B1 German course.
The step to
Settlement & Naturalization.

According to GER B1 you can:

• Understand main points of conversations about work, school, leisure time, when spoken clearly
• Write simple, coherent texts on familiar topics (letter, email, description)
• communicate in most everyday situations, even spontaneously (travel, restaurant, authority)
• Describe events and experiences, briefly justify opinions
• Essentially capture simple media content (news, instruction manuals).

Who is B1 compulsory for?

B1 is the central hurdle for the following paths in Germany:

• Settlement permit (Permanent residence) according to § 9 AufenthG – required language level
• Naturalization (German citizenship) – minimum level required by law
• Integration course – Completion of the integration course is certified with a B1 certificate (DTZ examination)
• Many apprenticeships – Companies usually expect B1 before training begins
• Family reunification to Germany (Extension of residence permit)

Vocabulary & subject areas

• Working world: application, interview, employment contract, communication with colleagues
• Housing: rental agreement, additional costs, neighborhood, complaints
• Health: doctor's visits, health insurance, appointments
• Authorities: Fill out forms, submit applications, write letters to authorities
• Media & News: Understanding newspaper articles, summarizing reports
• Culture & Leisure: Events, discussions on current topics
• Travel & Transport: Tickets, directions, solving problems

Grammar at B1 level

• Use subordinate clauses (that, because, if, as, although, so that) safely
• Subjunctive II (would + infinitive, would have/would, could, should for politeness and irrealis)
• Passive (preceding passive in all tenses: present, past, perfect, future)
• Relative clauses (nominative, accusative, dative) with prepositions (with which, with which, etc.)
• Comparative sentences (the … the more, as if, as, as)
• Temporal clauses (before, after, since, until, during) with correct tense sequence
• Adjective declension after definite, indefinite article and without article
• Prepositions with dative and accusative (in, on, on, behind, next to, over, under, in front of, between)
• Modal verbs in the past tense (could, had to, could, should, wanted)

• Work through textbooks: “People B1” (Hueber), “Encounters B1” (Schubert), “Steps plus New B1” – all cover the exam material.
• Use model testing: Goethe, telc and DTZ provide free examples. Practice repeatedly under time pressure.
• Training in everyday situations: B1 requires spontaneous reactions - tandem partners, language cafés, everyday conversations are essential.
• Practice writing specifically: Write letters (complaints, applications, cancellations of appointments), analyze sample letters, learn common phrases.
• Simulate speaking test: Play through the three parts (introduction, presentation, discussion) with your partner.

Common mistakes that lead to failure

• Registering for the exam too late – appointments (especially DTZ) are often fully booked for weeks.
• Vocabulary too small – B1 requires an active vocabulary of around 2,000-2,500 words.
• Writing task not structured – no introduction, no clear structure, lack of reference to the points.
• Blocked in the speaking test - because you have never spoken to a stranger before.
• Integration course canceled prematurely - then no access to the DTZ exam.