The telc B1 speaking exam (Mündliche Prüfung) is a 15-minute conversation with another candidate, after 20 minutes of preparation. It has three parts: getting to know each other (15 points), talking about a topic (30 points) and planning something together (30 points). You need 45 of 75 points to pass the oral exam.
PassGerman is built by German teacher Ramin A., who has taught more than 1,000 lessons on Preply. This guide follows telc's own examiner instructions from the official practice test, plus what test-takers reported after their exams in 2026. One honest note first: PassGerman trains the written exam, not speaking. Everything below is here so the oral part holds no surprises. The whole exam, written and oral, is in our German B1 exam guide.
| Part | Time | Points | What you do |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Getting to know each other | about 3 min | 15 | Talk about yourself, ask your partner |
| 2 Talking about a topic | about 6 min | 30 | Report an opinion, discuss, share experience |
| 3 Planning together | about 6 min | 30 | Make suggestions, agree on a plan |
| Oral exam | about 15 min | 75 | Pass mark: 45 |
On this page
How the telc B1 speaking exam works
You take the oral exam in a pair, with two licensed examiners in the room: one leads the conversation, the other only listens and scores. The lead examiner introduces both of them, explains the three parts and then says as little as possible (Übungstest 1, pages 30 and 31).
The seating is set up so you face your partner, not the examiners. That's deliberate: telc wants a natural conversation between the two of you. Talking to the examiners instead is like telling a joke to the waiter while your date watches.
The 20 minutes of preparation
Before the exam you get 20 minutes in a preparation room with all the task sheets. You can make notes, but only on stamped sheets from the center, never on the task sheets. No dictionary, no phone, no talking to your partner (Übungstest 1, page 30).
| In the preparation room | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| Reading all task sheets | Yes, 20 minutes |
| Notes on the stamped sheets | Yes, and you can take them in |
| Notes on the task sheets | No |
| Dictionary or phone | No |
| Talking to your partner | No |
You can take your notes into the exam, but telc says you shouldn't read from them. Write key words, not sentences. A full script on paper turns into reading aloud, and reading aloud is the one thing that sounds more nervous than being nervous.
Part 1: getting to know each other (Einander kennenlernen)
In part 1 you introduce yourself and ask your partner questions, for about 3 minutes, using a list of prompts. In the practice test the prompts are: name, where you're from, how you live, family, where you learned German, work or studies, and languages. The examiners can add a topic, like weekends or hobbies (Übungstest 1, page 18).
| Prompt | Say about yourself | Ask your partner |
|---|---|---|
| Where from | Ich komme aus … | Woher kommst du? |
| Home | Ich wohne in einer Wohnung in … | Wie wohnst du? |
| German | Ich habe Deutsch in … gelernt. | Wo hast du Deutsch gelernt? |
| Work | Ich arbeite als … | Was machst du beruflich? |
| Languages | Ich spreche … und ein bisschen … | Welche Sprachen sprichst du? |
Part 1 is the warm-up, but it isn't free points. One test-taker got 11 of 15 in part 1 and missed the oral pass mark by 2 points.
The fix is simple: answer, then ask back. "Und du? Wo hast du Deutsch gelernt?" turns a monologue into a conversation, which is what's being scored.
Part 2: talking about a topic (Über ein Thema sprechen)
In part 2 you and your partner each get a different sheet with one opinion on the same topic. You report your opinion, listen to theirs, then discuss and add your own view and experience. It takes about 6 minutes and is worth 30 points (Übungstest 1, pages 19, 20 and 30).
| Practice test topic | Partner A's sheet | Partner B's sheet |
|---|---|---|
| Group travel (Gruppenreisen) | Likes travelling in a group: company, new people, a guide | Always travels alone: no fixed program, freedom |
Three steps work for most topics: say what your person thinks, ask what your partner's person thinks, then say what you think and why, with one real example. "Ich bin einmal mit einer Gruppe nach Prag gefahren, und…" is worth more than any perfect sentence about group travel in general.
Part 3: planning something together (Gemeinsam etwas planen)
In part 3 you plan an event together, using a short list of points, and agree on who does what. In the practice test it's a farewell party at the end of a holiday: when, where, food, drinks, and who pays for what (Übungstest 1, page 21).
| You want to | Useful phrase |
|---|---|
| Suggest | Wie wäre es, wenn wir …? / Ich schlage vor, dass … |
| Agree | Gute Idee, das machen wir so. |
| Disagree politely | Das finde ich nicht so gut, weil … |
| Ask your partner | Was meinst du? Hast du eine andere Idee? |
| Split tasks | Ich kümmere mich um …, und du …? |
| Close | Dann haben wir alles. Super! |
The task ends when you agree, so don't fight to the death over pizza versus salad. Make a suggestion, react to theirs, agree on something. Real party planning involves a WhatsApp group with 40 unread messages. This one has six minutes and an examiner.
How the telc B1 speaking exam is scored
Each part is scored on four criteria: expression, task management, grammar, and pronunciation and intonation. Both examiners score independently, then agree on one result after you leave. Asking follow-up questions and helping your partner count in your favour (Übungstest 1, pages 31 to 35).
| Criterion | Part 1 | Parts 2 and 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Expression (Ausdrucksfähigkeit) | 4 | 8 each |
| Task management (Aufgabenbewältigung) | 4 | 8 each |
| Grammar (Formale Richtigkeit) | 4 | 8 each |
| Pronunciation (Aussprache) | 3 | 6 each |
| Total | 15 | 30 each |
- Part 1: 15
- Part 2: 30
- Part 3: 30
Task management covers how much you take part, how you keep the conversation going and how fluent you are. Errors that don't block understanding still get a B for grammar, only errors that confuse the listener cost more. An accent doesn't fail you. Silence does.
PassGerman doesn't train speaking yet. What it does: a free, full written mock exam under real timing, so the 135 written points are one less thing to worry about while you practise talking.
Start a free mock examReal telc B1 speaking topics from 2026
telc doesn't publish its topics, but test-takers on Reddit reported these in 2026. They follow the same pattern as the practice test: everyday life, opinions, and organising something.
| Part | Topic reported | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Part 2 | Smartphones for children under 6 | Reddit, May 2026 |
| Part 3 | Planning a boat trip | Reddit, July 2026 |
| Part 1 or 2 | Free time at the weekend | Reddit, July 2026 |
Notice how ordinary they are. Nobody gets asked about the German pension system. If you can talk for two minutes about your phone, your weekend and a trip, with a reason or two attached, you have the raw material for most B1 topics.
The partner question: what if mine is very good, or very quiet?
Your partner is usually another candidate you've never met, and you're scored individually. If one person dominates or goes quiet, the examiner steps in to rebalance the conversation. If there's no partner, an examiner takes the role (Übungstest 1, pages 30 and 31).
| If | What the examiner does |
|---|---|
| One person talks too much | Turns to the quieter one with a question |
| The conversation stalls | Asks an open question to restart it |
| There's no partner | Takes the partner's role |
One test-taker called it "the speaking partner lottery". Someone who passed advises: ask your partner questions and adapt to them, because the examiners notice. Another thread asked whether you can skip the oral exam: commenters pointed out that missing it means the whole exam counts as not passed.
One test-taker scored 74 of 75 in speaking, 295 of 300 overall. The full pass rules are in our telc B1 passing score guide.
FAQ
How long is the telc B1 speaking exam?
About 15 minutes, in a pair with another candidate, after 20 minutes of preparation. Part 1 takes about 3 minutes, parts 2 and 3 about 6 minutes each.
What topics come up in the telc B1 speaking exam?
Part 1 is always about you: name, where you're from, family, work, languages. Part 2 gives you two opposing opinions on an everyday topic, and part 3 asks you to plan an event together, like a party or a trip.
Can I use notes in the telc B1 oral exam?
Yes, but only notes made during the 20-minute preparation on the stamped sheets from the center. You can take them into the room, but you shouldn't read from them.
What happens if there's no partner for me?
If you're the only candidate, one of the two examiners takes the partner's role. The exam itself stays the same.
How many points do I need in speaking?
At least 45 of 75 points, which is 60%. This is separate from the written exam: a strong written result can't make up for a weak oral one.
The written exam is three quarters of the points. Our telc B1 exam practice page shows how PassGerman trains reading, Sprachbausteine, listening and writing.
