Sprechen is rated by two examiners against fixed criteria with fixed point steps. This page lists the criteria and maximum points for every Teil at every level, the rules that turn a task to zero, and how the module result decides pass or fail.
Two raters assess each performance independently on fixed criteria and the mean is taken, rounded. Each criterion has fixed point steps and no values in between.
| Level | Raw points | Converted |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | 15 raw points (3 + 6 + 6) | raw × 1.66 = max. 25 of the 100 total |
| A2 | 25 points (4 + 8 + 8 + 5 pronunciation) | max. 25 of the 100 total |
| B1 | 100 points (28 + 40 + 16 + 16 pronunciation) | max. 100 |
| B2 | 100 points (44 + 40 + 16 pronunciation) | max. 100 |
| C1 | 100 points (52 + 32 + 16 pronunciation) | max. 100 |
| C2 | 40 points × 2.5 = 100 | max. 100 |
At A1 each item is scored full points (task fully achieved and understandable), half points (partly achieved) or 0 (not achieved or not understandable). From A2 pronunciation is rated separately.
From A2 upwards, if task fulfilment is rated E (0 points), the whole Teil scores 0.
| Part | Criteria and point steps | Max. |
|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Introduction / spelling / number: 1 point each | 3 |
| Teil 2 | Per topic: question 2 points + answer 1 point | 6 |
| Teil 3 | Per round: request 2 points + reaction 1 point | 6 |
| Part | Criteria and point steps | Max. |
|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Aufgabenerfüllung 2 + Sprache 2 | 4 |
| Teil 2 | Aufgabenerfüllung 4 + Sprache 4 | 8 |
| Teil 3 | Aufgabenerfüllung 4 + Sprache 4 | 8 |
| Whole test | Aussprache (pronunciation) 5 / 3.5 / 2 / 0.5 / 0 | 5 |
| Part | Criteria and point steps | Max. |
|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Erfüllung 8, Interaktion 4, Wortschatz 8, Strukturen 8 | 28 |
| Teil 2 | Erfüllung 12 (all five slides covered = A), Kohärenz 4, Wortschatz 12, Strukturen 12 | 40 |
| Teil 3 | Erfüllung | 16 |
| Teile 1–3 | Aussprache | 16 |
| Part | Criteria and point steps | Max. |
|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Erfüllung 8, Kohärenz (and fluency) 8, Wortschatz 8, Strukturen 8, questions and answers 12 | 44 |
| Teil 2 | Erfüllung 10, Interaktion 10, Wortschatz 10, Strukturen 10 | 40 |
| Teile 1 + 2 | Aussprache | 16 |
| Part | Criteria and point steps | Max. |
|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Erfüllung 10, Kohärenz 10, Wortschatz 10, Strukturen 10, questions and answers 12 | 52 |
| Teil 2 | Erfüllung 8, Interaktion 4, Wortschatz 10, Strukturen 10 | 32 |
| Teile 1 + 2 | Aussprache | 16 |
| Part | Criteria and point steps | Max. |
|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Erfüllung, Kohärenz, Wortschatz, Strukturen, Aussprache und Intonation: each 4 / 3 / 2 / 1 / 0 | 20 |
| Teil 2 | The same five criteria | 20 |
| Total | 40 points × 2.5 | 100 |
| Level | Modular | To pass | Retaking |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | No | 60 of 100 points overall, and every part must be taken. Below 35 of the 75 written points a pass is no longer possible. | Not modular: the exam can only be repeated as a whole. |
| A2 | No | 60 of 100 points overall, and at least 45 of the 75 written points and at least 15 of the 25 Sprechen points. | Not modular. Repeating only the written or only the oral part is possible in exceptional cases. |
| B1 | Yes | 60 of 100 points in each module. | Modular: each of the four modules can be taken and retaken on its own. |
| B2 | Yes | 60 of 100 points in each module. | Modular: each of the four modules can be taken and retaken on its own. |
| C1 | Yes | 60 of 100 points in each module. | Modular: each of the four modules can be taken and retaken on its own. |
| C2 | Yes | 60 of 100 points in each module. | Modular: each of the four modules can be taken and retaken on its own. |
At B1, B2, C1 and C2 each module is scored out of 100 and passed with 60, and each module can be taken and retaken on its own. At A1 and A2 the four parts add up to one score out of 100.
| Points | Grade (German) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 90-100 | sehr gut | very good |
| 80-89 | gut | good |
| 70-79 | befriedigend | satisfactory |
| 60-69 | ausreichend | sufficient |
| 0-59 | nicht bestanden | not passed |
The same grade bands are used at every level, for each module from B1 upwards and for the total at A1 and A2.
Compare your own work with the model answers on the Sprechen samples page. The tasks are described on the Sprechen description page. In the Goethe practice section your answers are scored on these criteria by AI trained by our experts; full timed exams are in the Goethe mock tests.