1. Say the direct answer in your first sentence
Answer the question itself first. Then add what the follow-up asks for.
Most questions in the inburgering examen Spreken have two parts. You might hear: Waar koopt u meestal brood? Vertel ook waarom. The safest order is simple: first say where, then say why.
Ik koop meestal brood bij de bakker. Ik ga daarheen omdat het brood lekker is en de bakker dicht bij mijn huis is.
I usually buy bread at the bakery. I go there because the bread is good and the bakery is close to my home.
The same order works in all four parts:
- Video question: answer the personal question first.
- One picture: say what you see, then answer the Vertel ook part.
- Two pictures: choose one first, then say why.
- Three pictures: say who does what, then move through all three pictures.
Do not start with a long run-up such as Eh, ik denk... misschien... It uses time and does not answer the task.
A short opening is better: Ik kies de linker jas. Nora wacht bij de huisarts. Jamal gaat met de trein.
If you missed one detail but understood the topic, start with the part you know and add the rest when you can.
2. Use the minute without rambling
You have about one minute per answer. Three to five short sentences are enough. Stop adding new ideas once you have answered both parts clearly.
More words do not mean more points. The scoring rewards a clear answer to this question, simple linked sentences and speech a listener can follow. A good pattern is: answer, detail, reason, and if needed a time or place.
For a one-picture question you can say:
Ik zie een man in de supermarkt. Hij scant zijn boodschappen bij de kassa. Ik vind zelfscannen handig, want het gaat snel.
I see a man in the supermarket. He is scanning his shopping at the checkout. I think self-scanning is handy, because it is quick.
In the three-picture question, pacing matters most. Many candidates spend too long on picture 1 and never reach picture 3. Give each picture one short sentence. Then link them with eerst, daarna and ten slotte.
Do not add stories about your country or your family that the question did not ask for. Extra content creates extra mistakes and does not raise your score. Speak a little slower than feels natural.
Talk longer only if you have said one short sentence and not yet answered the follow-up. Then add one reason, one detail or one time word.
3. When you make a mistake, fix it and continue
Correct yourself fast and continue. Do not stop and restart the whole answer.
You do not need perfect Dutch at A2. Small grammar slips or an accent are normal at A2. Long pauses and restarts cost fluency points, so repair quickly and go on. If you say the wrong word, replace it and move on:
Ik ga op maandag naar de apotheek... nee, meestal op vrijdag, na mijn werk.
I go to the pharmacy on Monday... no, usually on Friday, after work.
Ik kies deze jas, omdat hij... eh... goedkoop en warm is.
I choose this jacket because it is... eh... cheap and warm.
Both answers stay on topic and are easy to understand. A short repair is normal speech. A full restart wastes time and can cause panic.
If a grammar form escapes you, go simpler. Use the present tense and short sentences. Link them with en, maar, want, omdat and daarna. Coherence is one of the six scoring criteria, and these small words earn it.
Do not apologise to the microphone. Sorry, mijn Nederlands is niet goed does not answer the question.
One exception: if you chose the wrong picture, correct that clearly at once. Nee, ik kies de rechter foto. Then continue normally.
4. Never stay silent, even when unsure
Silence is the worst choice in this exam. Only what you say on the recording counts. An empty answer shows nothing, but even a short answer can show the right topic, some useful words and clear speech.
When you get stuck, fall back on what you see or on the main question word:
- One picture: describe what is visible first.
- Two pictures: choose one picture at once.
- Three pictures: say something about all three, even in very simple sentences.
Short rescue lines keep you on task: Ik zie een vrouw. Zij wacht. Ik kies de linker foto, omdat... Eerst ..., daarna ..., ten slotte ...
There is no multiple choice to fall back on. Since 1 March 2025 every one of the 16 questions asks for a spoken answer.
Misheard a word but understood the situation? Give a partial answer. If you catch Vertel ook wanneer, add a time phrase such as meestal 's ochtends or na mijn werk. A partial answer is better than silence.
A one-second pause to finish a sentence is fine. A long silent stretch is not.
5. Finish the last question cleanly
On the last question, check that you answered every part, then stop.
The end is not the moment to become ambitious. If the last item is a three-picture question, ask yourself while you speak: did I mention all three pictures? If not, jump to the next picture at once. A simple last line such as Ten slotte gaat hij naar huis closes the answer.
Eerst wacht Nora bij de huisarts. Daarna praat zij met de dokter. Ten slotte gaat zij weer naar huis.
First Nora waits at the GP. Then she talks to the doctor. Finally she goes home again.
Do not repeat your whole answer, and do not add unrelated material in the last seconds.
Before you start: the exam room
You take A2 Spreken on a computer at a DUO exam location, with a headset and a microphone. Other candidates speak at the same time, so the room can be noisy. Their answers do not matter; only your recording does.
Bring a valid ID. You may not take paper, a pen, a phone or a watch into the room. Staff explain the rules for 15 minutes, then the exam takes 35 minutes (DUO exam rules). When it ends, follow the staff instructions and leave quietly.
Practise these tips before the A2 speaking exam
Tips only work if you have tried them out loud. For inburgering spreken oefenen, record yourself answering practice questions. Then listen back for the direct answer, the follow-up and any long silences.
- DUO has free A2 speaking practice exams. They do not work in Safari.
- Our Spreken practice has the same four question types.
- Our A2 speaking sentence templates give you ready-made frames for each part.
- For the format and the scoring, read how the inburgering speaking exam works.