Free German Level Test: Find Your Goethe Level (A1–C2)
25 questions in the style of the Goethe-Zertifikat, from easy to hard, with instructions in English. In about 8 minutes you get your estimated level, A1 to C2, and where to start learning.
I’m a total beginner, start me at lesson 1
Free. A practice test, not an official Goethe result.
- 25 questions
- 3 Goethe sections
- A1–C2 estimate
- 8 minutes
How does the German level test work?
25 short questions, a little harder every five, from A1 up to C1. No timer, no sign-up to start, and one tap answers each question.
Start at A1
Everyday words, simple sentences and short notes, like the first Goethe level.
Step up to C1
Vocabulary, grammar, word order and short texts, one level up every five questions. Several misses in a row and the next questions come from an easier level.
See your level
Your estimated level, A1 to C2, a score for vocabulary, grammar and reading, and the lesson to start at in Slova.
How we estimate your level
Every question is written at one level: a word gap (Wortschatz), the closest meaning or the right reply, a grammar gap (Grammatik), German word order with the ★ piece (Satzbau), and a short text like the Goethe Lesen part. A level counts as passed when you get three of its questions right, and your result is the highest level you passed, counting up from A1. A short test cannot tell C1 from C2, so C2 shows as your next goal. The questions are original and not calibrated on large groups of learners, so the result is an estimate, not an official Goethe result. For the real format, see the Goethe-Institut’s practice materials.
What your German test result shows
All of it on one screen, free. Leave your email at the end to see it, and we send you a copy.
- Your German levelA1 to C2 (or below A1), with the Goethe levels you would likely pass and your next goal.
- A score for each sectionVocabulary (Wortschatz), grammar (Grammatik) and reading (Lesen), counted apart.
- Every answer explainedThe right answer and a short reason in English, for every question you saw.
- Where to start in SlovaThe lesson of our German course that matches your level.
- Vocabulary8 of 11
- Grammar5 of 10
- Reading2 of 4
Where to start
NextLesson 201: describing places, clothes and everyday things.
German levels explained: A1 to C2
German levels follow the Common European Framework (CEFR), and the Goethe-Institut has an exam at each one: A1 and A2 for beginners, B1 and B2 for independent users, C1 and C2 for advanced ones.
- A1
Beginner · Start Deutsch 1
- Introduce yourself and ask simple questions.
- Understand short notes, signs and forms.
- Often needed for a family-reunion visa.
- A2
Elementary · Goethe A2
- Talk about your day, work and family.
- Read short emails, ads and notices.
- Use the Perfekt, the dative and weil/dass.
- B1
Intermediate · Goethe B1
- Handle most everyday situations.
- Give opinions, plans and reasons.
- Often asked for work and residence.
- B2
Upper-intermediate · Goethe B2
- Follow newspaper articles and debates.
- Talk fluently on many topics.
- Often asked for study and skilled work.
- C1
Advanced · Goethe C1
- Read demanding, abstract texts.
- Use German flexibly at work and in study.
- Accepted by many universities.
- C2
Proficient · Goethe C2: GDS
- Understand practically everything.
- Express fine shades of meaning.
- The highest Goethe certificate.
Goethe-style sample questions
Five questions from this test, from A1 to C1, like the Wortschatz, Grammatik, Satzbau and Lesen items it asks. Tap to see the answer and why.
Example 1 · A1 · Which word best fills the blank?
Entschuldigung, auf welchem ＿＿＿ fährt der Zug nach München ab?
- Fahrrad
- Fenster
- Gleis
- Sofa
Show the answer
Gleis. Gleis means track or platform for departing trains.
Example 2 · A2 · Which best fills the blank?
Lisa bleibt heute zu Hause, ＿＿＿ sie eine schwere Erkältung hat.
- denn
- deshalb
- trotzdem
- weil
Show the answer
weil. The verb is at the end (hat), so only the subordinating conjunction weil fits.
Example 3 · B1 · Put the four pieces in order. Which one goes in ★?
Jonas brauchte das Wörterbuch, deshalb hat ＿＿＿ ＿＿＿ ＿★＿ ＿＿＿.
- es
- geliehen
- ihm
- sie
Show the answer
ihm (the order: sie es ihm geliehen). When both objects are pronouns, the accusative pronoun (es) must precede the dative pronoun (ihm).
Example 4 · B2 · Which word best fills the blank?
Wer in eine belebte Innenstadt zieht, muss den nächtlichen Lärm wohl oder übel in Kauf ＿＿＿.
- halten
- nehmen
- tragen
- zahlen
Show the answer
nehmen. etwas in Kauf nehmen is the set idiom meaning to accept or put up with a drawback.
Example 5 · C1 · Which best fills the blank?
Die Gemeinde verfügt derzeit über keine Mittel für eine Grundsanierung der Schule, ＿＿＿ für einen modernen Neubau.
- geschweige denn
- nicht zu schweigen
- umso mehr
- ungeachtet
Show the answer
geschweige denn. geschweige denn connects a negative statement with an even less plausible alternative (“let alone”).
Goethe A1 exam: format, pass mark and practice
The first five questions of this test are at A1, and every result says whether you would likely pass it.
The Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1 is the most searched German exam, often because a visa for joining a spouse in Germany asks for it. It checks that you can understand and use everyday phrases, introduce yourself and ask and answer simple questions.
The real exam has four parts: Hören (listening, about 20 minutes), Lesen (reading, about 25 minutes), Schreiben (writing, about 20 minutes) and Sprechen (speaking, about 15 minutes, in a group). You need 60 of 100 points, and A1 is taken as one exam, not module by module.
What A1 questions look like here
- Wortschatz: the word that fits, such as Brötchen at the bakery or Gleis at the station.
- Grammatik: verb endings (du wohnst), articles (einen, eine), am/um/im with times.
- Satzbau: verb second and separable verbs (Am Samstag rufe ich meine Oma an).
- Lesen: a short message or notice and one question.
Our test has no listening, writing or speaking part; the real A1 does. For official A1 practice sets (Übungssätze), see the Goethe-Institut’s practice materials.
German A1 exam papers, Modelltest and sample questions
Full A1 papers come from the Goethe-Institut. Here is where to find them, and three A1 questions from this test.
The Goethe-Institut publishes free Übungssätze (practice sets, often called the Modelltest) for Start Deutsch 1: a full paper with reading, listening, writing and speaking tasks, the audio and the answers, on its practice materials page. There are versions for adults and for young learners (Fit in Deutsch 1). Past exam papers themselves are not published.
A good order: take this test to see whether A1 is your level, then do one official Übungssatz with a timer, then practise the parts you lost points in. Three A1 examples from this test:
Example 1 · A1 · Which word best fills the blank?
Entschuldigung, auf welchem ＿＿＿ fährt der Zug nach München ab?
- Fahrrad
- Fenster
- Gleis
- Sofa
Show the answer
Gleis. Gleis means track or platform for departing trains.
Example 2 · A1 · Which best fills the blank?
Ich stehe jeden Morgen um sechs Uhr ＿＿＿.
- an
- auf
- aus
- mit
Show the answer
auf. Aufstehen is the separable verb meaning to get up.
Example 3 · A1 · Read the text, then answer the question.
Liebe Frau Schneider,
ich kann morgen leider nicht zum Deutschkurs kommen. Meine Tochter ist krank und ich muss zu Hause bleiben.
Viele Grüße
Fatma Yılmaz
Warum kommt Frau Yılmaz nicht zum Kurs?
- Der Unterricht fällt aus.
- Ihr Kind ist krank.
- Sie hat keine Fahrkarte.
- Sie muss morgen arbeiten.
Show the answer
Ihr Kind ist krank.. Fatma Yılmaz writes that her daughter is ill, so she must stay home.
Goethe A2 exam: what it adds to A1
Questions 6 to 10 of this test are at A2.
The Goethe-Zertifikat A2 has the same four parts as A1 (Lesen, Hören, Schreiben, Sprechen) with longer texts and tasks, and you need 60 of 100 points to pass. It checks that you can handle routine tasks: appointments, shopping, work and the doctor, short emails and notices.
The A2 grammar in this test: the Perfekt with sein and haben, the dative (mir, dem), modal verbs in the past (musste), reflexive verbs (sich freuen), weil and dass with the verb at the end, and comparisons with als. For the official A2 Übungssätze, see the Goethe-Institut’s practice materials.
Goethe B1 and B2 exams: what each certificate means and how to pass
B1 and B2 are the certificates most often asked for work, residence and study.
Goethe-Zertifikat B1 shows that you can use German on your own in everyday life: at work, with the authorities, while travelling. You can follow the main points of clear texts, talk about experiences and plans and give short reasons. It is often asked for permanent residence, naturalisation and many jobs.
Goethe-Zertifikat B2 shows that you can follow complex texts on concrete and abstract topics and talk fluently with native speakers. Many universities, nursing and medical boards and employers ask for B2.
From B1 up, the Goethe exams are modular: reading, listening, writing and speaking are separate modules, and you can take and pass them one at a time. Each module needs 60% to pass.
In our test, B1 and B2 are the third and fourth groups of questions: B1 checks the Konjunktiv II, relative clauses and connectors like obwohl; B2 checks the passive with modals, Konjunktiv I and set phrases like in Kauf nehmen. If your result says B1, B2 is your next goal.
German placement test: where to start in Slova
Your result also places you in Slova’s spoken German course of 400 lessons, so you skip what you already know.
Slova is a speaking course: you learn by talking, with an AI tutor, from the first lesson. A written test tends to overrate speaking, so from B1 up we start you one step lower than your reading level.
| Your result | Start at |
|---|---|
| Below A1 | Lesson 1 · First hello and first order |
| A1 | Lesson 61 · Catching up on what you did today and on the weekend |
| A2 | Lesson 101 · Asking politely at a desk or on the phone |
| B1 | Lesson 201 · Describing places, clothes and everyday things |
| B2 | Lesson 251 · Looking back at what could have happened |
| C1 and up | Lesson 301 · Warm invitations, reminders and reassurance |
New to German? Skip the test and start at lesson 1.
German level test FAQ
Taking English too? Try the English level test. For the official exams, see the Goethe-Institut’s practice materials.
What is the Goethe exam?
The Goethe exams are the German tests of the Goethe-Institut, Germany’s cultural institute. There is one for each CEFR level, from A1 (Start Deutsch 1) to C2 (Großes Deutsches Sprachdiplom), held at Goethe-Instituts and licensed exam centres in many countries. Each tests reading, listening, writing and speaking.
What is the Goethe-Zertifikat?
It is the certificate you get when you pass a Goethe exam, such as the Goethe-Zertifikat B1. It names the CEFR level and is recognised by employers, universities and authorities in Germany and abroad. It does not expire, though some institutions ask for a recent one.
What is the Goethe A1 exam?
The Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1 is the beginner exam: listening (about 20 minutes), reading (about 25), writing (about 20) and a short group speaking test. It shows you can use everyday phrases and simple sentences, and it is often needed for a family-reunion visa to Germany.
Is this like the A1 Prüfung model test?
Not exactly. A model test (Modelltest or Übungssatz) copies one full exam, with listening, writing and speaking. This is a short level test with vocabulary, grammar and reading questions, from A1 up to C1. Use it to see where you stand, then practise with the official Übungssätze on goethe.de.
What are the German levels?
Six CEFR levels: A1 and A2 (basic user), B1 and B2 (independent user), C1 and C2 (proficient user). The Goethe-Institut has an exam for each, and most German courses, employers and authorities name their requirements in these levels.
What is B1 level German?
B1 is the intermediate level. You can handle most everyday situations on your own, understand the main points of clear texts on familiar topics, and talk about experiences, plans and opinions with short reasons. It is often asked for permanent residence and naturalisation.
Is this a German proficiency test?
It is a short German level test, modelled on the Goethe-Zertifikat, that estimates your CEFR level from vocabulary, grammar and reading. It is not an official proficiency certificate; for one, sit a Goethe, telc, ÖSD or TestDaF exam.
Can I take a German test online?
You can take this level test online, free, in about 8 minutes. The official Goethe exams are taken at a Goethe-Institut or licensed exam centre, on paper or, for some levels and centres, on computer; they are not taken from home.
Does the Goethe exam have a listening part?
Yes. Every Goethe exam has Hören (listening), along with Lesen, Schreiben and Sprechen. This free test has no listening, writing or speaking part, so it estimates your level from vocabulary, grammar and reading only. The official Übungssätze include the listening audio.
When are the Goethe exam dates?
Each Goethe-Institut and licensed exam centre sets its own dates, often several a month for A1 and B1 in big cities. Find your centre on goethe.de and check its exam calendar; we do not list dates here because they change.
How do I register for the Goethe exam?
Through the Goethe-Institut or exam centre in your city: each one sets its own dates, fees and registration on its page on goethe.de. Book early, since A1 and B1 dates often fill up.
Is the result an official Goethe certificate?
No. This is a practice and level test made by Slova, not by the Goethe-Institut, and its result is an estimate. Only a Goethe exam gives a Goethe-Zertifikat. Use our result to choose which level to sit.
Learn German at your level with Slova
A spoken course of 400 short lessons, from your first Hallo to holding a warm, natural conversation.