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.