Practicing the A2 speaking exam out loud at home

Why talking to a computer feels hard

Many people say Spreken is the part they fear most. Part of it is the language. But part of it is the setup: you sit alone with headphones, you hear a question, and you speak into a microphone. Nobody nods or smiles. You hear your own voice.

The good news: the setup is something you can practice. If you have answered into a microphone a hundred times at home, the exam room feels less new.

What the exam looks like

This is the format as DUO publishes it:

• You take Spreken A2 on a computer at a DUO exam location.
• You wear headphones. You watch short videos or look at pictures, and hear a question.
• You answer out loud, into a microphone. You speak to the computer, not to a person.
• The exam takes 35 minutes. Before it starts, there are 15 minutes of explanation.
• Since 1 March 2025 it is spoken answers only. The multiple-choice section was removed.
• Your answers are marked partly by a computer and partly by people.

• The A2 speaking exam, explained →
• What the exam screen looks like →

Set up your practice corner

You do not need special equipment. You need to copy the feeling of the exam.

• Headphones with a microphone. The cheap ones that came with your phone are fine.
• A quiet place where you can speak at normal volume. If you whisper at home, you will whisper in the exam.
• A computer if you have one. DUO says its practice exams work best on a desktop computer. On a phone or tablet, turn it sideways.
• Not Safari: the official Spreken practice exam does not work in that browser.
• Your phone, to record yourself.

• inburgeren.nl: official practice exams ↗

A 15-minute daily routine

Do this on most days. It is short on purpose, so it fits after work or after the children are in bed.

• Minute 1 to 3: warm up. Say five sentences about your day out loud. Today I... Then I... Tomorrow I...
• Minute 3 to 10: answer five exam-style questions, with headphones on. Answer straight away, in full sentences. Do not stop to correct yourself.
• Minute 10 to 13: listen back to one or two answers. Did you answer every part of the question?
• Minute 13 to 15: say one of those answers again, better. Add a reason with omdat (because).

What to practice in your answers

These tips are about how you answer, not about the content of the real exam.

• Listen to the whole question. Many questions have two parts: answer both.
• Use short, full sentences. Simple and complete is better than long and unfinished.
• If you forget a word, say it another way and keep talking. Nobody will help you in the exam.
• When there are pictures, talk about what you see, and say why if the question asks for it.
• Speak at a normal volume and a calm speed. Practice not rushing.

Build answers you can reuse

At A2 you do not need long or clever answers. You need short, complete answers that fit the question. A few simple patterns help you answer almost anything:

Say each pattern out loud with your own words, many times, until it comes without thinking. These are practice patterns, not questions from the real exam.

• Saying what you see: Ik zie een man in de winkel. (I see a man in the shop.)
• Saying what you would do: Ik ga naar de huisarts. (I go to the GP.)
• Giving a reason: ... omdat ik ziek ben. (... because I am ill.)
• Saying what you like: Ik vind ... leuk, want ... (I like ..., because ...)
• Asking for something: Mag ik ...? Kunt u ...? (May I ...? Can you ...?)

A weekly check

Once a week, do one full official Spreken practice exam from inburgeren.nl, in one go, with headphones and a timer. There are three. Do not pause and do not repeat answers.

Record it and listen back the next day, not straight away. With a little distance you hear more. Write down what you notice most, for example: I stop when I miss a word, or I only answer half. That is what you practice next week.

When nerves get in the way

Feeling nervous is normal. A few things help many people:

• Start speaking quickly. The longer the silence, the harder it gets.
• Have one or two safe openings ready, like: Op de foto zie ik... (In the picture I see...).
• Practice in the clothes you will wear and at the time of day of your exam, at least once.
• Read what happens on exam day in advance, so nothing surprises you.

• What happens on your exam day →

Practicing with feedback

Recording yourself shows you a lot, but not everything. Kora's speaking practice listens to your spoken answer and tells you what to fix, with the explanation in your own language. It is practice, not an official result, and it cannot promise a result.

• A study plan when you work full time →