A2 Spreken (speaking) sample answers: short Dutch answers for timed tasks

A2 Spreken uses films and questions at a computer. DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs, the Dutch education service) describes the official format on its Taalexamens (language exams) page (External site, opens in a new tab). Try DUO’s A2 speaking practice exams (External site, opens in a new tab) to practise the computer format. The speaking practice does not work in Safari, so use another browser.

For the full format and a practice scoring table, use the A2 Spreken guide.

These four original exercises use written questions and imagined scenes. Read each Dutch prompt and sample answer with its English translation. Each answer starts with the requested information, then adds a detail, reason, opinion or sequence.

Imagine a speaker asking about your journey to school or work.

Prompt: Hoe gaat u meestal naar school of werk? Vertel ook waarom. (How do you usually travel to school or work? Also say why.)

Sample answer: Ik ga meestal met de fiets naar mijn werk. Dat is snel en goedkoop. Mijn werk is niet ver weg. Als het regent, neem ik de bus. (I usually cycle to work. That is fast and cheap. My workplace is nearby. When it rains, I take the bus.)

Imagine a woman cooking in a kitchen, with a pan on the stove and vegetables on the table.

Prompt: Een vrouw kookt in de keuken. Vertel wat u ziet en wat u ervan vindt. (A woman is cooking in the kitchen. Say what you see and what you think of it.)

Sample answer: Ik zie een vrouw in de keuken. Zij maakt eten in een pan. Er liggen groenten op tafel. Ik vind koken leuk, want vers eten is lekker. (I see a woman in the kitchen. She is cooking food in a pan. There are vegetables on the table. I like cooking because fresh food tastes good.)

Imagine two scenes: someone drinking coffee at home and someone drinking coffee in a café.

Prompt: Waar drinkt u liever koffie: thuis of in een café? Vertel ook waarom. (Where do you prefer drinking coffee: at home or in a café? Also say why.)

Sample answer: Ik drink liever koffie thuis. Thuis is het rustig en goedkoper. In een café is het soms druk. Ik drink koffie meestal in de ochtend. (I prefer drinking coffee at home. It is quiet and cheaper at home. A café is sometimes busy. I usually drink coffee in the morning.)

Imagine three pictures: a man pumps up a bicycle tyre, puts his bag on the bike, then cycles to work.

Prompt: Een man maakt zijn fiets klaar. Vertel iets over alle plaatjes. (A man is getting his bike ready. Say something about every picture.)

Sample answer: Eerst pompt de man zijn band op. Daarna zet hij zijn tas op de fiets. Tot slot fietst hij naar zijn werk. Hij wil op tijd komen. (First the man pumps up his tyre. Then he puts his bag on the bike. Finally he cycles to work. He wants to arrive on time.)

The samples practise answering the question with details and connected sentences. DUO checks whether your answer fits the question. It also checks whether your answer is understandable. It also checks vocabulary, grammar, fluency, how your ideas connect and pronunciation. See the Beoordelingsmodel Spreken A2 (A2 speaking assessment model) (External site, opens in a new tab), dated 10 August 2026.

When you record your own version, follow these four tips:

• Answer the task first: the travel answer starts with how you get to work.
• Use short sentences you can control: the examples mostly use the present tense.
• Connect the answer to a reason: want (because) and omdat (because) can link two ideas.
• Speak clearly: the listener needs to understand your answer.

The four-sentence samples show one way to answer these practice prompts. The question decides which details you need to include.

Use these sentence patterns when they fit the question. Add your own words and details:

• Ik kies… (I choose…).
• Ik zie… (I see…).
• Ik vind het leuk, want… (I like it because…).
• Ik vind het niet leuk, want… (I do not like it because…).
• Eerst…, daarna…, tot slot… (First…, then…, finally…).

For our one-minute practice recordings, you can stop when your answer is complete.

Inburgering.org’s practice guideline is four to six simple Dutch sentences for many A2 tasks. That is enough for this recording exercise if you answer every part of the prompt and use the picture when there is one. Follow the time and instructions given in the official task when you take the exam.

1. Choose one prompt above.
2. Change the sample details to fit your situation or the imagined scene.
3. Record your answer with a one-minute timer.
4. Listen back to your recording.
5. Check that you answered every part of the question in your own words.

For example, change Ik ga meestal met de fiets naar mijn werk. (I usually cycle to work.) to Ik ga meestal met de trein naar school. (I usually take the train to school.) Then give a reason that fits your journey.

If the computer format is new to you, try DUO’s official practice exams first. If your recording misses a requested reason or picture detail, repeat that question and add the missing information. Change the sample answer to fit the prompt before you practise it again.

For extra free practice from Inburgering.org, choose one of these pages:

• Free A2 speaking practice workbook
• Free A2 speaking mock exam
• Free A2 speaking summary