Goethe-Zertifikat B1 explained: the papers and timing, how it is marked, fees and session dates, who needs it, and the vocabulary and phrases to learn for it.
| Paper | Time | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Lesen | 65 min | Five parts: a blog post, newspaper articles, adverts, opinions in a forum, rules or instructions. |
| Hören | 40 min | Four parts: announcements and messages, a guided tour, a conversation, a radio discussion. |
| Schreiben | 60 min | An informal e-mail (about 80 words), an opinion post for a forum (about 80), a short formal e-mail (about 40). |
| Sprechen | 15 min | In pairs: plan something together, present a topic with your own experience and opinion, react to your partner’s presentation. |
Each paper, the kit sections that prepare you for it, and why.
| Paper | Kit sections | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Lesen | Reading texts are written around the exam topics: the topic words and the connectors let you follow the argument and find the answers faster. | |
| Hören | Recordings use the same topic words and everyday spoken phrases; knowing them by ear, with the audio, is what makes listening easier. | |
| Schreiben | The writing tasks reward ready phrases for each text type, linking words, natural word combinations and accurate grammar. | |
| Sprechen | Speaking goes more smoothly with phrases for giving opinions, agreeing, disagreeing and planning, and with linking words to structure what you say. | |
| All papers | Instructions, paper names and the words around registration and the exam itself, so nothing on the day is new. |
Four separate modules. You pass a module with 60 of 100 points, and can resit modules one at a time.
Set by each Goethe-Institut or exam centre; check the centre’s price list.
Large centres hold the B1 roughly every month; registration usually closes several weeks before.
goethe.de → Prüfungen → Goethe-Zertifikat B1
Official information ↗
Facts last checked on 2026-09-30. Rules and fees change: confirm with the official page before you register.
Goethe-Zertifikat B1 certifies B1. B1 is the language level for German naturalisation and a settlement permit, and many employers ask for it. Check which certificates your authority or employer accepts.
Commonly quoted estimates are about 350–400 hours of guided learning to reach B1 from scratch. If you are already one level below, expect a few months of regular study. The German B1 Exam Kit has 3,881 cards: at 20 new cards a day, about 16 minutes with reviews, you see every card in about 28 weeks. Enter your exam date on the kit page for your own daily number.
No. The certificate has no expiry date. Some authorities, universities or employers only accept certificates up to a certain age, so check what the place you apply to asks for.
Yes. The exam is modular: you can take the four modules together or separately, and resit only the modules you did not pass.
From your exam centre, usually a few weeks after the exam; many centres also show results online. The certificate lists the modules you passed.
Vocabulary for the exam topics, writing and speaking phrases, connectors, collocations, grammar in context and the words around exam day: 3,881 cards in 17 decks. The table above shows which part helps with which paper. It is our own list, not an official one, and it does not replace model tests.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Goethe-Institut, telc gGmbH, ÖSD or the BAMF.