Inburgering A2 practice: speaking, reading and listening

Five short game lessons with exam-style questions: introduce yourself, describe a picture, give your opinion, read an official letter and understand an announcement. Every sentence has audio.

These are practice lessons, not the official exam. DUO, which runs the inburgering exams, also offers official A2 practice exams on its website. (Inburgeren.nl)

Good to know

Speaking (A2)Taken on a computer: you watch short films and answer questions. 35 minutes.Source: Inburgeren.nl (DUO) โ€“ Language exams A2, B1, B2
Listening (A2)On a computer: questions about short films and texts you listen to. 45 minutes.Source: Inburgeren.nl (DUO) โ€“ Language exams A2, B1, B2
Reading (A2)On a computer: you read texts and answer questions. 65 minutes.Source: Inburgeren.nl (DUO) โ€“ Language exams A2, B1, B2
Writing (A2)With pen and paper: 4 assignments, such as a short letter or a form. 40 minutes.Source: Inburgeren.nl (DUO) โ€“ Language exams A2, B1, B2

Inburgering A2 practice: phrases and words

All the Dutch from this inburgering A2 practice: the example questions and answers, then every word with its English meaning. Tap โ–ถ to hear it.

Speaking practice: introduce yourself in Dutch

A model answer you can adapt to your own life. (Source: Inburgeren.nl (DUO) โ€“ Language exams A2, B1, B2)

Example conversation

  • Kunt u zich even voorstellen?Could you briefly introduce yourself?
  • Ik heet Marek, ik ben vijfendertig jaar en ik kom uit Polen.My name is Marek, I'm thirty-five and I'm from Poland.
  • Ik woon sinds drie jaar in Arnhem, met mijn vrouw en twee kinderen.I've lived in Arnhem for three years, with my wife and two children.
  • Ik werk als monteur en in mijn vrije tijd voetbal ik graag.I work as a technician and in my free time I like playing football.

Word list

DutchEnglish
zich voorstellento introduce yourself (also: to imagine)
de examinatorexaminer
de vraagquestion
het antwoordanswer
de spreekvaardigheidspeaking skills

โ–ถ Practise this as a game: Introduce yourself

Speaking practice: describe a picture

Ik zie โ€ฆ, links staat โ€ฆ, ik denk dat โ€ฆ want โ€ฆ

Example conversation

  • Wat ziet u op de foto?What do you see in the photo?
  • Ik zie een vrouw in een winkel. Ze betaalt bij de kassa.I see a woman in a shop. She's paying at the till.
  • Links staat een man met een winkelwagen.On the left there's a man with a shopping trolley.
  • Ik denk dat het zaterdag is, want het is erg druk.I think it's Saturday, because it's very busy.

Word list

DutchEnglish
drukbusy, crowded
rustigquiet, calm
de achtergrondbackground
de voorgrondforeground
beschrijvento describe
lijkento seem, to look like

โ–ถ Practise this as a game: Describe a picture

Speaking practice: give your opinion

Ik vind โ€ฆ omdat โ€ฆ, and both sides of the argument.

Example conversation

  • Wat vindt u beter: in de stad wonen of op het platteland?What do you think is better: living in the city or in the countryside?
  • Ik vind de stad beter, omdat alles dichtbij is.I think the city is better, because everything is close by.
  • Maar het platteland is rustiger en er is meer natuur.But the countryside is quieter and there's more nature.

Word list

DutchEnglish
het plattelandcountryside
rustigerquieter
aan de ene kanton the one hand
aan de andere kanton the other hand

โ–ถ Practise this as a game: Give your opinion

Reading practice: an official letter

Deadlines and consequences: uiterlijk, termijn, gevolg. (Source: Inburgeren.nl (DUO) โ€“ Language exams A2, B1, B2)

Example conversation

  • Lees de brief. Wat moet meneer Yilmaz doen?Read the letter. What does Mr Yilmaz have to do?
  • Hij moet voor vijftien juni een formulier terugsturen.He has to send back a form before the fifteenth of June.
  • En wat gebeurt er als hij dat niet doet?And what happens if he doesn't?
  • Dan stopt zijn toeslag.Then his benefit stops.

Word list

DutchEnglish
de teksttext
uiterlijkat the latest
de termijnterm, deadline
het gevolgconsequence
let opnote, attention

โ–ถ Practise this as a game: Read an official letter

Listening practice: a station announcement

Why, how long and what to do. (Source: Inburgeren.nl (DUO) โ€“ Language exams A2, B1, B2)

Example conversation

  • U hoort een bericht op het station. Waarom heeft de trein vertraging?You hear an announcement at the station. Why is the train delayed?
  • Door een storing aan het spoor.Because of a fault on the track.
  • Hoe lang duurt de vertraging?How long is the delay?
  • Ongeveer twintig minuten.About twenty minutes.

Word list

DutchEnglish
omroepento announce
doorbecause of, by, through
de reizigerstravellers, passengers
excuses voor het ongemaksorry for the inconvenience

โ–ถ Practise this as a game: Understand an announcement

How to use this inburgering A2 practice

Do one lesson a day and say every answer out loud, even when you are alone: speaking practice only works when you actually speak.

Use this inburgering A2 practice next to DUO's official practice exams on inburgeren.nl. These lessons train the language, the official practice exams show you the real format.

Frequently asked questions

What are the parts of the inburgering exam?

Reading, listening, writing and speaking, plus Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij (KNM) (source: inburgeren.nl).

How long is the A2 speaking exam?

35 minutes, on a computer: you watch short films and answer questions (source: inburgeren.nl).

Is this the official inburgering exam?

No, these are free practice lessons. DUO offers official practice exams on inburgeren.nl.

How do I introduce myself in Dutch for the exam?

For example: Ik heet โ€ฆ, ik ben โ€ฆ jaar en ik kom uit โ€ฆ Then say where you live, your work and your hobbies.

Is this inburgering A2 practice free?

Yes. All five lessons of this inburgering A2 practice are free, with audio and games, and no account is needed.

Related on The Dutch Daily

Word meanings checked against Wiktionary. Audio uses your deviceโ€™s Dutch voice where available.