Hören is the second module of the written exam and takes approx. 40 minutes. In 4 parts you hear short announcements and messages, a talk, an everyday conversation and a radio discussion. Teil 1 and Teil 4 are played twice, Teil 2 and Teil 3 only once. Before Teil 2, 3 and 4 you get 60 seconds each to read the items.
As in Lesen, there are 30 items worth 1 point each, converted to a score out of 100. With 18 correct answers you have 60 points and have passed the module. After the last recording you have about 5 minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.
Part by part
The 4 parts of Hören
How often you hear a text decides your strategy: if it is played only once, you have to mark your answer straight away.
Teil 1 · Richtig/Falsch + a/b/c
Announcements and messages
10 items
played twice
Five short texts: voicemail messages, an announcement, traffic or weather. For each text there is a statement (Richtig/Falsch) and a question (a, b, c).
How to approach it
Read both items before each text.
On the first listening, understand and mark your answer lightly.
On the second listening, check only the spot you are unsure about.
Typical traps
The correction: the first information changes. What counts is the last, after “sondern” or “doch”.
The no: next to the word from the item you hear “nicht”, “kein” or “noch nicht”.
All three options come up in the text. Ask yourself: who does it apply to, and is it still true?
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The course: 28 lessons
Short lessons take you step by step through every exam task: how it is built, where points get lost and how to win them. With exercises and checkpoints.
You need 60 of 100 points, which is 18 of 30 correct answers. Every item counts the same, whichever part it is from. Hören is scored on its own and not offset against other modules.
How often are the texts played in Goethe B1 Hören?
Teil 1 (announcements and messages) and Teil 4 (radio discussion) are played twice. Teil 2 (talk) and Teil 3 (conversation) are played only once, so there you have to decide straight away while you listen.
How long does Hören take?
About 40 minutes. This includes the reading time before the texts and about 5 minutes at the end to transfer your answers to the answer sheet.
Is it only German from Germany?
No. The situations take place in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, for example an announcement at a Swiss train station. So practise with texts from all three countries.
What do I do if I miss something in a part played only once?
Mark the option that seems most likely and keep listening straight away. The items follow the text, and the next one is coming right up. A wrong answer costs no more than a blank one.
ExamReady is an independent learning platform and is not affiliated with the Goethe-Institut or ÖSD. All tasks are original materials written in the exam format.
Practise Hören the way the exam plays it.
Every text played exactly as often as in the exam, with scoring and a transcript for every task.
