What to expect on exam day
The Spreken (Speaking) exam is computer-based at a DUO test centre. You wear a headset and speak into a microphone. There is no person talking with you live.
You sit in a room with other candidates. Other people may be speaking at the same time, because everyone answers into a microphone and their answers are recorded.
On screen, you get short video clips or images. A man or woman on screen reads the question aloud. You listen, look at the screen, and then give your answer out loud into the microphone.
Your answer is recorded. DUO assessors listen later and score it. The exam is not scored live while you are speaking.
The full exam time is 35 minutes. That total includes instructions, changes between parts, and the time needed to listen and respond.
A2 candidates do not get extra time for this section.
How the Spreken (Speaking) section is built
Since 1 March 2025, the old multiple-choice part has been removed. The current exam is all spoken production. You do not choose a, b, or c. You always speak your own answer.
The section has 4 parts, with 4 questions in each part.
In many questions, the prompt has two parts. First you answer the main question. Then you also answer the follow-up, often with Vertel ook ....
Example:
Waar koopt u meestal brood? Vertel ook waarom.
English meaning: Where do you usually buy bread? Also say why.
Part 1: short video question
You watch a short video of one person speaking to the camera. That person asks you a question.
Your job is simple: listen and answer aloud.
Example:
Met wie oefent u Nederlands? Vertel ook wat u samen doet.
English meaning: Who do you practise Dutch with? Also say what you do together.
Part 2: one image and a two-part question
You see one still image. Then you hear a question about the picture, often followed by a second prompt.
You usually need to say what you see and then add one more detail, reason, opinion, or personal connection.
Example:
Wat doet de man? Vertel ook wat u van zelfscannen vindt.
English meaning: What is the man doing? Also say what you think about self-scanning.
Part 3: two images and a preference
You see two pictures side by side. You choose one option and explain your choice.
A short answer is enough if it is clear and on topic.
Example:
Welke jas koopt u liever? Vertel ook wanneer u die draagt.
English meaning: Which jacket would you rather buy? Also say when you wear it.
Part 4: three images in sequence
You see three pictures about one person. The task is to say something about all three pictures.
This part is more about describing or narrating than giving an opinion. You can connect the pictures with simple words such as eerst, daarna, dan, ten slotte.
Example:
Vertel wat Jamal doet. Vertel iets over alle plaatjes.
English meaning: Say what Jamal is doing. Say something about all the pictures.
How it is scored
Your recorded answers are scored by trained DUO assessors. They do not score you in real time during the test.
A commonly described scoring model gives each question up to 12 points across six areas. DUO does not publish a public official pass mark per area, so the useful part for you is what assessors listen for.
They listen for these things:
- whether you answer the real question, including the Vertel ook ... follow-up
- whether you use topic words that fit the situation
- whether your grammar is understandable
- whether you keep speaking without long silent pauses
- whether your answer has simple order and linking words
- whether your pronunciation is clear enough to understand
Task completion matters more than perfect grammar. A small grammar mistake or an accent can still score. Silence, off-topic answers, or skipping the second part of the prompt costs points fast.
A high result in another exam section cannot replace a fail in Spreken. You need to pass the speaking test itself.
Number of questions and time
The Spreken exam has 16 questions in total. They are divided into 4 parts of 4 questions each.
The total exam time is 35 minutes. That includes instructions, transitions, and the time to watch, listen, and answer.
For each spoken answer, you have about 1 minute. That means you do not need a long story. A short answer with a direct reply, one or two details, and the follow-up is the right shape.
A useful target is 3 to 5 short sentences for many questions. In the last part, you still need to reach all three pictures inside that same answer time.
Tips to pass
Start with the first task in your answer. If the prompt asks where, answer where. If it asks what you see, name what is visible first.
Then answer the second part. The follow-up is often where points are lost.
Use short, clear Dutch. One clean sentence is better than a long sentence that breaks in the middle.
Build simple structure with basic connectors: en, maar, want, omdat, eerst, daarna, ten slotte.
Stay concrete. Use everyday words linked to the picture or question, such as bakker, supermarkt, huisarts (GP), apotheek, bus, jas, school, werk.
Do not fill time with unrelated ideas. Extra content does not help if it does not answer the prompt.
For the three-picture part, pace yourself across all images. A simple pattern works well: picture 1, picture 2, picture 3, then stop.
The best practice is exam-style practice with the current 16-question format. InburgeringPrep lets you train with the same task types: video questions, one-image questions, two-image choices, and three-image sequences, so you can practise answering the full prompt inside about one minute.