Goethe B1 Sprechen: the Redemittel to Drill, Teil by Teil
The Goethe B1 Sprechen module is a paired exam, about 15 minutes, in three parts: you and a partner plan something together (Teil 1), each of you gives a short presentation (Teil 2), and you react to each other's presentation with feedback and a question (Teil 3). It is its own module, scored out of 100 with 60 to pass. Half of what the examiner marks is not vocabulary but interaction — whether you take turns, react to your partner, and keep the conversation moving.
The phrases below are grouped by the Teil they belong to. Do not read them as a list — work them. Because this is speaking, drilling means saying each phrase out loud until it comes automatically; you will not have time to search for it under the exam clock.
How to drill this: cover the German column with your hand, read each cue, and say the phrase out loud before you check. Speaking phrases only work when they are automatic, so repeat a section until every cue produces its phrase without a look.
Teil 1 — planning something together (gemeinsam etwas planen)
You and your partner plan an activity together — a party, an outing, a class trip. You make suggestions, react to your partner's, and settle on a plan. Turn-taking is marked here as much as the phrases.
Wollen wir zusammen … planen?
Shall we plan … together? — opens the task and hands your partner the floor straight away.
Ich schlage vor, dass wir …
I suggest that we … — the workhorse for a proposal (verb to the end after dass).
Wie wäre es mit …?
How about …? — a lighter way to float an idea (takes the dative: Wie wäre es mit einem Picknick?).
Das ist eine gute Idee!
That's a good idea! — accept your partner's suggestion out loud before you build on it.
Das finde ich nicht so gut, weil …
I don't think that's so good, because … — disagree and give a reason; never just reject a suggestion flat.
Bist du damit einverstanden?
Do you agree with that? — hand the turn back. The examiner wants a real exchange, not two monologues.
Gut, dann machen wir das so.
Good, then let's do it like that. — close the negotiation with a clear decision.
Teil 2 — giving your presentation (ein Thema präsentieren)
You present a topic from five points: introduce it, your own experience, the situation in your home country, advantages and disadvantages, and your opinion. These phrases signal each move so the examiner hears your structure.
In meiner Präsentation geht es um …
My presentation is about … — name the topic in the very first sentence.
Aus eigener Erfahrung kann ich sagen, dass …
From my own experience I can say that … — the frame for the personal-experience point.
In meinem Heimatland ist das so: …
In my home country it's like this: … — the frame for the home-country point.
Ein Vorteil ist …, ein Nachteil ist …
One advantage is …, one disadvantage is … — covers the pros-and-cons point in a single frame.
Ich persönlich finde, dass …
I personally think that … — your opinion, the closing point of the presentation.
Vielen Dank für eure Aufmerksamkeit.
Thank you for your attention. — close cleanly and hand over to the feedback part.
Teil 3 — reacting and giving feedback (über die Präsentation sprechen)
You react to your partner's presentation: give brief, specific feedback, then ask one question. Then you answer the question they put to you. Keep it short, warm and concrete.
Vielen Dank für deine Präsentation.
Thanks for your presentation. — always open the feedback with this.
Deine Präsentation hat mir gut gefallen, besonders …
I really liked your presentation, especially … — make the praise specific by naming a point they made.
Ich habe eine Frage: …
I have a question: … — signal the question move clearly so the examiner hears it.
Du hast gesagt, dass … Kannst du das genauer erklären?
You said that … Can you explain that in more detail? — a clarifying question built on their actual content.
Bei mir ist das ähnlich / anders, weil …
For me it's similar / different, because … — answer the question they ask you, with a reason.
Download the B1 Sprechen Redemittel sheet (PDF)Every phrase on this page on one printable page — cover the German column and say each one aloud.