Goethe B1 speaking: planning together, giving a presentation and asking questions

In the Goethe B1 exam, the speaking module (Sprechen) is often taken in pairs with another candidate, which makes it extra nerve-racking. But the order and shape of the tasks are always the same. If you know in advance what you'll have to do and have a few sentence frames ready, in the exam room you only need to think about the content. This guide is for anyone preparing for the Goethe-Zertifikat B1 (adults). The whole exam is explained in our Goethe certificate overview, and tips for writing are in Goethe B1 writing.

What this part looks like

Based on the Goethe-Institut's official information and practice set (Übungssatz):

Step	What you do	Time
Preparation	look at the tasks on your own and make notes (key words only)	15 min
Start	a short introduction of yourself (not marked)	about 1 min
Teil 1	plan something together with your partner (e.g. organising a trip or a get-together)	about 3 min
Teil 2	choose one of two topics and give a presentation with five slides	about 3 min each
Teil 3	give feedback on your partner's presentation and ask a question; answer questions about yours	about 1–2 min each

Usually in pairs — partners are assigned at random; only in special cases do you take it alone. In pairs the whole exam takes about 15 minutes, alone about 10
Two examiners — one leads the conversation and also asks questions in Teil 3. Both mark you separately
What is assessed — task completion, interaction (starting, keeping up and ending a conversation), vocabulary, grammar and, across the whole exam, pronunciation (sentence melody, stress and sounds)
Pass mark — the speaking module has 100 points, and you pass with 60 or more. The four modules can also be taken separately

Step by step

1. Spend most of the 15 minutes on Teil 2. For Teil 1, just note one suggestion for each question in the task (When? How do we get there? Where do we sleep? What do we bring?), and use the rest of the time for your presentation notes.

2. In Teil 2, follow the five slides exactly. The official task sets the order of the slides: ① introduce the topic and the structure of your talk ② your own experience ③ the situation in your home country, with examples ④ pros and cons, and your opinion ⑤ conclusion and thanks. Leaving out even one slide lowers your task completion score. Write key words only, not full sentences.

3. In Teil 1, take the initiative. Don't wait: make a suggestion first, react to what your partner says, and decide together at the end. When you disagree, give a reason and a different suggestion.

4. In Teil 3, always ask one question. While your partner is presenting, write down one question. One sentence of feedback plus one question is enough.

5. If you get stuck, don't stop — go around it. If a word won't come, say it in simpler words. It's better to keep talking than to stop for a long time to fix your grammar.

Useful German

Wollen wir zuerst überlegen, wann wir fahren? — Shall we first think about when we're going?
Wie wäre es mit dem Zug? — How about the train?
Ich schlage vor, dass wir eine Jugendherberge buchen. — I suggest we book a youth hostel.
Das ist eine gute Idee. / Einverstanden. — That's a good idea. / Agreed.
Das geht leider nicht, weil ich am Freitag arbeite. Vielleicht am Samstag? — Unfortunately that doesn't work, because I'm working on Friday. Maybe Saturday?
Was meinst du? — What do you think?
Gut, dann machen wir das so. — OK, let's do it that way.
In meiner Präsentation geht es um das Thema „Ohne Auto leben". — My presentation is about "Living without a car".
Meiner Meinung nach … / Zum Schluss möchte ich sagen, dass … — In my opinion … / Finally, I'd like to say that …
Mir hat besonders gut gefallen, dass … Ich hätte noch eine Frage: … — I particularly liked that … I have one more question: …

Common mistakes

❌ Only giving your own ideas in Teil 1 without listening to your partner → ✅ ask Was meinst du? and react to their suggestions
❌ Ending without a decision → ✅ finish together with Gut, dann machen wir das so.
❌ Leaving out a slide in the presentation (especially ③, your home country) → ✅ write 1–5 in your notes and tick them off one by one
❌ Reading out your notes → ✅ look at your key words and speak freely
❌ Not asking a question in Teil 3 → ✅ write one down while your partner is presenting
❌ Verb position after weil and dass → ✅ the verb goes at the end: …, weil ich am Freitag arbeite.

Practice plan

Day	What to do
1	Learn the format from the official practice set and the speaking videos
2	Practise Teil 1 with a partner (a friend or language exchange): suggest, disagree and decide using the sentences above
3	Prepare two presentations with the five-slide structure, then talk for 3 minutes looking only at key words
4	Two more presentations; record yourself on your phone and find where you stopped
5	Practise Teil 3: one sentence of feedback + one question on someone else's presentation
6	A full practice run, including the 15 minutes of preparation (with a timer)
7	Listen to your recordings again and collect the phrases where you often got stuck

Free official material: all B1 practice material (including speaking videos) · B1 Übungssatz Erwachsene (PDF) · B1 Modellsatz Erwachsene (PDF) · online practice test · B1 word list (PDF)

Quick check

How many slides does the Teil 2 presentation have, and what do you talk about on the third one?

Answer

Five. On the third slide you describe the situation in your home country, with examples.

How long is the preparation time, and how should you make your notes?

Answer

15 minutes. Write key words only, not full sentences, and speak freely in the exam.

In Teil 1, what do you say when your partner's suggestion doesn't work for you?

Answer

Give a reason and a different suggestion, e.g. Das geht leider nicht, weil … Vielleicht …?

Sources: goethe.de – Goethe-Zertifikat B1 · goethe.de – Übungsmaterialien B1 · B1 Übungssatz Erwachsene (PDF) · Durchführungsbestimmungen B1 (PDF) · sagadeutsch.com – Goethe B1 Sprechen · deutsch-vorbereitung.com – Sprechen Teil 1