The inburgering exam Lezen at a glance
| Item | A2 Lezen |
|---|---|
| Format | On a computer, at a supervised DUO exam location |
| Questions | 25, all multiple choice |
| Answer options | 3 or 4 per question |
| Texts | About 9 to 10 short Dutch texts |
| Time | 65 minutes for the whole exam |
| Dictionary | Not allowed |
| Pass mark | 19 of 25 correct |
DUO's own page says only this: "Het examen Lezen op niveau A2 doet u op de computer. U moet teksten lezen. U moet ook vragen beantwoorden. Het examen duurt 65 minuten." The rest of this guide comes from DUO's practice exams (oefenexamens) and other prep sources.
What to expect on exam day
You take Lezen on a computer at a supervised exam location. Bring a valid ID, such as a passport or a residence permit. Without one, you cannot take the exam. Come alone, because other people must wait outside. The exam is confidential, so you may not take photos or copy the questions.
On screen you see a Dutch text and the questions about it. You click one answer for each question. There is no writing, dragging or ordering in the A2 reading exam.
The questions are usually written in the third person. A short setup with a name and a situation comes first. For example: Sabrina krijgt een brief van haar werk. Waarom krijgt ze de brief? (Sabrina gets a letter from her work. Why does she get the letter?)
The texts in the inburgering reading exam
You read about 9 to 10 short texts. Most texts have 2 to 4 questions. They all come from daily life in the Netherlands:
- letters and e-mails from work, school, the gemeente (municipality) or the huisarts (GP)
- notices, adverts, timetables and opening hours
- brochures, folders and short news texts, such as a piece in the wijkkrant (local newsletter)
- simple instructions
- short personal messages, such as a WhatsApp message or a note from a neighbour
What the questions ask
Each question checks one practical reading skill. You may need to:
- find one fact, such as a time, a price or a place
- understand why someone wrote the text
- see what someone must do next
- draw a simple conclusion
For example: Halima wil meedoen met de sportdag. Wat moet ze meenemen? (Halima wants to take part in the sports day. What must she bring?)
The wrong answers are often real details from the same text. They simply answer a different question. So spotting a familiar word is not enough. You need to match the question to the right detail.
How Lezen is scored
Each question has one correct answer, and every question counts the same. A wrong answer costs nothing, so a blank answer only throws away a chance at a point.
You pass with 19 of the 25 questions correct. DUO states that mark on your result letter and in Mijn Inburgering, not on its website. That is why prep sites disagree and some still quote 18. DUO sends the result by letter within 8 weeks. Read more in our guide to the exam result.
DUO's practice exam does not say pass or fail. It gives a chance band instead. With 17 to 22 correct you have redelijke kans (a fair chance), and with 23 to 25 you have grote kans (a good chance).
Time: 65 minutes for 25 questions
The 65 minutes cover all texts and all questions together. There is no time limit per text, so you set your own pace. That gives you a little over two and a half minutes per question. Short notices take less time, so you can spend more on a long letter.
Tips to pass the A2 reading exam
- Read the question first. Then you know which detail to look for in the text.
- Use two reading speeds. Scan notices, adverts and timetables for names, days, times, prices and places. Read letters and messages slowly when the question asks why, or what someone must do.
- Watch for traps. Take Hoe laat begint de cursus? (What time does the course start?). If the text gives one time for registration and one for the lesson, only the lesson time is correct.
- Answer every question. A guess costs nothing and may earn a point.
- Practise with real formats. Try our Lezen example questions and DUO's own practice exams. Then train against a 65-minute timer in our reading practice.