telc B1 Speaking (Mündliche Prüfung): 3 Parts, Scoring and Phrases
Last updated: August 2026 · 9 min read
The oral exam of telc Deutsch B1 is an independent component that is marked separately from the written one: 75 points, or 25% of the 300-point total. The decisive rule: a strong written score cannot rescue the oral one. To be certified you need at least 45 points (60%) in speaking.
The exam is a Paarprüfung: two candidates take it together, facing two licensed examiners — one moderates the conversation (the Interlokutor), the other observes and assesses (the Assessor). If only one candidate has registered, an individual exam is allowed and one examiner takes the partner role.
First: 20 minutes of preparation
Before speaking you get 20 minutes of preparation time in a separate room, where you see all the task sheets. The rules are strict:
- You may take notes, but only on the stamped sheets provided by the exam centre. You may not write on the task sheets.
- Dictionaries, phones and other electronic devices are forbidden, and talking to each other in the preparation room is not allowed.
- You may take your notes into the exam room, but you should not read from them — read-aloud speech costs marks.
So those 20 minutes are for building a keyword list, not for writing out sentences. Five or six keywords for Parts 2 and 3 support fluent speech far better than a script.
The three parts and their points
| Part | Task | Time | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teil 1 | Einander kennenlernen | ~3 min | 15 |
| Teil 2 | Über ein Thema sprechen | ~6 min | 30 |
| Teil 3 | Gemeinsam etwas planen | ~6 min | 30 |
Source: telc gGmbH, telc Deutsch B1 Übungstest 1 — "Mündliche Prüfung" and "Punkte und Gewichtung".
Note the weighting: Part 1 is only 15 points, while Parts 2 and 3 are worth 30 points each. Over-rehearsing the introduction while neglecting the two parts that carry the marks is a very common mistake.
Part 1: Einander kennenlernen (~3 min, 15 points)
You get to know your partner: you talk about yourself and ask them questions too. The bullet points on the task sheet (name, home town, job, languages, hobbies) are only orientation; you may cover other topics, and the examiners may raise something that is not on the sheet.
What is really measured is not solo talking but building a real conversation. Instead of delivering a monologue and stopping, end each answer with a question:
Useful phrases
- Darf ich mich kurz vorstellen? Ich heiße …
- Ich komme ursprünglich aus …, wohne aber seit … Jahren in …
- Und wie ist das bei dir/Ihnen?
- Das ist ja interessant – erzähl doch mehr davon.
Part 2: Über ein Thema sprechen (~6 min, 30 points)
The two candidates get different sheets carrying opposing opinions on the same topic. The task has two stages: first you inform each other about the opinion on your own sheet, then you discuss the topic, report your own experiences and give your own view.
Typical topics come from everyday life: group travel, television in the evening, mobile phones in daily life, keeping pets in a city, online shopping, cars in the city centre, living in a city versus in the countryside.
A common mistake is skipping the first stage and going straight to "in my opinion…". Relaying the opinion on your sheet is part of the task; skipping it costs marks under the Aufgabenbewältigung criterion.
Useful phrases
- Auf meinem Blatt steht, dass … (relaying)
- Meiner Meinung nach … / Ich finde, dass … (opinion)
- Da bin ich ganz deiner Meinung. / Das sehe ich anders, weil … (agreeing/disagreeing)
- Bei mir war das so: … (own experience)
- Wie siehst du das? (passing the turn)
Part 3: Gemeinsam etwas planen (~6 min, 30 points)
In the final part you organise something concrete together: an event, a celebration, a concert, an exhibition or a sports event. You are expected to bring your own ideas and suggestions, react to your partner's suggestions, and settle what needs doing and who takes on which task.
The biggest point-loser here is two candidates taking turns at monologues and never agreeing on anything. Reaching an actual decision — date, place, division of tasks — is the output the task expects.
Useful phrases
- Ich würde vorschlagen, dass wir … / Wie wäre es, wenn wir …? (suggestion)
- Das ist eine gute Idee, aber … / Einverstanden! (reaction)
- Sollen wir das am Samstag oder lieber am Sonntag machen? (alternatives)
- Dann übernehme ich die Getränke, und du kümmerst dich um die Musik. (dividing tasks)
- Also, halten wir fest: … (summing up the decision)
How it is marked
The two examiners assess independently of each other, then compare their marks after you leave the room and agree on a joint result. Four criteria are used:
- Ausdrucksfähigkeit – range of expression, vocabulary, getting your intention across
- Aufgabenbewältigung – participation in the conversation, use of strategies and fluency
- Formale Richtigkeit – syntax and morphology (grammatical accuracy)
- Aussprache und Intonation – pronunciation and intonation
Each criterion is graded A–D and counts double in Parts 2 and 3. The first three criteria are worth up to 4 points each in Part 1 and up to 8 in Parts 2 and 3; pronunciation is worth up to 3 in Part 1 and up to 6 in Parts 2 and 3. Total: 15 + 30 + 30 = 75.
One detail worth knowing: asking your partner questions and helping them out is assessed positively. If your partner is struggling, saying "Was meinst du dazu?" does not lower your score — it counts towards Aufgabenbewältigung. Likewise, if one candidate dominates, the Interlokutor will step in and give the other the floor, so sharing the speaking time is in your interest too.
Rehearse the oral exam with Zertifly
Zertifly's telc B1 speaking exercises walk through Parts 1–3 in the real exam sequence, with opposing-opinion sheets and planning tasks.
Conclusion
The telc B1 oral exam is not a presentation — it is a conversation test. Building a keyword list during preparation, relaying before debating in Part 2, and reaching a concrete decision in Part 3 are the three behaviours that decide the score.
For the pass mark and grading system see our telc B1 scoring and results article, and for the exam as a whole our telc Deutsch B1 guide.