German exam instructions: the 30 words you must know
Redaktion · 8 October 2026 · 2 min read
In short
German exams give every instruction in German, and a misread instruction costs points before you have read the text. Across 831 different instructions in our practice bank, the most frequent action words are lesen, hören, schreiben, wählen, passen, markieren, entscheiden and ankreuzen; the most frequent nouns are Aufgabe, Lösung, Aussage and Beispiel. The official Goethe and ÖSD B1 word list even has its own section for instruction language.
The 20 action words
| German | Meaning in the instruction | In how many of 831 instructions |
|---|---|---|
| lesen | read | 355 |
| hören | listen | 229 |
| schreiben | write | 149 |
| wählen (aus) | choose | 149 |
| passen (zu) | fit, match | 149 |
| markieren | mark, highlight | 73 |
| entscheiden | decide (for example richtig or falsch) | 66 |
| ankreuzen / kreuzen … an | tick, put a cross | 64 |
| beantworten | answer (a question) | 56 |
| kontrollieren | check (your answers) | 50 |
| achten auf | pay attention to | 40 |
| lösen | solve, do (the task) | 37 |
| notieren | note down | 36 |
| ergänzen | complete, fill in a gap | 29 |
| verwenden / benutzen | use (each word once) | 28 |
| zuordnen / ordnen … zu | match, assign | 25 |
| berücksichtigen | take into account, cover (points) | 20 |
| begründen | give reasons | 15 |
| diskutieren | discuss | 15 |
| erzählen | tell, talk about | 14 |
The 10 nouns and small words
| German | Meaning | In how many of 831 |
|---|---|---|
| die Aufgabe | task, question number | 256 |
| richtig / falsch | true / false; also "die richtige Lösung" | 224 / 53 |
| die Lösung | answer, solution | 215 |
| einmal / zweimal | once / twice (how often you hear a text) | 188 / 69 |
| das Thema | topic | 165 |
| die Aussage | statement | 114 |
| die Sekunden | seconds (reading time before a recording) | 107 |
| das Beispiel | example (often item 0, already solved) | 97 |
| der Antwortbogen | answer sheet | 41 |
| die Überschrift | headline | 33 |
Three instructions people misread
- "Jedes Wort passt nur einmal" / "Sie können jedes Wort nur einmal verwenden": cross out words you have used.
- "Ein Bild ist zu viel" / "Zwei Aussagen passen zu niemandem": not every option is used. Do not force a match.
- "Behandeln Sie drei der folgenden Punkte": in telc B2 writing you choose three points, not all four.
The Goethe and ÖSD B1 word list has a whole section called Anweisungssprache, because these words decide whether you can do the task at all. More on that list: German B1 vocabulary. What to expect on the day: German exam day: what to bring.
Frequently asked questions
What does ankreuzen mean in a German exam?
Put a cross in the box of your answer, usually on the answer sheet (Antwortbogen).
What does zuordnen mean?
Match: you assign texts, people or pictures to the right option. Often one option is left over.
Are exam instructions given in English?
No. Goethe, telc and ÖSD give instructions in German. The examiners in the speaking test also speak German.
What is an Antwortbogen?
The answer sheet. In paper exams only what is on the answer sheet is marked, so transfer your answers in time.
Sources
- Goethe-Institut and ÖSD: Goethe-Zertifikat B1 word list, section Anweisungssprache (PDF), checked 8 October 2026
- Goethe-Zertifikat B1, model test for adults (PDF), checked 8 October 2026
- telc Deutsch B2, practice test 1 (PDF), checked 8 October 2026
