Spreken: how to prepare for the speaking part of the civic integration exam
In Spreken you answer short Dutch questions out loud and finish incomplete sentences. This guide covers the question types, how your answers are assessed and how to practise speaking.
Spreken is Dutch for "speaking" and is the last part of the Dutch civic integration exam abroad. On exam day you take it after KNS and Lezen. The computer plays a question or half a sentence, and you say your answer into the microphone. Your answers are recorded and assessed after the exam.
Many people find this the hardest part, because speaking out loud in a new language is stressful. But at A1 level nobody expects long, perfect sentences. A short answer that fits the question and can be understood is enough.
What does Spreken test?
This part checks whether you can give short answers in Dutch about simple everyday topics: yourself, your family, your home, work, shopping, the weather and your daily routine. The full list of questions is officially published, and the exam uses questions from that list.
How are your answers assessed?
According to the official assessment model, each answer is scored on two criteria:
- Adequacy (adequaatheid): does the answer fit the question, or complete the sentence in a meaningful way?
- Pronunciation (uitspraak): can a trained listener understand the answer?
The model also states clearly that an answer can be a single word and does not need to be grammatically correct. But if the answer doesn't fit the question, pronunciation is scored as zero too. So first make sure you understand the question and say something that fits.
Typical question types
Two example situations:
- Question and answer: you hear someone ask where you live. A short answer is enough: the name of your city, or a simple sentence with it.
- Sentence completion: you hear half a sentence such as "Ik drink 's ochtends graag …". You finish it with a sensible word, for example the name of a drink you have in the morning.
You can see sample questions in the exam format on this page. All speaking questions are in All Questions.
Common mistakes
- Staying silent. No answer always means zero points. Even if you're unsure, say something short that fits.
- Misunderstanding the question. Learn question words like waar (where), wanneer (when), wie (who) and hoeveel (how many) well; your adequacy score depends on them.
- Giving answers that are too long. Getting stuck halfway through a long sentence is riskier than a short, clear answer.
- Speaking too fast or too quietly. Speak calmly, clearly and at a normal volume.
- Only practising by reading. Speaking improves by saying things out loud. Saying your answers aloud and recording them is the most effective practice.
1. Learn the patterns
In the question and answer and sentence completion sections of Topic Lessons, each question has 4–6 sample answers, the answer pattern, useful words and common mistakes. Listen to the sample answers and repeat them out loud. You can save an answer that fits your own life as your own answer; only you can see it.
2. Get to know all the questions
All Questions holds more than 500 speaking questions with answers. Hide the answers, listen to the question and answer out loud, then compare with the sample answer. Mark the questions you've studied to track your progress.
3. Practise with recordings
In the speaking practice exams you first answer 10 questions and then complete 12 sentences, as in the real exam. Your answers are recorded and what you say appears as text on screen while you speak. Afterwards you listen to your recordings and compare them with the sample answers; you also get an automatic evaluation for practice purposes. If you like, use Request evaluation to have an instructor listen to your recordings; the instructor marks each answer and writes a comment.
Before the exam
Use the Real Exam Simulation to take Spreken after the other two parts, when you're tired and without hints: the closest rehearsal of exam-day conditions. For the other parts, see the KNS guide and the Lezen guide; for the overview, the civic integration exam guide.
Sources
How many questions are in the Spreken part?
The speaking part of the real exam has 22 questions and takes 30 minutes. First you answer 10 questions, then you complete 12 half sentences.
Is a one-word answer enough in the speaking exam?
According to the official assessment model, an answer can be a single word and doesn't need to be grammatically correct. What counts is that it fits the question and can be understood. If you can make a simple full sentence, that's a good option too.
Are the Spreken questions known in advance?
Yes. The full list of speaking questions is officially published and linked from naarnederland.nl. The speaking questions on our platform follow the same format.
How important is pronunciation in the speaking exam?
Pronunciation is one of the two assessment criteria. You don't need a perfect accent; the listener needs to be able to understand you. Listening to sample answers and repeating them out loud is the easiest way to improve.
Do I get a result in the official speaking practice exam?
No, the official Spreken practice exam on naarnederland.nl doesn't show a result. In the practice exams on Dutch Daily Online you can listen to your recordings, compare them with sample answers and ask an instructor for an evaluation.
What if I don't know the answer?
Don't stay silent; say something short and relevant. An empty answer scores nothing, but even one fitting word can earn points. Learning the question words well before the exam makes this happen less often.