German A1 Listening Examples (Hören)

The Hören (Listening) section tests your ability to understand spoken German in everyday situations like announcements, short dialogues, and phone messages.

What to Expect

The A1 listening exam includes 3-4 parts: understanding public announcements, short dialogues between two people, and phone messages or voicemails. Each audio is played twice. Time allowed is approximately 20 minutes.

Expert Tips for A1 Listening

  • 1Read the questions before the audio plays
  • 2Listen for specific information: numbers, times, places
  • 3Don't try to understand every word - focus on key information
  • 4Use the second listening to verify your answers
  • 5Practice with German radio, podcasts, or YouTube videos daily

Essential Listening Vocabulary

hören - to hear/listen
der Bahnhof - train station
die Durchsage - announcement
der Anruf - phone call
die Uhrzeit - time
die Verspätung - delay
das Gleis - platform/track
die Abfahrt - departure

Practice Examples

Task 1: Train Announcement

Listen to the announcement and answer: What platform does the train to Munich leave from? [Audio transcript]: "Achtung an Gleis 5. Der ICE nach München über Nürnberg fährt in 10 Minuten ab."

Sample Answer:

The train to Munich leaves from Platform 5 (Gleis 5).

Task 2: Dialogue

Listen to the dialogue and answer: What does the woman want to buy? [Audio transcript]: Verkäufer: "Guten Tag, kann ich Ihnen helfen?" Frau: "Ja, ich suche ein Buch über deutsche Grammatik." Verkäufer: "Die Bücher über Grammatik sind dort drüben."

Sample Answer:

The woman wants to buy a book about German grammar (ein Buch über deutsche Grammatik).

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