Everywhere you read about the Dutch civic integration exam (inburgering), the same two characters come up: A1. "The exam is at A1 level", "A1 vocabulary", "A1 is enough"… But what does A1 actually mean? What can you do at this level and what can't you do yet; how does it map to the three parts of the exam, and what does the road from zero to A1 look like? In this article we explain A1 with concrete examples, a checklist you can apply to yourself and the tools on Dutch Daily Online.

In short: A1 is the first step of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR): the "beginner" or "breakthrough" level. It does not mean speaking fluently; it means making yourself understood, and understanding, with simple sentences in the most basic situations of everyday life.

What is the CEFR, and where does A1 sit?

The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) describes language ability in six levels: A1, A2 (basic user), B1, B2 (independent user), C1, C2 (proficient user). A1 is the first rung of that ladder, and the CEFR describes it like this:

Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases.
Can introduce themselves and others; can ask and answer simple questions about personal details such as where they live, people they know and things they have.
Can interact in a simple way, provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

Two things stand out in that description: "familiar" and "simple". At A1 there are no surprise topics and no long sentences. What there is, is the most frequently repeated situations in life: greetings, introducing yourself, numbers, the time, shopping, the doctor, directions.

What can you do at A1, and what can't you do yet?

You can	You can't yet
Say hello and ask how someone is	Follow a long conversation
Say your name, where you are from and where you live	Explain your opinion with reasons
Say a sentence or two about your family and your job	Tell a past event in detail
Ask for and understand the time, a price, an address	Understand someone who speaks fast
Find the basic information on signs, notices and short messages	Fully understand a newspaper article or an official letter
Tell the doctor "I'm ill, I have a headache"	Describe your symptoms in detail

When you run into something from the right-hand column (for instance, not understanding someone who speaks fast), that does not mean you are not at A1; the definition of A1 already assumes the other person speaks slowly and clearly. Do not let the right-hand column scare you: these are not gaps in A1, they are the subject of the next levels. The exam measures the left-hand column.

A1 and the three parts of the exam

The civic integration exam consists of three parts: KNS (Knowledge of Dutch Society), Lezen (reading) and Spreken (speaking); all three are taken on a computer, in one sitting (naarnederland.nl, checked on 8 October 2026). Each one looks at a different side of A1:

Part	Which A1 skill?	Everyday equivalent
KNS	Understanding a simple question asked in Dutch and picking the right option	Recognizing institutions such as the gemeente, the doctor, the school
Lezen	Finding a specific piece of information in a short text	Signs, notices, short emails, opening hours
Spreken	Giving a clear, short answer to a simple question	"Where do you live?" "What work do you do?"

Note: in Spreken, long and flawless sentences are not expected. According to the official preparation site, even a one-word answer can score, and the grammar does not have to be correct. That is exactly the definition of A1: being understood is enough. For the details of the parts, see the civic integration exam guide.

A1 example sentences

The sentences below are typical examples of A1 level. If you understand all of them and can say similar ones, you are very close to A1.

Greetings and politeness

Dutch	English
Goedemorgen! Hoe gaat het?	Good morning! How are you?
Goed, dank u wel. En met u?	Fine, thank you. And you?
Tot ziens!	Goodbye!
Sorry, ik begrijp het niet. Kunt u dat herhalen?	Sorry, I don't understand. Could you repeat that?

Introducing yourself

Dutch	English
Ik ben Sarah. Ik kom uit Canada.	I'm Sarah. I'm from Canada.
Ik woon in Toronto.	I live in Toronto.
Dit is mijn man, David.	This is my husband, David.
Ik heb twee kinderen.	I have two children.
Ik spreek een beetje Nederlands.	I speak a little Dutch.

Numbers and the time

Dutch	English
Ik ben dertig jaar.	I'm thirty years old.
Hoe laat is het? – Het is half drie.	What time is it? – It's half past two.
De winkel is open van negen tot zes.	The shop is open from nine to six.

Shopping and the doctor

Dutch	English
Wat kost dit?	How much is this?
Ik wil graag een brood, alstublieft.	I'd like a loaf of bread, please.
Mag ik pinnen?	Can I pay by card?
Ik ben ziek. Ik heb hoofdpijn.	I'm ill. I have a headache.
Ik wil een afspraak met de huisarts.	I'd like an appointment with the family doctor.

Watch out: Half drie does not mean "half past three" but half past two; in Dutch, "half" is said in relation to the next hour. Small traps like this are where the most points are lost at A1. Have a look at the pronunciation guide to get the sounds right.

Check yourself

Try the items below out loud. Tick the ones where you can say "yes":

☐ I can say my name, my age, where I'm from and where I live in Dutch.
☐ I can say two or three sentences about my family (my partner, my children, my job).
☐ I understand and can say the numbers from 1 to 100.
☐ I can ask the time and understand the answer (including half and kwart).
☐ I can ask a price in a shop and pay.
☐ I can tell the doctor my basic complaint.
☐ I can find information such as opening hours, a price and an address on a sign or in a notice.
☐ I understand what a short Dutch message (an appointment, an invitation, a cancellation) says.
☐ I can give a short answer to a simple question asked slowly.
☐ When I don't understand, I can say "could you repeat that?"

8–10 ticks: You are at A1; now focus on the exam format. 5–7: The foundation is there; push on the missing areas (usually the time, numbers and speaking). 0–4: You are starting from zero, and that is perfectly normal; the roadmap below is made for you.

From zero to A1: a roadmap with Dutch Daily Online

Course providers usually quote somewhere around 60–100 hours of study for A1; that is not an official figure but a rough range, and it varies from person to person. What matters is not the total number of hours but studying regularly and in the right order:

Lay the foundation: work through the topics in order. Move forward with a short session every day: greetings, introducing yourself, numbers, the time, shopping, health. For tips on studying by yourself, see the article on learning Dutch at home.
Get the words into your ear: word games and the dictionary. Learn the A1 words with audio; a word you have heard is easier to find when you speak.
Get to know the Netherlands: Topic Lessons. Study the KNS topics with explanations in English, together with their Dutch terms.
Move to the exam format: practice exams. KNS, Lezen and Spreken practice exams; AI feedback in your own language on your Spreken answers.
Rehearse: the real exam simulation. Three parts back to back, in Dutch only.
Don't go it alone: the community. Ask questions and share experiences with other members on the same road.

If you want a ready-made program that moves forward day by day, the 30-day study plan turns these steps into a calendar.

What comes after A1?

A1 is not a finish line, it is the first step. When you pass the exam and settle in the Netherlands, your need for Dutch does not end; it grows: the gemeente, the family doctor, school, work. In the integration process in the Netherlands, the target level for most people is B1; so A2 and B1 are waiting for you.

The good news: the foundation you build at A1 does not disappear. Numbers, the time, greetings and the patterns for introducing yourself stay the same at every level; only new words and longer sentences are added on top. So study A1 not as "a hurdle to get past for the exam" but as the first real step of your life in the Netherlands.

Start now

A1 is a level anyone can reach with the right tools and regular study. Sign up for free, start with the gaps in your self-check list and take your first practice exam this week.