Exam part
The inburgering listening exam: how it works.
In the listening exam you hear short conversations and messages. Sometimes you see a short film with it. Then you choose the right answer.
At A2 it takes 45 minutes, on a computer. At B1 it is an exam of the Staatsexamen NT2. That takes 90 minutes.
What it looks like
You hear a fragment through headphones. Often you see a short film with it, sometimes only sound. Then you choose the answer on the screen.
In the DUO practice exams you could read the question before the fragment started. You heard every fragment twice.
Listening at A2 and at B1
These are two different exams, by two different exam makers. Which one you take depends on your law and your route.
Listening A2
The exam takes 45 minutes. The DUO practice exams had 25 questions per exam. Several questions often belonged to one fragment.
Listening B1
This is the listening exam of the Staatsexamen NT2, programme I. It takes 90 minutes. The exams from 2023 to 2025 had 38 or 39 questions, each with its own fragment.
Not sure which level you take? Read about the inburgering exam a2.
What the exams show
The Inburgeringscursus.nl team counted the listening questions. For A2 the DUO practice exams, for B1 the Staatsexamen NT2 exams. We do not put the levels side by side.
25
out of 75
A2: an answer is mentioned and then taken back
52
out of 75
A2: the question belongs to a short film, not just sound
105
out of 115
B1: you hear two people talking
86
out of 114
B1: the answer is there in other words
A2: three DUO practice exams. B1: the exams of 2023, 2024 and 2025. Does a figure count fewer questions? Then not every question could be classified.
How this was counted is in the Dutch exam research by Inburgeringscursus.nl.
How to approach it
- 1
Read the question before you listen
Then you know what to listen for. At A2 the question was almost always about one detail: 68 of the 75 questions.
- 2
Wait until the end
At A2 the answer rarely came right at the start: 9 of the 75 times in the first quarter. Only choose when the fragment is over.
- 3
Listen for words like maar and toch
Someone says one thing and then changes it. So keep listening until the end of the sentence.
- 4
Practise with real sounds
Listen to announcements, voicemails and short films. At A2, 52 of the 75 questions belonged to a short film.
Where it goes wrong
Mentioned and taken back
Someone names a time or a place and then says it is off. The first thing you hear is then not the answer. At A2 this was true for 25 of the 75 questions.
True, but not the answer
The answer was said, but it does not fit the question. At B1 this was the trap in 45 of the 112 questions.
Only listening for words
The wrong answers also use words from the fragment. Recognising them is not enough. Ask yourself what the speaker means.
How it is marked
At A2 DUO does not publish how many questions you need to get right. You only hear whether you passed.
At B1 you get one point per correct answer. With a score of 500 or higher you pass. In the exams from 2023 to 2025 that line was at 24 to 26 correct answers. There were 38 or 39 questions.
Failed? Then you retake this part. You pay € 50 again.
Try a question
Below is what you would hear, written out in Dutch. Watch what changes.
Listening · A2
Je hoort een voicemail: “Goedemorgen, met de tandartspraktijk. Uw afspraak staat op dinsdag om tien uur. Helaas kan dat niet doorgaan. Woensdag om tien uur kunnen we u wel helpen. Wilt u ons even terugbellen?”
Wanneer kan de tandarts helpen?
Tuesday is mentioned first and then taken back: it cannot go ahead. The dentist can help on Wednesday at ten. Thursday is not mentioned.
Questions about listening
How long does the listening exam take?
At A2 it takes 45 minutes. At B1 it takes 90 minutes.
How often do you hear a fragment?
The official sites do not say. In the DUO practice exams for A2 you heard every fragment twice.
How many mistakes can you make in Listening A2?
DUO does not publish this. You only hear whether you passed. A fixed number you see online is an estimate.
How many questions do you need right in Listening B1?
You need a score of 500. In the exams from 2023 to 2025 that was 24 to 26 correct answers. There were 38 or 39 questions.