Your mouth goes dry, the timer starts, and suddenly every Dutch word you ever learned hides under the table.
That is normal. The inburgering speaking exam at A2 level is not about perfect grammar. It is about making yourself understood in everyday situations: buying bread, calling the huisarts, asking a neighbour for help, or explaining why you are late for work. The examiners want to hear that you can handle these moments with simple, clear Dutch.
This guide gives you real phrases you can practise out loud today. Use them with a language buddy, record yourself, or say them to your mirror while the coffee brews. The goal is Dutch Oefenen A2 until the words come out without thinking. For official details on the exam format, always check DUO and Mijn Inburgering. They are the only sources for exact rules, question counts, and pass scores.
What the A2 speaking exam actually asks you to do
The speaking exam is a computer-based test. You sit in a booth with a headset, and you respond to prompts that appear on screen. Some prompts ask you to repeat a sentence. Others show a picture and ask a question. Some ask you to give a short opinion or describe what you see.
The topics are practical: gemeente letters, DigiD problems, appointments, weather, work, school, and daily shopping at Albert Heijn. You do not need to discuss politics or philosophy. You need to say, clearly and simply, what you want or what you think.
Because the exam is computer-based, you cannot ask the examiner to repeat. You get one chance per question. That is why practising common phrases until they are automatic matters more than memorising grammar rules. Your brain needs ready-made chunks it can grab under pressure.
Dutch Oefenen A2: core phrases for everyday situations
Start with these building blocks. They appear again and again in the speaking exam because they reflect real life in the Netherlands.
Greetings and small talk
- Goedemorgen, goedemiddag, goedenavond. Match the time of day.
- Hoe gaat het? / Het gaat goed, dank u.
- Sorry, ik spreek niet zo goed Nederlands. This buys you patience and shows honesty.
- Kunt u dat herhalen, alstublieft? Even in the exam, if a prompt is unclear, you can say this to the screen. It shows you know the phrase.
At the shop or market
- Ik wil graag een brood, alstublieft.
- Heeft u ook verse melk?
- Hoeveel kost dat?
- Mag ik pinnen? (Can I pay by card?)
- Nee, dank u. Dat is alles.
At the huisarts or pharmacy
- Ik heb een afspraak gemaakt.
- Ik voel me niet lekker. Ik heb hoofdpijn.
- Mijn kind is ziek. Hij heeft koorts.
- Kunt u mij een recept geven?
- Waar is de apotheek?
With the gemeente or on the phone
- Ik bel over mijn DigiD. Het werkt niet.
- Ik heb een brief ontvangen. Kunt u mij helpen?
- Ik wil een afspraak maken voor volgende week.
- Mijn adres is gewijzigd. Moet ik dat doorgeven?
Notice how many phrases start with Ik wil, Ik heb, or Kunt u. These three patterns cover most requests and questions. Drill them until they are reflexes.
"I used to freeze when the screen showed a picture of a doctor's office. Then I practised ten sentences about being sick every morning for a week. On exam day, the words just came out. I still made mistakes, but the examiner understood me."
How to practise speaking when nobody speaks Dutch with you
Most learners in the Netherlands struggle to find speaking practice. Dutch neighbours are friendly but switch to English the moment they hear an accent. That is polite, but it kills your progress. Here is how to create practice anyway.
Record yourself and listen back
Use your phone. Read a phrase, then say it without looking. Record both. Listen for whether your g and ch sounds are rough enough, whether your vowels are long where they should be, and whether you pause in strange places. You will cringe at first. That is fine. Cringing means you are learning.
Shadow Dutch audio
Find short clips: weather reports, NOS Jeugdjournaal, or simple YouTube lessons. Play one sentence, pause, and copy the rhythm exactly. Do not worry about meaning at first. Copy the melody. Dutch has a distinctive stress pattern, and your ear needs to absorb it.
Random conversation is good, but exam speaking is a specific skill. You need to answer a question in a few seconds, with a clear beginning and end. Structured prompts train that reflex. Practise with a timer so you get used to the pressure.
Join a taalcafé or online group
Many libraries (bibliotheken) run free taalcafés where locals and newcomers chat in simple Dutch. It is low-pressure and social. If you cannot attend in person, look for online conversation groups. Even thirty minutes a week helps.
Common mistakes A2 speakers make (and quick fixes)
You do not need to eliminate every mistake to pass. But some mistakes confuse listeners more than others. Fix these first.
Word order in questions
In Dutch, the verb often comes before the subject in yes/no questions: Heb je tijd? not Je hebt tijd? For wh- questions, the verb comes right after the question word: Waar is de huisarts? Practise these patterns until they feel natural.
De or het
You will mix these up. Everyone does. At A2, examiners care more about whether the sentence is understandable than whether every article is perfect. Learn the de and het for words you use often, and let the rest go for now.
Pronunciation of ui, eu, and ij
These sounds do not exist in English, and they trip up almost every learner. Huis, neus, tijd. Say them slowly, then speed up. If you can make yourself understood saying huisarts, you are doing well.
Speaking too softly
The exam records your voice. Mumble and the software may not catch it. Speak clearly, at a normal volume, and do not rush. A calm, steady pace beats a fast, garbled one every time.
KNM and speaking: what overlaps
The KNM exam (Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij) tests your knowledge of Dutch society: how the gemeente works, what to do in an emergency, how schools and healthcare function. The speaking exam sometimes touches the same topics.
If you know how to explain, in simple Dutch, that you need to register at the gemeente after moving, or that you call 112 for emergencies, you are covering both exams at once. Learn the vocabulary of daily systems: verzekering (insurance), afspraak (appointment), belasting (tax), huur (rent). These words appear everywhere.
A good habit is to read one gemeente letter per week and summarise it out loud in three sentences. This builds both KNM knowledge and speaking fluency.
Building a daily routine that actually works
You do not need three hours a day. You need consistency. Twenty minutes of focused speaking practice beats a two-hour cramming session once a week.
Morning: five minutes of phrases
Pick five phrases from this article. Say them while you make coffee. Repeat them until they feel boring. Boring is good. Boring means automatic.
Afternoon: one listening clip
Listen to a short Dutch clip and repeat two sentences out loud. Focus on rhythm, not perfection. This trains your ear and your mouth at the same time.
Evening: one recorded answer
Take a simple question: Wat heb je vandaag gedaan? Answer it out loud for thirty seconds. Record it. Listen once. Note one thing to improve tomorrow.
Do this for four weeks and you will feel a difference. Your tongue gets used to the shapes. Your brain stops translating from English and starts reaching for Dutch directly.
Practical checklist before exam day
- Check your exam date and location on Mijn Inburgering or via DUO. Do not rely on memory.
- Confirm the exact format and rules with DUO or CvTE. Rules can change, and only they have the current information.
- Practise with a mock exam at least twice. Familiarity reduces panic.
- Bring valid ID. Check what DUO accepts.
- Arrive early. Rushing raises your heart rate and hurts your speaking.
- Sleep well the night before. Tired brains speak worse Dutch.
- During the exam, breathe. If you blank, say Sorry, kunt u dat herhalen? and move on.
- Do not aim for perfect. Aim for clear. Clear passes. Perfect does not exist.
FAQ
How long is the speaking exam?
Check DUO or Mijn Inburgering for the current duration. The format and timing are set by the official bodies, and they are the only reliable source.
How many questions are on the speaking exam?
Again, check DUO. The number of questions and the structure can be updated. Do not trust old blog posts or forum comments.
What score do I need to pass?
Pass scores are set by DUO and CvTE. Look them up on the official sites. Any other number you see online may be outdated.
Can I use a dictionary during the exam?
No. The speaking exam is closed-book. You rely on what you have practised. This is why daily speaking habits matter more than last-minute memorisation.
What if I do not understand a question?
You can say Kunt u dat herhalen, alstublieft? or Ik begrijp het niet. Kunt u langzamer spreken? These phrases show you can manage a conversation even when confused.
Is A2 enough for work in the Netherlands?
A2 is the minimum for inburgering, but many jobs ask for B1 or higher. A2 gets you started. Keep building. Every phrase you learn now makes the next level easier.
How do I practise if I am shy?
Start alone. Record yourself. Talk to your pet, your plants, your reflection. Shyness fades with repetition. When you are ready, join a small taalcafé or online group where everyone is learning too.
Passing the speaking exam is not about being brilliant. It is about being prepared. Learn the phrases, say them out loud, and trust that your mouth will remember what your brain practised. Succes!
