (e.g. borrowing a pen, asking for directions).
What Examiners Actually Score
Each part is graded on:
- Task fulfillment — did you answer what was actually asked?
- Pronunciation and fluency — can you be understood without long pauses?
- Grammar mistakes matter far less at A1 than at higher levels, as long as your meaning is clear.
Why Candidates Fail — Even When Their German Is Good Enough
The most common reason A1 candidates lose points isn't vocabulary or grammar — it's not knowing the shape of the exam. Two mistakes show up again and again:
- Switching out of German when nervous, or going silent instead of attempting an answer in German.
- Having no rehearsed opening. Candidates who walk in with a memorized, structured self-introduction consistently score higher than candidates improvising in the moment — because Part 1 rewards exactly that kind of fluent, complete delivery.
The Single Highest-Leverage Prep Step
Rehearse your self-introduction until it's automatic — not memorized word-for-word like a script, but practiced enough that you can say it smoothly under pressure. This one preparation step addresses the most common point of failure in the entire exam.
DeutschWeg's Sprechen simulator gives you live AI feedback on exactly this kind of structured self-introduction — rehearse it before your real exam. Try it free →